Thinking about giving your home’s exterior a dramatic and modern refresh? If you own a brick house, then absolutely go for it! I’m thrilled to share the incredible before-and-after journey of my white-painted brick home, beautifully enhanced with striking mid-century modern touches and elegant black and charcoal accents. What was once a traditional brick facade has been transformed into a vibrant, contemporary statement that perfectly reflects my interior style.

White Painted Brick House: A Mid-Century Modern Exterior Transformation

A painted brick house? Yes, I confess, I was initially skeptical. The idea of painting over classic brick felt a bit unconventional. However, after seeing the stunning results, I can confidently say that painting a brick house is not only possible but an absolutely phenomenal way to revitalize your home’s curb appeal. My renewed love for my house’s exterior is boundless, and I’m excited for you to see why.

Why Painting Brick is a Game-Changer for Your Home’s Exterior

Many homeowners hesitate to paint brick, often due to misconceptions about its durability or the fear of ‘ruining’ its natural charm. However, with the right preparation and high-quality paint, painting brick can offer numerous benefits. It modernizes the aesthetic, provides a fresh canvas for design, and can even offer an added layer of protection against the elements. For those aiming to achieve a specific architectural style, like the crisp lines of mid-century modern or the clean look of contemporary farmhouse, painted brick is an ideal solution. It allows for a cohesive color palette that might be challenging to achieve with original brick tones alone, especially if your brick has varied or outdated hues.

Transforming Homes with Abbott Paint and Carpet: Our Trusted Partner

This remarkable transformation was made possible through an exciting partnership with Abbott Paint and Carpet. As a local St. Paul, MN-based company, Abbott truly simplifies the complexities of both interior and exterior home projects. From the moment I stepped into their studio, knowing I wanted a significant change but unsure where to start, their team provided invaluable guidance, turning my abstract ideas into a concrete vision. They eliminate the guesswork and stress, proving to be an indispensable resource for any homeowner looking to embark on a renovation journey.

Expert Design Consultation & Storyboarding: Abbott assigned me a professional designer who was instrumental in conceptualizing and storyboarding my exterior renovation. This hands-on collaboration helped visualize the final look before any paint touched the house, ensuring the outcome perfectly aligned with my aesthetic aspirations. This step alone saved potential missteps and provided immense peace of mind.
Comprehensive Paint Selection: The sheer volume of paint colors available can be overwhelming. Abbott’s extensive inventory covers virtually every shade imaginable. Moreover, their incredible color-matching service means that if a specific hue isn’t in their collection, they can perfectly replicate it, offering limitless possibilities for customization.
Access to Reliable Paint Contractors: Finding dependable contractors can be a challenge, often leading to unreturned calls or unreliable service. Abbott excels here by maintaining a curated list of highly reliable and vetted paint contractors. They seamlessly connected me with Headwaters Painting, whose professionalism and skill were evident throughout the entire project. This connection alone is a testament to Abbott’s commitment to quality service.
Convenient Minnesota Locations: With three accessible locations in St. Paul, White Bear Lake, and Stillwater, Abbott Paint and Carpet serves a wide community, making their expert services readily available to more homeowners.

Crafting Our Vision: White Exterior with Charcoal Accents

My primary goal for this exterior project was to create a seamless aesthetic transition from the inside of my home to the outside. Those familiar with my master bedroom and home office know my affinity for crisp black and white palettes, combined with a timeless mid-century modern farmhouse feel. This strong preference naturally led us to the choice of a white exterior complemented by sophisticated charcoal accents. This combination not only achieves the desired contemporary look but also beautifully enhances the architectural lines of the house.

A crucial step in the design process was the professional rendering provided by Abbott. By simply supplying a photograph of my house, their team generated a realistic visualization of what the painted exterior would look like. This “try before you buy” approach is invaluable, especially for a significant investment like painting an entire house. It allowed me to confidently make decisions and visualize the transformation long before any actual work began.

The Perfect Paint: Vintage 24 – An Abbott Exclusive

Before my consultation with Abbott, painting brick wasn’t even on my radar as a viable option. It was their expert recommendation that opened my eyes to the possibilities. My excitement grew further when they explained that painting the brick would create a seamless transition with the existing siding at the back of the house, unifying the entire exterior. This solved a design dilemma I hadn’t even fully articulated yet.

The chosen paint for our home’s exterior is called Vintage 24, an exclusive private label product from Abbott, specifically formulated for outdoor projects. This name is a meaningful tribute to Howard “Mike” Abbott, the company’s founder, born in 1924. What truly sets Vintage 24 apart is its exceptional versatility and performance. It can be applied to virtually any exterior surface, offering remarkable durability that prevents fading over time. And perhaps most impressively, it can be custom-tinted to ANY color imaginable, providing unparalleled design freedom.

