Fresh, dynamic colours and textures are leading a resurgence in the use of face brick to create visually rich backdrops and features.
Face brick is not only making a comeback on the street level but is being used in living rooms, kitchens and even on floors.
Midland Brick’s Sean Adomeit says the resurgence has been driven by manufacturers playing with the brick’s key characters of proportion, colour and texture, and by the imagination of key designers and architects.
COLOURS AND TEXTURES
As a result, the new brick ranges in size from a contemporary slim to double height, is available in hundreds of colours and can be smooth, glazed or textured.
Whites are brighter, the darks are moody and reds bold. Some colours are matte or have a metallic sheen, glaze or fleck.
The host of colours sit perfectly within the urban and natural landscapes. Reds now range through oranges, pinks and Spanish terracotta, while the ever-popular creams and whites reflect tones of limestone or the brightness of beach sand on a hot day.
Dark colours include stone-influenced greys and browns through to dramatic dark browns and black.
The surface and edges of bricks have evolved too with rustic uneven edges and distressed textures to sharp and smooth. “People are now thinking about bricks differently and finding inspiration to use them to add flair to a home on small and large scales.”
BRICKWORK PATTERNS
Where once bricks were placed in traditional patterns or covered in render, a whole new world of opportunities awaits when textures are created by how the bricks are laid.
Bricks can be placed with some protruding outwards, in stack bond in perfect formation directly on top of another, on edge, or in detailed herringbone patterns.
Even leaving bricks out in attractive brick breeze walls creates both privacy and ventilation to add a unique feature in homes.
FEATURE IDEAS
Claire Perks from Brikmakers says all parts of the residential market are benefiting from the individuality created by brick feature walls.
“People are now thinking about bricks differently and finding inspiration to use them to add flair to a home on small and large scales,” she says.
Using face bricks underneath a front window or around the portico add a point of difference while more complex designs combine shapes, tones and finishes inside the home.
A feature wall in an alfresco area can be mirrored with a similar brick colour or pattern in a nearby living room to create an instant connection with the outdoors.
Glazed bricks used as kitchen splashbacks or under a bathtub have a contemporary feel and entrance halls get the wow factor with unusual patterns or blade walls that slice through the home from the outside.
Even floors can be given the brick treatment with parquet patterns and intricate mosaic-like designs.
Bricks also have great acoustic qualities making them particularly useful in theatre rooms or entertainment areas. A brick feature wall not only helps define the the room but can also boost sound quality.
Bricks are practical and durable, resisting the usual wear and tear of everyday life. With great thermal qualities, it’s no wonder they’ve stood the test of time.
