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The question
My husband wants to expose the brick under the drywall on our main floor. I'm torn. Aside from being a scourge to picture-hanging, I'm worried the look has dated itself. Thoughts?
The answer
First of all, I am impressed if your husband is doing the work himself and that he actually has an opinion on decor. For that reason alone, I'd say do it. If the wall is an interior wall, it more than likely does not have insulation, only plaster. Once you've gotten rid of the plaster, have the wall sandblasted so that it's clean and has a historical edge. Fantastic finishes never date and, as long as the brick is beautiful, enjoy the brick and skip the art. That said, if, after all the work, the brick wall just doesn't look right, invest in the largest piece of art possible. (But wait till your husband is out of the house to call an art hanger to properly drill the wall to hang the art. After all, there's something cruel about asking your fabulous guy to strip drywall, clean brick and then cover it up.) When questioned "Why art and not brick?" answer with a question: "Should we paint the wood staircase white?" Men love wood as much as they love brick. He will only see red. Good luck.
Follow architect and interior designer Dee Dee Taylor Eustace on Twitter: @ddtaylordd . Have a design dilemma? E-mail style@globeandmail.com.