By now you’ve probably heard how much we adore the results of painting our brick house white last fall. It stands out as one of our favorite transformations in thirteen years of homeownership. If you’re considering a similar change, we want to share what we learned, some helpful advice, and a few spring photos—this is the first year we’ve seen the house framed by white dogwoods and it’s absolutely delightful.
First, a quick note: we don’t believe every brick should be painted. Natural, unpainted brick is beautiful, especially when it’s historic or reclaimed. We love exposed 100-year-old chimney brick and the reclaimed brick steps we’ve used in other projects. But not all brick is created equal.
The brick on our house was an example of that. It dated from the early eighties and had a blotchy maroon and dark brown mix with a yellow-beige mortar finish that looked messy in places. A swatch of white paint immediately neutralized those issues and transformed the appearance into something more classic and stately. The takeaway is that if your brick bothers you, you don’t have to live with it.
Before committing, we did a lot of thinking. Some of the questions we wrestled with were:
- What if we regret painting the brick?
- What if we don’t like the color?
- What will the neighbors think?
- Will it be hard to maintain?
- Will it be expensive?
Now that the project is complete, none of those worries played out the way we feared. We love the result far more than we expected. A major factor that gave us confidence was finding the right paint product: a breathable mineral masonry paint called Romabio Masonry Flat (previously Boidomus I). It’s designed for brick and masonry and doesn’t seal the brick the way standard latex paint does, so it allows moisture to escape and avoids the cracking and peeling problems that can occur with non-breathable paints.
- 20-year warranty
- Eco-friendly formulation
- Naturally mold resistant
- Used on historic masonry in Europe
- Beautiful matte finish that reads classic rather than shiny
Our painter’s description was apt: “it’s like painting brick with brick.” We were not sponsored to use this product; we paid for the project ourselves. After finishing the job and sharing our experience, Romabio reached out about collaborating on a curated exterior color collection—and we eagerly said yes. Choosing exterior paint colors can be stressful, so we wanted to simplify that process for other homeowners by narrowing down color choices to a thoughtful selection of options we’d confidently use.
We pulled inspiration from the painted brick homes of our hometown, particularly the historic “Fan” neighborhood in Richmond, Virginia. Walking those streets with color swatches helped us choose a balance of classic neutrals—greiges, khakis, sand tones and chocolate hues—along with a few softened color options like misty blues, mossy greens and a subtle blush. Because mineral paints are made from natural materials, they tend not to go extremely dark; that works in favor of durability and low maintenance.
We refined our collection by testing painted swatches on sample boards, lightening or graying tones as needed, and eliminating similar options so the final palette would be focused and practical. The objective was to offer distinct, real-world choices rather than dozens of near-identical shades. Each color was tested on brick samples so we could see how it read on masonry.
We also observed what can happen when masonry paint isn’t used: latex paints sometimes appear shiny and are prone to peeling and cracking because they trap moisture. That’s another reason to choose a breathable mineral option for brick.
Naming the colors was a fun final step. We aimed for names that feel house-worthy and memorable, and we included nods to our hometown, like “Richmond White,” which is the exact white used on our house. It’s balanced—not stark or yellow—and pairs well with bright white trim. For our project we narrowed many options down to a few finalists, color matched them, tested them on the exterior, and then had Romabio mix the final formula for the full project.
Because color matching between different paint brands can vary, Romabio created “Richmond White” as the original formula so you can request that exact color without risking mismatched pigments. The same mineral paint works on interior brick, too, so if you want to refresh a fireplace or an inside feature, you can order smaller buckets for that use.
If you’re considering these colors, we recommend testing a small painted sample on your own brick and checking compatibility with your trim and roof colors. Romabio can advise on which surfaces need primer and which don’t, and can provide small test sizes so you can try a color before committing to a full project.
If you use any of our colors, we’d love to see photos—tag your project so we can enjoy the results with you. We’re thrilled with how painting our brick transformed the house, and if you’re thoughtful about materials and color, it can be a truly rewarding makeover.
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