How to Hang a Piece of Décor on a Brick Wall

Exposed brick adds major appeal to most homes, a fact most interior designers agree on. "It's a little unexpected and it creates an organic texture that is just beautiful," Molly Machmer-Wessels, the co-founder of and designer at Woodland Design Company, says. Plus, "exposed brick makes it feel as if the walls have a story—as if there are multiple chapters in the home's history and layers to its personality," notes Maggie Griffin, the founder and lead designer at Maggie Griffin Design. To enhance this unique part of your space, our experts say to dress it up. To do so, however, you will need the right tools, as well as a design vision. Ahead, the best décor ideas and hanging accessories you need to ensure everything stays in place (and looks perfect).

Consider a brick hanger.

There are a few different methods to hanging décor on this wall type, including a brick hanger, brick clip, or wall anchor. "Brick hangers are fairly simple to get in place," Tiffanni Reidy, the owner of Reidy Creative, explains. "If you have a deep enough mortar line, you can use the kind that stretches within the mortar spacing, like the Hillman Brick Block Hanger ($4, acehardware.com)." Reidy notes that you should measure your mortar spacing before purchasing this tool, since it comes in different sizes. "To use them, your brick needs to stick out from the mortar creating a ledge; if the ledge isn't deep enough, they won't work well," she adds.

Try brick clips.

"Brick clips sit in the ledge and stretch over the brick to the mortar line below," Reidy shares. "These clips don't require your mortar lines to be as deep as the others." They also have a clasp on the bottom that will essentially grab the brick from underneath. In most cases, this option will have a spring so the piece can "hug" the wall in a secure fashion.

Install wall anchors.

For another option, Reidy recommends wall anchors, which are specialty screws that will require the use of a drill and masonry bit. "Using the masonry bit, you can pre-drill a hole into the brick (use a bit that's smaller than your wall anchor) and then screw the wall anchor in like any other screw," Reidy notes. A plus? She says this is the simplest and sturdiest of all the hanging methods on this list and can handle heavy-duty accessories, like ironwork art.

Decorate away.

Once you install your hanging tool, it's time to put it to work. Griffin recommends adding artwork to the wall to really highlight the texture of the brick. Reidy's favorite brick wall accents reflect light, like West Elm's "Peruvian" Mirror (from $49, westelm.com), vertical gardens, or lights. She explains that "each decorative accent creates a softness to the brick, in addition to giving it a kind of living glow, making the brick a more active participant in the design of the space." Machmer-Wessels suggests floating shelves, since they can create a fun contrast, while also softening the industrial feel that can come with this surface type.