Chameleon-like concrete thrills builders, home buyers alike

Concrete. Not a word that musters up much excitement. Cold, hard surfaces and dull colors come to mind for most people.

Kelly Langan is not one of those people. In fact, her business, Concreative Designs, orginated from Langan’s growing interest in and, ultimately, passion for the durable material.

“My husband is a builder, and we were looking for unique finishes and materials,” Langan said. “Once we started incorporating it into our houses, we got jaw-dropping reactions.”

It’s no wonder. Inside or out – from flooring, countertops and sinks to patios, driveways and stoops – concrete is one of the most versatile materials available. It can take on the appearance of stone, wood, tile, slate, granite or marble with a wide variety of colors and textures and limitless design possibilities. It is durable, low maintenance and cost effective. Prices for a concrete countertop start at $35 per square foot for an overlay and $55 per square foot for a poured slab.

Outdoors, hybrid polymers found in exterior concrete overlay applications are resistant to salt, UV rays, water and freeze-thaw cycles characteristic to Iowa winters and springs.

Langan’s own kitchen is a showcase for her work. Her countertops, poured on site to create a seamless surface, are a deep, rich brown with flecks of color. A matching slab on the large island features an inlaid sun design and a drainboard molded right into the concrete. The backsplash is made of sculpted, colored concrete that mimics stonework.

Any worries of a cold, industrial feeling immediately evaporate when soaking up the warm, old-world feel of the room.

Like her own kitchen, all of Langan’s work is custom.

“I love the designing as much as doing the work,” Langan said. “If they can explain it, we can do it. It’s just a matter of working through the communication process.”

Langan’s is a family business with small work crews.

“We want to keep it easily manageable,” Langan said. “We are very hands-on.”

As would be expected, Concreative Designs currently is being inundated with calls to create patios.

“We also are doing a number of basement floors of homeowners who have had to tear their carpet out three or four times because of flooding,” Langan said.

http://wcfcourier.com/lifestyles/home-and-garden/decorating/kitchens/article_6f84b346-860e-11e0-a935-001cc4c03286.html

smartbrief.com