Creative Concrete: 6 Ways To Decorate

Almost every home makes use of concrete and masonry fixtures in some way. Most buildings have concrete in driveways, stairs or patios. This thick, strong material is considered a secure anchor for spaces that need to hold a lot of weight or stay intact under any condition. However, concrete can also be a beautiful and useful design element. Here are six ways to decorate with concrete. 

Industrial Walls and Curved Corners

The industrial design concept is a popular trend in home furnishing, giving a home the look of a converted warehouse or manufacturing space. Concrete perfectly complements this modern and sleek style of decorating. Concrete walls bring a clean look to any space, and one concrete wall draws the eye and adds a unique element to an otherwise traditional room. 

Another way to use concrete walls in your home is to create curves in the corners of the room or a slope down from the ceiling to the floor. Curves and slopes in traditionally sharp spaces add a very unique element to your space. 

Concrete Fabric Pieces

Concrete fabric is a recent innovation in design. In fact, concrete cloth won the Material of the Year award in 2009. This flexible concrete cement mix that is contained within a waterproof, flexible fabric. It can be molded to match the contours of any space. It also has utilitarian uses and has been promoted as a way of creating instant shelter. The fabric gets hard and nearly indestructible when water is added from the outside.

Concrete fabric fits well into an industrial designed themed room or home. The fabric adds a terrific focal point when hung in contrast to bricks and stonework. 

Concrete Furniture

Concrete furniture is an unusual choice, but it can look incredible in the right space. Try chunky block chairs with a curved seating space cut from the middle. You can also find thick slabs of concrete that can be used as coffee tables or end tables in a living room. Concrete shelving from floor to ceiling is also a terrific look and a great place to show off modern art, family photos or a book or music collection. 

Concrete Light Fixtures

Light fixtures are a design detail that can add life and interest to any space. Concrete light fixtures add weight to an airy room or a slick, clean look to a busy area. The smooth, gray exterior of concrete light brings modern details into a room. Concrete lights hung from the ceiling, for example, add an industrial element to a traditional kitchen.

Concrete Sinks and Counters

Granite and other stones are popular as counter tops for kitchens or bathrooms. Using concrete in place of these materials brings a more modern, edgy feeling into these rooms because of the solid, utilitarian look. Concrete sinks are clean and cool and look wonderful in a sparsely decorated bathroom. 

Concrete Floors

Concrete flooring has been used for many years in industrial buildings and as a base underneath other flooring like carpets or tiles. Home owners and designers have recently seen the advantages of concrete alone on floors, and now concrete is a look that can be found in many modern homes, office buildings and other places. 

Concrete flooring works for nearly any space because of its flexibility and the number of different ways it can look. A concrete floor can be a beautiful, sleek reflective surface that works in a modern kitchen or bathroom. Add paint in a floral or scrolling design for a formal space or to add interest to corners and edges. Concrete can also be rough and textured as a floor for a recreation room or other informal family space. 

Stamping is a popular treatment for concrete floors that can create the look of almost any surface. Floors can be made to look like stone tiles or brick. They can also have patterns and pictures that are an art form in themselves. 

Think outside the box, and you will find that there are many excellent uses for concrete in home decor.