Using Brick to Accent Your Home
The great thing about brick is that it goes with everything. No matter how your home is decorated – inside or out – brick provides an easily adaptable accent to any furniture or decor. You won’t have to run out and buy new couches and chairs to suit your new accents. Also, brick doesn’t show wear, and it is naturally fire-resistant.
Outside
Brick is often used on the exterior walls of homes, but it has certainly been neglected elsewhere. There are scores of ways that you can improve the outside of your home using brick, and most suppliers can create all of these options.
1. Brick Walkways – Have you ever considered building a pathway from your front door to the mailbox? Or from your back porch throughout the yard? Walkways are great starting points from which to add flowers, gardens and other decorative touches, and they also serve a practical purpose. It can be set in mortar to provide an even more durable base, and it will naturally compliment foilage and other outside attributes.
2. Brick Driveways – You don’t see this very often, and I don’t understand why. People spend hours coating their driveways with sealants, when a weather-resistant material like brick costs less and lasts longer. If your home is made of brick, a paler-colored brick driveway will add a pleasing look from the front of your house, and if it isn’t, the contrast will be magnificent.
3. Brick Patios – If you’ve found that you never use your patio, or if you’d like to install one, brick is the way to go. It is elegant, durable and seldom used, which makes your home unique. It will also add to the value of your house, and can be decorated in any way you choose. That’s the great thing about brick – it goes with everything!
4. Brick Walls – Have you ever wanted to feel like you live in a castle? A brick wall can make that dream come true! Regardless of its size, a brick wall adds a measure of grandeur to your home, and is not often seen in modern homes. It can also be a unique starting point for a garden or for flowers, and can like your new brick patio! Brick walls can also be used to hide unsightly aspects of your house, making for a better overall view.
5. Brick Entrance Features – If you drive through some of the older neighborhoods, you might see lots of brick mailboxes. These are great ways to accent your home. You might also want to install brick columns on either side of your front door, signaling the entrance to your home. The most beautiful brick entrance that I’ve ever seen was a brick mailbox leading up to a perfectly round brick rotunda upon which sat two benches surrounded by flowers. The possibilities are endless!
Inside
We usually don’t think of brick used inside, but in reality, it is used all the time.
1. Brick Fireplaces – As a naturally fire-resistant material, brick is often used in fireplaces. It is a lovely accent to a solid oak mantle, and can even be painted to suit your needs. For a unique touch, use a light colored brick for your fireplace.
2. Brick Walls – Often, a brick fireplace extends to cover the entire wall, but have you considered other rooms in your house? Perhaps your kitchen could become more homey with a single brick wall hung with pots, pans and cooking utensils. Or maybe you’d like to add one to your bathroom or bedroom.
3. Brick Floors – I love the idea of a brick entranceway, which brings the theme of your exterior home indoors. Some familes enjoy brick-floored playrooms for their children, or brick flooring in bathrooms. When properly sealed, this type of flooring is easily cleaned, and it will never crack or show wear.
4. Brick Showers & Baths – A new trend has been building brick showers that open almost like a cave. A walk-in shower with brick walls and floors is extremely elegant, and can liven up any bathroom. You can accent this with a single brick wall in the exterior part of your bathroom, offering a cozy place to clean up after a long day.
