Decorative Concrete Floors Offer Unique Looks

Pasadena CA, November 29, 2005--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 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. 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 www.aceconcrete.com. "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."