How to Decorate Your Walls With Tiles That Look Like Bricks - Get Your Creative Inspiration Here
Written by Milan Jara on 27th Apr 2022
Want to spruce up the style of your home? Try this tutorial to decorate your walls with tiles that look like bricks.
Using faux brick wall tiles is rapidly becoming the go-to trend in home decor. These brick effect tiles come in many different colors and styles, and nothing else creates the warm, comforting feel and rustic charm that faux brick can. These lovely and long-lasting faux brick wall tiles are also highly adaptable and can transform your bathroom, laundry room, living room, kitchen, office, and any other room into an amazing decorative improvement.
Though you can use faux brick tiles in many areas, the most popular choice is building an accent wall or as a kitchen backsplash. Both of these home improvement projects can be done by anyone with the motivation to do so, and achieving this exposed brick look will not bankrupt you either. Because there are plenty of brick cladding options to choose from, the hardest part of this project is likely figuring out exactly how you want to decorate your walls with tiles that look like brick. To give you some creative inspiration, this article will provide you with a few options that will hopefully make choosing your faux brick wall style choice more manageable.
Benefits of Faux Brick
Before we dive into our incredible faux brick tile wall home decor options, if you're still skeptical about the benefits of using faux brick tiles in your home, here are some advantages that faux brick wall tiles have over most other options.
- The ease of installation is probably one of the most important advantages faux brick effect tiles have over other methods, including actual brick or natural stone. Usually, all you need are some basic tools, a bit of adhesive, and precise measurements, and you're good to go. They also offer versatility that other products can’t match because they can be installed inside and outside your home on any pre-existing wall, floor, or surface material.
- Unlike wood, painted drywall, and most other wall tile types, faux brick tiles are significantly easier to maintain and clean. All you have to do is dust them and gently wipe them down every once in a while, and they’ll look as good as new. You can even paint them if you ever want to switch up the color.
- Almost all faux brick wall tiles come in a wide range of colors, textures, and shapes that rival materials can only dream of having. You can easily add a sophisticated brick look tile installation to any interior wall to make a room look more inviting, with an ideal blend of rustic and modern style.
How It’s Done
There are a few different ways to install faux brick wall tiles, depending on the type of material the tiles are. The easiest and most efficient method we found is to use tiles made from polyurethane which has a projecting lip on the top of the panel and fits in behind the panel you're installing it on.
When attaching these thin brick effect panels, start from the bottom corner on a clean, flat, and dry surface and attach in a horizontal line. It is critical that the first row of panels be level and straight, so to ensure a straight-and-level installation, the bottom of the panel may need to be slightly trimmed if the floor is not straight. Starting at the bottom and working your way up, apply a generous amount of construction adhesive to the wall and back of the panel. Press it firmly against the mounting surface into place then screw or nail it if necessary. Do the same with the next panel, and continue for the entire horizontal row by connecting them end-to-end. When you finish the first row, make sure the tops and bottoms are firmly and securely against the other, creating a nearly seamless appearance.
For the edges of the wall, make a straight edge by cutting off one side of the longer "fingers" on the first and last panels used. Staggering the first panel is also recommended.
Style Choices
Classic Red
The first and most common brick color for interior accent wall design is red brick. It works great as a texture accent wall in any room and has become even more popular in recent years as more people are using rustic and modern farmhouse design motifs. Red brick can bring depth, vibrancy, and rustic elegance to any area. Red brick is typically linked with an older or more classic architectural form and comes in a variety of colors and tones.
White
Although faux red brick wall tiles continue to be the color of choice for most people, white is the next most popular choice for a more contemporary, relaxed look in modern homes. This clean and pure look is a great way to add a more subtle texture to your home’s ultra-modern design and create a bold and unique statement that goes well with the popular minimalist motif trend.
White walls also complement nearly any style and provide a neutral backdrop for many kinds and colors of wall décor, paintings, and picture frames. However, you may want to consider a little diversity in color to help balance and soften the bright white brick color. While red is the traditional color for a brick wall, white is a popular alternative.
Brown / Tan
Tan and brown bricks are comparable to red bricks in terms of availability and application, but they differ from red bricks as they present a natural aesthetic that conveys a timelessness and earthy feel. Brown and tan faux brick wall tiles are a great way to match the tone of mountains, dirt, and other tan-colored features of the surrounding landscape. These tones are also good for portraying a sense of comfort and balance. You may need to brighten the area with beige, cream, or white accents if the faux brick wall is dark brown.
Gray
Gray faux brick tiles are a terrific neutral alternative that can match almost any decor, thanks to some of the lighter gray color tones. Gray looks good when mixed with blue and purple tones that you normally wouldn't be able to match well with most other colors.
Other Considerations
- Soft yellows, calm greens, and creamy antique whites look great with pink, salmon, or light red brick.
- Yellow brick looks great with light grays or tannish browns for a more subdued shade, enhancing a faux brick's earthy colors.
- The more drastic the disparity in the contrast between your brick's color and that of nearby furniture, walls, or appliances, the more it’ll stand out.
- Red brick with a hint of orange tone looks best with a neutral color like gray or tan.
- Purple and anything excessively dark should be avoided as it shades the texture and tends to look gloomy.
Conclusion
Faux brick wall tiles offer limitless design options, ranging from rustic to stylish to modern to experimental. To maximize the benefits, consider a few different and diverse options to achieve the best results. You’ll also want to put some careful thought and planning into the colors and styles of the furniture and other decorations where your faux exposed brick wall will be installed to help you match the surroundings with your choice of materials.
We also recommend getting a few samples of your favorite choices (which are usually available upon request) and testing them out for a couple of days to see how they look at different times of the day. This will allow you to get a better idea of how they’ll look in different lighting and therefore allow you to decide which one you like the best. This way, there’ll be no surprises.
