For our latest lookbook, we’ve collected eight living rooms from Dezeen’s archive where architects have used board-marked concrete walls and ceilings to add textural interest.
As its name suggests, board-marked concrete, or board-formed concrete, is concrete that has been created using timber boards in its casting.
This imprints the pattern of the wood onto the concrete, giving it a more organic look and making it feel less industrial than smoother concrete.
As seen in the eight interiors below, board-marked concrete can add tactile interest and function as a stylish backdrop to living rooms across the globe.
This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring kitchens brightened by skylights, exposed structural ceiling beams and clerestory windows.
Casa Meco, Portugal, by Atelier Rua
A large living room with windows on three sides is at the heart of this Portuguese holiday home designed by Atelier Rua.
Its walls and ceiling were made from board-marked concrete, which is contrasted by a stone floor. Furniture and textiles in earthy hues add to the room’s natural feel.
Find out more about Casa Meco ›
Casa Alférez, Mexico, by Ludwig Godefroy
Mexico City-based architect Ludwig Godefroy created this brutalist holiday home entirely from board-formed concrete, with the material taking centre stage throughout the house.
In the living room, it was used to create a double-height living space that surrounds a cosy green conversation pit.
Find out more about Casa Alférez ›
Pedro Reyes House, Mexico, by Pedro Reyes
A staircase and library were rendered in coarse concrete for the living room in this Mexico City home.
Designed by architect Pedro Reyes for himself, his wife and their children, the house also features an irregularly paved stone floor and plenty of green plants.
Find out more about Pedro Reyes House ›
Villa Eternal Way, Slovenia, by OFIS Arhitekti
The entire entrance floor of this Slovenian house is one large living room, with walls and ceiling made from board-formed concrete.
Local studio OFIS Arhitekti contrasted the grey concrete with floor-to-ceiling black cupboards and added tactile details in the form of a boucle sofa and leather dining chairs.
Find out more about Villa Eternal Way ›
Building Frame of the House, Japan, by IGArchitects
Designed for both living and working, Japanese studio IGArchitects conceived Building Frame of the House as “one big room” that would let its clients work anywhere.
The home’s exposed board-marked concrete walls hold stepped mezzanine levels, creating overlapping spaces that the owners can configure into different rooms as needed.
Find out more about Building Frame of the House ›
AT House, Mexico, by Laurent Herbiet
Architect Laurent Herbiet designed the AT House in Oaxtepec, Mexico, as 10 glazed sections divided by board-marked concrete walls.
The concrete was left visible in the living room, which has a muted yet warm colour palette. Wooden furniture adds to the cosy atmosphere.
Find out more about AT House ›
Gujarat house, India, by Design ni Dukaan
This “citadel-like” house in India was designed to wrap around a central courtyard space, creating an indoor-outdoor feel.
In its formal living and dining room next to the courtyard, a tactile ceiling made from board-formed concrete sits above a glossy, polished floor, with a sculptural wood-and-marble coffee table completing the room.
Find out more about Gujarat house ›
Casa Golf, Argentina, by Luciano Kruk
A pale grey colour palette dominates the living room of this stacked-volume holiday home in a seaside resort in Argentina.
Board-marked concrete was used for its ceiling and walls and matched with a polished stone floor. A delicate Isamu Noguchi coffee table and wooden Eames chairs lend the room an air of mid-century modern elegance.
Find out more about Casa Golf ›
This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring kitchens brightened by skylights, exposed structural ceiling beams and clerestory windows.
