We love that these old brick walls were given a second chance to shine.

Brick walls have a timeless charm. They add warmth and character to any interior, and new colour blends and textures’ innovative designs allow them to radiate in any room. Envy these lucky folks who found this treasure behind old plaster or learn how to create your own whitewashed brick wall from a couple who did it brick by brick. An upholstered sliding door adds a tailored tough to the rugged space.

1. New York style

Designer Tina Wilson and Brent Stephenson, of Summit Renovations, got rid of some hard-to-believe green walls from a 1980s renovation and allowed this captivating exposed-brick wall to beautifully work with a set of mid-century-inspired furniture (sourced from Wayfair) to create a welcoming living room in their 562-square-foot New York-inspired condo. (Photo: David Strongman.)

2. Industrial meets nautical

This Beatty Street condo kept the same ‘80s interior design for 33 years until designer Sophie Burke was hired to turn it into a dream house. Burke added plank-oak flooring and neutral colours to the exposed-brick wall and timber ceiling to create an intimate space where you can either relax or finally get to inbox zero. See Burke’s full creation here. The skateboards were designed by Evan Hecox.

3. Shabby-chic

The homeowners—Foz and Arnott—of this 1973 Whistler cabin renovated it with the help of Stark Architecture and turned it into a stylish family home. Unluckily, there was no brick wall, so the couple decided to add one: they glued brick by brick and then grouted and painted them white to achieve this shabby-chic style. Take a tour of the cabin here.

4. Rustic-industrial

After a disastrous flood, the homeowners of this 1928 home saw the opportunity to renovate it and make it exactly what they wanted. They had a rustic-industrial style in their mind, so after the demolition, they immediately knew what to do with the exposed brick from the chimneys. They made veneer from slices of the reclaimed bricks and created these captivating, rustic-industrial walls. Check out the rest of the renovation here.

5. Red fire

The 103-year-old gatehouse of the Historic Shannon Estate couldn’t have gotten a better owner: designer Aliki Gladwin. She thoughtfully and beautifully renovated the property herself. The decision to add red brick and cornices (that were discarded and discovered in the place) to the garden room gives it a fresh, welcoming look that perfectly fits a historic property. See the full renovation of this historic gatehouse here.