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Belyaeva Irina
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A brick wall in the interior allows you to add zest to the design of your home in an affordable way. Highlighting a wall with brickwork allows you to create unusual, stylish and elegant interiors. Brick makes it possible to decorate a space in the most effective and original way. Everything will be discussed in more detail later in the article.
History and modernity
Brickwork in interior design has gained popularity thanks to lofts. Initially, the former factory premises were given to poor tenants who could not invest in a full renovation with plastering and painting.
This is how raw walls, which can be seen in old photos, came into fashion. Students and young families not only lived in such premises, but also held noisy parties with the participation of guests from various social classes.
This new direction in design became associated with bohemianism, industrialism and freedom, which appealed to city residents. Nowadays, brick wall decoration is again very popular, and can be used in combination with various styles.
You can also achieve an appearance that imitates brickwork using 3D wallpaper from picwalls.ru
Snow-white brickwork
Advantages and disadvantages
Any finish has its strengths and weaknesses. Let's get to know them before we start implementing our ideas.
Advantages: accessibility and simplicity
The undeniable advantages of using brick in the interior include:
- Financial inclusion.
- Safety.
- Naturalness.
- Good performance properties of the material (sound insulation, thermal insulation, moisture resistance).
- Ease of finishing. The design process using bricks allows you to cope with the task even without special skills and complex tools.
- You can use this approach in arranging almost any room.
- A brick wall can perform not only a decorative, but also a practical function - serve as a delimiter between rooms.
- Possibility to use hanging elements - shelves, lighting fixtures, TV, etc.
- Additional surface treatment is not necessary.
- Possibility of masking wall defects.
- Originality.
- Durability.
- Texture.
- Good compatibility with natural colors and natural materials.
- Decorative finishing.
Additional wall treatment is not necessary
Disadvantages: the main thing is to stop in time
There are quite a lot of advantages to this type of finishing. But what are the disadvantages?
The disadvantages of a brick wall in the interior of a house include:
- Untreated natural-colored brick needs high-quality lighting. As an alternative, you can use white brick or paint it.
- An uneven textured surface is difficult to clean.
- Too much brick in the interior design of a house can create the effect of an unkempt and cold room that lacks coziness.
An uneven surface is more difficult to maintain
The brick wall should be an original accent, and not occupy all the walls.
Color design of a brick wall
Due to its texture, brick looks impressive on its own, but its natural shade is not suitable for every interior style. In this case, it is worth resorting to painting - this way the masonry can be given any color.
Painted brick wall in the interior
Working with paint
Before painting the wall, remove all dirt from it (see how to do this above) and wait for it to dry completely - after wet cleaning it is better to wait a couple of days. If the masonry has deep cracks, and you want to achieve an even coating, all chips must be filled with plaster, and after it has dried, the surface must be sanded with sandpaper. Then you need to coat the brick with a primer designed specifically for this material.
Painted white brick wall in home decor, photo by Koen Van Damme
When choosing a paint, pay special attention to whether it is suitable for interior decoration. Compositions intended for facades may contain toxic substances, so they are unsafe for interiors.
White painted brick wall in the kitchen
After the primer has dried, you can begin painting. Protect all necessary areas (floor, ceiling, door and window openings) with masking tape, then begin applying paint with a roller or brush, moving from top to bottom.
Painted brick in the fireplace portal area
Painted yellow brick wall in room design
Black painted brick wall in the bedroom
In order for the paint to completely cover the original shade of the brick, you will need to apply at least 3 layers. This does not depend on the color of the paint: white, gray, black or bright colors - in any case, you will have to cover the surface several times, after first waiting for the previous layer to dry. Also remember that a brush gives a denser and more even finish than a roller, but also takes more time.
Decorating a brick wall with white paint
Gray paint for decorating a brick wall in the interior
Green brick wall in the bathroom interior
Aged whitewash effect
In Scandinavian interiors and loft-style rooms, a brick wall with an imitation of “crumbling” old whitewash looks great. This effect can be achieved using white paint diluted with water. Mix water and paint in a ratio of 1:3 and simply cover the masonry with this composition as with regular paint (see above). When the surface dries, characteristic stains will appear on the wall, and individual blocks will remain not covered at all - this solution will look very stylish and unusual.
Whitewash effect on a brick wall in the interior
Decorative brick wall with whitewash effect in the interior
The more water in the solution, the more “vintage” the effect will be: experiment with proportions on a small area before covering the entire wall.
