News
Renovations - Home Improvement & Design
November 20, 2008
Concrete Cat would like to proudly thank Dora Schonewille and the Edmonton edition of Renovations -Home Improvement & Design for a brief mention in their article regarding alternative countertop materials. Dora has a very good ear and captured the one thought in our brief phone interview that defines the design aesthetic of Concrete Cat’s work. “We try and design all Concrete Cat pieces with a sense of timelessness. This is achieved by having most of our designs inspired by nature but it is not always the case. Some lines and geometry as well as colour and finish are so classic that they maintain a contemporary look to them no matter when they were created.” To clarify this I will explain what I meant in this statement.
Reflecting nature in design does not mean leaf prints or vines as edge treatments. It can be as subtle as the bottom of a drain pan having the same break and fracture lines etched into it as fractured layers of slate or as bold as voids in a desk leg being shaped like honeycomb. The primary aspect I try and maintain in design is purpose. I do not try and add anything to my projects with out purpose. The reason why nature is commonly reflected is not arbitrary but in fact that nature is purposeful in its design. Therefore when faced with a challenge in designing my counters or furniture sometimes nature has a solution that is not only succinct but eloquent as well.
One thing I hope that readers do not do is regard this article as a compare and contrast piece, weighing the pros and cons of each material. I enjoy many different countertop materials and I think that they can all be used in harmony together through different combinations. I really enjoyed Dora’s article “Paper, stone… Ingenious, timeless, creative countertops” and it once again inspired in me the desire to do a mixed media piece. I think that one of the most interesting aspects of all the materials mentioned by Dora in her article is the interplay of these materials in a mixed media piece. What could put more emphasis on the polished cool surface of stainless steel than to pair it with a ruggedly elegant slab of polished concrete? From a practical standpoint as well the stainless steel could be used in areas that are extremely high traffic or end up having oil and cooking splatter on them a lot, such as an area near a deep fryer or griddle.
Thanks again Dora, for including Concrete Cat in a great article. You captured a tiny few sentences that I didn’t even consciously say and made me sound much more eloquent than I usually do.
