As the apartment hunt continues, Brent and I found an apartment with exposed brick walls that we may take. Only problem: I’m not that into brick walls. I know. Many people love them for their warm character and old charm. So I decided to round up a bunch of photos of rooms with exposed brick walls to get some decorating inspiration and see if I could be convinced. What do you think?
It was a warm area with track lighting that drew your attention to the pictures and nick-naks on the stone shelving. The exposed stonework was the focus of the room.
I find that brick can create a warm environment or a very cold environment depending on what you do with the areas around it.
The picture you posted from the Opal Design Group is a good example of what a cold environment looks like. Plus the pattern is a little too busy for me because of the multiple shapes and colors of the masonry. I think the key to successful use of brickwork in the home is using the same style brick continuously throughout. The picture from AABE, looks like a dungeon; enough said. But masonry in the bathroom can be amazing if used correctly: https://encrypted-tbn2.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTAF4nsmcoQFPxZlqtImfC8yDYN5B-r4HDGDhcyBdiY7iFAVgqt
In the right living space, such as the one from Hooked on Houses you can see how it has an almost Tuscan feel to it. I imagine it must feel like summer all year long in that living area.
Besides being incredibly long-lasting and resistant to almost everything, masonry is (most importantly to me) a great keeper of history. If you look at the picture from Country Living (bedroom with chandelier) you can see an old window arch over the bed. It was most likely closed up for privacy as the local infrastructure developed around the home. And…if you look where the ceiling meets the wall, you can also see a “clean spot” which indicates that the original floors were either ripped out for renovation or collapsed due to an unfortunate occurrence.
The Zuster picture is a clear indication that this building was once engulfed in flames.
If you look at the exposed beams in the Katarina Malmstrom Brown picture, you can see that there were originally twice as many beams tied into the brick; indicating a load bearing second floor or a loft area used to be above.
Brick is made from the earth, durable, resists staining and is easy to clean. Plus, in the event of water damage or flooding, any mold or mildew can be bleached away without having to rip the walls out and replace them. The only real downside to brick and stone is that it has an insulating R-factor of 1. That means it takes 12” of masonry to hold in the same amount of heat as 1” of wood. If you live down south that’s probably not a factor. But for us northerners it’s something to consider if the exposed brick walls are on the outside perimeter of your potential new home.
You’re a wealth of information. Wow. I’m so impressed. Thank you for the insight. I’m in awe of bricklayers — especially those who build fireplaces. Talk about skill.
3 Responses to "Exposed Brick Walls"
Hi Meghan,
Great post! Being a former bricklayer turned professional environmentalist, I absolutely love brickwork & stonework. I built several stone veneer walls inside our first house that incorporated cantilevered split fieldstone shelves. Kind of like this: https://encrypted-tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRPZW1soXd8yTXggL1zEtHJneSsOO4ix_-4FV-chP4HHHNjcnsyrQ
It was a warm area with track lighting that drew your attention to the pictures and nick-naks on the stone shelving. The exposed stonework was the focus of the room.
I find that brick can create a warm environment or a very cold environment depending on what you do with the areas around it.
The picture you posted from the Opal Design Group is a good example of what a cold environment looks like. Plus the pattern is a little too busy for me because of the multiple shapes and colors of the masonry. I think the key to successful use of brickwork in the home is using the same style brick continuously throughout. The picture from AABE, looks like a dungeon; enough said. But masonry in the bathroom can be amazing if used correctly: https://encrypted-tbn2.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTAF4nsmcoQFPxZlqtImfC8yDYN5B-r4HDGDhcyBdiY7iFAVgqt
In the right living space, such as the one from Hooked on Houses you can see how it has an almost Tuscan feel to it. I imagine it must feel like summer all year long in that living area.
Besides being incredibly long-lasting and resistant to almost everything, masonry is (most importantly to me) a great keeper of history. If you look at the picture from Country Living (bedroom with chandelier) you can see an old window arch over the bed. It was most likely closed up for privacy as the local infrastructure developed around the home. And…if you look where the ceiling meets the wall, you can also see a “clean spot” which indicates that the original floors were either ripped out for renovation or collapsed due to an unfortunate occurrence.
The Zuster picture is a clear indication that this building was once engulfed in flames.
If you look at the exposed beams in the Katarina Malmstrom Brown picture, you can see that there were originally twice as many beams tied into the brick; indicating a load bearing second floor or a loft area used to be above.
Brick is made from the earth, durable, resists staining and is easy to clean. Plus, in the event of water damage or flooding, any mold or mildew can be bleached away without having to rip the walls out and replace them. The only real downside to brick and stone is that it has an insulating R-factor of 1. That means it takes 12” of masonry to hold in the same amount of heat as 1” of wood. If you live down south that’s probably not a factor. But for us northerners it’s something to consider if the exposed brick walls are on the outside perimeter of your potential new home.
Thanks again Meghan,
-Deano
Deano,
You’re a wealth of information. Wow. I’m so impressed. Thank you for the insight. I’m in awe of bricklayers — especially those who build fireplaces. Talk about skill.
its very good