Dan Roman Studio

When Dan Roman was a boy and helped out with his father's concrete business, he often got sidetracked, becoming fully immersed in sculpting concrete into any object he could imagine.

"Everyone thought it was funny," Roman says now.

But they're not laughing anymore. For the past three decades, Dan Roman has been creating unusual designs and interesting shapes with a focus on kitchen sinks, countertops, and bathroom vanities. And his passion for exploring all of concrete's artistic possibilities continues to mount.

Based in Arvada, Colorado, Dan Roman Studio has built and installed hundreds of countertops and sinks throughout Colorado and the country.

Having poured his first sidewalk when he was 12, Roman worked with his father until he was 18, at which point he forged a path toward music, art, and sculpture — a path that ultimately converged with concrete.

"There are just so many possibilities with concrete," Roman said. "It's a material that goes places you've never gone — the different aggregates, the textures."

While Roman said he's mastered the mechanics of decorative concrete, the artistry and creativity are a lifelong educational journey.

"When you understand the basics, that's not an ending point — that's a beginning point," he said. "It doesn't end, it just continues.

Roman said he definitely considers himself a minimalist, with a belief in allowing the beauty of the concrete to reveal itself without being manipulated to look like something else.

"It is what it is. Too much detracts from it," he said of concrete. "I believe in truth in materials."

While his concrete countertops and sinks grace hundreds of homes, most people haven't even glimpsed Roman's greatest and most heartfelt artistic endeavors.

"It's the stuff that happens here at midnight, when I experiment with all the things that this material will do — the aesthetic stuff," Roman said. "It's like a musician. You hear him all the time on the radio but what you really want to hear is the stuff he plays at home."

And Roman has quite a collection after watching concrete evolve as his talents have flourished throughout his 30 years in the business.

"Concrete has changed because of science — the control, the fluidity," he said.

But one thing that has remained constant is concrete's mystery and its role of being in command — a quality Roman appreciates and admires.

"Most people don't know the possibilities," said Roman. "Some people are just shocked. People have no idea. They've only seen concrete bunnies or birdbaths in the garden."

One of the ways Roman strives to enlighten homeowners, architects, and designer is through his 750-square-foot showroom, filled with representations of his work. Many decorative concrete companies throughout the company are finding showrooms to be a powerful tool because so many people are unfamiliar with what a concrete countertop or sink looks like — or how different one can look from another.

"Designers and architects are blown away," said Roman, whose business is about 80 percent residential.

Roman also recently launched his web site, www.danromanstudio.com, just a few months ago.

"I get quite a few leads and I just got a web site a couple months ago," Roman said. "It's like a floating showroom."

While homeowners in some regions of the country aren't quite used to the idea of concrete for their countertops and sinks, Roman said Coloradans are accepting of decorative concrete.

"There's a calling for it," he said. "Demand (in Colorado) has risen."

While most of the demand is for functional items like countertops and sinks, Roman always jumps at the chance to put his creative talents to work and most enjoys "the freaky stuff."

"Our true passion lies with designing and building of sculptural artistic pieces with architectural functionality," he says on his web site.

He understands when homeowners tend to stay conservative in kitchen projects because the kitchen has such a major role when it comes time to sell. But some clients are getting more creative in other areas of the house.

Some are willing to pursue more unique concrete projects in other parts of the house.

"In places like the powder room, you can always close the door — it doesn't affect the sale. In the bathroom you can really let it fly," he said. "Or even the fireplace."

Roman's creativity and commitment to the artistry of concrete has earned him many accolades and opportunities. For example, he's produced Range Hoods for William Ohs Kitchens and their 30 showrooms for more than five years. He's also created cash wraps for Galyan's Sporting Goods stores throughout the country.

And the media has been drawn to his work, too. His projects have been featured in national magazines, including Traditional Home, Better Homes and Gardens Kitchen Planner, and House Beautiful, among others. Dan Roman Studios has also been featured on HGTV's Modern Masters and The Learning Channel's "Work in Progress — Concrete Sinks."

While countertops and sinks are his mainstay, Roman is working on developing other lines of products, including furniture and vanities.

"What concrete does is dimensional," said Roman "It does things other materials can't do."

Roman likes working with designers on projects.

"But a lot of times it's a no-brainer — a drop edge and a backsplash," said Roman. "It's really about the way the homeowners live and the way they want their kitchen to function."

Roman's hope for the medium of concrete is that the possibilities continue to proliferate and that people look at it with more of an eye toward creativity.

When it comes to decorative concrete artisans, Roman said he thinks there will come a point at which the industry will fork with one sector devoted to the nice, functional work, like countertops and sinks, and another branch that will have more of a penchant for the creative side of decorative concrete and all its potential.

"If treated sensitively, it can be gorgeous," he said. "It can look like so many things — and I'm not talking about mimicking. We haven't even touched the surface. You have to allow it to do its own thing."

Dan Roman Studio, Inc.
Dan Roman
5623 Newland Way
Arvada, CO 80002
(303) 423-5633
Send Mail Now - Click Here
www.danromanstudio.com

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.