Red brick sets the tone before the roofline takes over. The masonry is punctuated by arched openings, while the timber frames sit back from the wall with a measured depth. Painted wooden windows catch the light differently from the natural Afrormosia elements mentioned in the project text, so the elevation never reads as flat. It is a traditional brick house, but the detail work keeps the eye moving from opening to opening.

Red brick and arched openings on the main elevation

The main façade is built from red brick, with a large arched opening drawing attention to the center of the composition. Around it, the wooden window frames give the wall a clearer rhythm, especially where the openings widen and narrow across the elevation. The arched forms are not decorative add-ons; they shape the way the brick wall is read. From a distance, the house holds its mass firmly. Up close, the timber edges and masonry joints slow the view down.

That layered reading is strengthened by the combination of painted wooden windows and naturally treated Afrormosia windows described in the source text. The contrast is subtle rather than loud. One surface reflects a little more light; the other sits warmer and darker against the brick. In a traditional brick house, those small shifts matter. They keep the windows from disappearing into the wall and give each opening a distinct frame.

Thatched roof forms and a strong roofline

The thatched roof house profile is visible immediately in the roof forms, which soften the top edge of the volume. Against the red brick, the roofline has a heavier presence than a plain eave would, and that changes the whole silhouette. The roof reads as part of the architecture, not as a separate layer placed on top. It settles the house visually and gives the composition a clear top line when seen from the garden side.

Those roof forms also help define the proportions of the walls below. The openings stay tall and measured beneath them, with the brickwork running continuously between bays. Nothing feels crowded. The material transition from brick to roof is direct, and that directness suits the house’s traditional character. In photographs, the roof edge becomes one of the clearest signals of the project, especially when it is seen together with the arched openings and timber joinery.

Wooden windows, gates and the front door

Wooden windows and wooden gates give the entrance zone its most tactile details. The project text points to a slim wooden bay element, gates and the front door, and those parts are easy to read in the images as custom-made pieces rather than standard fittings. The gates sit low and solid at ground level, while the door and surrounding frames tighten the opening. That contrast between broad wall surfaces and precise timber elements is what makes the entry sequence memorable.

The painted wooden windows and the Afrormosia windows are part of the same architectural language, even if the finishes differ. One is lacquered, the other naturally treated, and the difference can be sensed in the way each frame sits beside the brick. The openings become deeper and more articulated. In a traditional brick house, that kind of joinery does more than complete the façade; it gives the wall a line of movement from one opening to the next.

A slim bay element that breaks the brick wall

One of the quietest gestures in the house is the slim wooden bay or porch-like extension. It pulls forward from the main volume and adds a glazed surface that contrasts with the masonry around it. The element is light in appearance, especially beside the heavier brick wall and the thatched roof forms above. Because it is narrow, it does not compete with the main body of the house; instead, it gives the elevation a slight turn and a change in depth.

That glazed detail also links the more formal parts of the façade with the garden side of the property. The view through glass is different from the view through brick. You read reflections, edges, and inside-out transitions rather than mass alone. The result is a house that keeps its traditional profile while allowing a more open reading at specific points. For a project page, that contrast is useful: it shows exactly where the timber craftsmanship steps forward.

Garden paving, lawn and the pool zone

The outdoor area is not treated as a separate scene. Paving runs close to the house, then gives way to lawn and planting along the edge of the plot. In several images, a pool zone appears beyond the main terrace, so the landscape becomes a continuation of the house rather than a backdrop. The materials stay restrained: stone paving, grass, a few planted strips, and the brick volume beside them. That keeps the exterior reading clear.

Seen from the garden, the traditional brick house sits against this more open ground with a steady relationship between hard and soft surfaces. The paving establishes the route around the house, while the lawn opens the view and makes the roofline stand out. Even the pool area, where visible, stays visually calm because the surrounding surfaces are simple and direct. The house reads from different distances without changing character.

What the photos reveal about the joinery

The images show why the joinery matters here. Around the large openings, the wooden frames are slim enough to keep the glass clear, but substantial enough to register against the brick wall. The boogvormige opening in particular gains presence because the timber follows the curve without losing precision. That kind of detail is easy to miss in a quick glance, yet it is what defines the project’s craftsmanship. The house depends on those edges.

Where the entrance doors and gates sit, the timber is darker and more grounded, which helps anchor the base of the composition. The contrast with the lighter glazed parts above or beside them is subtle but useful. It prevents the façade from becoming a uniform field of red brick. Instead, the wall is broken into distinct moments: opening, gate, door, bay, arch. Each one reads differently, and together they give the project its architectural interest.

For readers looking for a traditional brick house reference, this project offers a clear combination of materials and forms: red brick, thatched roof forms, arched openings, wooden windows, and custom gates. The landscape details support the house without taking over, and the exterior remains focused on the relationship between wall, roof, and timber. That is where the project holds together: in the way each part is visible, legible, and carefully set against the next.

Architect: Frank Gruwez / www.gruwez.org

More information about our wooden windows, doors and gates