Exposed brick ensures coziness and a feeling of slowing down – whether real or faux, we show you how to get the look
Yes, who doesn’t love staying in a small quarry cottage in the countryside sometimes? Peace, slowdown and attention to nature – we combine all this with beautiful natural brick and stone. At the same time, stone walls convey a sense of security and stability. For those who don’t have a cottage, we will show you various ways to expose the masonry or create a living room wall with an artificial stone look.
Real stone walls: Use existing resources
Industry: exposing bricks
Take advantage of the hidden potential in your home or apartment by first getting an idea: What’s behind the plaster or wallpaper? If it’s brick or even natural stone, you can consider yourself lucky. However, before you start exposing the masonry, please be aware that it requires many steps and a lot of background knowledge.
Therefore it is best to consult a professional who can help you.
In this example, the recess between two utility shafts is used to install a bookshelf. Cleverly placed points of light reveal the masonry structure beautifully.
Zoomed out: light brick wall paint
Brick walls have a strong influence on a room. Because bare masonry quickly appears bulky, it is sometimes advisable to only expose certain areas of the wall, such as chimneys, pillars, or niches. Also think about which walls in your apartment look empty and can be highlighted and which furniture you want to combine with these open areas.
In this project in Minneapolis, the walls are the secret star. You can see his past. Today, traces of renovation and vandalism in the form of graffiti keep the area vibrant.
Here the masonry is visible, above which the roof construction begins with ring anchors. Even though the brick area is relatively small, it still creates a rustic impression. In combination with modern wooden furniture, a successful combination is created.
Stone quarry
A kingdom for quarry stone walls. If you’re lucky enough to live in a historic home like this, it’s best not to touch the walls at all. Quarry stone walls are part of the history of culture and the earth: each stone was created from rock debris and weathering, or during working in the mine. Currently, the construction of quarried stone walls is almost never done because the process is too time consuming and expensive and requires technical skills that are rarely taught.
Field stone
Less seamless, but very similar in construction, is field masonry, consisting of large and small stones, some of which were transported from Scandinavia to Germany during the last ice age. You’re almost reminded of the inside of an old church. Combined with contemporary furniture, an impressive living room is created.
The masonry is visible through natural or artificial facing stones
Facing stone is artificial or natural stone. They are used decoratively, are installed individually by hand using mortar and joint compound and have no load-bearing function. A big advantage over larger wall panels is that the individual stones can be adjusted to fit the wall during processing using a hammer, pliers, or similar. Facing stone is ideal for highlighting a wall or fireplace.
However, you should always pay attention to the fact that facing stones, joint adhesives and mortars can expand to varying degrees under the influence of heat (for example from a fireplace). Coating stones made of plastic such as Styrofoam should be kept away from heat sources. However, they make up for their lack of heat resistance with their low weight, which makes installation easier.
Pair with river pebbles
You don’t need to despair if you’re not lucky enough to live in an old house with original stone carvings. Facing stones made from river pebbles, for example, are ideal for giving your living room a cottage feel. It is true, this is a relatively expensive conversion option: the stone costs between 5 and 25 euros per kilo.
Wall panels are made of real stone or artificial stone
Wall panels are easy to install and dismantle – thanks to the larger area, work can be done more quickly compared to facing one stone at a time. If you think the feel is as important as the look, you can use elements with a natural stone finish. Another advantage is the heat-resistant natural material: thanks to the outer covering made of real stone, such wall panels can also be installed near the fireplace.
In terms of assembly, wall panels have the advantage that they can be installed easily. When it comes to corners and edges, the panel system helps create beautiful transitions – any layman can turn their living room into a stone temple.
Manufacturers offer a variety of stone panels to choose from – from a dry stone look to a sandstone look. You should always look at the panels on site – depending on the price and quality, the appearance of artificial stone can be more or less convincing.
Whether facing stone or panel:
When deciding whether to support or reject artificial stone, you should be aware that artificial stone slabs made of plastic or styrofoam will continue to add to the pile of plastic waste in the world if you already have enough.
Thin slate or real stone veneer
Do you want natural stone in your room, but don’t want it to look rustic but as modern as possible? Then slate may be the right choice. The flat, dark colored natural stone exudes majesty and serenity so it is very suitable for lovers of urban aesthetics.
The stone is at the same time insensitive to water and dirt and, like thin slate, can be processed to very small thicknesses (1.5-2 mm). A real argument for use in the interior, because you want to waste as little space as possible. Thin slate is also easier to transport and impresses with a consistent impression of high quality.
Photo wallpaper with a stone look
There is a long tradition of tricking the eye and emulating three dimensions on a two-dimensional surface. In the past, this type of illusionism aimed to make buildings appear bigger and wider and provide fantastic views of the landscape. Today, wall murals create a similar trick.
This section of wall really catches the eye thanks to Komar’s stone-look wallpaper. With a small budget and a little time, you can achieve amazing effects.
Stone non-woven wallpaper looks spacious
Non-woven wallpaper is a variety of photo wallpaper and can imitate a variety of materials due to its relief surface. Both samples of the E-Delux impressed with products that looked similar to granite plaster and slate slabs.
Thanks to its pulp-polyester fiber mixture, non-woven wallpaper is very easy to process. Thanks to its tear resistance, it is also ideal for hiding small surface cracks.
Here also we do not see brick walls, but non-woven wallpaper. Coincidentally, he is relatively insensitive to outside influences. In addition, it can be easily attached, repaired at a later date, and easily removed at the end of its service life.