Concrete for Outdoor Living
How to make the most of your outdoor living space using concrete
With temperatures rising and everyone eager to spend more time outdoors, you may find yourself searching for ways to elevate your outdoor living space. Perhaps Concrete is the right fit.
Concrete brings a clean, modern sophistication to your outdoor space; that helps connect your space with the surrounding nature. It can also be a great way to create unity in design by carrying your interior design concepts to the outside of your home, helping foster a true ‘living space’ outside.
Let’s explore three simple, yet incredibly effective ways to use concrete outdoors this summer, and for many seasons to come.
1. Concrete Fireplace Surrounds
A fireplace is a great addition to your outdoor space. This is especially true in colder climates, as it can extend your outdoor living season beyond summer. By cladding your fireplace surround in concrete panels, you will create a durable, weather and heat-resistant focal point that stands the test of time both functionally and aesthetically.
Natalie Hayes Photo (left), Mark Olsen Photography (right)
This concrete fireplace surround anchors the outdoor living area and provides a visual focal point that establishes the home’s design statement.
2. Concrete Wall Panels
If a concrete fireplace doesn’t ignite your interest, maybe concrete wall panels are what you crave for your outdoor statement. If you have a wall that requires cladding or is need of an update, concrete wall panels can be quite impactful in adding architectural interest to your space. A large format, raw concrete panel can add a feeling of grandure and freshness. We especially enjoy the use of tie rod holes in these panels, which add to the authenticity of this feature wall.
Concrete Box House by Roberston Design
3. Concrete Furniture
If you are looking to incorporate concrete in a more flexible and agile way, the use of concrete in furniture design is a clever way to create contemporary, sleek pieces. The beauty of using concrete for furniture is the longevity of these pieces; you can swap out chairs, pillows, rugs, and surrounding decor as often as you choose to update the area to suit your ever-changing style. Below are some photos of concrete furniture projects we’ve completed, and some inspiration photos of designs others have dreamed up.
Mark Olsen Photography
Whether you find your style above, in a different image, or in your own imagination, the use of concrete for outdoor living can be customized to satisfy even your dreamiest of visions.
Fireplace Mantel Package
A custom fireplace mantel shipped to your home
Introduction
The Fireplace Mantel Package is here – created to assist with the ordering process and allow homeowners to have a custom fireplace mantel shipped directly to their home.
This package is perfect for homeowners who are working with a builder, contractor or skilled DIYers.
Your package will come equipped with high-performance flexible adhesive, sanded colour-matched caulking and additional items to facilitate a smooth installation. Our team will work with you and/or your contractor to answer any questions you may have from the time of ordering through to you receiving your package.
Available for Canadian and US residents. Download our Ordering Guide below for additional information.
-
Fireplace Mantel Package - Ordering Guide
Equipped with product and ordering info, approx. pricing as well as installation guidelines
Download
-
Looking for more information about our Fireplace Mantel Package or ready for a quote on your project?
Contact Us
Fireplace Panel Package
Custom fireplace panels shipped to your home
Introduction
The Fireplace Panel Packages is here – created to assist with the ordering process and allow homeowners to have custom fireplace panels shipped directly to their homes.
This package is perfect for homeowners who are working with a contractor or skilled DIYers.
Your package will come equipped with high-performance flexible adhesive, sanded colour-matched caulking and additional items to facilitate a smooth installation. Our team will work with you and/or your contractor to answer any questions you may have from the time of ordering through to you receiving your package.
Available for Canadian and US residents. Download our Ordering Guide below for more information.
-
Fireplace Panel Package - Ordering Guide
Equipped with product and ordering info, approx. pricing as well as installation guidelines
Download
-
-
Looking for more information about our Fireplace Panel Package or ready for a quote on your project?
Contact Us
Japandi Style with Concrete
A growing hybrid trend
What exactly is Japandi-Style?
The fusion of Japanese and Scandinavian design aesthetics, dubbed Japandi, has combined the use of two design influences that support a healthy, meaningful lifestyle to reinforce a connectedness to nature. The zen-like elegance of Japanese wabi-sabi and warm minimalist elements of Scandinavian hygge come together to produce a look that is serene, organic and thoughtfully refined.
It’s a natural marriage between two cultures that value minimalism and tranquility, while their differences also compliment one another. Scandinavian concepts utilize light wood, crisp neutrals and simple layouts that bring a sense of earthiness to any space; while Japanese design offers warm, rich colours and statement pieces rather than an abundance of decor.
