One of the fastest growing trends of our times, concrete is stealing the spotlight in all the fields of contemporary design and has become synonym with modernity and beauty. What might look as just a mundane material, can be transformed into the most stimulating and thought provoking interior, building, work of art or piece of furniture.
It has been associated with the modernist love for minimalistic details and clean lines; however, it can be used in the most unexpected and unusual ways. Its utilitarian properties of durability, quality and great resistance, combined with its industrial chic look make it a very interesting and frequent choice, which can be uniquely designed or naturally colored to blend seamlessly with its surrounding elements.
There are those, however, who associate it with the unappealing and cold influence of Brutalist architecture and argue against its impersonal and rigid features.
Personally, I believe it has the flexibility to provide the ideal background or become the centerstage of a design depending on its form. Whether it is in sculptural shape or in clean cut, geometric lines, concrete can make a modern and bold statement. From the way I see it, concrete is the quiet canvas on which magic can happen or the vital ingredient of a quirky design.
