Are We Engineering the Art Out of Concrete?

Phone: 330.297.9438 Fax: 330.297.1213 www.pnachedesign.com pnache@neo.rr.com

Look at the best decorative concrete work, and you can’t help but notice its warmth and simplicity. The best finish, be it on a countertop, an interior floor, or a stamped project outdoors, is always subdued and natural. The best designs shine in their straightforwardness.

Yes, it is fun to explore the unique design abilities of concrete, but it’s still a balancing act!

Many attempt countertops with special aggregates and overlays, elaborate edge designs, bright colors, and glossy sealers, and extravagance like fiber optics. While there is a place for any of these, the best concrete projects excel with their simplicity. Get too extravagant, too pretentious, and that which makes concrete so attractive is lost.

Countertop finishes need to be chosen for maximum stain resistance and durability, all the while maintaining the tactile feel that concrete is all about. This is not an easy task, as the average homeowner typically wants both, without compromise. If the insistence of that homeowner is so unyielding, then a reputable concrete artist should help their client consider whether concrete is the right choice.

Concrete overlays and skim coats are tremendous vehicles to accomplish striking designer floors. But striking should not mean gaudy. Simplicity still rules!

Acid stains by nature promote subtle striations and variations in color. The best designer floor specialists make use of the inherent unpredictability of acid staining. The look is one that cannot be achieved by any other means or material.

Exterior stamped concrete is probably the most vivid example of missing the point. In a misguided attempt to develop an elaborate design, many go overboard.

Attending a recent competition for stamped concrete contractors, this became quite obvious. In an attempt to outdo each other, nearly all competitors exceeded a natural look. One contractor held to his guns. It was his project, by far the simplest, that was determined by the judges to be the best.

To each his own and there’s a look for everyone. Nonetheless, it is the real concrete artist that will maintain warmth and simplicity in decorative concrete design. The true artist will be the one that displays a balance of design, practicality and flair.