Matte gloss Geoshine™. White quartz 95% and basalt 5% in half white oxide with off-white cement.
Geocrete polished concrete makes a grand statement in a palatial new home in Melbourne’s inner-city suburb of Armadale
The seemingly endless expanse of polished concrete bestows a feeling of opulence in the huge living areas and generously proportioned hallways that connect spaces throughout the home.
Designed by Inarc Architects, a key feature of the abode is its soaring cathedral ceiling reminiscent of the cathedral interiors of Europe, with an immensely proportioned exposed timber roofline towering over the living areas and its steep peak spanning the length of the home.
The subtle matt sheen of the polished concrete contrasts superbly with the ceilings’ striking timber lines and the patterned, highly textural 6m internal brick walls made from bespoke, petitely sized Krause Bricks. Other sumptuous features of the home include a theatre, gym, sauna, butler’s pantry, pool, terrace and a private lounge and office accessible by lift.
Master polished-concreter and Geocrete founder Paul Warner was referred to the job by Jeremy Coltzau at JCM Concreting, whose working relationship with Paul spans back to 2010 and encompasses around 50 jobs, including a stint on the hit home renovation series The Block. “Jeremy is highly skilled at his trade, always pouring the concrete incredibly evenly to give me a brilliant blank canvas to work on,” Paul said.
The floor features a premium full stone exposure to evoke the look of Italian-style Terrazzo flooring. As a special service for his V.I.P. customer, Paul ground an extra 2mm off the surface to achieve a very deep, even exposure. The owner opted for an off-white concrete base with white quartz, a luxurious choice supplied by one of Geocrete’s preferred suppliers, Holcim Australia.
The job saw Paul working intensively with builder Howard Junkeer, who had been impressed by Paul’s previous work at Nissl Eichert headquarters. “It was a pleasure to work for Howard, as he is highly organised and has a focus on quality, an unusual attribute for a builder,” Paul said. “Jeremy and I had great input into the design process, ensuring the appropriate expansion joints in the concrete to prevent random cracking of the floor.”
Paul said it was a fantastic project to be involved in, despite the back-breaking work involved in grinding the myriad of liberally girthed hallways (featuring a width of 2.2m). “The owners were very impressed with my work, and it was extremely satisfying to see the floors come up as consistently as they did.”
If you’re looking for a floor of exceeding beauty for your own home, please get in contact with Paul to discuss your ideas. Jeremy Coltzau can be reached on (03) 5977 5505.
