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Friday, June 29th, 2018
Orient Express Furniture Living Room Hilton Accent Table: Reclaimed materials with an ancient past combined with stones and metals create a collection unlike any other. Each piece exudes character and charm.
As opposed to the popular notion, cement and concrete are actually not the same. Cement is only a concrete component. If you would study it more closely, concrete has three components namely cement, water, and aggregate rock (e.g. sand, rock or gravel). Cement is usually in powder form and it acts as the binding element when it is mixed with the other two ingredients. Then referred to as the concrete mix, this will harden to that durable material which is used everywhere.
Concrete – A Building Block
Just imagine a world without concrete. This is no less than the basic building block for modern structures. Just think of all the major construction projects throughout the world, then take out concrete from the picture, and you can just imagine what a project it would have been.
The environment is an important matter and concrete is being produced from a few of the world’s abundant resources. The concrete industry does recycling during the manufacturing process. It has a good lifespan when compared to other materials.
The concrete’s thermal mass can play a huge role in terms of energy efficiency. Urban areas can be kept cooler with it. It can also help in maintaining and protecting the environmeReady-mixed
Mixed concrete can be used in many beautiful options. For starters, it can be made into a concrete driveway which adds to the value of any property. Most home buyers prefer driveways that are made with concrete rather than any other material.
Concrete driveways can also stand up to heavy foot traffic. It can last for as long as 30 years. It is also versatile because it can be stained, colored, stenciled or even stamped. Just imagine the plethora of decorative finishes that you can use with this material.
A concrete basement is also an economical way to set up this part of your home. It can be easily turned into another room for play, work or just about any use. You can remodel this into an additional bedroom, another storage room, a den, game room or an office.
Concrete is also durable so it won’t burn or even rot. This becomes the best shelter during hurricanes, storms, and tornadoes.
Now how about your home’s curb appeal? If the highways are built using concrete, then think also on how concrete’s durability can help improve your home. A concrete pavement can last for as long as 20 to 30 years without even any repairs. Compared to asphalt, this can only last for about 8-12 years.
Other uses for concrete are on streets, parking areas, silos, dams, bridges, swimming pools, and skyscrapers.
Concrete In Your Home
Over the years, there has been an obvious spike on the use of concrete in interior design. The industrial look is quite hot. Those who are lucky are even able to get an old warehouse and convert that place to a stylish home.
If concrete becomes the main component of your interior design, then be ready to embrace an industrial look. Use industrial materials together with concrete. Don’t conceal those steel trusses and plumbing systems. Show them to the world.
The industrial look can be further achieved by using concrete flooring and softening it with neutral-colored area rugs and furnishings. Some have even installed utilitarian concrete lighting fixtures, used concrete tables and stools, and concrete plant boxes.
Keep everything balanced when using concrete. It is a hard and cold material so it very easily becomes utilitarian. Try balancing this stark property with warm colors so that your place won’t look and feel like a huge factory.
Know also how to use contrasting textures. Use a lot of plump pillows and throws. Using colorful fabrics in a chiefly concrete environment is the best way to go.
Tags: concrete, concrete furnishings, concrete interior design, concrete interiors, designing with concrete, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings
Posted in Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements, Interior Design Themes | Comments Off on The Cosmo Concrete
Thursday, May 17th, 2018
Bernhardt Interiors Living Room Cocktail Table: Tired of concrete floor, walls, and columns? Try having this as the featured piece for a change.
Concrete is the kind of material that can be easy yet, at the same time, difficult to work with. It is versatile, hence, it is one of the best materials to use in any project. Yet concrete can also be choosy when it comes to the elements that would jive with it.
Can concrete be stylish?
There are many elements to consider when you’re working with concrete. When you’re considering style, you have to take note that concrete is a leading material used in many industrial buildings. This is also quite popular in many modern spaces.
Concrete Flooring
This is definitely one of the best ways to use concrete. Many homes, these days, have unfinished flooring. And these aren’t unfinished just because the owners run out of budget or whatnot. More often than not, homeowners embrace the roughness and raw look that concrete flooring offers.
Painting a concrete flooring is one of the ways that you can beautify a bare-looking flooring. Pick any color scheme that you can build from. This is actually your fun chance to get creative and unleash your artistic side. Plus, the painted concrete floor will tell the world that you want your home to represent you.
Concrete Countertop
Having the usual marble or granite countertop is too common or even bordering boring if you don’t know how to handle such surfaces. A good way to look different is to have concrete countertops instead.
The concrete element would add a raw look to the bathroom or the kitchen that many other homes won’t even dare to display.
Concrete Walls
What could be a more fun way to add texture to your home than to have concrete walls? These walls aren’t your usual walls because they offer a unique appearance. You can also paint over these walls when you grow tired of the raw look. You can hire someone to do it for you or you can have the whole family participate one weekend.
