1. RESEARCH THE STYLE OF THE HOUSE
The material that your house is built from also forms the foundation (literally) of its aesthetic appeal. The colour, shape, size and texture of the bricks you choose will influence the overall look and feel of your house. Before you make your final decision, it’s worth gathering ideas from the internet, display homes, websites and magazines. When renovating, consider how new bricks will appear alongside existing materials.
Many homeowners find it helpful to pull together a “mood board” of images of the styles of homes they are drawn to. Simply save images (either physically or digitally) of favourite buildings, bricks, trims and even interior ideas. As your mood board develops, it will often become apparent which style of home best suits your aesthetic and lifestyle.
There are a number of emerging design trends that PGH is seeing at the moment. Take a look at the top 8 trends we have identified here, for some inspiration and to get an idea of the style of home you might be considering.
2. CONSIDER YOUR LOCATION
Bricks are graded to suit different environmental conditions. The location of your home will determine which grade you need. If you live near the coast or have high-saline soil, you may benefit from exposure grade bricks (EXP)*, which have heightened resistance to salt attack. General purpose (GP) grade bricks are suited to all other building types and locations. Talk to your builder about any special environmental conditions you should be aware of.
*EXP bricks are ideal for homes located up to one kilometre from a surf coast or 100 metres from a non-surf coast.
3. COLOUR, TEXTURE & SIZE
One of the big current trends in exteriors, textural elements can add character, charm and individuality to a home. Brick textures range from a smooth finish, which has a consistent surface and ceramic-like appearance with straight edges, to a more artisan-style of effect, with a dragged or ripped appearance for a weathered look. You can even get glazed bricks that have a shiny ceramic tile look for feature walls (perfect for the so-hot-right-now mid-century design trend) or beautiful crafted Sandstock bricks that give a home an authentic raw beauty that no other material can achieve.
Bricks are available in a range of dimensions, including standard sizes (230mm x 110mm x76mm), split (230mm x 110mm x 50mm) and double height (230mm x 110mm x 162mm). Choosing the right size for your project may depend on different factors, from the proportions of the house to the purpose of the bricks. Another idea is to use different sizes of the same brick within the home, or in an alfresco area to create visual interest and depth, while still maintaining a consistent look and feel.
4.PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
An off-white mortar between darker coloured bricks will add contrast and highlight the shape of each brick, making the bricks the hero. However, matching the colour of the mortar with that of the brick will soften the brickwork and present a unified appearance. This is especially common with the use of lighter shades of bricks.
With the mortar joint finish, you can choose round ironed, flush or struck, depending on whether you want to highlight or soften the brickwork. For instance, a raked joint will create shadowing for contrast and interest. A flush joint will minimise shadow with a flat, streamlined look.
A bond is a pattern in which bricks are laid. The most commonly used bond is Stretcher Bond, which consists of courses of full bricks where every course is offset half a brick from the course below. Stacked and Flemish bonds are also popular and achieve an alternative look.
Inspiration starts here
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