Decor with a whitewash effect for brick walls, photo by Olga Melekestseva
Imitation of aged whitewash on a decorative brick wall
Stain coating
If you want to darken the shade of the brick by several tones without radically changing its color, you can cover the masonry with a regular wood stain. The technology here is no different from working with wooden surfaces: apply stain to the wall and let it dry for several hours (the exact drying time is usually indicated on the packaging of a particular product). This technique will give a vintage mood to the brickwork, and with it to the entire interior of the room.
Coating with stain makes a brick wall a little darker
Darkening a brick wall with wood stain
Darkening a brick wall with wood stain
Real masonry or imitation: what to choose?
In addition to using real brick, its imitation, wallpaper of suitable colors or tiles of appropriate stylization can be used.
Real brick wall
In this case, the masonry made from floor to ceiling is not subject to additional plastering or hiding under sheets of plasterboard. For a spacious room with high ceilings, one of the walls of the room can be left without additional covering.
Made from real brick
But processing must be present:
- The masonry is cleaned of dust and solution residues.
- They wash.
- Grinding.
- The joints are rubbed using putty or grout.
- Possible varnishing or painting.
Decorate the living room to your taste
Wallpaper with print
The simplest and most financially uncomplicated way of decoration is wallpaper with a corresponding pattern. The effect of masonry can be created not on the entire wall, but only on certain areas, for example, niches or wall fragments. Wallpapering can be combined with other decorative materials:
- decorative putty;
- natural wood;
- tiles.
Wallpaper with a pattern
Attention should be paid to the selection of colors and expressiveness of texture. The best effect is created by high-quality design material. Separately, it should be noted that the textured wallpaper can be painted. You can even give them the desired shade yourself.
High-quality wallpaper that imitates brick can be used in places that are inconvenient for decoration with other materials:
- narrow niches;
- on surfaces that have a bevel;
- on uneven surfaces, etc.
Excellent imitation
Advice A wide field for realizing ideas is provided by photo wallpapers that combine a “brick” background with another print, for example, graffiti.
Facing brick
Facing materials are currently presented very widely. It is lighter and thinner, compared to standard brick, takes up less free space and has a low weight . This circumstance allows the use of this facing material for finishing thin walls and in cases where it is important to economically manage free space.
The material can be:
- artificially aged;
- matte;
- treated with glaze.
Cladding materials are very popular
Brick-like tiles
Brick veneer has an even thinner thickness compared to facing bricks. Tiles can be of two main types:
- clinker;
- ceramic.
Before laying, the wall surface must be pre-leveled.
Interior design element
Independent production of cladding material
In addition to the listed options, imitation brick can be made independently. This requires molds, varnish and brick plaster. This option can be used if you need to create an unusual design using bricks of a non-standard format.
Masonry pattern and brick texture on wallpaper
The pattern on the wallpaper can depict large, medium or small bricks of a classic rectangular or almost square shape. It can imitate old or new masonry, which allows you to choose the finishing material in accordance with the style of the interior. So, for example, for an attic, wallpaper with a uniform and smooth imitation of masonry is suitable, and for Provence or country style, bricks of different ages would be the ideal solution.
The higher quality the wallpaper, the closer the texture of the imitation is to the original. Some modern manufacturers of finishing materials add tiny fragments of brick to the canvas. This makes the coating more realistic not only visually, but also to the touch. The relief of brick wallpaper can be improved through correctly placed additional lighting sources.
Visual effects: how to influence the perception of space?
A wall made of traditional red brick is not the only possible option. The texture of the material and the laconic form of individual elements allows you to influence the perception of space. How to do it?
White wall
This option is used so often that it requires separate mention. Texture combined with white creates a good background for placing bright accessories.
White wall in the kitchen
The versatility of the shade allows it to be used in any room as the main design or to highlight individual zones. In white it is even possible to decorate all the walls in the room.
And at the same time the room will not look gloomy and basement. On the contrary, a light shade “adds” free space, making the room visually larger. Most often this technique is used when decorating bedrooms and kitchens.
Looks good in any room
Painting it white makes the design modern and dynamic.
Living room
The name of the style with brick walls is not so important as the fact that you can use aged, facing or clinker bricks in the design of any room. In order for the interior to be thought out, and for the brick wall to fit into the overall atmosphere of the house and become its highlight, it is necessary to approach the task correctly. Living rooms have long been a common place where you can find a brick wall. The living room is the space that unites everyone in the house. You get together with guests, have fun, watch TV, read or just relax. Can a brick wall become a warm and cozy element in your living room decor? The right brick choice, size and placement will help create a completely new look for the room that will add character and an interesting look to the space as a whole.
