When you think of concrete, your next thought isn’t usually interior decoration. Concrete is so recognized as an “outdoor” material that people forget that actually concrete is a material well suited to both indoor and outdoor decor. Take a look below and watch some amazing concrete interior designing ideas spring forth!
1. Concrete Bathroom Features
Properly installed and sealed concrete can form a very attractive alternative to the more traditional use of tile, glass and porcelain finishes. It’s raw, beautiful, strong and bold. Bathtubs in particular look stunning when finished in concrete, adding a sense of the dramatic to the bathroom space. The material is also perfect for making simple but also grand-looking sinks and vanities.
Concrete features within the bathroom are an interesting choice because concrete features like the ones we’ve described above can often look like they’re integrated into the structure of the room. The use of more raw-looking construction material like concrete has that kind of unifying effect on a room.
2. Concrete Floors
The idea of a concrete floor indoors might sound like something that would only be used in prison design, but in fact you’ll find that it can look quite stunning when it’s installed in your kitchen and polished up. A polished concrete floor works particularly well in conjunction with earth tones and natural woods in the cabinets, table and other kitchen fixtures and furniture.
Combine these effects with brushed metal on your kitchen appliances and/or painted brick cladding on one or some of the walls and together it creates an irresistible clean and chic look. Those who like a more minimalist elegance in the kitchen will find these effects particularly powerful.
3. Concrete Walls
Once again, you might think using concrete materials on the wall is something of a brutalist move, but the reality is far from that. Concrete panels are actually very versatile and attractive and similar to the way concrete floors complement wood and earth tones, concrete panels also match these kinds of materials in other rooms. The concrete can also be treated to have different looks and surface features to help it stand out from the rest of the room’s decor.
A lot of people choose to use concrete panels in the living room, especially around a fireplace as it can help to frame and highlight this feature in the room. They may also use them on one particular wall where there will be a particular artwork or arrangement of artworks that are well suited to the concrete background.
4. Countertops and Tabletops
It’s not only outdoor surfaces that can be made from concrete, but indoor ones, too. Concrete is easy to paint and easy enough to seal and waterproof, making it a great choice for kitchen countertops. In contrast to what we said above, those with concrete kitchen countertops may opt to complement that with a wooden floor (as opposed to vice versa that we described above).
One thing to note with using concrete for tabletops and countertops is that while concrete is generally very durable, it is more vulnerable at its corners and edges when shaped into things like slabs for a countertop. Extra care is needed to prevent things from colliding with the corners, which can chip away relatively easily.
5. Concrete and Supporting Structures
Open-plan designs are always popular, but many also like there to be some kind of partial dividers between different rooms. Concrete pillars and columns, as well as supporting structures for mezzanine floors and other features can form these dividers. It’s strong, easy to form the right shapes, and adds that same raw beauty that we’ve mentioned in the other features above.