What Color Do You Paint Chairs When You Have Red Brick?

Stand-out Shades

• Paint wooden furniture in a color that vibrates against the reds of a brick wall. Try bright coral in a high-gloss finish for a set of spindle-back chairs. Color a bench spring green or chartreuse for contrast that showcases both the brick and the seating. Use butter yellow or pure daffodil for a cheerful note against deep red brick.

Clean and Classy

• You can't go wrong with creamy whites against brick, no matter what color brick covers your walls. Dusty pink bricks and soot-darkened bricks are a canvas for linen whites, mauve whites with just a hint of purple or pink, vanilla or antique whites that appear softer than a modern, stark white. The slightly off-white tones mimic the muted finish of brick harmoniously and using a shade of white brings more light into the room.

Soot and Smoke

• Pick up the gray grout color between the bricks when selecting a paint color for chairs to place in front of it. The color ties wall and furniture together subtly and is an easy fit with the rest of the room’s decor. For smoke and soot-stained or age-darkened brick, glossy black paint or a dramatic gray like pewter or storm-cloud can span styles from traditional to modern. The choice of gray celebrates the history of the brick, whether it is true or faux vintage. It looks authentic in a Colonial room or contemporary in a minimalist room with spare, modern lines.

Wood and Clay

• Stick to the natural wood for chairs placed against or near brick walls. The clay of the brick and the grain and hue of the wood complement each other and create a welcoming tableau in a room. Warm elm or maple are honey-like golden tones against brick and cherry wood picks up the hue in the brick and seems to gleam with it. For an extra note of color, try cushions in tribal or abstract modern designs on chairs, benches or stools. Keeping it natural ensures a balanced design in which all the color elements work well together.