A brick wall can be an excellent backdrop for elegant furniture, modern household appliances and accessories in the living room interior. A fireplace that can be lined, for example, with gypsum decorative material looks very cozy. It will give you home comfort and warmth. A living room in a Greek style will help highlight the brick columns. They will act as partitions and intriguing decor.
Here is an example of the design of a space designed as a combination of Scandinavian style and loft: a lot of light, natural materials, plants, large windows and dominance of white! You can avoid plants in the bedroom, but grow at least two or three in the living room. They will give life to your space.
A partition made of aged brick will help to delimit the territory of the living room and kitchen.
We combine the incongruous
A brick wall is original, impressive and fashionable. But how can you choose the rest of the design as organically as possible?
Designers advise:
- Very often such a wall combines several shades. In this case, it is better to select furniture using the darkest and lightest colors as a basis.
- The rigor of the design can be enlivened by a bright carpet or eye-catching accents, such as colorful pillows on the sofa.
- Red brick color goes well with orange, yellow, and blue. This combination is especially effective in oriental ornaments.
Wallpaper
Yes, you read that right. Wallpaper has come a long way over the years, and brick print wallpaper is no exception. Easy to use and can be applied by a non-trained person, but now available in textured options. You will love the charm they add to your home. Find some great inspiration below.
Brick in the living room interior: creating extraordinary effects
Decorating the living room with brickwork allows you to give the room a fashionable touch. The originality of this finish allows you to make the wall the main decorative element.
The larger the space in the living room, the more organic and impressive the brick wall will look. The combination with a light ceiling and wooden ceiling beams will give it style.
Organically fit into the interior
The spirit of antiquity is emphasized by the brick design of the space near the fireplace, the walls between the window openings and even the central wall. In addition to walls, brick can be used in partitions, fireplaces, etc.
Dark brick in the interior must be balanced with light shades. This can be done using furniture, textiles, and accessories.
Dark brick needs to be diluted with light furniture
Tip The presence of a fireplace in the living room can be played up by highlighting a part of the wall near it with appropriate design.
Bedroom
If you choose stone or brick in your home, it will mean that you have impeccable taste, that you like to follow fashion trends in all aspects of life and give preference to high-quality and durable materials. White brick will add charm to a modern bedroom.
In a one-room or two-level apartment, instead of a door to the bedroom, you can make a brick arch. When arranging a room, a brick wall is ideal, no matter what style you choose - Scandinavian, Provence, country or loft.
Brickwork will look very romantic in your bedroom, especially if the headboard is adjacent to such a wall. You can use all sorts of combinations of different surfaces. This will be a pretty creative solution. An example would be the perfect combination of brick and wood.
Avant-garde and romance will be connected in the interior of a bedroom with a brick wall with floral details on bedding and vases with flowers. They will enrich the space and make it look much warmer.
Brick in the kitchen interior: a variety of options
The safety and durability of brick allows it to be used in the interior design of many rooms. In the kitchen it can be used in doses, allowing you to create an accent where it is needed.
Kitchen apron
This wall area is regularly exposed to steam, soot and grease. The apron occupies the space between work surfaces and wall cabinets.
Non-standard solutions
In order to facilitate the cleaning process, designers suggest adding a glass sheet to the exterior of the brickwork . This technique will preserve decorativeness and protect surfaces.
One of the walls
Decorating one of the walls with brick will look most impressive in an interior with a predominance of warm light shades:
- milky white;
- light gray;
- caramel;
- soft pink;
- cocoa shade.
Accentuating one of the walls
Part of the wall
Selecting a fragment of a wall looks no less impressive. Most often, this design is used for the dining area. In small rooms, this technique will allow you to delimit zones.
Niche
A natural or decorative niche lined with brick will help emphasize the historical orientation of the design, stylization of a rustic design, Provence style, etc. If a niche is formed near the stove, this will add retro touches to the decor.
Option for execution in the kitchen
Advice In addition to the listed options, a column in the room, a partition, a place near the bar counter, etc. can be decorated with brick.
Wall decor for brickwork
A brick wall is an excellent backdrop for any wall decor: even the simplest posters are transformed into works of art here. How and what is the best way to decorate natural masonry in the interior?
