Incorporating period bricks

Could these traditional building elements work for your home project? Anamika Talwaria investigates

Heritage bricks aren't just reserved for traditional buildings. Anamika Talwaria explores different ways to use these units to produce visually interesting features for your property

Brickmaking is a timehonoured tradition in the UK. The material has been used for home building for hundreds of years and many properties nationwide retain their original facades. Thanks to the versatility of patterns and the different colours available, period bricks can add extra interest to a project. Plus, they aren’t necessarily limited to traditional-style buildings.

In the past, the UK had hundreds of brickworks that took their clay from local deposits. This produced units with distinct shades, textures and sizes, with clear regional identity. For example, the typical London brick colour is yellow, whereas versions from the midlands are normally red, due to the different components that exist in the clay. These variations offer a unique character that isn’t always obvious in modern, often uniform units.

Nowadays, larger brickmaking companies are focused on massproduction. And − as many old brickworks have closed down − if you’re keen on a traditional-style brick, you may have to search for handmade units or opt for reclaimed versions. A heritage look is also possible with new machine-made designs, so shop around to find something to suit your project.

Remember, not all modern homes need to have an ultra-contemporary facade. In some cases, you may need to comply with local planning restrictions and match the vernacular by using bricks of a similar blend.

Alternatively, a more modern exterior could benefit from having a traditional brick feature. Using a bespoke blend of colours presents a visually stunning display. Likewise, different bond arrangements, such as alternating the brick’s headers and stretchers (the short side and the long side) can create a pattern unique to your project – this can be something you design with your architect, or with the brickmakers.

Handmade and fired by coal, Furness Brick utilises clay from local Cumbrian reserves. To create an Edwardian-style product, units are put through a traditional fireclay process. These bricks can then be weathered to give an aged effect

For this Cheshire home, Wienerberger used its handmoulded Kempley Antique brick blend to match the aesthetic of the local Victorian properties

Above: The intricate bird’s detailing on this new build is an example of a stunning feature created using heritage bricks. Tsiantar Architects designed this Victorianstyle home with brickwork to match other traditional properties in the area

Hudson Architects incorporated an interesting hit-and-miss bond pattern to this build, using TBS’S hand-textured brick blend to give the blocks a weathered and non-uniform appearance

One of Swanage Handmade’s most popular blends, Kimcote Hall, lends its name to the bespoke colours, purpose made for this project. It also features an array of bond patterns to create mini focal points all over This exposed brick wall is made from a blend of London stock and acts as an eye-catching feature for this open-plan kitchen-diner, which was designed by Gazey Architects

This Grade II listed barn benefitted from Imperial Handmade Bricks’ careful bespoke blending process to produce units for internal feature walls. These match the property’s exterior and provide a focal area with striking contrast patterns

The sophisticated design around the windows and archways on this home have been created using Northcot Brick’s bespoke blend service and special moulds