ConcreteNetwork.com Announces 2017 Interior Concrete Design Trends

red-hot-chili-pepper-sink-trueform-concrete_58381Each January, ConcreteNetwork.com, one of the most comprehensive online resources for concrete construction, releases its analysis of the latest design trends for interior concrete. For the past two years, however, the organization has only made this information available through its regular monthly newsletter about concrete countertops. Since many of our readers do not subscribe to the ConcreteNetwork.com newsletter, we thought it would be prudent to present these trends here on CountertopResource.com.

Colorful Sink Options

Home & Garden Television (HGTV) states that one of the biggest trends in kitchen design for 2017 is to make the sink a focal point through its color. White, ceramic-coated sinks and stainless steel are no longer fashionable, and homeowners are gravitating toward boldly colored concrete sinks.

Interior concrete, usually graphite fiber reinforced concrete (GFRC), can mixed with integral pigments to create a wide range of colors. For instance, black pigment creates a little darker version of the usual natural gray that stands out against white walls. Iron oxide can also be put into the mix to create bright red sinks, such as the chili pepper design pictured here.

Another great option is to use liquid pigments that can be mixed to create nearly any color, but in 2017, one of the hottest hues is lime green.

steel-joinery-concrete-counter-maple-inlay-total-concrete-innovations_83082Mixed Materials

Natural wood has been combined with other countertop materials, such as granite and marble, but in 2017, homeowners are just starting to understand that wood can be incorporated into concrete seamlessly and beautifully, like the bar top to the right, which uses maple as its centerpiece. The two materials are joined with steel bowties that add extra “decorative interest.”

Speaking of Bars

One of the biggest interior design trends in 2017 is for integral bars in the kitchen or dining room, but many people are just learning about how versatile concrete is for bar tops. The Home Trend Forecast from Zillow Digs claims that concrete bar tops will be popular this year because they can include a variety of amenities, including built-in sinks and purple-ligths-concrete-elegance-inc_4233custom lighting. One eye-catching design uses concrete mixed with glass that this then backlit with LED lights.

Cool Grays Make a Comeback

Various shades of gray are the most popular neutral colors for designers and homeowners in 2017. Of course, this trend can easily be met with natural concrete work. Whether it is countertops, floors, walls or fireplace surrounds, gray blends well with either light or dark accents.