Concrete as a Sustainable Option in Decor

Concrete isn’t always the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of what to look for in home decor, or when a small gift is needed, but it’s a great option for many reasons. 

Durability and Longevity
The most obvious reason Concrete is great is being renowned for its long-lasting nature, resisting erosion, fire, and weathering, requiring minimal maintenance. Which means less stuff in landfills! It is also low maintenance, and easy to keep clean, especially with added protective varnish coating, protecting items from stains. Dyes are applied to the concrete mixture, meaning the colour is not only applied to the outer layer of the piece, so chipping won’t be as noticeable. 

Strength and Load-Bearing Capacity
Concrete can withstand significant stress and weight, making it suitable for foundations, floors, and structural elements - but this is also true for decorative items! Concrete provides peace of mind knowing it won’t break as easily as most other decorative materials, yet at smaller sizes it is also surprisingly light weight, unlike pavement or large planters.

Cost-Effectiveness
Concrete is a relatively affordable material, offering a durable and resilient solution without breaking the bank! 

Versatility and Adaptability
Concrete can be cast into a wide range of shapes and sizes, allowing for creative and functional designs. It can also be dyed to a vast array of colours, as you’ll see in my shop ;) the opportunities are endless, which is why I fell in love with it!

Low Maintenance
Once installed, concrete surfaces are relatively easy to clean and maintain, reducing the need for repairs, replacement and upkeep.

Respect for the Environment
As an artisan of concrete products, I have found that waste can be reduced to nearly zero! I save dried concrete left in my mixing bowls for later use, so I am neither washing it down the drain (yikes), or throwing it away. The water use is half of the amount of concrete used (which in my use is quite minimal), and I use, and reuse recycled containers and wooden sticks to stir. I also use recycled kraft paper for any packaging, that I design and produce myself! I also save broken pieces (I get too excited and sometimes try to demold before it’s ready…resisting that urge is strangely difficult!!), as I believe I will find a use for them in the future. I’d rather hoard them for now than toss them, at least give myself a chance to creatively innovate! 

Fire Resistance:
Concrete is non-combustible, providing fire protection - hello passing out with candles burning!  Concrete does not get hot to the touch, so no owies for the little ones. Unless they drop it on their toes, so definitely continue to monitor them!

Water Resistance
Concrete's inherent resistance to water and moisture makes it suitable for damp areas, and keeping it clean is very low maintenance. It will not shrink, melt, fade, crumble, or suffer other damage because of water.

Noise Reduction
Concrete can effectively absorb and dampen sound, contributing to quieter environments. Surround yourself with multiple concrete decor pieces at your office work area, and be amazed by how much sound it soaks up!

Sustainability
Concrete can be made with recycled aggregates and other sustainable materials, reducing its environmental impact. Concrete has a long lifespan - so it has the potential to reach heirloom status - or at least 25 years! And as we all know.. manufacturers just don’t make stuff to last anymore!

An Affordable Choice
Concrete can be poured and cast on-site with a quick cure time, simplifying the design process, the material is relatively inexpensive (the dye and varnish costs more than the concrete!), and no additional production costs (no firing in kilns, no painting, no complex finishing needs or outsourcing) keeps costs lower than many other mediums.

I hope these reasons give you insight into why I love working with concrete so much, and that you’ll consider seeing what goodies I have available call your name (and feel good about it) ❤️

-Nina