If you live in Australia, chances are you’ve seen (or lived in!) a home with red brick, a red roof, and a red driveway. It was a popular style in its day — but today, all that red can make your home look heavy, dated, and difficult to work with.
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The good news is, you don’t need to render the entire house or rip everything out. With a few smart updates, you can tone down all that red and completely refresh your facade.
Why All That Red Feels Overwhelming
Red brick has a strong, dominant tone — and when you combine it with a red roof and red driveway pavers, it’s just too much of the same thing. There’s no visual relief, no contrast, and no balance. The result? A home that feels stuck in the past.
Here’s what I recommend to modernise the look while keeping the parts you want to retain.
1. Recolour the Roof
Start by updating the roof colour. A mid to dark grey or muted earthy tone will dramatically reduce the visual intensity of the red brick and bring your home into the present. This one change can make your entire facade feel more balanced and refined.
2. Tone Down the Driveway
If your driveway is red-tinted concrete or red pavers, consider recolouring or resurfacing it in a neutral shade. A soft charcoal or warm grey works beautifully to ground the home without competing with the red brick.
3. Work With the Brick
If you’re not rendering your brick (and many homeowners choose not to), then it’s all about what you put around it. Use neutral tones — like charcoal, greige, black or creamy white — for trims, garage doors, gutters, and entry features. This contrast helps balance the warmth of the brick and stops the whole facade from blending into one red mass.
4. Add Greenery
Lush landscaping is a fantastic way to soften the look of a red brick home. Green foliage contrasts beautifully with warm tones and adds life and depth to your front yard. Consider feature plants, climbing vines, or structured hedges to break up the red visually.
5. Create a Visual Anchor
Adding a new architectural feature — such as a portico, timber battens, or rendered pier — in a contrasting material gives your facade a fresh focal point. It helps draw attention away from the red and creates a more intentional, curated look.
Toning down a red brick house isn’t about hiding the brick — it’s about giving it the right support. A fresh roof colour, new driveway finish, and well-chosen accents can all work together to modernise and elevate your home’s appearance.
If you’re not sure where to start, I can help. I’ve designed facades for homes all across Australia — completely online — with customised plans that suit your budget, your brick, and your style.
Get in touch here or follow me for more design tips and facade makeovers.
Jane