Superior Latex Formulation: Vintage 24 is a premium breather-type latex house paint, expertly designed for a wide range of exterior surfaces including wood, masonry, brick, and primed metal. Its “breather” quality allows moisture vapor to escape from within the walls, preventing blisters and peeling, which is especially important for brick.
Exceptional Durability: This non-flammable coating boasts impressive resistance to blistering and fading, ensuring your home maintains its vibrant, fresh look for years to come. It’s a robust shield against harsh weather and UV rays.
Versatile Application: Vintage 24 is ideal for aluminum siding and excels on wood siding, shakes, primed metal, and masonry surfaces. Its adaptability makes it a perfect choice for homes with mixed exterior materials, ensuring a consistent finish.
Effortless Application: Designed for user-friendly application, Vintage 24 can be applied smoothly by brush, roller, or spray, and is conveniently water-thinnable for easy cleanup.

The Exterior Painting Process: A Three-Day Transformation

The question of “how long does it take to paint a house?” often arises. While the duration can vary based on the paint company, house size, and specific conditions, our complete exterior painting project with Headwaters Painting took just three days from start to finish. Here’s a detailed look at the streamlined and efficient process:

Day 1: Thorough Power Washing & Detailed Priming Prep: The initial phase is arguably the most critical for ensuring a long-lasting and flawless finish. Our house, built in 1939 with original brickwork, required meticulous attention. Headwaters Painting began with a powerful yet gentle power wash to remove decades of dirt, grime, and loose debris. Following this, extensive detail priming was performed on any areas requiring extra adhesion or protection, preparing the venerable brick for its new look. This essential preparation ensures optimal paint adhesion and durability.

Day 2: Uniform Primer Application: With the surface thoroughly cleaned and prepped, the second day was dedicated to applying the primer coat. Utilizing a professional spray application technique, the team achieved an incredibly precise and even layer of primer across the entire exterior. This step is crucial, as the primer creates a uniform base, enhances the true color of the topcoat, and provides a barrier that prevents the brick from absorbing excessive amounts of the finish paint, ultimately saving on paint and ensuring a consistent look.

Day 3: Final Paint Coats & Striking Trim Details: The most dramatic part of the transformation unfolded on the final day. The main body of the house received its pristine white coats of Vintage 24. Once the white was complete, the true magic happened as the trim, window frames, and other architectural details were painted in the deep, contrasting charcoal. This addition immediately made the white exterior truly POP, creating the sophisticated mid-century modern aesthetic we had envisioned. The precision and attention to detail during this final stage truly brought the entire design concept to life.

The Grand Reveal: A Stunning Before & After!

And now, the moment you’ve been waiting for! Prepare to be amazed by the dramatic before and after photos of this incredible white-painted brick house transformation. The change is truly remarkable, exceeding all expectations.

The Front Exterior: Unveiling New Curb Appeal

The front of my house is utterly unrecognizable, in the best possible way! I am completely captivated by how beautifully the crisp white and deep charcoal color scheme harmonizes with our existing brown roof. Initially, I had some reservations about pairing white and charcoal with brown, but I am incredibly relieved and thrilled that we decided to move forward with this striking combination. It creates a contemporary yet warm aesthetic.

The strategic application of charcoal on the planters, the inviting front door, and the expansive garage door truly makes the white brick and siding sing. These dark accents provide crucial contrast, defining the architectural features and adding depth to the facade. To perfectly complete the mid-century modern vision, we installed a sleek new light fixture, a modern mailbox, and bold house numbers, tying every element together into a cohesive and stylish statement. The curb appeal is now exceptional.

The Back Exterior: From Patchwork to Perfection

The rear of our home was arguably the area that most desperately needed attention. When the previous owner added the upstairs addition, there was a glaring oversight: the new siding didn’t match the original, resulting in an inconsistent and rather unsightly yellow-patchy appearance. This created a visual disconnect that detracted significantly from the overall aesthetic of the house.

However, a fresh, unifying coat of Vintage 24 paint has worked absolute wonders for this space. The seamless white now gracefully integrates the older brick with the newer siding, eliminating the previous patchwork look. I particularly love the striking contrast the pristine white provides against our lush green grass and the warm brown roof. It’s a cohesive and visually pleasing palette that breathes new life into the backyard. While the exterior paint job has completed this phase, I have ambitious plans for the patio area – likely a project for next year. I envision a fresh pour of concrete to create a clean, modern foundation, which I believe will truly wrap up the transformation of our backyard oasis.

In conclusion, embarking on this exterior painting journey has been one of the best decisions for our home. The transformation of our brick house with white paint and charcoal accents has not only elevated its curb appeal but has also perfectly aligned its exterior with our interior design aesthetic. If you’re considering a similar project, I wholeheartedly encourage you to explore the possibilities of painted brick, especially with the guidance of experts like Abbott Paint and Carpet. Their comprehensive support, from design to execution, made what could have been a daunting task an incredibly rewarding experience.

This post is sponsored by Abbott Paint and Carpet. I was compensated for this post, and all opinions expressed are my own.