I'm wondering about whether to paint my brick or not. Before you get upset about me painting brick, let me explain. We have very cheap brick from the 50's, I've been told that it is actually called "brick block" not real brick. It has faded considerably as well and has gone from a nice deep red to an ugly pink color. So, I've thought about painting, but what color? Do I try to make it look like brick still? Do I go with a red? Do I go for white? Any suggestions would be very appreciated!

In researching to find out what in the world brick block is, I found this site:
http://www.permatint.com/home.html

I know nothing about the product but the before and after shots look impressive.

If the siding is Z-Brick or some similar brick veneer product then it is still being made and should be relatively cheap to replace, though not as cheap as paint.

The before and after photos are impressive. I read though that they have to do the work and it's priced based on a per brick basis. Too much for me! From what I've been told, the brick we have is actually more like a concrete brick, though they are in fact full size "normal" bricks.

You have a few options. If you have a brick faced type of building block wall. Painting this material is not really a concern. However any paint you use should allow for moisture to breath through.Simply using a paint such as an exterior paint will cause the brick surface to spall and crumble in a few short years.
Also staining the surface is another way to go.
Still another option is to apply a traditional stucco to the surface of the brick if you do not like the look you have. There are many options for this type of surface and can change the look of the home.. You may want to look into this as well.

Thanks for the replies and helpful tips. I'm looking at a paint by Sherwin Williams called Loxon. I haven't heard much about it though. Anyone have any experience with it? My concern is the color mostly. I don't want it to look cheap. Any color suggestions?

Color is simply based on what you like and what will blend in good with trim, neighborhood etc.

The Paint you speak of is good quality stuff. Not sure however if it breathes or not. Check with them on that. You simply do not want to seal the surface. Otherwise if any moisture gets behind the surface it will cause the surface to spall.

I tend to favor muted earthtones, light gray or some of the taupe/beige shades, personally, though there is an older brick building in Tuscaloosa painted pepto-bismol pink that I like. But I wouldn't want that particular color on my house. If you go to google and search on breathable masonry paint you will get a number of hits that should help.

Thanks guys your ideas and suggestions have been very helpful! I really appreciate it!