How to achieve Japandi Style with our concrete
Simplicity and functionality are the pillars of the Japandi style – standing out for its timeless minimalism. Light and muted colours blend with natural dark shades to create the perfect earthy colour palette. Our concrete offers a variety of natural tones ranging from light beige to a muted black. Introducing raw or distressed textures aligns with Japandi’s natural aesthetic by highlighting weathering and patina as a naturally occurring process.
Japandi interiors strive to be intentional and avoid overcrowding by treating elements in your space as unique, works of art. The phrase “one of a kind” is celebrated in our products due to the nature of concrete and its properties. Colour variation, bug holes and grain lines are all elements that occur naturally and cannot be replicated. The process of hand-casting is an artform which Japandi interiors can utilize to create a natural statement piece.
According to the Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA), concrete is the most widely used man-made product on the planet.
While the majority of concrete’s worldwide use is isolated to large-scale construction projects, using concrete in interior design is gaining quickly in popularity. The reasons for concrete’s growing popularity in home design are many–it is durable, versatile and often more economical when compared to other stone cladding materials such as granite and marble.
At Anthony Concrete Design, precast concrete panels are at the core of what we do as they can be utilized in a variety of ways and make incorporating the look of concrete in your home so accessible.
Photo Credit – Mark Olson Photography
What are precast concrete panels and how are they made?
Precast concrete panels are thin, lightweight real concrete tiles that can be manufactured in a variety of sizes, colours and textures. Precast concrete tiles can be applied to fireplace facades and surrounds, and walls to create striking design features in your home.
Precast concrete panels are produced by casting concrete in a mold or form which is then cured in a controlled environment, transported to the project site, and then installed on-site. It is cast prior to being taken to the project site, hence PRE-CAST. The advantage of precasting concrete is that, as it is produced in a controlled environment with close monitoring, there is greater control over the material quality and workmanship, resulting in a high quality custom concrete product.
Fireplaces
Since concrete is a non-combustible material, it is a natural choice for covering a fireplace wall or surround and for fabricating fireplace hearths and mantels. Precast concrete panels are highly customizable–colour, texture and size–allowing you to achieve the exact look you want, whether it be a minimalist, contemporary look…
…a sleek, modern look…
…a raw, industrial look…
…or a warm, textured look.
Precast concrete panels are installed using a flexible, high performance polymer adhesive, which allows the concrete to expand and contract with the warmth of the fireplace without cracking and any seams are finished with a tinted caulking to achieve a clean, finished look.
Take the comforts of your indoor living outside with an exterior fireplace clad in precast concrete tiles. Precast concrete’s durability can withstand the elements and true lovers of concrete treasure the natural patina that concrete achieves with time and wear.
Wall Cladding
While applying precast concrete panels to a fireplace surround transforms the fireplace into your room’s focal point, cladding an ordinary wall in precast concrete panels creates a stunning statement!
Again, because of concrete’s versatility, the only design limit is your imagination. Choose to create a stunning staircase…
…a sophisticated wine cellar…
…or increase the curb appeal of your home’s exterior.
The design possibilities with precast concrete tiles truly are endless! Due to their lightweight construction and versatility to customize to your desired look, incorporating concrete into your home’s design is easy with precast concrete panels.
Let’s Work Together!
At Anthony Concrete Design, we love the versatility of concrete and the limitless options it offers our clients. Get in touch with us to learn how you can incorporate precast concrete panels into the interior or exterior design plans for your home.
Anthony Concrete Design services commercial and residential clients across Canada and Ontario including Toronto, Ontario; Hamilton, Ontario; Burlington, Ontario; Mississauga, Ontario; London, Ontario and the GTA. We also ship our concrete panels worldwide.
The Green Side of Concrete
For the last installment of our ‘Versatility of Concrete‘ blog series, we are focusing on concrete’s use in Eco Design.
It seems like the words ‘green’ and ‘eco-friendly’ are being used so much these days but can refer to everything from sustainability to energy efficiency to recyclability. In terms of Eco Design, eco-friendly refers to building a home—inside and out—with a focus on lowering the environmental impact by using materials and technology that reduces the home’s carbon footprint and lowers its energy needs.
Concrete plays a large role in Eco Design. The inclusion of concrete in an eco-home is often a functional decision and a design decision.
