The Counters Blog

There are many ways to create this warm embrace with concrete, both underfoot and as an architectural accent. Here are 10 ideas for using decorative concrete to create an attractive, beckoning front entry to your home. All great entryways begin with a welcoming walkway that ushers visitors to your front door in grand fashion. If you already have a plain gray concrete walkway or sidewalk leading to your home, but it needs a major facelift, you can often rejuvenate it with a colored and patterned concrete overlay.Concrete steps can be poured onsite right along with your walkway and then colored and textured to match. Concrete is flexible enough to mimic nearly any material, pattern or color, allowing you to create a concrete entryway that matches or complements your home’s architecture and color palette. Here are ideas for using decorative concrete to complement 11 different home styles. Because today’s stamping mats are often molded from the actual materials they mimic, they produce amazingly realistic results. A stenciled pattern is another option, and works especially well with concrete overlays. As an alternative to stamped or colored concrete, you can achieve spectacular effects at a reasonable cost with an exposed-aggregate finish.Exposed aggregate also contrasts beautifully with plain concrete or other decorative treatments such as stamping, staining, and integral coloring. For the concrete steps leading to your entryway, a simple way to add architectural interest is to go with a shapely curved step edge rather than a sharp 90-degree angle. Often these same forms can be used for the edges of concrete pilaster or wall caps. For safety as well as ambience, entryways should be well lit at night-and that often means installing more than a dim light fixture above the front door. One great way to do this is to cast built-in light fixtures right in the faces of concrete steps. An easy way to instantly dress up a front entrance is to install a precast concrete fountain, a distinctive piece of concrete statuary, or a pair of decorative concrete planters or urns. Concrete fountains are highly coveted centerpieces for many entry courtyards because they appeal to multiple senses, providing visual beauty enhanced by tranquil sounds and hypnotic movement. The entryway to your home should welcome people like open arms. Concrete is often maligned as being a cold, austere material. Through the use of color, texture, shape and pattern, concrete can be made warm and inviting. With concrete, the decorative options for entrance walks are endless. To give your front entry even more allure, consider widening or flaring the concrete sidewalk or making it curvilinear rather than straight. You’ll be amazed at the transformation, while avoiding the expense and hassle of ripping out your existing concrete. Create even greater visual impact by having your concrete walkway lead to a decorative concrete stairway and landing that incorporates coordinating colors and patterns. Precast concrete steps and precast concrete stairs are also an option. Creating this unified appearance can be as simple as matching the color of your concrete walkway to your home’s roof, exterior siding or front door. By extending the pattern from sidewalk to stairway to landing, the overall effect is even more impressive. Stencils for concrete come in a variety of popular patterns, ranging from running-bond brick to stone, slate and tile. For concrete entryways, an exposed-aggregate finish offers additional benefits by providing a safe, nonskid surface that resists heavy foot traffic. By flanking the sides of your entryway with concrete seat walls-which are akin to low retaining walls-you can provide definition as well as a welcoming place to sit. Add decorative concrete columns, balustrades, arches and more. Architectural elements cast in concrete offer all the beauty of natural cut limestone, granite or marble, but permit much greater versatility in color, finish and detailing. Another popular effect is downlighting from recessed fixtures built into concrete seat walls, columns or pilasters. Many manufacturers and suppliers offer specialized collections of concrete statuary and garden ornamentation that allow you to evoke a particular time, culture or architectural style.