Here’s a Q&A from Danielle Bach at Kirchner Block and Brick on remodeling your home with masonry materials.
Q: What are the easiest ways to update a home’s exterior?
A: With less people moving and more people updating their homes, manufacturers have created products that are affordable and suitable for modernizing an existing home. Thin brick and thin stone materials make it easy for a home that previously used siding to be transformed into a beautiful masonry home. Each of these materials wighs less than 15 lbs per square foot so they can be applied to any interior or exterior wall system.
Q: Why choose masonry when updating your home?
A: Simply put; masonry adds value. Whether it’s a complete renovation or addition, if you incorporate masonry you’re adding value to your home. Brick and stone come in a variety of shapes, colors, textures, and sizes and offer a maintenance-free, affordable home. With endless artistic applications you can re-create a home that suits your individual style. Whether adding stone waterfalls or creating a dramatic arched entrance way with Cast Stone, you get to choose the overall feel and look of your “new” existing home.
Q: What are the most current trends when updating a home?
A: On the interior, we are seeing veneer stone and brick being added in kitchens as back splashes, renovation of older fireplaces, additions of wine cellars in basements, and even media rooms. Or for the exterior, the combination of natural stone and brick set the standard. Color combinations are moving away from gray and red to more earthtone shades.
Email trends@kirchnerblock for a link to any of the products mentioned, You can also reach Kirchner Block and Brick at 314-291-3200 or visit their showroom at 12901 St. Charles Rock Road, Bridgeton, MO 63044, or website at www.kirchnerblock.com.
Fire pits are the hottest trend in outdoor-living design features, according to a recent poll by the American Society of Landscape Architects.
Fire pits create an inviting focal point for gatherings. As ornamental features, they lend warm ambience to the landscape.
One reason for the popularity of fire pits and outdoor fireplaces is the concept of the “staycation”– the idea of staying home on vacation and upgrading your outdoor living space.
Portable fire pits usually consist of a round or square bowl in a frame with legs. Fashioned from materials such as steel, copper, bronze, clay, granite or enamel, they burn wood, charcoal, gel fuel or natural gas.
In-ground models are constructed of noncombustible materials such as brick, stone or concrete. It usually is incorporated into the design of a courtyard, patio or pool area, and designs vary greatly.
In July of last year, the US Green Building Council announced that it had reached 10,000-members. “The achievement is a significant milestone in the growth and development of the green building movement, because it demonstrates a broad conviction that our built environment can improve the health of our planet, our economy and our communities,” says Rick Fedrizzi, president, founding chair and CEO of the USGBC.
The green industry recognizes the important role that brick will play in its development because of the material’s manufacturing process and sustainability.
Not all of us are blessed with spacious spa-like bathrooms. Especially in older St. Louis homes, bathrooms can leave much to be desired in terms if space.
Colors
You may think that in a small bathroom, you can only use white or varying shades of off-white, but a bold color accent can help the small space pop.
Bathroom murals also make the space feel larger.
Lighting
Adding light to a small bathroom is a great way open the space.
Choose glass blocks to keep the light pouring in, rather than a window treatment that blocks light.
Installing a skylight can add height and openness to the room.
Recessed lighting in the ceiling saves space
If you have a bathroom with a standing shower only, frameless glass doors can make the shower appear and feel larger
Show Off the Floor
The more floor that shows in your small bathroom, the larger it looks.
Use wall mounted cabinets, sinks, mirrors and shelving
Draw The Eye Upward
Use stencils, borders or bright colors to draw the eye up and create the illusion of height and space.
From the Portland Cement Association:
“ In today’s growing educational market there are many opportunities for the concrete masonry industry. Market growth means many new schools. Concrete masonry provides durable, aesthetically pleasing, and maintenance free design options for these new schools. Concrete masonry’s cost-effectiveness makes it a natural choice for responsible school districts. Maintaining market awareness and knowledge of current trends in education is crucial to developing and maximizing this market niche for concrete masonry unit (CMU) construction.
Why CMU is Suited to Schools
Concrete masonry units are widely used for educational facilities for various reasons including durability and affordability. Tight school budgets necessitate quality construction that lasts. Reasons designers choose CMU are:
• acoustics
• low maintenance
• community image
• durability
• structural capabilities
• aesthetics “
Read the Full Story Here
1. Increased Privacy - Finding a cost effective window that provides privacy in your hall bath or master bathroom window can be difficult. Glass block windows let light in, yet maintain the privacy you need.
