 |
| Using actual seaweed
from the Pacific Ocean not more that 100 yards away,
molds were
made for this living room floor that literally touches
the beach. The result was described by one visitor as looking "like
strewn seaweed that awashed an the floor from a winter
storm." Inset: Seaweed impression used blended acid
stains dabbed with sponge and brush for texture. Color
f or the body of the floors used a combination of blue
and green acid stains to actually look like the ocean next
to the Santa Cruz wharf. |
Ralston
takes his inspiration from many sources - paintings and skyscapes.,
for example,
Hillside rock formations are echoed in concrete patterns
and textures. Natural items like seaweed have been used as
a pattern model, and acid-washed concrete and various overlays
are used to emulate classic designs in tile or stone. A constant
process of experimentation has allowed many compelling effects
and textures to be incorporated into the company's offerings.
One such is Ralston's brand of sand finish, in which the
top surface of hard-troweled concrete is broken to expose
the fines of the sand, not the aggregates. With the addition
of a little pigment to the concrete, the result can be an
old, worn, weathered look that especially complements Victorian
and older properties, or any hardscape where the brash newness
of fresh concrete is undesirable.
Another polished touch is the Victorian swirl, a troweling
technique that imitates the fine swirled finish plasterwork
of European artisans found in old Victorians, The swirl finish
is less stark than the traditional broom finish for exterior
concrete, and it is especially popular in driveways and pool
decks where it adds slip resistance to the surface. Similarly,
the creative use of grid patterns with deep joints makes
a surface significantly more handsome for minimal or sometimes
no additional cost.
Ralston brings this refined sense of aesthetics to projects
when advising clients on decorative options. Sometimes stone
and tile work can be overdone, he notes, presenting a heavy
and busy facade to the viewer. The tasteful use of concrete
can allow a refined backdrop that sets off the stone or tile
work. Often, concrete can be used in stunning decorative
ways at clients may not be aware of; the Ralston Web site
is set up in part to illustrate these applications and the
visual appeal that results. The company's work is reflective
of Ralston's personal philosophy. "I love the idea of
navigating through design, texture and tactile things. I
love, for example, a project with hard geometric patterns
bordered by free-flowing serpentine curves so you get the
ying and yang effect, I like doing that with colors, with
textures, and more often than not in subtle ways, making
for a nice juxtaposition."
While Tom is admittedly a fan of subtle coloring and composition,
he nevertheless aspires to serve the client's needs well. "I'll
give alternatives," he says, "but then if someone
tells me they want screaming cobalt blue next to fire engine
red, I say, well, by cracky, that's what you'll get."
In the process of educating the client, Ralston takes care
to explain the limitations of concrete. The medium may experience
cracking, fading, color variation, and may require maintenance
with sealants. Yet some of these very limitations can be
appealing features when framed properly, lending, say, an
Old World, Romanesque look to an exterior.
Ralston's work in client education extends to both industry
and consumer groups through seminars he conducts periodically
with the American Institute of Architects (AIA). The goal
of this outreach is to heighten awareness about the decorative
concrete medium and to inform the consumer of its benefits. "We
can do a lot of this work for half the cost of masonry or
stonework," he notes. Formerly an advisor to the Decorative
Concrete Council, Ralston is presently on the board of advisors
for Cabrillo College's construction management program, He
does frequent career outreach to trade students, and recruits
summer interns from the UC Santa Cruz School of Business
for analysis of project management issues.
Last year, he began teaching classes at his Fern Street
office on decorative concrete, and offers seminars by other
industry experts. His book on concrete countertops should
be out by the end of the year, just before his countertop
seminar at the World of Concrete held in Las Vegas on January
17-20, 2006.
Effective project management is a high priority for Ralston,
who has taken pains to streamline the workflow of his business.
In doing so he is inspired by Robert Smith, CEO of FedEx. "Have
you seen those FedEx guys in the morning?" he asks. "They
shoot out of the building like an army. That's what we want
to do. We want our efficiency to increase so that we can
make far more profit than the industry average of 4 percent.
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