Concrete is becoming fashionable as a homewares material. You might be surprised that this all purpose building material, which is everywhere you look in our surroundings from sidewalk to skyscraper, has found a niche as a staple of high end design. Textured concrete homewares are becoming a hot design element in the modern home and seem to be everywhere at the moment. While its utilitarian beginnings would suggest that concrete is not the most exciting material for creating homewares, its flexibility and ability to take on a variety of patterns and colours make it an exciting new trend.

Concrete can be poured into a variety of molds and will take on the texture of the material that the mold is made from. This means, for example, that you can achieve a wood grain finish from a wooden mold, a perfectly smooth finish (particularly when the concrete is polished), or any texture that is present in the materials that the mold is made from. Sometimes the air bubbles that form when concrete is being poured also give textured concrete homewares a unique look.

Concrete doesn’t have to be bland and grey like it appears in it’s natural state (unless that is the look that you want, of course). Any colour imaginable can be added to concrete when it is being mixed to give it its desired hue. Often textured concrete homewares use earth tones and similar colours to give the items a natural appearance – as though they are made from terracota or stone.

There are many examples of textured concrete homewares available on the market including concrete bowls and dinnerware, concrete clocks, concrete vases, rubbish bins, umbrella holders, lampshades, paper weights, candlestick holders and so on. There are a variety of concrete ornaments available including milk bottles, skulls, paperweights, candelabra and bathroom containers among many others.

A concrete tray is another concrete textured homeware item that is becoming popular. You can combine your tray with legs made from other materials to create a practical side table which combines minimalist elegance with functionality that has an industrial feel. Concrete furniture also has a unique look and its presence and weight can add a brutalist element to your home’s design.

Textured concrete homewares give your home a unique design flair. They can be used to contrast with other styles and materials in your home and will draw a visitor’s attention to the item because of the unusual material it is made from. There is a wide range of these items available today making it easy to combine them in an overall design strategy.