Having concrete floors, countertops, and walls are ways of using the natural beauty of concrete. This is the same when you proudly display colossal columns, concrete slabs, and garden benches. Burt what if you want to make concrete be a lot more than its true form?
What then?
Make Concrete Pop
You can make the transformation of an industrial place or a cold basement into an interesting one. For instance, the basement can be turned into a lovely, comfortable home office. If you set up your electrical zone in that area once, then it’s time to make way for minimalist furniture for a modern home office setting.
You can give character to the concrete space by having the walls repainted. You can also use lacquered, black furniture together with modern artwork. Nothing can scream modern than these selections. Color and concrete, inarguably, when mixed, work well together.
Concrete, as you already know, is inherently gray so you need to add colorful elements that will make this hue come alive. Consider adding colorful pillows, textiles on furniture, area rugs, and even draperies. These will give the needed contrast to the stark look that concrete offers. Just imagine featuring a fuchsia sofa right in the middle of a concrete room – dazzling, isn’t it?
Stylize
Exposed bricks and concrete is all about using what’s raw and what looks industrial. You can go for the reliable look that’s offered by a monochromatic color palette then use hone basalt and some hand-sewn timber. This will easily become a coastal habitat rather than the usual industrial house.
You can then make this style work further by adding a fireplace wall complete with a bench right in front of it. Polish the concrete and you’re good to go!
Tags: concrete, concrete interior design, concrete interiors, designing with concrete, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings
Posted in Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements | Comments Off on Concrete Interiors – How Can Something Cold Become Comfy and Stylish?
Saturday, May 21st, 2016
Hooker Furniture Corsica Collection will look great inside a dining room with an exposed concrete finish.
It is not always deliberately done but there are times when an unfinished part of a home becomes one of the stunning features of the entire place. This may not be entirely the work of Michelangelo but you, too, can make an unfinished, exposed part of your dwelling become an architectural wonder.
So, did you want the exposed part to look that way or did you leave it with an exposed finish? That unfinished masterpiece may look bare to some but it can be the stage for an interesting interior design theme that is about to be born.
Exposed Wood: Why Raw Is Beautiful
The unfinished or raw look of that room can be your aesthetic choice. Given this unique decision, you’ve got the leeway to leave the exposed concrete walls, structural steel framework, or hanging light bulb as they are.
Exposed structural wood is also a thing of beauty. This is a more common sight compared to all the other materials used in constructing your home. Displaying wood framework stages a sense of warmth if not a strong connection with the natural world outside.
Oak beams, for instance, can bring a lot of homey feeling. Dark woods provide a great framing effect especially when they are paired with stark white ceilings and walls. The wood can then be used as a line of demarcation when you want to use the open space layout. Lighter types of wood can play well with other interior design elements. Use these kinds of wood on your flooring, staircases and your furniture.
Exposed (Yet Safe) Electrical Accessories
Wiring systems are often not used as a design element since safety is a major concern in this area. If you want to use this concept, then prepare to hang lighting cables instead. This style is the best sort that you can use for art studios or a home that wants to convey an industrial setting.
Going beyond hanging light bulbs means you already need the expertise of a licensed electrician.
FFDM Ancestry Collection offers these wood pieces which will harmonize well inside a dining room with exposed wood beams.
The Sturdiness of Bricks
Brick and mortar buildings can be cold and rough to behold but with the right design elements brought in, they can become the framing properties of a cozy room. To use exposed bricks could mean having one wall as a feature wall or it can be the design of all four walls in a room.
Enjoy seeing the irregularities of brick which contribute to the beautiful color and texture in your home. Bricks can effortlessly contribute to the warm glow of your warehouse style home.
If you happen to live in an old home with a brick inner wall, then all you have to do is to topple down the less sturdy wall and make way for the exposure of the beautiful, not-so-new-but-still-great-looking walls. If you don’t have such walls in your home, then invest in faux brick panels.
Exposed Pipes
Whoever thought that exposed pipes could ever become anything else but a plumber’s major job? The pipe is an awesome material to use if you want to get creative. If others can create sculptures with copper pipes, then you can also make good use of fittings and fixings.
The pipes can both be functional as well as decorative. If you’re in doubt on how to use them as a design element, then have an engineer help you.
Exposed Concrete
Unfinished concrete has long been used as a design element in many industrial-themed homes. Just like in brick, it is the concrete’s irregularities that make it an imperfect yet beautiful interior design material and aesthetic element.
Choose from these exposed finishes and find out which works best for you.
Tags: brick design, brick interior design, brick interiors, concrete, concrete interiors, designing with concrete, exposed bricks, exposed concrete, exposed finish, exposed finishes, finishes 101, tips
Posted in Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements, Interior Design Themes, Interior Design Trends | No Comments »
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