Concrete countertops epitomize customization – and that’s the truth. No other material can be manipulated and personalized to the same degree. It’s the almost-magical phase change from liquid to solid that enables this opportunity; the artisan can work with and through the material to accomplish their design goals, be they straightforward or fantastical. Add to that the endless combinations of particular aspects such as color, shape, texture, dimension, amalgamation and the possibilities become limitless.

One example of the chameleon properties of artisan concrete countertops is the ability to coax several surface appearances from the same base. When concrete is turned out of the form, it has a solid, somewhat homogenous appearnance characterized by pigmented “cream”, the pure binder paste of cement and fines that line the face of the mold upon compaction in the pouring process. Lurking just below the surface are the aggregates that lend their strength to the matrix: first the sand grains and then the coarser particles, such as crushed stone or glass. The fabricator artist can reveal these at will, by varying the amount of grinding and polishing on the various faces of the piece. We have had a run lately (instigated by my friends in Putney) of what we term a light sand finish on the working countertop face, contrasted with a heavy grind on the vertical front edges. The subtle mottling and sparkle of the filled and polished worktop is set off by the multi-colored diamond ground profile of the counter’s edge, accented by a thin bevel where they meet. No other material can match this striking combination. Which is why we love what we do…

Does every blog entry require crisp photographs, maps and charts, or even links to other “relevant” content? Well, probably. At least the posting pundits and interweb wags would have it that way. But, I’m going rogue – at least briefly. Perhaps it’s just becasue I don’t feel like uploading another batch of pixels…

Concrete Detail is moving its concrete countertop studio to the BookPress building on the north end of the bustling burg of Brattleboro, Vermont. In two weeks. Are we looking forward to this transpiration of events? Yes and no: yes, because we will gain on several (or I should say many) fronts. More space, better space, cheaper space; better access for inbound and outbound materials and products; private entrance, showroom, room for expansion, synergistic neighbors, oh… I could go on and on.

No, because we have to schlep our worldly goods (after we sort through and fill several dustbins) piece by piece from one corner of town to another. I know, stop whining and get over it… OK, I’m over it. It’s all good.

Here we grow!

Just this morning, we flipped out a concrete countertop sink run cast in our “Slate” color which includes an integrated drainboard, as do many of our kitchens. New England residents love drainboards - maybe it is a hearkening back to our collective childhood, sitting in a grandparent’s kitchen with the big , old slate or soapstone farm sink and the wide pitched planes to each side where the dishes were set to air dry.  They are eminently practical and a perfect showcase for the three-dimensional versatility of artisan concrete. Each one is different from the previous, some subtly and some dramatically.

This drainboard uses an elemental reference to flowing water by incising ripples into the drain plane,  which is set to the right and slightly back from the undermounted sink aperture. This introduces a pleasing touch of assymmetry to the composition (any Slave to Rhythm would agree…). Immediately outside the New Hampshire window in front of which this concrete countertop will repose are the client’s lush perennial gardens; they are symbolized as well using the movement and vining shapes of the rippling grooves. Another reference wrapped into the design is the heavy roundover on the cabinet doors and their round wooden pulls.

Once installed atop the natural wood cabinets in the owner’s home, it will be apparent that this particular example of functional art was fully intended to be exactly there and nowhere else. Now, that’s integration!

Here’s a couple candid shots (by a real pro – the client) of a recent installation in nearby Putney, Vermont. The set of concrete countertops were cast in “Thunder” with a light polish but the real challenge was the lack of wiggle room once they were set in in their final resting place. In this particular project (designed by the client as well!), there were to be no backsplashes and no overhangs on the countertops – flush to the wall and the cabinetry. To add to the demand, the seams of the main ell, over ten feet long in both directions were a mortise-and-tenon style puzzle feature; this detail was extrapolated from the notched drawer pulls in the hand-crafted cherry fronts. All in all, this meant there was no room for adjustment in any direction – it HAD to fit, first try.

We were a little nervous but we took our time – easy does it -  the sections were carefully set and slid into each other… voila!  Ah yes, easy peasy, lemon squeezy.