Buddy Rhodes Studio

Buddy Rhodes still has to pinch himself sometimes. The decorative concrete industry icon says sometimes he just stops and looks around his San Francisco studio with his 25 employees scurrying about and has to take it in slowly.

Sometimes I still cant believe it, Rhodes said when asked if he had ever imagined the degree of success he has experienced over the past two decades. His work has evolved into the quintessential model for many in the industry and has been showcased in the nations top home and design publications, includingArchitectural Digest,Home,Metropolitan Home, Kitchen and Bath,Sunset, Fine Homebuilding, Luxury Kitchens and Baths,Beautiful Baths, andHome Remodeling, among others.

While the popularity of concrete countertops is swiftly rising throughout many parts of the country, Rhodes, dubbed by many as the father of the concrete countertop, is sitting back and watching as he continues to produce the countertops he perfected years ago. He began dabbling in countertop production some 20 years ago long before the idea took hold. In fact, many would argue that he was one of the inventors of decorative concrete.

In the early days, architects, builders and others in the industry cast a wary eye on Rhodes concrete visions and dreams.

But now, Rhodes, a former ceramist, continues to lead the charge in manufacturing concrete products an impressive lineup that includes indoor and outdoor floor tiles, pre-cast counters for kitchen and bath, sinks and tubs, surrounds and architectural elements cast to suit individual projects. And today many concrete professionals are eagerly tracing Rhodes footsteps as homeowners, designers, and architects from across the rest of the country and other parts of the world are finally uncovering one of San Franciscos best-kept secrets.

The increase in concretes popularity is a good thing. But there are more and more competitors, Rhodes said.

To put it into perspective, Rhodes said his busiest years a period when concrete was really catching on in the Bay Area were during the late 80s.

Back in the early days Rhodes did a lot of on-site work. But today all of the pieces are cast in his studio and then shipped.

For Rhodes, the process has been about taking it day by day, learning, trying one thing out, and then trying another. Originally a potter, Rhodes was immediately drawn to concrete because it offered more variety and the work wasnt as monotonous as toiling over clay.

Most of it came by experimenting One thing led to another, he said.

And many of the first rounds of experiments involved trying to tackle concretes inherent flaws cracking, warping, coloring consistency, sealing and psi strength. Rhodes concrete is comprised entirely of cement, sand, and binders, and is reinforced with an expanded galvanized steel diamond mesh.

Rhodes offers three surface finishes, including what has been characterized as his signature veined finish after the surface is worked with pigment-infused concrete, a diamond-impregnated grinding disk zigzags across the slab, revealing marble-like veining in the background. The surface is gently textured but smooth enough to be used for writing a letter or rolling a piecrust.

Steel trowel and terrazzo finishes round out the options.

Two of Rhodes 25 employees are designers who work with the clients in helping develop their design, color, and finish options.

But Rhodes is quick to point out that many clients have a good grasp of what they want.

Most of them (clients) do their own designs, he said.

And that, he says, is perhaps the most appealing aspect of concrete. Its hands-on and its handcrafted. It cries out this is all mine. In the case of concrete countertop buyers which make up most of his residential fabrication orders homeowners have the warmth of concrete without any grout lines associated with tiles, and there is a natural, earthy look that complements a range of kitchen styles.

In addition to countertops, BRS is also seeing an increase in fireplace surrounds. They also do a lot of outdoor work including planters and spheres.

Their planters are generally large and are definitive attention-getters. The neon-blue planters with cascades of green spilling over the edges interspersed with amber- and darker-colored spheres are arguably the most memorable exterior feature at Magnolia Place, an apartment community in San Francisco.

Round, waist-high planters with veined finishes and trees reaching toward the sky grace restaurants and other outdoor areas throughout the country, thanks to Rhodes.

Residential projects make up about half of the workload at BRS. The studios commercial client list boasts an impressive lineup, including more than 60 Pottery Barn stores throughout the United States and Canada, where BRS created display shelves, cash wraps, purse ledges at the cash register area, exterior storefronts, bathroom vanities, and fireplace surrounds with corbels.

Theyve also provided their handiwork to more than 30 Illuminations sites, providing the stunning exterior storefront wainscot, cornice, niche ledges, and key stones.

Some of the studios other clients include a retail store at the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas, Jamba Juice, Levis, NBA Store in New York, Bath and Beyond, Bank of America, Apple Computers, Inc., and a host of other recognizable names, including a slew of upscale restaurants

While BRS is always on the go, it doesnt feel as busy as it once was, Rhodes said.

Its not as brisk as it was There are more fabricators now in the Bay Area, he said. I think the interest has remained steady, now there are just so many others.

In the meantime, Rhodes will continue to build upon the talent that surrounds him. Part of that involves the implementation of an internship program in connection with local schools, including the California College of Arts and Crafts and the San Francisco Art Institute.

While many young companies Rhodes competitors are experimenting just as Rhodes did in his early years, Rhodes can sit back comfortably in the niche that he created as he continues to rely on word of mouth that has made his name synonymous with decorative concrete. Hell also throw in a few strategically placed advertising dollars to try to stave off his up-and-coming competitors.

And now, finally, Rhodes doesnt feel the loneliness that enveloped him when cynics decried the decorative possibilities of concrete just a couple decades ago. And today he can say, unequivocally, what he only dreamed about saying back when he tried his hand at concrete in 1979 and saw the possibilities that others did not:

Concrete is here to stay.

Buddy Rhodes Studios
Buddy Rhodes
2130 Oakdale Ave
San Francisco, CA 94124

Michele Dawson writes each week on one of the contractor members of The Concrete Network (www.concretenetwork.com). She has written about the home building industry for several years and was on the public affairs staff of the California Building Industry Association.

Concrete Countertops in The Bay Area