Flowstone Concrete Studio:

For James Scheh, owner of Flowstone Concrete Studio in Sacramento, Calif., what began as a hobby became a great way to make a living. But don't assume his passion had anything to do with concrete. No, Scheh's passion was for rocks—concrete's cousin, if you will.

An avid rock climber and mountaineering guide, Scheh found himself hired to create high-end rock climbing walls for a San Francisco Bay Area climbing gym. And since he had a background in construction, and a thing for rocks, making the walls out of concrete seemed a natural fit.

Then a call came from a designer, which really got things—well—flowing. That designer's request some three and a half years ago for a monolithic, single-pour cast fireplace surround for a residence has opened all kinds of doors for Flowstone Concrete Studio.

"I started working with that designer on other projects," explains Scheh. "We're very design-based and focus on creating one-of-a-kind pieces." And it's in his Carmichael shop/studio on the outskirts of Sacramento, Scheh works on his bread-and-butter product—countertops. Due to the demand, he says countertops allow his revenue to grow consistently.

Of course, it also helps that word of his work is spreading like wildfire in Northern California, from Tahoe, to the Napa Valley, to as far south as Pescadero. "Our high-end design work has usually been word of mouth," Scheh says. "The website has also generated interest...Especially for countertops."

Scheh, who has studied with legends including Fu Tung Cheng, also credits the Internet, as well as sites such as The Concrete Network, with more educated consumers. "It seems that when people get to the stage where they are researching their project needs through The Concrete Network, they pretty much know what they are looking for when they contact us," he adds.

Currently, his shop is home to an 89-square-foot ranch kitchen countertop, and he just finished a top for a home in Applegate—a top inlaid with an image of a southwestern petroglyph and colored stones. "These clients love the earthy, warm look of concrete, and by using it we were able to help them realize some of their artistic design goals," Scheh explains.

"We find that people want concrete to look like concrete, and not some cold, unnatural material. That's good, because its natural characteristics lend to variations in the final product," he adds.

Scheh notes that although several years ago people were using concrete in high-end homes, now a wider range of people are requesting the material. "It seems that more people are considering concrete instead of granite, so we're seeing it used in the 'everyday' home, where before it was usually used in designer or 'earth-friendly' homes," Scheh says.

One home that's sure to catch the eyes of many is in the Dream Home Showcase in Lincoln, Calif., where Flowstone Concrete Studio is participating, creating kitchen countertops and an outdoor kitchen for the exhibit, which will be showing in the Spring of 2005.

One of the items he will contribute for the show home is a kitchen island, something Scheh says is very popular right now. "Concrete is a great surface material for islands," he explains. "It has that mass and scale you want an island to have, and you can cantilever it out without supports for a bar top."

And whatever Flowstone is contributing to the home, you can bet it will be cast unusually. "We cast our pieces upright in the shop so they looks like they were poured in place," Scheh says of his technique. "By custom-casting our projects in the shop, we're able to achieve certain shapes and design elements that would be more difficult to do if we poured them in place in someone's home."

If his clients wish, they can even come down to the shop and watch the action. "We work really one on one with our customers, and we invite them to the shop and will grind a piece right in front of them until they say stop, or stain and they can watch to see exactly what shade they want," Scheh adds, noting that casting pieces in the shop also gives him control over the conditions.

Yes, staining is also part of his repertoire, and Scheh says that sometimes a countertop will lead to overlays or decorative staining on floors. Then there are the clients who prefer plain concrete, in all its gray glory.

About the only difference Scheh says he sees comparing Bay Area jobs to local Sacramento Valley jobs is the size. "We do large tops here versus the Bay Area," he says. "We're doing our second 80-plus-square-foot top, and in the Bay Area, the largest is usually 45 square feet because kitchens (and houses) are generally smaller there."

Whether the project is large or small, Scheh says that since the industry is just getting started, he's got plenty to keep him busy, adding, "Although it's been around for quite a long time, none of this is new...but it's getting more and more refined. There are decorative floors in places like Trader Joe's, showing the wear and appeal, and as a result concrete's becoming more 'wholesale' and less rare."

"Plus, it attracts people who are into custom pieces, one of a kinds," he says. "[It's] more like fine furniture, an artistic piece, and it reflects something different. You can see the workmanship in it." You certainly can.

Flowstone Concrete Studio
James Scheh
4001 Miller Way
Sacramento, CA 95817
(916) 451-1101

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