Various wall decor in the design of a brick wall
Mirrors
Mirrors will help you decorate a brick wall not only stylishly, but also practically. The most universal option is round-shaped models in a wooden frame or without a frame at all: these are suitable for any interior style and color scheme. For loft, art deco, classic and boho, you can choose more original mirrors, in carved or forged frames.
Various round mirrors in the decor of a brick wall
Round mirror in a metal frame to decorate brickwork
Decorating a brick wall with mirrors in frames, photo by Sergei Ananyev
If you have brick walls in the hallway, then it is better to make the mirror the main and perhaps the only accent of the room, so as not to overload the small space: full-length hanging models will be the most functional.
Laconic full-length mirror on a brick wall in the hallway
Art
Posters, original or personal photographs, paintings - from traditional paintings to abstract paintings - all this is ideal for decorating brick walls. Since both works of art and masonry are quite a bright accent, choose laconic wooden or metal frames for your works, or avoid framing altogether.
Bright poster in the decor of a brick wall
Decoration of brickwork with painting, photo by Mikhail Chekalov
Photo in a minimalist frame for brick wall decor
The color scheme of the decor will be determined by the style of the interior: minimalism, Scandinavian and modern style will be decorated with black and white photos and canvases with rare splashes of color, and bright works are suitable for boho, art deco and classics. Any options are good for a loft.
Graphic painting to decorate a brick wall in a minimalist interior
Bright modern paintings in the design of a brick wall
Paintings in various styles on a brick wall in a loft interior
Decor with ethnic motifs
Various carpets, wicker decorations using the macrame technique, dream catchers are an invariable attribute of boho-style interiors. All these elements go perfectly with a brick wall, especially if it is decorated in white.
Various ethnic decor on a brick wall in a boho interior
Original design of a brick wall in a boho style interior
Decorative carpet on a brick wall in a boho interior
In the Provence and Art Deco styles, other decorations may also be found, for example, wall plates or decorative animal heads (the latter are also characteristic of the loft and Scandinavian style). Such creative items look great in the decor of a brick wall of absolutely any shade.
Decorative plates in the design of a brick wall
Decorative deer head in the design of a brick wall
Combination of wall decor in different styles on brickwork
Brick in the bedroom interior
Brick in the design of a bedroom can be used to emphasize the character of the finish. Most often, in a bedroom, one wall or an area near the head of the bed is bricked.
Tip To add the sophistication characteristic of Provence or to endow the room with romantic features, painting the brickwork with light paint can be used.
We bring ideas to life
An office with an industrial touch - the luxury of simple solutions
If you like bold decisions in interior decoration, if some eclecticism in design, in your opinion, only benefits the environment, then you can safely use brickwork to decorate your office. This can be just one wall with the brick left in its original form, or all the surfaces of the room, slightly lightened with paint.
Styles: choosing a design option
Brick is distinguished by its versatility as a finishing material. Its use is most justified when decorating an apartment in the following styles: loft, country, Provence, etc. Such design of vertical surfaces is impressive and relevant.
Loft
Housing organized on the territory of former production premises, workshops or factories is characterized by a large area and high ceilings. These advantages allow you to implement design techniques that are not always acceptable in small apartments. These include wooden ceiling beams, columns, and brick decoration.
Loft style
The loft allows you to leave open electrical cables, heating pipes and other elements that highlight the technical engineering equipment of the house. Bricks are also a suitable backdrop for placing video and audio equipment.
Country
A style that uses natural materials and naturalness in design goes well with the design of country houses. The comfort of simple interiors with fireplaces and natural materials is emphasized by a brick tub combined with wood. This design is associated with relaxation and outdoor recreation.
Country style
Gothic
This trend dates back to the Middle Ages. The Gothic style uses brick in decoration in combination with forged parts of furniture and accessories.
Minimalism
Red brick, brown, white and gray colors should go well with the overall design - ceiling, floor and furniture.
When nothing is too much
Grunge
Mixing several styles and design trends allows you to introduce the most whimsical elements into the interior. The stylishness achieved in this way can become a distinctive feature of your home, and emphasize its dissimilarity with the homes of friends and acquaintances.
Ecostyles
Unity with nature, the use of wood, stone and natural fabrics in the design allows you to create a very cozy home. Brick, with its emphasized environmental friendliness, can become one of the components of such an interior.
We create cozy housing
High tech
Far from the word “ecologically friendly,” urban high-tech can also be combined with brickwork. Most often, imitation tiles are used for it.