For interiors, Eco Design focuses on using materials that improve the inside air quality and bring a sense of the outside in. This is achieved in a number of ways—using plants and living walls as decoration, maximizing the available natural light, mixing furniture that is made from natural materials with up-cycled used furniture and antiques, installing flooring made from natural materials such as bamboo, stone, concrete and cork, shopping for and sourcing products locally, and lastly, reducing exposure to VOCs commonly found in paints, glues, stains, fabrics and carpets.
Using concrete for floors eliminates the need for glues commonly used when installing carpet and vinyl flooring. Concrete floors also assist with the energy efficiency of an eco home thanks to thermal mass, meaning that, in winter, the heat from the sun coming into the home is captured in the concrete floor and released back into the home as the temperature drops at night. In summer, the sun is higher in the sky and blocked from entering the home so the concrete floors stay cool throughout the day.
Concrete is durable and easy to maintain. Therefore, concrete floors and countertops eliminate the need for harsh chemicals for cleaning as microfibre cloths and mops with warm water is often all that is required.
Concrete is naturally fire-resistant, eliminating the need for potentially harmful flame retardants that are applied to carpets and manufactured flooring products and making it the perfect material for fireplace surrounds and hearths. Concrete’s ability to retain heat and release it gradually into the room gives your fireplace the ability to regulate the room’s temperature and reduce heating costs.
For several reasons, the exteriors of Eco Design homes are often constructed with concrete. As mentioned above, concrete is naturally fire-resistant, making it an ideal home construction material in areas susceptible to forest fires. Concrete is also naturally rot- and pest-free. Because concrete is so durable and the life of the building is much longer than that of a wood-constructed home, eco-homes made of concrete have a low carbon footprint. The need to rebuild or repair and therefore, consume more building materials, is very low with a concrete home.
While the naturally high thermal mass of concrete assists with heating and cooling the interior of an eco-home, the exterior design of an eco-home often includes concrete overhangs above the home’s windows. This design feature not only creates a lot of visual interest but also serves to help reduce the amount of summer sun coming through the windows by blocking the high summer sun’s rays.
Aesthetically-speaking, concrete’s neutral grey tones pair well with the nature-inspired colour palette often utilized in Eco Design interiors and exteriors. With an abundance of greenery and wood accents, the natural stone-like look of concrete reinforces the all-natural look and feel of the interior space.
At Anthony Concrete Design, we take several measures to decrease the carbon footprint of our products.
From using locally-sourced and recycled materials whenever possible and sourcing a contemporary, more eco-friendly cement compared with traditional cement to recycling and reusing our waste water and crushing our waste concrete to be used as base for new road and driveway construction, we pride ourselves in the steps we take everyday to make our concrete as eco-friendly as possible. As a fabricator of custom precast concrete products, we produce our concrete in small batches, lessening the amount of water needed and the amount of waste that is produced.
Now you can fall in love with the look AND the eco-friendliness of Anthony Concrete Design’s beautiful concrete products!
Let’s Work Together
At Anthony Concrete Design, we love the versatility of concrete and the limitless options it offers our clients. Get in touch with us to learn how you can incorporate concrete design into the interior or exterior design plans for your home, retail space, workspace, or gallery setting.
Anthony Concrete Design services commercial and residential clients across Canada and Ontario including Toronto, Ontario; Hamilton, Ontario; Burlington, Ontario; Mississauga, Ontario; London, Ontario and the GTA. We also ship our concrete panels worldwide.
The Romantic Side Of Concrete
In the previous two posts of the “Versatility of Concrete” blog series, we looked at concrete in both a luxe design style and a modern farmhouse style. In both of these decor styles, concrete acts as a ‘grounding agent’, balancing out the other design details to keep the overall look from feeling too ‘over the top glam’ or ‘too precious’.
In the third post of this blog series, we look at concrete’s place in an industrial romantic decor style and much like the previous design styles, concrete again–along with the other industrial elements of this style–acts as a balancing element, keeping the overall look from reading ‘too sweet’.
A romantic design style is defined by the use of soft colours, often pastels, and a dominance of pink tones. The furniture tends towards antiques and vintage items with gilded or ornate details. Lighting is often quite dramatic with sparkling chandeliers and bedrooms and living room contain an abundance of layered textiles and pillows. It’s all quite soft and dreamy!
Now, add in concrete and other industrial design elements, such as exposed beams, brickwork, pipes, and exposed ductwork, and the design style becomes Industrial Romantic.
The exposed and aged concrete columns at The Allis at Soho House in Chicago paired with the worn wood floor and cozy antique furnishings lends a lot of character to the space. Add in the ornate, crystal chandeliers and the whole space becomes elevated.
