Decorative Concrete - Art Form or Commercial Business Undertaking?

01/04/2006

When Decorative Concrete first started being used for interior decorating purposes, there were a number of teething problems that had to be ironed out before the products were as good as they are today. Cracking, warping, color fading were only some of the headaches that had to be faced by the "newbies" in the business and many of them dropped out of the field altogether and settled for the old tried and true application of concrete for building foundations, prison walls and garage workshop floors.

However there were a few veterans who would not give up their artistic aspirations or their persistence and with trial and error added to many years of experience, developed a versatile art form and technology that served a very practical purpose without having to sacrifice aesthetics for commercial considerations.

Blayde Penza was one of these veterans with thirty years of experience in concrete technology but an artistic talent that would not quit. With his friend and partner Todd Mazer they started Ace Concrete and with their combined talents became experts in Decorative Concrete creations for both domestic and commercial uses. From their Sun Valley studio and workshop in Los Angeles County California emerged countertops, sinks, fireplace surrounds, barbeques and floors for elegant homes, restaurants and many other venues that are absolute show stoppers in colors and textures that only an artist could dream up.

As their reputation grew, so did their client base that, delighted with their own examples of these Decorative Concrete classics, became the envy of their friends and neighbors and referrals were a regular part of the operation.

"My clients sometimes become the inspiration for new ideas." Said Penza. "As they clarify their own requirements, it very often gives rise to the birth of a new application or design that we had not thought of and so the business is in a perpetual growth mode which is very gratifying and makes it a pleasure to come to work in the mornings. Working with Decorative Concrete has become a way of life rather than a profession."