Countertops and you

Countertops, way back in history were essentially made of wood or stone and that carried forward to comparatively recent times, but wood, as with some stone, is inclined to be porous and therefore not very practical. They both require high maintenance and sealing every now and then and because of the processes involved in preparing them for the tasks they are expected to perform, are not always cost effective.

As the technology for molding coloring and curing decorative concrete became more and more sophisticated, so its versatility and many applications became apparent, and today there are few materials that designers or architects prefer to recommend as the best for the tasks required from a countertop to name only one of its many uses.

"Whether it is for a home, restaurant or barbeque area" said Blayde Penza, CEO and owner of Ace Concrete from his studio workshop in Sun Valley California, "We have had great success with making countertops with modern, functional or even exotic finishes. It is very gratifying to see the client's enthusiasm once the finished product is installed. The remarks about its durability after it has been used for a while are also proved positive that their choice of material was a good one."

Their web site at Decorative Concrete Countertops, Floors and Staining :: Advanced Concrete Enhancement. Los Angeles California has some excellent examples of Decorative Concrete Countertops that they have designed, manufactured and installed over the years in the Gallery section and at the top of the 'Services' page of their website.

In California alone there are 1,400,000 pages of Google's Internet space dedicated to Decorative Concrete with many more search engines indexing the popularity of this remarkable material. The reason for its popularity is logical. It is easily molded to any shape with any texture in any color, and it is easily available.

Decorative Concrete, as the name implies, can be used for all sorts of aesthetic projects like countertops, sinks, barbeque areas, fireplace surrounds, conversation pits, decorative flooring and water features to name just a few. It is extremely durable and has become more and more popular as a material and highly recommended by architects, landscapers and interior decorators.

"It is very exciting when one of these people come to us with some new application," said Blayde Penza founder and CEO of Ace Concrete Inc. from his studio workshop in Sun Valley California. "The development of new products and new applications of Decorative Concrete are never ending, and that is half the fun of working with this amazing material. I have been working with concrete for 30 years but the new technologies that have been developed make it much more versatile than it used to be a few years ago."

Even California can get bitterly cold in winter so this time of year, fireplace surrounds often are the focus of attention for families. There is little that can beat gathering around a fire in winter especially in preparation for the arrival of Santa Clause where his gifts fill stockings hanging from the mantelpiece and a sense of peace and goodwill pervade the atmosphere. A decorative concrete fireplace surround can be molded to suit any décor from Renaissance to Modern in plain or rich colors and textures to imitate wood, stone or anything else an imagination can dream up. If you are planning a home makeover, there is no need to look any further than your Decorative Concrete or Natural Stone.

The techniques used today with Decorative Concrete offer architects, interior designers and landscape architects an infinite variety of design, color and texture. The use of this material indoors in countertops and sinks, and outdoors in barbeque areas, water features and conversation pits is already well documented. Flooring however is just as striking in this medium. When one says 'concrete floors' it immediately conjures up a mental image picture of a gray, oil stained workshop floor or a cold warehouse with rows of metal shelves.

Decorative Concrete flooring or "flatwork" as it is known, has been elevated to a sought after fashion item in multimillion dollar homes or top flight restaurants because of the amazing effects one can create with color and texture. There is a whole list of techniques involved in creating these effects for example, staining, scoring, etching, stamping, stenciling, and overlays. The resulting effects leave even the most avid skeptics at a loss for words when the finished product is viewed for the first time. In fact it is not uncommon for someone to refuse to accept that what he or she is looking at is concrete. A typical example of that is at Saddle Ranch in Universal Studios where Ace Concrete created a floor that on first inspection seems to be made of worn, petrified wood slats which is possibly one of the finest examples of how versatile Decorative Concrete can be. This can be viewed in their gallery of pictures on their website under the heading "overlays" at Decorative Concrete Countertops, Floors and Staining :: Advanced Concrete Enhancement. Los Angeles California

"Each contract is unique as it reflects the personality and individual taste of the client,"
Said Todd Mazer, Vice President of Production and co-owner of Ace Concrete with his long-term friend and partner Blayde Penza from their Sun Valley studio and workshop in Southern California. "It is really exciting to see a Decorative Concrete project develop and very gratifying to see the clients face when the end product is unveiled."

Long ones, short ones, round ones, square ones, oval or asymmetrical sinks in vibrant colors and a wide variety of textures. These are just a few of the designs that are appearing in homes today all made from one of the most versatile and fashionable materials on the market today - decorative concrete. A far cry from the choice of either stainless steel or cast iron and enamel sinks that were the order of the day.

Interior designers, architects and landscapers all agree on the fact that with decorative concrete, you can achieve almost any effect your imagination can conjure up. In combination with countertops made in the same style or color, a sink unlike its old predecessors, becomes a focal point in any area. Whether it is an outdoor entertainment feature like a barbeque area where food and dishes are washed and prepared, or an indoor area like a bathroom, restroom or kitchen, the effects are the same. The admiration shown by guests remarking on its beautiful glowing color or its novel design is standard response to this material even though the person has no idea that it is decorative concrete that is being observed.

When talking about Decorative Concrete, what exactly does it mean? The word 'decorative' implies pretty, ornate or even impractical, also as per the web definition, "Ornamental ; not required for the operation of the essential systems and components of a home." Decorative Concrete however, particularly when applied to countertops, contradicts all of these definitions, as a more practical, durable, versatile and aesthetically pleasing material would be very difficult to find.

Designs can be tailor made to suit the purpose it is meant to achieve. A typical example of this is someone who needs to wash and cut large quantities of meat or produce. A double sink with a sliding cutting board is ideal and easily designed to fulfill this need.
A small space for a guest restroom needs a smaller sink than is usually available in commercial outlets but with decorative concrete it can be easily made to fit the space and yet maintain an aesthetic character appropriate for the décor.

"Having worked with concrete for thirty years and learned the many technical aspects necessary to produce top quality results," said Blayde Penza from his Sun Valley studio and workshop in California,� I can now enjoy the whole creative process with the satisfaction of knowing that my clients will be happily talking about their sink or countertop for a long time to come."