2. Reduce your Heating and Cooling Costs - Block glass windows are 10 times more energy efficient than single pane glass and provide a combination of obscurity and style many vinyl replacement windows do not.
3. Increased Security - New glass block windows are mortared in, making them difficult and time consuming to attempt to break through. New construction glass block windows come with a vinyl frame and nailing fin, providing excellent security.
4. Maintenance Free - With block bathroom windows there is no maintenance needed since the windows are either mortared in or nailed into the framed walls in the property.
5. Easy to Clean - These windows can be cleaned with soap and water or window cleaning solution.
8. Fit Your Style - Glass block bathroom replacement windows are available in different colors and tints, satin finishes, decorative patterns, beveled edges, and many custom architectural designs to match a contemporary, traditional, or transitional design style.
Facts You Probably Didn’t Know about Brick, Block and Stone
• Brick is man’s oldest manufactured product.
• When exposed to fire, masonry does not burn, melt, twist or warp.
• Masonry is the most environmentally-friendly building system available.
• Masonry construction requires less insulation than other building systems.
• Over 70% of the buildings in the world are built of masonry.
• Masonry structures have lower insurance costs than non-masonry structures.
• Masonry materials are made entirely or primarily of natural ingredients.
• Masonry’s life cycle is unsurpassed by any other building material.
• Masonry is resistant to mold.
• Masonry has been used for more than 6,000 years.
• The Great Pyramid of Giza is over 5,000 years old and was constructed with 2,300,000 blocks of stone.
Read more about these materials at www.masonrysystems.org
Start winter cleanup of the lawn when the grass is dry or almost dry. Rake your lawn to get rid of dead plants and grass that won’t be coming back this year, stray leaves, twigs and winter debris. This will also let in light and air and encourage the grass to grow.
Re-seed bare or damaged patches of grass. Rake the area you are working on. Mix a shovel of soil with a couple of scoops of grass seed and spread in the patch. Water often until seeds germinate and the new grass start.
Remove any tree guards and winter protection from your young trees or shrubs. Trees don’t need them in summer and they don’t allow enough air movement around the base of the trunk.
Apply dormant oil spray to re-flowering trees and plants to control insects. Use this organic pest control method when the buds are swelling but the leaves haven’t opened yet.
Get your lawn mower checked and blades sharpened. Sharp blades cut better and leave your lawn healthier.
Don’t dig in your flower beds too early. You can damage the soil’s structure. If you pick up a handful of soil, it should fall apart. That’s when you can get ready to plant.
Start weeding now. Weeds start growing early, so when you spot them, pull them up. Weeds are easier to pull out while their roots are still shallow in early spring.
For more tips and garden design, see www.thehelpfulgardener.com
See which homes in your neighborhood sold, and for how much
Get advice on buying, selling, home improvement, even tips from Pros
Find information on any neighborhood, including school districts, population data, photos,etc.
This is my favorite part - You can find your home and get an estimate on it’s value
Speaking of home value, one way to increase yours is to use masonry when you are doing any remodel. Masonry generally holds a 5% to 10% increase in resale value—based on a study that showed brick homes commanded an average 6% higher resale price than non brick homes in the same neighborhood.
Regardless of your home’s material, have fun at www.zillow.com!
Wood fired ovens cook a great pizza, but they can also be used for breads, meats, vegetables, and desserts.
Wood-fired ovens usually have brick walls, but can also be made if stone or architectural concrete block. They retain heat and cook food quickly, which gives it a crisp outer shell while keeping the inside moist. Tasty and beautiful!
Grills
The heart of any outdoor kitchen will likely be the grill- the place where all the action happens! Depending on your family size and entertaining style these masonry encased grills can range from under 27" to over 48". It’s a good idea to think about additional storage and appliances around the grill as well. What good is it to cook outdoors if you are always running inside to grab something you need?
Shade and Relaxation
In the notoriously humid St. Louis summers, you’ll definitely want to include a covered area when planning your perfect outdoor cooking and dining space. This can be done with a simple awning or a more elaborate retreat with stone or brick accents.
To select materials for your outdoor kitchen, visit these websites:
The Masonry Institute of St. Louis promotes the use of masonry, masonry contractors and union bricklayers by serving as an educational and promotional resource for brick, stone, glass and concrete masonry products in commercial and residential markets.
