How many different building materials?

[james]

Here is a question for our landscape architects and designers.

How many different building materials can you successfully use in a brick oven or outdoor kitchen?

We are using cut limestone for the arches, rough limestone block for the stands, stucco for the walls and chimneys, and slate for the work surfaces and to cap the chimneys. I hope it doesn't end up looking chaotic. Interestingly, we are using no brick in the decoration -- just the oven and fireplace themselves.

What is the general rule of thumb?
James

[Dutchoven]

Think about the Bellingham oven...your options could be endless!!!
Dutch

[gjbingham]

Yeah, that was a cool build alright! You never know what someone can come up with in their mind. Endless is a good word.

[Frances]

I would expect an architect to say something like "never use more than three different materials"... but then I don't usually like things that are architectorially (architectonally?) styled.

The instalations I like best have a quirky individual look and lots of loving little details. So maybe the answer could be as many cool materials as possible? Or rather as many as you like?

[vincent]

I agree with Frances. A person could talk to architects and designers untill they are blue in the face. It all boils down to individual taste and building what one likes and is comfortable with. Wouldn't it be an awful boring world if we all did things the same way