Exposed Brick
The industrial farmhouse look is trendy right now, and one historic feature that adds industrial charm is exposed brick. If your home doesn’t have it already, it’s an easy feature to add. You can either build with whole bricks from scratch—you can even buy reclaimed bricks, just as you might buy reclaimed wood—or add a brick veneer.
A brick veneer uses half or “thin” bricks to make the pieces less heavy and easier to install. You can buy them at home improvement stores like Home Depot or from a local mason. You can also buy brick panels, which are larger units similar to tile panels. They’re more convenient to install, but also more expensive.
The process of installing brick is similar to tile—you’ll adhere each piece onto the wall, and you’ll need a tile or wet saw to cut pieces for the edges and corners of a room. Then you’ll use grout to add the finishing touch.
Ideal places to install brick include the fireplace, mudroom floor, kitchen backsplash and
small walls as an accent.