Industrial Romantic is, if nothing else, all about the balance of opposites–the pairing of the soft, romantic, feminine details with the hard, industrial, masculine elements.
Much of the romance of this decor aesthetic comes from a sense of nostalgia. The antique pieces bring a Victorian elegance to the decor with elaborately detailed furniture backs, arms, and feet and ornate chandeliers while the industrial elements give a nod to the Industrial Revolution–metal, wood, concrete, and brick.
This combination of seemingly contradicting styles can create a very dramatic, even moody atmosphere if the overall design leans more towards the industrial. It then transitions into what is called a Steampunk style. With its strong emphasis on industrial elements, concrete is less of a balancing agent in the Steampunk decor style and more of an integral part of the overall industrial aesthetic.
Steampunk design can be defined as machinery meets elegance. Warmer than industrial design and more metallic than rustic, Steampunk incorporates Victorian style and turn-of-the-century technology but cranks up the industrial dial by incorporating mechanical machine parts like cogs and gears into the design.
Like the Industrial Romantic aesthetic, Steampunk takes industrial and warms it up. This time with leather, dark wood, and copper and bronze metallics.
Traditionally, Industrial Romantic decor style is found in repurposed industrial spaces, such as converted urban lofts and old factories. However, just as the modern farmhouse style brought rural style to the city, touches of industrial romantic can be utilized in suburban and even rural interiors as well, especially for those looking for elements of industrial design in their home without wanting to be completely immersed in it.
In the design inspiration board below, the Industrial Romantic style is created by mixing the soft pinks and jewelled purples of the upholstery and rug with the grey and black tones of the concrete and the wrought iron. The glam of the chandelier offsets the mechanical look of the clock and the industrial nature of the lamp and coffee table. Overall, a balanced design of romance and industrial.
Don’t have the exposed brick, ventilation ductwork, and other industrial elements of a converted loft apartment? By incorporating concrete into your home either with floors, countertops, furniture, stairs, a fireplace surround, etc. or by adding microcement to walls in order to create a plaster-like finish, an industrial decor aesthetic can be created in any space.
Then, add in the soft and warm touches of Victorian furniture, soft colour palettes, dark woods, leather, and turn-of-the-century lighting and accessories, and the unique and dramatic Industrial Romantic decor style is no longer reserved just for urban residents.
Interested in an Industrial Romantic interior for your home? Add concrete!
While this space leans a bit more towards the contemporary, there are definite Industrial Romantic elements. This smooth concrete fireplace surround by Anthony Concrete Design adds the industrial feel needed to balance out the softer features of the white leather furniture, the statement chandelier, and the romantic pink-purple accent colours.
Let’s Work Together
At Anthony Concrete Design, we love the versatility of concrete and the limitless options it offers our clients. Get in touch with us to learn how you can incorporate concrete into your interior or exterior design plans for your home, retail space, workspace, or gallery setting.
Anthony Concrete Design services commercial and residential clients across Canada and Ontario including Toronto, Ontario; Hamilton, Ontario; Burlington, Ontario; Mississauga, Ontario; London, Ontario and the GTA. We also ship our concrete panels worldwide.
The Casual Side of Concrete
In our previous blog “The Luxurious Side of Concrete”, we looked at concrete’s ability to pair well with a luxurious decor aesthetic. Full of plush fabrics, and glamorous gold and brass accents, the concrete helped to ground the space and keep it from going ‘over the top glam’.
Continuing with our exploration of concrete’s versatility and thinking ‘outside the box’ when using concrete in various interior design styles, we now move on to the popular Modern Farmhouse decor style, typically consisting of shiplap, industrial lighting and fixtures, a neutral colour palette, and salvaged materials like barn board and antiques. And while ‘concrete’ and ‘farmhouse’ may seem contradictory in terms, you will see that they actually pair together with beautiful results.
Concrete & The Modern Farmhouse
Made popular by the successful home reno show “Fixer Upper” by Chip & Joanna Gaines of Magnolia Homes, Modern Farmhouse style presents an updated, modern twist on traditional country decor. Gone are the roosters adorning everything from curtains and tea towels to plates and kettles! What remains is the relaxed and welcoming feel of the space, inviting family and friends to gather around and make themselves at home. While maintaining the comfortable and casual feel of country decor, Modern Farmhouse style also incorporates the sleek, clean lines of contemporary design and an uncluttered aesthetic commonly found in minimalist style. Therefore, with its natural place in contemporary and minimalist design, concrete fits in well with Modern Farmhouse decor and is typically used for floors, kitchen/bathroom countertops and sinks, and fireplaces.
