Until recently, concrete was a construction-only material, carefully hidden during finishing works. With the advent of the fashion for industrial and loft styles, concrete has crossed the sacred thresholds of our homes and has become a full-fledged material used in all arrangements.
Concrete wall finish is a bold solution, eagerly used in loft interiors. It is an ideal background for colorful posters, paintings or photos. The raw material is also increasingly used for finishing ceilings, especially in apartments decorated in industrial and minimalist styles. Keep in mind, however, that a ceiling darker than the walls optically lowers the room. Avoid this if you cover the concrete with light-colored paint.
Concrete flooring is also gaining popularity. Floor surfaces finished in this way are long-lasting, environmentally friendly and, last but not least, easy to care for. Concrete flooring can retain its original raw texture, or it can be polished smooth and covered with a glossy varnish. The advantage of concrete flooring is also that you can give the surface any color you want, or use trafaret to create decorative patterns on it. In stores today you can find the most diverse paints for concrete, which give a lot of room for your creativity and imagination.
Concrete is also a versatile material for creating everyday objects. If you don’t feel ready to put a concrete finish on your ceiling or floor, introduce pots or vessels made of concrete into your interior. This versatile material can serve as a base for many decorative elements. How about, for example, a unique coffee table with wooden legs and a concrete top with an imprinted leaf pattern? Or how about going a step further by introducing a collection of concrete furniture into your living room? Combined with warm wood and natural fabrics, chaise lounges, sofas or armchairs made of concrete are surprising and functional solutions for your office, living room or even bedroom.
To give the interior a homely warmth and coziness, introduce wood into it. One option is to use ceiling beams made of this material. Wooden furniture will also be helpful in creating a unique atmosphere. Concrete and wood is a common combination for grunge and loft styles. For the perfect balance, let one of the materials dominate, and with the help of the other, take care to skillfully balance the accents.
Another successful combination is the duo of concrete and brick. In loft style, you can line one wall with brick, and put decorative concrete on the other surfaces. If you are not ready for such a radical move, you can arrange the floor in an interesting way. Gray polished flooring will look fashionable and austere.
And finally, a bit about steel, which is worth enriching the interiors – concrete on the walls or floor should be softened with shelves or stairs made of steel. The asceticism of concrete and the brilliance of steel will make any room a masterpiece of style. And if you want to introduce some colorful motifs, think about potted plants, posters or rugs.
main photo: unsplash.com/Alexander Pemberton
