Concrete at Home: Innovative Forms and Finishes for Floors, Countertops, Walls, and Fireplaces

by Fu-Tung Cheng with Eric Olsen

Get inspired as designer Fu-Tung Cheng, recognized master craftsman of decorative concrete design, leads you through limitless concrete applications in Concrete at Home, the follow-up to his ground-breaking Concrete Countertops. In this stunning new book, the best-selling author reveals the anything-is-possible flexibility of concrete in an impressive variety of architectural examples.

Part design study, part instruction manual, Concrete at Home introduces the reader to the basics of designing with concrete as well as the tools and techniques for bringing the concrete creations to life. Fu-Tung presents each decorative concrete application—such as a wall, fireplace, or water feature—from the perspective of its underlying design principles before proceeding to discuss the main steps involved in building it.

Design principles in each chapter cover composition, texture, and color techniques used for the various concrete applications. These sections illustrate how to integrate both functional and artistic features into the varied concrete applications. Each chapter also addresses how to incorporate concrete into the overall room design.

The technical references include instructions and diagrams as well as the author's comments and suggestions based on more than 25 years of experience with concrete.

Concrete at Home is packed with hundreds of photos that give you insight into Cheng's work and provide the inspiration and know-how to get you started on your own decorative concrete project. With an approachable style and beautiful photography, the book will open a world of creative possibilities while providing the necessary guidance and confidence to experience concrete firsthand.

Learn about:

• concrete mix design, mold/form-building, pouring, curing, finishing, and troubleshooting
• various functional and decorative concrete applications like concrete countertops, concrete floors and walls, water features, concrete fireplaces, and more
• key concrete design considerations, composition, texture, and color techniques
• concrete design throughout the home, from kitchen and bath to living room and bedroom, as well as exterior concrete applications

Softcover, 9-1/4 x 10-7/8 in., 224 pages, with color photos and drawings. Published 2005, ISBN 1-56158-682-X, # 070763