"A Different Take" - Designs in Concrete Transform From Blah to Beautiful!
When the owners of a Flower Mound, TX home set out to improve the look and accessibility of their front porch and back patio, they decided the old paint that had peeled up over the years had to go.
They had lived with it for many years but while the paint had been functional, it was boring.
Apart from the peeling paint, there was nothing wrong with the porch and patio, but they certainly did little to enhance the beauty of their home.
After researching their options, the homeowners decided that they loved the look of concrete that is embellished with designs. They had seen examples in other homes, and also online and in the pages of design magazines.
They especially liked the fact that when updating existing structures by adding this feature, there are myriad styles, colors, and textures available from which to choose.
Adding designs in concrete, they decided, would allow them to add their personal stamp to the utilitarian look of their porch and patio. Just because something serves a purpose, doesn’t mean it can’t also be aesthetically pleasing!
Once the owners had decided on the method they would use to liven up their concrete walkways and patio, they needed to choose what the new design would look like. We showed them examples of the types of designs in concrete that would work best for their project, and the owners chose the trowel-down method.
To create the trowel-down look, a craftsman uses a trowel to spread the concrete material, freehand, while it is still wet. By creating random swirls of varying sizes, the finished look resembles stone. The owners loved the slightly rustic look that the trowel method provided and knew it would be a perfect complement to the style of their home.
They were especially pleased with their choice once they learned that the trowel method is one of the most economical ways to create designs in concrete.
The project itself was quick and straightforward. Our concrete artisans skimmed the material onto the existing concrete surface and then stained it light brown once it dried.
Finally, they cut the concrete into individual stones of varying sizes and shapes. In keeping with the rustic look that the owners wanted, the cut concrete was not grouted.
In no time, a dull cement porch and patio were transformed into a lovely focal point of the both the front and back yards, all thanks to adding creative designs in concrete!
