92% of realtors suggest improving curb appeal prior to listing a home for sale. However, even if you don’t plan on selling, improving the appearance of your home can be well worth the effort.
With more colors, techniques, and designs than ever before, decorative concrete can be a great choice for improving the look of any home or business. Each year, more trends are arising that help showcase the unique possibilities of decorative concrete.
Ready to find some new concrete design ideas? Here are the top trends in decorative concrete designs that you should know about in 2023.
Concrete Stamping
Concrete stamping is one of the most popular types of concrete design today. With the use of stamping, concrete can be made to look like other textures.
Through pouring and patterning, stamping creates indentations and markings and a permanent look. Stamped concrete can appear similar to the texture of brick, stone, slate, flagstone, tile, and many other types of materials.
This decorative finish is very flexible and can be used for a lot of different patterns and colors. It’s also relatively affordable.
When stamping concrete, you can choose to stamp your entire driveway or a large section of concrete. Many homeowners decide to add simple flourishes such as stamped borders instead. Stamped designs are very attractive, versatile, and affordable, so they’re great options for decorative concrete.
Concrete Staining
At first glance, stained concrete looks similar to stamped concrete, but it’s not quite the same. Stained concrete is concrete that has been tinted to a different color than its original color. Concrete staining is similar to wood staining, and there are many different design options available.
You can choose to use opaque or translucent staining and it can be either matte or shiny. Staining options serve as great home upgrades and can mimic the look of natural stone, marble, cobblestone, wood, and more.
In 2023, natural stone and wood-look concrete are particularly popular. These staining options can give your concrete a refined and elegant appearance that helps it stand out well.
Geometric Patterns
In addition to making concrete look like other natural materials such as stone and marble, geometric patterns are very popular in 2023. Complex designs and geometric shapes such as diamonds, triangles, and hexagons can give your concrete a stunning and contemporary look.
These designs are very bold and can be made even more impactful, depending on the colors that are used. In addition to neutral tones such as gray and beige, vibrant colors such as green and blue are in style as well.
The right patterns on your concrete can truly create a unique design. Geometric patterns are attractive to the eye. They can create interest more easily than many other types of decorative concrete options.
Custom Patterns
In 2023, stamped custom designs are also becoming very popular. With a custom stamp design, you can add any pattern that you desire to concrete. Whether for a commercial property’s driveway, a home driveway, or another purpose, custom designs can be unique and captivating.
Custom-designed, stamped concrete could feature a logo, text, or other visual elements that are crafted to your unique needs. If thought through thoroughly and designed well, customized designs can make a driveway or other hardscape elements one of a kind. They can be well worth the cost and effort.
Horseshoe Driveways
Aside from adding patterns, markings, and staining, another popular trend that offers a lot of aesthetic appeal is horseshoe driveways. Many find these U-shaped driveways to be visually appealing. They can serve as a great way to boost curb appeal and help a home stand out.
When designed well, a horseshoe driveway can fit in well with a home and make it look unique and inviting. They can also serve a function as well, making it easy to enter or exit a home.
For even more benefits, consider pairing a horseshoe driveway with some of these other trends. A U-shaped driveway could work well with stamp patterns and staining designs to create an even more striking appearance.
Multi-Colored Designs
Although many decorative concrete designs lack color or make use of neutral tones, others use many colors. Multicolored, stamped concrete designs are growing in popularity.
Multicolored designs can be a great option for making a driveway or other concrete features look fully unique. With the combination of multiple hues and surface treatments, concrete can make a bold statement and can become unforgettable.
If any of the other trends listed here weren’t enough on their own, then adding color to the design can be a great idea. More colors can lead to even more versatility and offer unique ways to create a design that will impress visitors to your home.
Overlays and Micro Toppings
Overlays and micro toppings are also becoming a popular part of decorative concrete designs in 2023. Rather than making indentations in the cement, micro toppings serve as a thin layer that can be applied on top of existing concrete.
A major benefit of using overlays and micro toppings is that you won’t need to redo a concrete installation that is already in place. You can apply it on top of concrete that already exists, so this can save you a lot of time and effort.
After a micro-topping has been placed on top of existing concrete, you can then do many things to style it more. Using stamping or staining, you can add even more visual interest to the overlayed concrete. This can make it an even more captivating part of your driveway or backyard hardscape project.
Choosing Decorative Concrete Designs
As you can see, there are many different trends in decorative concrete designs in 2023. Stamped designs and staining are a great place to start if you want to make your concrete stand out. You might also want to consider adding geometrical shapes, custom patterns, coloring, or overlays for even more visual interest.
California Concrete Clean and Seal is a hardscape contractor that specializes in installation and restoration. Established more than 15 years ago, we are fully insured and bonded and have serviced hundreds of homeowners in the San Diego area.
Do you need help with your decorative concrete design? Get in touch with us today to get a quote and set up your in-home consultation.
