The appeal of the industrial aesthetic starts with inexpensive, hard-working materials. Concrete fits the bill and is amazingly versatile and appropriate for a variety of surfaces, especially in the kitchen. Here are five kitchens that use concrete in a variety of ways — from flooring and walls to countertops, sinks and shelving...
• 1 The K-1 concrete kitchen is a collaboration between designer Rainer Spehl and Berlin-based betonWare.
• 2 Custom concrete shelves form the basic structure and backdrop of this industrial kitchen featured in Living Etc.
• 3 This open concept oak framed kitchen with concrete countertops is another collaboration of Rainer Spehl and betonWare we found via materialicio.us.
• 4 A concrete kitchen that appeared in Canadian House & Home via Desire to Inspire.
• 5 This concrete island from Robert Timmons appeared in Living Etc.
(Images: 1: Rainer Spehl, 2: Living Etc, 3: Achim Hatzius, 4: Canadian House & Home via Desire to Inspire, 5: Living Etc)
Things Fall Apart: Living Alone in a Space After a Breakup
Juan's Garage Turned Modern Guest House
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
Commercial Flour Sa...
10 Picnic-Ready Salads to Eat Outside
Recipe: Thai Ginger Chicken Stir-Fry
Concrete floors and countertops I think are great - even the occasional concrete wall (as long as it's structural and not just a veneer)
...but the concrete cabinets leave me feeling kinda "Flintstones".
Ha bepsf! I was thinking Stonehenge for the last photo. The countertops are gorgeous, though.
I've tried to love concrete counter tops, but I just can't get there. I intend to keep looking, though. Meanwhile, dfferent strokes for different folk!
I really actually dislike this--but I'm more of a homey-wood person...hmmm can't wrap my head around it. Wouldn't it be cold?
Ashley
http://rainycitystyle.blogspot.com
BTW - Photo #1 has a great glossy blue floor - is that resin/epoxy?
I would go crazy living in an environment with all that concrete in a kitchen.
The thing about open shelving, they are not meant for the messy cluttered look.. It's so dirty looking.
I see a nice home for cockroaches in all that crap and clutter.
concrete can be so gorgeous and last a lifetime without ever going out of date (look at Fu-Tung Cheng's (http://www.chengdesign.com/) own kitchen done back in the 70's and won kitchen of the year just the other year, its stunning. If you want someone in the Bay Area check out Its Concrete, Nick is the best in the country, trained by both Cheng and Buddy Rhodes, the father's of decorative concrete. Its honestly stunning and custom made to your kitchen and can be a fairly green option for countertops...Yeh AT for finally covering concrete.
Concrete is so versatile, and I absolutely love what can be done with it. None of these examples really show the beauty that can be achieved in forming, using color or aggregates/inserts. There is a lot of really great work being done right now, and these images are really pretty boring.
Some great ideas and beautiful countertops/islands that I fell in love with at http://chengdesign.com/page/concrete-countertops/
Plus, I was curious how hard it would be to make my own, and it looks like they teach classes for DIYers. http://www.concreteexchange.com/
Like any other material, concrete's beauty is very dependent upon design and construction. The best thing about concrete is versatility across pricepoint, design, and fabricators. Simple, straightforward and environmentally responsible concrete countertops can be made and appreciated by the average DIYer. In the hands of concrete artisans and professional designers, more sophisticated palettes and design elements elevate the material to a status that is arguabley higher than that of granite. Concrete may be the only countertop material that provides this full spectrum of design and pricepoint options that can be achieved by BOTH DIYers and Design Professionals.
http://www.concreteexchange.com/gallery_winners.jsp
Here are some examples of concrete (not just countertops) in the hands of professionals.
OK. The best of show is a stunner.
This is gorgeous. Concrete has such a lovely color. Not to be totally boring though, but how is concrete in terms of maintenance? I remember looking into concrete counters for my kitchen and I thought I read some things about cracking and staining. Then again, maybe that was soapstone.
I think I need some countertop 101.
Not for the maintenence faint of heart. Strong acids will etch them in a heartbeat. If you want pristine and perfectly shiny, look elsewhere or you will drive yourself nuts with maintenence. I reseal/wax mine about once a year and let them look as they will in between, which is not shiny in the well used spots. I am slightly anal about the acid thing, because getting those spots off requires me getting out the diamond polishing pads and that is boo.
Concrete cracking other than for structural issues is 100% related to how much water is used in the mix. My 100 sq/ft or so of DIY tops have zero cracks after three plus years.
LOVE them.
Too cold and industrial for me.
i have a concrete island and vanity. perfect for me as I'm an avid industrial fan. If you are in the Chicago area, check out: www.concreteageartworks.com, all of the concrete bars & vanities we design are done by Richard. His quality is the best in the city!Even if you are not in the area, I urge you to check out his gallery for some amazing ideas of forming concrete into anything imaginable for the home.
not inexpensive, however.
LOVE.
There was a time when I really liked the look of concrete but now I am over it. It feels too heavy and permanent for me.
Hrrm... I love Paulo Mendes De Rocha's house, but I don't like this.
Also - I get a little ill when I see designers look at granite countertops and say "this looks a little dated" and then put in concrete.
Why do we care how durable a material is if we're going to be more concerned with it looking dated in 3 years?
I'm excited to move into my new townhouse that has concrete floors in the whole ground floor, including the kitchen!
Splatgirl, fyi - There have been major advances in the past 2 years in sealers and waxes for concrete countertops as the industry has rapidly evolved. The trick is to get a non-solvent wax which prevents damage to the sealer. Any wax with a solvent in it will strip a little bit of sealer with each application of wax. The purpose of the wax is to protect the sealer.....not damage it. Sorry to be crass with a product recommendation, but this stuff is lauded by concrete pros.
http://store.concreteexchange.com/CHENG-Concrete-Online-Store_5/Finishing-Products
After considering every imagineable surface for a kitchen reno, we ultimately selected concrete and we're not disappointed. Concrete is heavy, but it has an organic quality lacking in quartz. We considered granite but didn't like the uncertainty about the radon issue (on kids). You have to take some precautions about hot pans and also learn to love the patina, but it's attractive, distinctive and surprisingly cost effective if you don't go for a high end design oriented fabricator.