apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

love it -- stunning

ooh, any idea on where that long arched table is from?

I just moved from a GORGEOUS pre-war 1920's apartment building that had fabulous moulding and segmented rooms into an open plan 1990's rehabbed factory/condo conversion building with brick walls and exposed beam ceilings. I HATE IT!!! Dirty cobweb collecting wooden beams, craggily dusty brick and softball sized dust bunnies is quite a change from the easy-to-clean moulding and routinely vacuumed wall-to-wall carpets of a pre 1940's apartment building. I can't want until my lease is up!!!

they seem cool until you actually have to live with them. brick is impossible to decorate around unless you want the 1990's NYC loft look. they suck up a ton of light and energy and it's difficult to secure anything to them. if you want a space that breathes then brick is not for you.

i have a large brick wall in my apartment and i'm trying to find ways to cover it since the landlord won't allow painting it.

Having lived in several apartments with exposed brick, I am not a fan. It sucks the light out of a space, messy, drafty, etc. The only way I would buy a space with exposed brick is if I was going to paint it.

I love our exposed old brick. It's only one wall, it is a sand color, and it has huge windows/doors on it, so it doesn't feel like it sucks up any energy. Rather, it adds warmth, and combined with the wood floors and beams, works well. I think it works best in big, open spaces- I've looked at some brownstone style places with a lot of interior brick and it felt a little stifling. And I would add that one thing that gives a lot of warehouse conversions that 'old brick' feel is that they were originally painted, and had to be sandblasted to remove the paint.

I've always wanted to have a natural brick wall. The closest I ever came to having one was in my last apartment...when the previous owner put z-brick on a wall in the kitchen. I know...yuck! It's gotta be real. These walls are gorgeous!

I love that the bricked in window arch above the bed becomes the headboard.

Oh, that bedroom image is lovely.

I once had a faux-brick wall. It was horrid, and so poorly installed that the bricks were peeling off. In fact, one removed itself from the wall while I had company over. Oh the horror.

yummy...i'm trying to buy right now and i have so few wants but brick walls and hardwood floors are on there...along with amazing kitchen, fabulous natural light, and a great backyard...i'm never going to find this place!