This concrete bathroom trough sink combines well with the rustic wood planks on the wall and the darker gray tones found in the wood are highlighted by the deep charcoal colour of the concrete. The minimal accessories, wrought iron fixtures and industrial hanging light sconces finish the overall Modern Farmhouse look.
Photo Credit: Todd Crawford
This kitchen by Magnolia Homes is a quintessential Modern Farmhouse design with shiplap on the island, industrial-style stools, black wrought iron accents, and a neutral black & white colour palette. The stone-look of the concrete countertop lends an organic element and matches well with the grey cabinetry and the grey metal bar stools.
With a wood beam mantel and shiplap on the upper fireplace surround, this fireplace with precast concrete panels on the lower surround meets all the required criteria for a Modern Farmhouse look. The horizontal shape of the concrete panels matches the horizontal direction of the shiplap, while the wood beam mantel, wood flooring and accompanying furniture warm up the overall look. Note again the minimal accessories on the mantel and the industrial feel of the left shelving unit’s caster wheels.
Utilizing antique or salvaged items is another key element of the Modern Farmhouse aesthetic and for this kitchen, the light fixtures are old factory lights, the sink is a re-purposed antique water fountain, and all of the rustic wood is salvaged Oregon wood. The worn, distressed look of the concrete countertops blends well with the rough-hewn texture of the wood cabinets and floor. The black and white colour scheme, wrought-iron accents and shiplap walls complete the Modern Farmhouse look.
Photo Credit: Brigid Arnott
Once again, as with the luxurious decor aesthetic, using concrete in a Modern Farmhouse design creates balance–this time between casual comfort and modern edginess. Each of the rustic design elements of the Modern Farmhouse style warm up and give character to the concrete while the concrete itself prevents the overall look from feeling too ‘precious’ or too ‘shabby chic’ and lends a sophistication to the space.
To compliment your Modern Farmhouse home design, board-formed concrete panels from Anthony Concrete Design are a great fit.
With the look of wood, including wood grain and knot marks, board-formed concrete panels lend a modern, yet rustic feel to a wall or a fireplace surround.
Let’s Work Together
At Anthony Concrete Design, we love the versatility of concrete and the limitless options it offers our clients. Get in touch with us to learn how you can incorporate concrete into your interior or exterior design plans for your home, retail space, workspace, or gallery setting.
Anthony Concrete Design services commercial and residential clients across Canada and Ontario including Toronto, Ontario; Hamilton, Ontario; Burlington, Ontario; Mississauga, Ontario; London, Ontario and the GTA. We also ship our concrete panels worldwide.
The Luxurious Side of Concrete
While industrial design and minimalist decor first come to mind when we think of using concrete in interior design, concrete is so much more versatile.
This is the first in a series of blogs that challenges us to think ‘outside the box’ when it comes to concrete design and explore how concrete works equally as well in a luxe chic decor, a modern farmhouse look, a romantic Victorian aesthetic, and a nature-focused eco design.
Luxe Concrete
Rich textiles, such as leather, velvet in jewel tones, faux furs and plush rugs lend a softness to concrete and layering the various fabrics adds a feeling of decadence to the space.
Glamorous accents of brass, marble, and mirrored surfaces contribute an element of bling and transform concrete’s inherently industrial look into something more sleek and sophisticated.
Design: Kaylen Flugal Design
Photo Credit: Haris Kenjar
The simple addition of brass hardware and fixtures in a kitchen with concrete countertops raises the glam factor significantly.
As each of these glamorous design elements work together to boost the luxe feel of a room designed with concrete, the concrete itself responds by grounding the space and keeping it from going too far ‘over the top’ with opulence and bling.
A luxe concrete design offers a harmonious balance of glamour and industrial!
It doesn’t get more ‘concrete luxe’ than a smooth concrete fireplace surround by Anthony Concrete Design paired with a light fixture composed of silver mirrored spheres!
Let’s Work Together
At Anthony Concrete Design, we love the versatility of concrete and the limitless options it offers our clients. Get in touch with us to learn how you can incorporate concrete into your interior or exterior design plans for your home, retail space, workspace, or gallery setting.
Anthony Concrete Design services commercial and residential clients across Canada and Ontario including Toronto, Ontario; Hamilton, Ontario; Burlington, Ontario; Mississauga, Ontario; London, Ontario and the GTA.