Outdoor Spaces

Concrete patios and pool decks have long set a standard for basic backyards. But today’s consumers want much more than the basics and the industry is complying. Due to more efficient tools and techniques, complex designs can be installed quicker, easier and at a fraction of the cost.

Even on the thumb tip of northwest Washington state, decorative concrete is making its mark, thanks to this father-son outfit.

Rick Lobdell of Concrete Mystique Engraving in Nashville, Tennessee, is an artist, not a decorative concrete contractor. Still, in his career he has become known as a guy who can take concrete and turn it into an artistic canvas. He did just that for the Perkins home in Franklin, Tennessee.

Let’s say you’re part of a design and construction team that has settled on a stunning look for a high-profile exterior concrete project — the entry to a corporate office, a monument to fallen heroes or maybe a creatively upgraded pedestrian walkway for a downtown shopping district.

Sundek of Washington, Chantilly, Va., installed about 7,500 square feet of Sundek Classic Texture in Pewter Gray, Mission Tan and Clear for architect Adam Steiner, of Kimley-Horn and Associates Inc., and developer Mill Creek Residential Trust.

Justin Brown, owner of 2Stone Designer Concrete in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, had the idea for Luna Loungers for quite a while. “It’s basically a round take on a square chair,” he says. He finally made the idea into something tangible.

Outdoor kitchens are a popular request no matter where you live, but typically when you read a book or see a television show featuring outdoor kitchens, the contractor is doing them in a warm climate.

After spending thousands of dollars on a new swimming pool in your backyard, you want to make sure it looks distinctive, and Signature Series Redwood deck drain and expansion joint components are designed to do just that.

These days, homeowners who fall for waterfalls may be able to get exactly what they have in mind. Thanks to decorative concrete, options are almost limitless.

Looking to impress your next client? Using decorative concrete elements to enhance a house's curb appeal is one way to do just that. See some powerful examples of how you can acheive this in this article.

For Scott Cohen, owner of The Green Scene Landscaping and Pools in Northridge, Calif., creating spectacular, outdoor entertainment and leisure spaces is second nature, but many of his jobs require much more than bringing a vision to life.

Gregory Mata and his Cutting Edge Decorative Concrete crew arrived at the house of a young CEO intending only to stamp a patio. Then inspiration took over.

When taking the plunge into a pool construction or renovation project, don’t forget the stormwater drainage.

Nailing this balance project after project takes great effort, but the reward is far more than monetary. Concrete hardscapes last decades, and so do the reputation of the concrete artisans who successfully pave their way into decorative history.

When a pair of homeowners put their heads together with concrete maestro Tom Ralston, the result was three levels of outdoor grandeur.

When it comes to delivering difficult designs — like this circular plaza that highlights the entrance to the Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills — you’ve got to have a plan. And we’re not talking just a quick sketch but a detailed drawing that clarifies precisely what joints and finishes are to be placed where.

Perhaps it was a throwback to his old “smoking in the boy’s room” days but a homeowner in Zurich, Switzerland, yearned to have his own private smoking pavilion in his backyard. Instead of a crowded room filled with rule-breaking teenagers, he wanted a quiet, relaxing place where he could sit back and smoke.

When your country calls you to do a job, how much should you charge? That was the predicament Dick Krach, CEO of Sundek of Washington, came face to face with when his secretary fielded a call from someone at a “white house” concerning a pool deck that needed repair and some sprucing up.