apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

LOVE LOVE LOVE this!!!

This is so cool - especially if the design is carried up onto the wall!

Lovely, yes.
But having lived in a place with etched concrete floors, the reality is dirt and general yuck collected in it and was IMPOSSIBLE to clean. I had to scrub it with a toothbrush to keep it clean - granted we have two dogs - but sursly, who has time for that?!?

I'm all for learning how. Melanie Royals has been a force in the decorative art industry and she's got some mighty fine websites to gather both inspiration and sources from:

http://www.modellodesigns.com/Index.asp?center_idno=26333

http://designamour.com/

she's been championing designing in concrete for a while now and if you root around on her blog you will find quite the pictorial tutorials to aid in your understanding of the process. It ain't easy and involves muriatic acid, so i don't recommend anyone without experience try it.

I've bought stencils from her stencil company and am regularly inspired by her blog. She holds classes for all her techniques in her San Diego studio and shop.

The etched effect is wonderful but I can see where it would be tough to clean. What I do like are the painted concrete floors which is quite doable. When I finally buy a place of our own, I plan on having concrete floors and counters and this goes in my ideas folder.

This sort of thing has been done for years at Arcosanti in Arizona.
For examples of their work, look through Flickr:
http://www.flickr.com/search/?q==Paolo%20Soleri

Looks like the already-finished floors have been sandblasted, then, on some at least, refilled with a black concrete or resin...

I agree, the 'raw' etched floors would be terrible to clean, though all concrete is if it isn't sealed.

love!!!
my parents are doing the kitchn and i'm trying to convince them to do concrete counters.