Concrete floors the hip, new thing
I am back from a visit to Balboa Island with many memories of
blue skies and white sandy shores, tall masts on sleek boats, front
porches colorfully overflowing with bold ceramic pots of manicured
flowers and stylish Adirondack chairs and the cacophony of seals,
seagulls and anxious little dogs on rhinestone leashes.
This year was especially a visual delight as the local artists
celebrated
”
Just Plein Fun,
”
painting outdoor Island scenes daily, culminating in a
”
Brush Off
”
downtown as they all gathered on the Main Street to
competitively paint for the grand prize.
Concrete floors the hip, new thing
I am back from a visit to Balboa Island with many memories of blue skies and white sandy shores, tall masts on sleek boats, front porches colorfully overflowing with bold ceramic pots of manicured flowers and stylish Adirondack chairs and the cacophony of seals, seagulls and anxious little dogs on rhinestone leashes.
This year was especially a visual delight as the local artists celebrated “Just Plein Fun,” painting outdoor Island scenes daily, culminating in a “Brush Off” downtown as they all gathered on the Main Street to competitively paint for the grand prize.
As always, I spend my time there checking out the remodels and renovations for new ideas and the latest trends in design and innovative materials. (Yes, I do recognize I’m a nerd.) I was not disappointed. Let me share what’s hot among the wealthy denizens of Orange County…besides plastic surgery, of course.
Modern homes in southern California have been big on concrete floors the past few years. People like it because of its sleek look. You don’t have to cut down trees for it, nor do you have the chemical issues associated with carpet. Transitions from interior to exterior can be seamless.
Not everyone likes it, however. Whoa, doggies! This reminds me of a joke. What’s green, filled with concrete and runs around the house? The answer: The lawn. I just threw in the concrete to make it hard. Ha ha ha!
Yes, some people find a concrete floor a bit harsh. But there are flooring options which appear to have picked up popularity in the past year. The first is terrazzo. This is stone or glass chips in a liquid resin or cement which is cured and polished.
It can be precast into panels or poured in place. You most likely would recognize this as office lobby material from the 50s and 60s. Today it is made with recycled materials, so you can feel good using it. However, it is more often used as a countertop than a floor today, though you can find examples of both. Its cost is roughly comparable to slab granite. It has way more character and whimsy than stone!
Then of course there is pebble stone. Pebble stone is used for pool decks, balconies, floors, stairways, driveways, etc. The beauty of it is low cost and easy installation. It’s used in large applications like art galleries and fitness clubs as well as for upscale homes. Made of natural rock and epoxy, it is raked over existing concrete and then troweled to a fine finish. This is very hot right now.
If you have big bucks the latest trend is resin floors. This not your mother’s resin. The material has been massaged by advances in technology and is now able to withstand the staining and scratching which plagued it previously. What makes this such an incredible building material is it is translucent.You can cast things into it (think coins, confetti, fossils) and also light it from below.
One last option for existing concrete floors is epoxy. For $5 to $20 per square foot (depending on number of colors, complexity of design, etc.) a glossy finish can top drab concrete floors. One of the drawbacks of concrete – especially here at Earthquake Central – is cracking. Epoxy is more malleable.
In addition, scuffs can be buffed out so it looks great for a long time even if you have high heels with little black taps on them.
Okay, let’s get up off the floor and look at the market. Depending on who you talk with you might either think the market is beginning its recovery, at the bottom or still seeking its nadir. So I’m not listening to anyone. (My husband, Tim, will tell you this is not a new thing.)
Countrywide recently predicted the continuance of this market until 2009. However, cities across the nation are speaking up to say that the market is back on an upswing. Specifically Seattle is back into an upward market. The entire state of North Carolina apparently is posting gains as well. By the time you recognize that the market has shifted (yet again, as it always does) so will everyone else and the opportunities present now will evaporate.
Every market has its own set of characteristics. One of the latest trends is home sales is the offering of unusual perks for a buyer. There have been offers of a fully equipped Hummer, payment of homeowner’s dues or utility costs for a year and the like offered on the multiple listing service computer. It is not uncommon for commissions of over six percent be offered to entice Realtors to show a home. The problem with lures is as soon as a unique one is offered, others jump on board and it loses its competitive advantage. Also, who’s really going to buy a home that isn’t right for them just so their agent can make a bigger commission?
There is never a market that is a “bad market” for everyone across the board. You need to be talking to your Realtor about what your specific needs and goals are so you can be ready when the market conditions are favorable for you.
And be kind to your Realtor.
Nants Foley may be contacted at Intero Real Estate Services in Hollister at 831.630.1300 or by e-mail at [email protected].
