How to use raw concrete indoors

Concrete does not have to look cold and hard indoors. Ways to create a warm living space through texture, light, acoustics and the right companion materials.

A villa living room with fair-faced concrete walls and ceiling

Mention fair-faced concrete indoors and most people think of a car park or a warehouse. Used well, though, concrete can be as warm a backdrop as timber. What we learned at Raw House and Monolith Villa:

Choose the texture

Smooth plywood formwork leaves an almost polished surface; timber boards carry the grain of the wood into the concrete. Indoors, board-marked texture turns concrete from a “material” into “craft”.

Graze it with light

Lighting concrete head-on turns it into a grey wall. When light grazes the surface from the side, the formwork marks and depth appear.

Remember acoustics

Concrete reflects sound. It needs to be balanced with absorbing surfaces such as rugs, felt panels, timber ceilings or bookshelves; otherwise a calm-looking room will echo.