Collection by Kelly Shively
Chesapeak Stair Screen
The open-plan home’s core is the towering chimney—clad in the same double-long, thin bricks that sheathe the Kolumba museum in Cologne, Germany. It holds three fireplaces, a conventional oven, and a pizza oven; all vent into three distinct flues, emerging from the chimney as their own kind of architectural statement. Inside, life revolves around the brick chimney, which the architect surrounded with a concrete counter that wraps from the kitchen to the living area. The stools are vintage.
The project’s signature material was discovered on a trip to a recycled brick yard, where Welsch and the homeowners found light, cream-colored bricks and fell in love. "It was a decision made on the spot," explains Welsch. The original plan was to find darker materials that would make the home feel more cozy and cave-like, but the way these bricks reflected the sunlight was just irresistible. "You don’t necessarily expect that soft light feeling from a material like brick."