Concrete Detail has planning a move to new quarters in a different area of Brattleboro, Vermont which is our base of operations. We are in a 1700 sq.ft. shop right now, part of an old textile mill near the Connecticut River on the south end of town. The property is owned and administered by BDCC as an incubator space to encourage new and growing businesses. They are great landlords and friends.

They also own a former printing facility on the north end of town which we have had our eyes on for awhile. A very large complex, there is a plethora of wonderful space there just begging to be used for cool creative businesses. We are beginning the buildout of our new space, taking 2400 sq.ft. for now (a 30% expansion) and an option for 2400 more, down the road. We will be moving into  true industrial space, 16 ft. ceilings, no obstructions, concrete floors (we’re on wood flors currently, which is a problem for water management),  and lots of very nice access. The slab is being cut in the next couple days to install drainage for our wet processes. Then wiring, some more walls, doors and windows and we can move in (and pay for it!). A little nerve-wracking, but very exciting. The future’s so bright…

Concrete Detail is creating a one-of-a-kind garden sculpture that will incorporate a bubbling water feature for a local family’s private backyard retreat. Simply put (and simple is always “more than meets the eye” than it appears!), it is a shallow concrete bowl set into a receiving free-form catchment basin. The water will well up from the center of the bowl and overflow its rim, infinity style, and be caught in the surrounding basin. From there it drops through a drain hole into the buried sump where a submersible pump completes the cycle.

These components were hand cast in plain gray portland concrete, using a glass bowl as an inital form and a lostwax sandcast technique to form the positive and negative match of the other element. A simple formliner technique was used to create small veins and patterns over the visible surface. They were carefully wet-cured for strength, lightly polished and filled to reduce porosity, and then acid stained with several colors, applied to create an organic, lush look. The clean smooth shape of the center vessel contrasts with the random “puddle” edge of the catchment basin. This sculpture will rest on a bed of stones near the patio plantings and provide a restful  fluid  background with ever-changing light patterns to soothe the people relaxing nearby.

Foursquare tiles in Sage

We installed a simple, elegant concrete countertop recently in a peaceful hilltop home in western Massachusetts home which amply demonstrates the “less is more” principle. While one can accomplish  many design concepts through the concrete medium, it requires restraint and a discerning eye to draw on the appropriate techniques and options to create an element that “belongs” and that works with the surroundings, instead of clamoring for attention. This is a deliberate response to the environment and to the dwellers within… A true collaboration of the conceptual and the corporeal.

This project was a change-out of countertops, appliances, sink and fixtures, and a new backsplash. The existing cabinets were handmade of cherry and had aged to the quintessential  orangey-brown that gives cherry its great warmth. The appliances were black with stainless steel; the undermounted Blanco granite composite sink was matte black; the  accompanying fixtures chosen in brushed stainless finish; and the new backsplash was to be a multi-colored rainbow slate.

The concrete countertop base color choice was “Sage”, a soft gray/green that went exceptionally well with the cherry wood. A nice dose of fine black sand was added and lightly ground to add texture and draw in the appliance and sink components. A series of  backpainted glass mosaic tiles in a foursquare pattern was embedded at three different locations, eanch tile a different color suggested by the slate backsplash tiles (still to be installed). A simple eased square edge and a matte sealer finish completed the collage, and a new concrete countertop was subtly inserted into the picture, part and parcel by intent.

PS – Hopefully we will have some additional finished images of the  big picture after the splash is completed and the whole project wrapped up. Stay tuned!

Design sketch

The design process for a concrete countertop can be a bit bewildering or daunting from the outset, given that the possibilities are nearly endless with the medium. Any color, shape, inclusion, theme… the options are limitless and the number of decisions may seem overwhelming.  But that’s why we are here to help, as the artisans and designers familiar with utilizing the material to achieve a functional and aesthetic goal.

We will visit the site, whether home or business, and discuss with the client their preferences, inspirations, and intentions. We strive to get a feel for the environment and the end-user, and then conceive of a design answer to that unique situation. This is why we do this, after all! This usually results in a sketch and a little back-and-forth discussion, all part of the collaborative nature of the project. Every commission is a completely custom approach, since it is intentional to a moment and place in time. There are no problems, only opportunities…