Spectacular Midcentury Modern Home

The attributes of concrete don't go unnoticed by designers that appreciate carefully thought-out, custom architecture. When Sarah and Ethan Wessel, founders of design firm Tennen Studio in Phoenix, rebuilt their home, they chose concrete as their medium.

In a profile in The Wall Street Journal, photos of the home show the poured-in-place exterior concrete walls. Left rough and gray with horizontal ridges and fossil-like knotholes, the thick concrete walls keep the home cool during the day and warm in the night.

Inside, concrete was also used for various features. A seven-foot-long poured concrete fire feature is a stunning example of how concrete can be used creatively in any architectural setting. The master bedroom suite features a poured concrete interior wall that acts more as art than as an accent wall.