Hard to beat: concrete interiors

Concrete packs a powerful architectural punch, not least when serving as a scene-setter in contemporary commercial spaces.

By Reutov Design and Peter Smisek

July 20, 2021 | 10:00 pm CUT

Strong emerald green creates a striking contrast with the concrete backdrop at New York's In Harmony with Nature Café by Reutov Design. Photo: Reutov Dmitry, Gerner Ekaterina

Concrete is one of the most ubiquitous building materials. Smooth and sophisticated or raw and sculptural, it represents an ideal neutral backdrop that allows interior architects to showcase their designs. Whether in hospitality, retail or other venues, the popularity of concrete shows little sign of diminishing, as designers continue to exploit its versatility as a modern surface finish for contemporary commercial interiors.

McLaren.Excell’s Splash Lab in Los Angeles uses concrete surfaces to create a robust architectural backdrop for the client’s delicate ceramic and brassware products. Photos: Jason Rueger

In Los Angeles, McLaren.Excell designed the Splash Lab, a sanitaryware showroom where a polished concrete floor and textured concrete walls are complemented by matching brick arches and timber panelling. Together, these elements create a strong, architectonic backdrop for the manufacturer’s minimal, sculptural taps and sinks, which act as subtle ornaments on the otherwise unadorned concrete surfaces.

YAMA Coffee Shop's concrete interiors, designed by KSOUL Studio feature exposed concrete walls and delicate furniture meaning the background becomes the space's defining feature. Photos: Valor Studio

In some cases, concrete can become the designer’s primary material. In YAMA Coffee shop in the Vietnamese town of Tây Ninh, KSOUL Studio has created a bright space that accommodates a small café. Featuring large windows and glass brick walls, the space's concrete floors and walls are flooded with natural light. A large concrete and polished steel bar creates a central focal point for the space, and a bright yellow staircase that leads to additional seating upstairs.

By combining sculptural timber elements with a polished concrete floor, MARS Studio's SOMESOME Bar & Restaurant creates a strong spatial framework for understated contemporary furnishings. Photos: UK Studio

In the MARS Studio-designed SOMESOME Bar & Restaurant in Beijing, the only concrete surface is the floor. However, rows of dramatically arching timber cross vaults – some slimmer and more elegant, some boldly polished and sculptural, sit in complementary contrast to the concrete. Together, these elements create a strong backdrop to angular wooden chairs and neutrally upholstered beige benches.

Reutov Design's In Harmony with Nature Café uses a simple colour and material palette to distinguish between the concrete background and green furnishings. Photos: Reutov Dmitry, Gerner Ekaterina

In New York's In Harmony with Nature Café, Reutov Design studio have designed a new hospitality space within the confines of an existing building. Exposing the raw concrete walls and ceilings and creating a new polished concrete floor, all other design elements, including air ducts, translucent chairs, tables, and a cubic bar feature a strong emerald green hue. This creates a striking contrast with the concrete backdrop, and makes a playful allusion to the natural world.

Hard to beat: concrete interiors

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