Classic English interior
The emphasized rigor of design and correctness of English classics can be combined with brick elements. The touch of aristocracy and style inherent in medieval castles of the English nobility can be accentuated by the use of brick decoration.
Refresh with a light sofa
The best manufacturers of textured brick-like wallpaper
The modern market for construction and finishing materials offers a huge selection of wallpaper of various types. We invite you to familiarize yourself with the most famous ones.
Rasch (Germany)
A world-famous company producing high-quality brick wallpaper of various types. The brand's products are distinguished by a wide range of colors, excellent breathability and moisture resistance, resistance to ultraviolet radiation and high realism. The texture of brick is achieved by adding wood chips to the wallpaper base material.
Milassa (Russia)
The Loft collection features non-woven wallpaper with a high-quality imitation of not only brick, but also untreated panels, metal and concrete. The wallpaper of this company is resistant to abrasion, repeated wet cleaning and retains its original color during use. This finishing material is perfect for those who decide to decorate their apartment in a minimalist, ethno or loft style.
P+S International (Netherlands)
The Dutch manufacturer offers high-quality and very beautiful wallpapers on paper, vinyl, non-woven and textile bases. The company's product range includes models of canvases with realistic imitation of natural stone, concrete walls, bricks and rough boards. In the production of finishing material, deep embossing technology is used, which ensures maximum resemblance to the original.
Grandeco (Belgium)
Fans of loft, modern, vintage, ethno or urban styles should pay attention to the Splendor wallpaper collection from the manufacturer Grandeco. The coating imitates various states of finishing materials: old wood, plaster, natural stone, rough brick, ceramic tile. Thanks to special printing technology, the manufacturer was able to realistically convey color and texture.
AS Creation (Germany)
The assortment of the German wallpaper manufacturer Creation includes a collection called San Rise, which includes models with high-quality brick imitation. The minimalistic design is successfully emphasized by neutral gray with yellowish and greenish shades. Loft fans will appreciate high-quality wallpaper that imitates old shabby brick with cracks in classic gray, terracotta and white tones.
Using bricks: tips and tricks
How to preserve masonry and avoid tarnishing and defects?
Real brick is beautiful in itself, has a pronounced texture and a characteristic shade. How to preserve it without losing quality characteristics and color? For this, interior designers advise using special protective compounds.
If there is a lack of light, which occurs, for example, in a hallway, the wall can be varnished with a slight glossy effect. This will ensure color preservation.
In sunny rooms, you can varnish with a matte effect. Such protection will be completely invisible, but at the same time quite reliable.
In an industrial interior
Is old brick good or bad?
The old brick wall looks historic, attractive in its rugged beauty. But for the interior it must first be put in order. For this purpose, brushing is used. You may need to wipe the stained areas with a mixture of vinegar and water.
Advice: Before using aggressive cleaning agents, check the condition of the brick. A crumbling surface cannot be treated this way.
With the effect of old brick
High humidity: how to overcome it?
In rooms where there is often high humidity, such as a bathroom, protecting the brickwork comes first. To do this, the crumbled seams are deepened a couple of centimeters, and then restored with a new solution. The next step is sealing to protect against mold.
Protecting brickwork
Work on mistakes
Using such a simple and yet quite complex material, it is necessary to take into account some features of brick:
- Once the wall is painted, it is extremely difficult to remove the paint if necessary. This is due to the porosity of the structure and good absorption.
- It is not advisable to completely highlight a long wall with brick. In this case, it must be “broken” with pieces of furniture, mirrors or decor. This way it will be better perceived visually.
- Mirrors reflecting a brick wall will help unite the space of the room into a single ensemble.
- The paintings look very beautiful on brick walls. The more there are, the more attention is drawn to the wall itself.
- Hanging open shelves hung on such a wall add coziness. Their color and material are selected taking into account the style of the room.
Bright accent
VIDEO: How can you use brick on a wall?
Brick wall
Ideas for your interior
Loft style
First, it’s worth understanding what the interior style with brick walls is called and where such walls would be appropriate. Without knowing the basic characteristics of a style, it is difficult to follow it.
Industrial design became popular in the 1990s, when old manufacturing plants and warehouses began to be renovated into apartments and office space. Instead of covering up or removing all remnants of the space's industrial design, such as brick walls, exposed pipes and electrical wires, and installing interior walls, architects and designers created large open units that retained the old floors, walls and most of the pipes, wiring and beams. This industrial style is called loft.
Now you know what the style is called when brick walls become the main component of the interior.