AROUND THE HOUSE // Harvesting the 1914 Simons Brick

Seventeen years ago we undertook a major remodeling project in our home. We redid the entire back half of the first floor which included the kitchen, two bathrooms, the family room, my office and the back porch and patio area. We extended the family room out the back and added a covered porch and brick patio.

We planned out our vision, hired an architect and found a wonderful contractor. Things started out wonderfully and were moving along at a great pace. And then we got “the call”. The “call”?

What’s that? You know how on “Fixer Upper” when Joanna walks into the house and Chip says “Jojo we have a problem.” And then the two of them kind of decide who has to make the call to the homeowner asking for more money?

That was the kind of call we got.

Back in 1915 when they built our house they built a three-story brick chimney through the center of the house. This brick chimney was right in the center of the opening between our new kitchen to our new family room. It no longer had a purpose. We knew it had to come out.

where the brick chimney used to be

But the crazy part? My husband quickly realized the bricks were original Simons bricks and if it was possible, they were worth saving.

It’s hard to imagine that the contractor suggested we tear out the brick and haul away the destroyed bricks. So a slight delay and a new line item to the budget led to us having enough 100-year-old brick to build our entire patio and fireplace.

It was well worth it.