Why Concrete Is the New Cool

Using contemporary concrete styling in your home

The industrial vintage look of concrete has made a return to dominate contemporary architecture on a global scale.

And you can now replicate this style in your very own home.

Once confined to house slabs and the base of the Hills Hoist, concrete is now being used extensively throughout residential construction.

Home renovation programs like The Block have escalated this age-old building material to new heights, using concrete to add modern and unrefined functional features to the home – even in the kitchen and bathroom.

Programs such as these have proven to be highly influential, with viewers being drawn to replicate the same trends and styles they’re exposed to on television in their own homes.

But it doesn’t end there.

The growing concrete trend is everywhere you look.

Social media is another popular and highly influential platform to source design and style inspiration. And #concrete is certainly trending.

A quick keyword search on Instagram reveals more than 2-million results for concrete, paired with images of stylish concrete forms – everything from sky rise buildings and art galleries to swimming pools and flower pots.

Pinterest is another hotspot for lovers of all things concrete, with imagery collections ranging from concrete garden inspiration to vintage industrial concrete interiors.

Of course, these trends all have a beginning somewhere far removed from social media.

Leading the way in the concrete architecture of the real world is celebrated architect, Tadao Ando. Working primarily in concrete, Ando is inspired by the brutalist style but best known for his own unique ‘cashmere-like’ smooth finish.

The Atlantic captured it perfectly in their recent article on Tadao Ando, which made the comparison that most architects consider concrete as a building’s underwear, ‘an essential but hidden layer’, while Ando’s structures display their concrete with pride.

And like Ando, we are seeing more and more architects test the boundaries of concrete, as concrete buildings make headlines around the world.

The once snubbed building material is now embraced everywhere from Japanese homes crafted from raw concrete to the 17 best concrete buildings from across the globe.

This movement is perhaps best described by styling blog, Hunting for George as ‘a concrete renaissance’. And we couldn’t agree more.

Tips on how to capture the contemporary concrete look in your home

• Go Big: There’s no need to hold back when it comes to contemporary concrete. Whether you’re planning a single large concrete space or combining several separate features, Geostone’s decorative concrete range is versatile and diverse enough to use without restraint.Concrete is the new home styling trend
• Embrace Colour: Raw and exposed traditional grey concrete is certainly hot right now, but adding colour to the mix is still popular with homeowners wanting a softer style. Geostone’s coloured concrete allows you to customise your concrete to the unique colour scheme of your home and surrounds.
• Natural Look & Layering: Concrete is ideal for pairing with natural textures and building materials such as stone and timber. Geostone features natural Australian stone sourced from your local region to truly reflect where you live.
• Polished Concrete: If sophistication is your style, it’s hard to go past the beauty and durability of a polished concrete floor. Speckled with natural Australian stone throughout, Geostone’s polished concrete is a truly beautiful option for flooring and benchtops.
• Think Outside the Square: Concrete doesn’t have to be restricted to driveways and patios. Take a look at our other concrete projects for the garden and backyard.