The Humble Brick is Back!

Facing the future in exciting new colours, textures, shapes and sizes, bricks are back in a big way and looking better than ever.

While plenty of alternative home building materials are now available, brick and mortar homes have stood the test of time and architects and builders are using bricks in new and creative ways.

A brick home can not only look good, it will also be low-maintenance, fire-resistant and have impressive thermal properties. Not only that, but bricks score high on the eco-meter, being natural and extremely energy-efficient.  Another big plus: they are made to last, with some bricks even coming with a 100-year guarantee.

Exposed brick is even making a comeback indoors, with glazed bricks used as splashbacks in the kitchen and as feature walls in media rooms, where they offer excellent acoustic qualities.

In home design, bricks are being used in fresh and innovative ways, from  mixing different colours, shapes and finishes to arranging them in ways that create intriguing plays of light and shadow or subtle patterns and three-dimensional effects.

There’s been a rise in popularity for thinner bricks in smooth, honed, split and shotblast textures and colours such as ebony, oatmeal and steel. Mortar is no longer white but cream, charcoal or grey or colour-matched to the brickwork.

Creative laying techniques are elevating the humble brick façade into artworks, with elaborate patterning possible.  These techniques include traditional stretcher bond, stacked bond, Flemish bond, on-edge, bricks protruding from the wall and hit-and-miss brickwork that allows natural light to shine through. Other design directions include curved walls and unusual uses of mortar.

Lately, we’ve seen recycled bricks laid in a herringbone design on a kitchen floor and stunning feature walls where bricks have been laid at different depths to create 3D effects. We’ve also spotted sculptural fireplace surrounds created from bricks and the emergence of white bricks used internally for feature walls.

With manufacturers pushing the boundaries of what’s possible with bricks, you can now find bricks in a vast range of colours and finishes, including glossy glazed blues and greens but the big trend in glazed bricks is red. These are being used by architects, not for the whole house, but as feature elements mingled with contemporary materials such as zinc and steel.

Dark, moody schemes also work well in brick with its natural textural warmth and tonal variations, paired with contrasting light-coloured render and soft trim colours.

Deep charcoal hues are right on trend, as well as lighter greys that allow a greater focus on architectural features.

Earthy-toned bricks also remain popular, teamed with crisp white, greys and concrete in a layering of materials and textures.

A mixed palette of bricks in different colours can be used to create a lively and highly creative exterior look.

For an industrial chic approach, reclaimed and recycled bricks are ideal. If you can’t source genuine old bricks, manufacturers are now producing bricks that replicate the age-worn look in a range of raw, textured finishes.

For your new affordable luxury home from Location Homes, it may well be time to think brick. Download our style guide for more inspiration