Outdoor Materials Indoors

Why not bring some of the exterior elements inside? There are a ton of opportunities and styles to choose from. In the case above, the building was just originally constructed in that manner but one can certainly incorporate it in today's building standards. This has that rustic farmhouse feel with old hand split stone on the walls and the oversized blue stone walkway that they continued all the way in. It's a sweet little entry way.

You can get crazy on a more modern level too. This is a newer house in Dallas that brought the king sized masonry brick inside. They did a nice job giving the space some warmth too by bringing those brick in. The white drywalled fire chase then softens the overall mass.

I feel like people get a little nervous about these applications because they seem so permanent. I've always said, if you love it, do it. You can always put a coat of paint on brick and transform it, so try not to think of too many reasons not to do something, if you are really into it.

Photos via Tim Capaldi (Blackberry Farm) and Life of an Architect