Architects and interior designers embrace concrete flooring

Architects and interior designers are exploring many possibilities for featuring concrete in their designs.

A stripped-back look with exposed concrete flooring is a popular current trend with architects and interior designers. Exposed concrete, natural wood and tarnished steel create a stripped back feel that building owners love.

Disha Dadlani, writing for Construction Week, says:

“Unlike earlier days where rough surfaces had to be hidden away, concrete finishes are widely being used to spice up interior and exterior walls and floors.”

Industrial concrete flooring is standard for manufacturing and warehouse units, but increasingly often, concrete floors are being used in other commercial spaces such as retail shops, offices and restaurants. Concrete flooring in buildings used by the public are seen as adding a sophisticated industrial look to these premises.

Exposed concrete floors are also increasingly being used in residential properties. Brian Cornwell of Next Luxury Home Designs says:

“Designers and homeowners alike have nominated concrete as their flooring material of choice.”

Homeowners like concrete floors because they not only add a distinctive look to their home, but also require little maintenance and are more hardwearing compared to carpets and wood floors.

Concrete flooring is used in both outside entrance and interior areas, with the material also often being a feature of a building’s facade. Though concrete is a traditional material, it can form part of a modern, elegant look.

Finally, users like concrete flooring because it is more environmentally friendly than many other flooring materials, and makes for a high-performance floor that is quick to install.