Decorative Concrete uses throughout the home will floor you
Once primarily for patios, sidewalks and other outdoor uses, concrete is making bold statements inside the home. Polished countertops in the kitchen, a textured fireplace in the family room, shiny shower surround in the bathroom, state-of-the-art bar in the den and brightly stained floor in the basement -- all created with concrete, a new heavy-hitter in interior design.
The residential concrete industry is booming, spawning magazines and Web sites for consumers, and classes and pre-fab kits for do-it-yourselfers. Boston area concrete artisans say that concrete as a design element, which began several years ago on both coasts, is making waves locally. "I think decorative concrete is really taking off in the Boston area, especially floors and countertops," said Robert Johnson, owner of Artcon Concrete. "You can do so many amazing things with concrete that you can't do with anything else. It can be as ornate and intricate as you want." In the past 2 years alone, Johnson said, he's colored and stained more than 36 concrete floors and installed more than a dozen countertops for clients in the Boston area. "Homeowners are always looking for a way to make their home stand out," he said.
" We can turn an ordinary gray concrete floor into a luxurious floor that resembles terrazzo, marble or glazed stone." He's also seen a recent surge in requests for concrete amenities such as acid-stained floors in basements, foyers and enclosed patios. "The trend is just now gaining interest here in New England, but I think it's really going to hit critical mass in the next few years," Johnson said.
"People are really interested in acid-stained concrete floors because they can be done in any color and they are very low-maintenance." From staining, scoring and stamping to polishing and acid-etching, concrete artisans like Johnson and are using an array of techniques to create unique designs to fit any type of décor. And any niche.
In the kitchen Custom concrete countertops can complement other current trends, such as stainless steel appliances and slate floors. Concrete also can be smoothed and polished like stone or colored and textured like tile. With aggregates, colored pigment and stains, it can mimic marble, granite and other stone. Because there are no often no grout lines, designers and homeowners say, concrete is easier to keep clean than tile.
Designers say concrete is versatile -- easily molded into any shape, including soft curves. "You can use concrete to add texture and visual appeal to any room," he said. "For example, the cone-shaped table our studio creates is one way of adding some interesting lines in a kitchen." Although concrete is very durable, Robert cautions homeowners to avoid setting hot objects directly onto concrete countertops, because they can damage the sealer. "Just like you wouldn't put a hot pan on Formica, you wouldn't want to set a hot pan right on the concrete," he said. Some owners opt for having raised strips of metal cast into kitchen countertops to protect against abrasion from pots and pans near the cooking area and sink. And some countertops include raised chopping blocks and sloped drain boards integrated right into the concrete mold. Although a concrete countertop can develop hairline cracks over time, Johnson says they won't affect the structural integrity of the countertop.The slight cracks "add character," he says.
