What Kind of Floor Goes With Brick Walls?

Cleaning

• Sometimes dust and crumbling are issues with exposed brick. Expect this to be even more of a problem if you're living in a vintage building with old brick rather than a modern building where brick was used for style purposes. Because of this, the surface of your floor is worth considering. Carpets, textured tile or tile with deep grout lines all present places that are more difficult to clean if dust and debris become a problem. Smooth-surface floors can be swept up easily and may be easier to look after.

Matching

• One concept to play with when working with a brick wall is to install a floor that will work naturally with the color of the brick. Dark natural woods with red and brown tones, or laminate products made to match that color, work well in this type of design. Walnut, mahogany or mesquite all provide coloring that looks good with red brick. Different colored brick might require a different type of wood to get a matched effect.

Contrast

• Another way to go when choosing the floor for your space with a brick wall is to go for a sharp contrast to the darkness of the brick, which creates a brighter space and a more modern look like that seen in some urban lofts. A laminate or natural wood here will work well, but the key is to go for very light colors. Hues close to the natural color of maple work. Painted floors also look good, and colors with a great deal of white in them provide a bright contrast to red brick. Again, the darker woods like walnut would provide this same contrast to lighter colored bricks.

Texture

• If places where dust might get trapped are less of a concern in your brick-walled space, playing with the texture of the floor is an interesting way to decorate. Brick is rough, rugged and old-world. A floor with the same properties helps bring out that quality in the space. An unfinished or distressed hardwood floor or rough stone would be a good choice if this is a look you're interested in.