This is just me and I'm no designer, but I helped my parents rehab an old family home for sale. I stained the brick surround on a fireplace, to update it. It looked wonderful. Then, my mom spilled high gloss polyurethane on it and had to brush it on all the brick. It was awful. I could have cried when I saw it.
Someone else may have a different experience, but mine did not turn out well.

IMHO Shiny brick looks like plastic. So if you are going for the Lego look then Yes.. LOL

Rawketgrl, is that a real island or did you Ecreate it?

Shebert, I think you may have a boredom issue. PUT DOWN THE GLOSS AND BACK AWAY SLOWLY.