Bricks

I was out looking at bricks today because the architect wants to know how I want my bricks arranged. I know what I don't like (floating bricks hiding a lintel, as here, is one hate) but on a domestic scale I really don't know what I do like. 

This'd do though, if I had a lot more land and a lot more money. 
(If you're one tenth as fond of bricks as I am, google 'brickwork Iran' and look at images. They really know what they are doing. Been practising for centuries.)