Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Polished Concrete Floors

When we bought our 1960's rancher, I admit that I was anxious to preserve many of the period quirks that had remained untouched by the previous owners. I'd even venture to say that renovation plans were at times even a bit near sighted in the quest to achieve the rambling poolside vintage ranch house of our my dreams (The Mister really has been sweet to let me live out this fantasy). The mod rod iron screens that once divided up the living room and double doors that had separated off the entry-way from the kitchen were two elements that initially took a bit of convincing to part with.  Eventually, I had to come to terms with the idea that just because they were original, it did not render them a good fit for our lifestyle or decorating sensibility, which was slowly edging away from mid-century modern to well... more modern.  Over the past three years, I've been learning to let go of other original to the house features that are just not a good fit for us. Case in point, the avocado green entryway tile.


I had sheepishly shared a snippet or two of the tile in a previous post. While it has remained in part due to the nostalgia that goes with it, I'd be remiss in not admitting that financially it was something we told ourselves we could just live with for a while until we had budget to redo it properly.

There were times when I kicked myself over the decision to leave it intact rather than include it when we replaced the floors elsewhere. I have to say though, it's also held up well as we tracked dirt and dust inside while working on other areas of the house.  Still, I can't help but think that a polished concrete entryway might just be the best fit for this old house (and our leaner budget) in the long run.  But lest I think we'd be relegated to a budget solution of bare concrete, it's reassuring to know that we still might have a few economical, yet stylistic options to customize and polish up our modernized entryway.

Design: YLAB Architectos / Photo: Jordi Canosa / Via:  Design Milk
 Whitewashed and polished. Big on style. Short on practicality. I love this look, but it might be a bit too high-brow for us. After all, we are dog-loving, yard-working, on-the-go, entertainers and our entry-way must stand up to our open door policy around these parts.

Table Mountain Creative
Brightly tinted. I'm a little in love with the thought of guests being greeted to a pop of color as our door opens. But I also know that I'm a fickle decorator. It's pretty likely that the romance will quickly fade.

Featured: Elle Decoration (Swedish ed.) // Photo: Petra Bindel // Via:  Solid Frog
Dark, scuffed and moody. The dark cast to this concrete finish would hold up well to traffic, but might be too lackluster for the breezy, welcoming impression we'd want to make in our home's entrance.

Collected Interiors
Light, warm and airy. The golden tones in this finish keep the look from growing too cold. They would also play well with the crushed granite in the planters right outside the door. 

Featured: Family Living // Photo: Jenny Brandt // Via: Emmas Designblogg
A low-sheen, matte finish. I like the low-maintenance, minimalistic look of a no-shine finish. Perhaps it's a bit too rustic though to play nicely with what we already have going on in the house. In another life maybe... 

Photo: Kailey J Flynn Photography // Via: Houzz
High gloss. It's  not the aggregate terrazzo tile in my vintage dreams. But, this sleek finish almost gives the impression of a finer polished stone at a fraction of the cost. We might have to put in a little more elbow grease, but few things make me happier than a high end looking result for very little cost.

*Intro image: Stéphane Quatresous of Atelier 154 // Photo: Mads Mogensen // Via: French by Design
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26 comments

Unknown said...

Those brightly tinted floors look surreal!

petal and plume said...

beautiful inspiration!
i'm so thrilled to have found your blog - it's wonderful!
xx

celine{aquahaus} said...

We have concrete floors downstairs and LOVE them. They are a semi-glossy black. This is a good option for an entry..

Albertina M. Cisneros said...

oh wao!! I love concrete floors as well and think it would be ideal.....Its hard to pick! You really described the perfect personality for each.....I think I would go for the light and airy. And I don't think its a compromise at all. I think having this area in concrete would add so much character. You execute everything so beautifully, I know it would turn up to be amazing!

Anonymous said...

I used to dream of having concrete floors in my old apartment. I think it would be so cool. Everything about that first pic is ridiculous! SO fantastic. I also love the lighter shades!! xo

house of earnest said...

I actually really want polished concrete in the house we plan to build and everyone thinks I'm nuts! I'll have to show them this post :) So Beautiful!

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Unknown said...

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Pradeep Lamba said...

Thanks for your information.

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Core and Saw said...

Its really amazing that you've done polishing on your concrete. We can feel the difference in the floors after Concrete Polishing.

Unknown said...

We provide Dust free Timber Floor Sanding in Perth and all other Suburbs of W.A. Timber Floor Sanding adds great value to a property. Our Floor Restoration Services include replacement of cracked and damaged floor boards with same grade and type of wood and polish them to look even.

Anonymous said...

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Southeast Floors said...

This is very helpful blog and beautiful inspiration. I am very happy to read this blog.
This site is not useful for any field. Internal Polished Concrete I am very disappointed when I read the blogs of Southeastfloors site.

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Homestead Improvements said...

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Unknown said...

There's a reason the White House and Hollywood celebrities like Polished Concrete Floors. A natural, aesthetically pleasing material, concrete has a low maintenance approach and can be applied to any surface. Whether you need it at your home or business, we've got you covered with our expert workmanship.

Haynes Polished Concrete said...

Polished Concrete Floors are the perfect balance of durability and style. They provide a sleek, polished look that can fit into any home design style- whether it is modern or eclectic! Our flooring professionals will consult with you to create your own original designs. We have all the equipment to finish off this eye-catching product: we offer fine grinding, high pressure cleaning, perimeter sealing, anti slip spraying and more!

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Stone Restoration Services In Massachusetts said...
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Harold Hofstetter said...

Concrete floor polishing is the most effective method for restoring an old, dull concrete floor to a high-lustre sheen. When you seek professional concrete floor polishing you can improve your concrete floor while also saving money because the surface is polished and sealed, so you never have to cover it again. www.gazpolishedconcretefloors.com

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