Barrett Brick
What Barrett Brick Actually Looks Like
Barrett Brick is a rich, dark brick red with strong plum and rose depth. It sits in that territory between a faded terracotta and a dusty burgundy, never reading as a pure red or a pure purple, always somewhere between. In strong natural light, the red comes forward. In lower light or north-facing rooms, the plum pulls deeper and the color can feel almost wine-dark. It is not a bright color. It carries real visual weight.
Barrett Brick Undertones
The dominant undertone is plum, layered over a warm red base. There is a rose quality to it that keeps it from feeling cold or truly purple. It reads warmer than most mauves but cooler than a straight terracotta or brick red. In warm artificial light it swings toward the red-brown end. In cooler daylight it leans into the plum. The rosiness means it can pick up pink casts from surrounding fabrics or furnishings, so pay attention to what you put near it.
Where Barrett Brick Works Best
Barrett Brick is a Colonial Williamsburg color, and that heritage shows. It suits period-leaning interiors, but it also works in modern rooms that need grounding and drama. Use it on a single accent wall in a dining room or library, where the low light value builds intimacy. It works well on exterior shutters or a front door against brick, stone, or weathered wood siding. It is not a whole-home color and not right for a small room you want to feel larger. Think of it as a destination color, one you use deliberately in a space that benefits from enclosure.
Where to put Barrett Brick
A dining room is the classic home for a color this deep. Candlelight and warm overhead fixtures pull the red out of Barrett Brick and the plum recedes, giving you a warm, enveloping space that feels good at dinner. Paint all four walls and let the room be the experience.
Low light value colors work in rooms where you want to feel settled and focused. Barrett Brick on the walls of a home library, paired with wood shelving and leather or linen upholstery, creates a reading room that feels intentional. Keep trim in a warm white to prevent the room from going too dark.
A foyer is a strong candidate for Barrett Brick because the drama reads on arrival and you are not living in the space all day. It makes an impression, especially against a dark wood floor or a natural stone tile. Keep the ceiling lighter to maintain headroom.
On an exterior, Barrett Brick works particularly well against brick facades, stone, and weathered wood siding. It references the earth tones already in those materials. On a door it reads as refined rather than loud. Check how it looks in full afternoon sun before committing, as the red intensifies in direct light.
A small powder room is a smart place to try a high-drama color because guests experience it briefly and the scale makes the depth feel cocooning rather than heavy. In a matte or eggshell finish, Barrett Brick wraps a tiny room in warmth. Avoid high-gloss here, as it will amplify every imperfection.
What to Pair With Barrett Brick
No coordinating colors are listed in our database for Barrett Brick. As a deep red-plum, it pairs naturally with warm off-whites, dark navies, soft gold and ochre tones, and deep forest greens. On trim and ceilings, reach for a clean warm white that does not pull blue. Brass and aged bronze hardware both read well against it.
Colors that clash with Barrett Brick
If Barrett Brick is on one wall or in an adjoining room, cool or blue-leaning grays will fight with its warm plum undertone and the combination will look unresolved.
A stark, blue-white trim against Barrett Brick amplifies the coolness of the plum and makes both colors look slightly off. The contrast is harsh rather than crisp.
Because Barrett Brick carries a rose undertone, fabrics or rugs with pink or mauve in them can create an unintentional all-pink effect that feels overpowering.
In north light with no warm artificial light source, Barrett Brick can pull very dark and heavily purple, losing the brick-red quality that makes it interesting.
Common questions
Barrett Brick has an LRV of 13.41, which places it firmly in the dark range. Colors this low on the light reflectance scale absorb most of the light that hits them. That means they work best in rooms with enough square footage, ceiling height, or lighting to handle the weight. Small, windowless rooms can feel oppressive. Rooms with good proportions and warm artificial light will feel rich and intentional.
Matte or eggshell are both solid choices for walls. Matte gives you the most depth and hides surface texture, which matters more with dark colors because the sheen level affects how the color reads. Eggshell adds just enough durability for rooms that see regular traffic. Avoid flat in high-traffic areas and skip satin or semi-gloss on large wall surfaces, as the sheen picks up reflections and can make the plum undertone look uneven.
Yes, selectively. It is well suited to shutters, a front door, or exterior trim against brick, stone, or wood siding. In full sun the red component intensifies and it reads as a bold, warm accent. It is not a good choice as a full-body exterior color for most homes because the low LRV makes the facade read very dark and heavy from a distance.
Barrett Brick is a Benjamin Moore Colonial Williamsburg color with the code CW-350. The hex and RGB values render in the color spec block on this page.
Yes, it is available in both Benjamin Moore interior and exterior lines, so you can use it across a range of projects and finishes without reformulating.