It wasn’t too long ago when concrete was relegated to just sidewalks, basements, warehouses, and industrial settings. Over the past few years, the design industry has shined a new light on this functional material, bringing it into commercial and residential spaces as everything from flooring, sinks, counter tops, and table tops. Its raw character, beauty and versatility are undeniable, making it a favorite of designers, architects and homeowners. Concrete’s popularity is surging, making it almost impossible to flip through a design magazine, website or walk into a home furnishings store without seeing countless ideas on how to incorporate it indoors and out. On its own, concrete tends to be cold and industrial – but its hardness and clean lines take on new life when paired with contrasting textured materials like wood and fabric, and it effortlessly blends with nature outdoors. It possesses a “wow” factor that inevitably attracts attention and starts conversations.
Concrete tables are popping-up as unexpected design elements in kitchens, living rooms, dining rooms, and patios. They bring a distinctive contemporary look to pretty much any space in your home. Concrete tables are characterized by their beautiful sheen that ranges from a slick polished finish to more textured, and when pigment is added to the mix – wallah! Honed concrete in color. Concrete artisans have developed many unique looks, one of Tropitone's special techniques uses flecks of crushed granite to create a stunning terrazzo like finish.
The benefits of concrete tables include durability, versatility and an artisan appeal that you can’t get with granite alone or other commonly used kitchen surfaces. On the flip side, concrete is not as indestructible as one might expect. It’s a naturally porous material, which means it’s not resistant to stains or discoloration and requires routine maintenance with a special sealer. It’s important to be realistic about its resilience when incorporating into indoor or outdoor applications where it can become compromised by moisture, food grease, drink spills and mother nature. Also, concrete often cracks over time due to expansion and contraction from hot and cold weather – making your once beautiful table unsightly.
If you’re drawn to the cool style and beauty of concrete, but aren’t crazy about the downsides, there’s a better alternative – glass fiber reinforced concrete (GFRC). Tropitone’s Stoneworks® Matrix tables are constructed from a special concrete composite material that is as beautiful as it is durable. The material is made from a glass reinforced fiber polymer that looks and feels just like natural concrete, but is superior by way of being lighter and stronger, cold and heat resistant, UV and weather resistant, and is impermeable – so you don’t have to routinely seal it to prevent stains. You can even keep it exclusively outdoors and it will still maintain its original luster for years and years.
Every Matrix table is handmade at Tropitone’s USA factory using a proprietary process / material that meets the highest commercial-grade standards. Matrix concrete tables come in multiple forms and sizes – dining tables, side tables, coffee tables, chat tables and coming soon a communal size table. Tables come with a simply styled aluminum base available in 19 different finishes that complement the matrix tabletop color of your choice (see chart below), including Matte finishes and Reflect finishes that emulate Terrazzo stone. For those wanting something new and completely different, a Metallic palette will be available this year... stay tuned for more information.
To see all of the available styles and sizes and where to buy, visit Stoneworks Matrix Tables by Tropitone Furniture Co.