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Written by Jim Cavan, Green Alliance
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The Refinery proves concrete can be beautiful and green
When starting a business during an economic recession, finding the right niche is just as important as selling an eye-catching product. Patrick and Kate Simons, owners of the Refinery Concrete in Seabrook, New Hampshire, figured out a way to accomplish both. Launched in 2010, the company specializes in custom concrete countertops, sinks, fireplaces, and myriad other home décor items. And while the couple’s designs are as unique as the homes in which they are installed, one thread unites them all: a singular combination of green design and materials that offers something a cut above the competition.
The couple met while attending the Rochester Institute of Technology in New York—the Pennsylvania-born Patrick for industrial design, and New Hampshire native Kate for graphic arts. Finding themselves in need of a post-graduation scenery change, the two spent most of the next decade living and working outside Denver, Colorado. Finding work chiefly as a carpenter, Patrick Simons began experimenting with concrete as a medium for everything from countertops to furniture, taking inspirational cues from San Francisco-based concrete designers Buddy Rhodes and Fu-Tung Cheng. It was slow going at first, but it did not take long for Patrick to realize he was on to something.
Honing their craft, the couple became more and more excited by the prospects of the still-infant medium. Indeed, the idea of transforming rough and raw materials into something at once beautiful and highly detailed enticed them. “Concrete lends itself well to graceful contours and organically inspired designs,” Simons explains. “Combined with the wide palette of colors and applications, the possibilities are pretty much limitless.”
With numerous artists around Denver already working with many of the same techniques and materials, Patrick and Kate were not alone in their enthusiasm. “As with a lot of artistic trends, what was happening in California with this industry was making its way eastward, so there was definitely some competition in Colorado,” he says.
In late 2009, the couple decided to take their burgeoning craft to the Seacoast. While the move meant that both could be closer to their families—Kate grew up in nearby Bedford, New Hampshire, while Patrick was born and raised in Scranton, Pennsylvania—it also afforded a comparatively wide-open market for their rapidly improving concrete production methods.
“Out in Colorado, we realized that the few companies working with concrete could only reach about 4 million people,” Kate Simons notes. “But in the Northeast, there really isn’t much competition, even though the market is closer to 14 million people throughout the region.”
In the months and years since, Patrick and Kate have gradually redefined their designs and methods. The result is a product both hyper-modern and nostalgic—a sleek, twenty-first century take on a well-worn process. But the Refinery’s charming spin is not only in the form of their products. It is also in its green function. Specifically, the Refinery uses glass fiber reinforced concrete (GFRC). Unlike traditional concrete, GFRC incorporates glass fibers, cement, and sand in a mixture that is just as strong as traditional concrete but without the internal reinforcement that that would add unnecessary weight.
To create GFRC, Patrick first sprays a thin layer of concrete—known as a “face” or “beauty coat”—in the fabricated form. A sturdier mix, known as a “backer coat,” which contains alkaline-resistant glass fibers, is then laid down by hand to form the sinks or edges. Next, a liquid, self-consolidating mixture containing a plethora of glass fibers and plasticizers is poured inside the mold, giving the sink its “bulk.” After hardening and curing, the resulting piece is then sanded and polished to bring out its unique texture and aggregate. Finally, he uses a light slurry of cement and sand to fill in the tiny surface holes, after which a final sanding, cleaning, and sealing render it ready for installation.
It is a delicate process, and the end result is so sleek, angular, and attractive that you can easily forget about concrete’s rough reputation. At the same time, much of his product’s appeal lies in the nuanced surface itself. Indeed, one look attests that human hands—more than any machine—were the true tools of manufacture.
“Most people don’t see concrete as a good medium for a countertop or sink,” Patrick says. “But it has a great organic quality, and you can make it really sophisticated to the point where they don’t see it as concrete anymore.”
Aside from being sturdier and more aesthetically pleasing than standard concrete, the Refinery’s approach is also far more sustainable. The process incorporates materials like fly ash, slag cement, and VCAS pozzolans—all post-industrial, recycled products, which help strengthen the concrete while not taking away from its uniquely honed look and feel. Whereas 15 years ago factories had to pay people to take GFRC refuse off their hands, the materials are now ground down and shipped out to operations like the Refinery, where the materials account from anywhere between 15 and 50 percent of the finished product.
Beyond the green credentials of the concrete itself, the shop also features all-natural stains and environmentally friendly sealers. Additionally, their sand and cement are both purchased locally, as are the majority of the Refinery’s studio and office products. The couple’s space is a small, energy-efficient shop that consumes minimal water. And because the ingredients in concrete are calculated specifically for each individual job, there is virtually no waste on the manufacturing end, with what little is left over being properly recycled.
Soon after setting up shop on the Seacoast, the Refinery joined Green Alliance, a local green business union that certifies and promotes sustainability-minded companies throughout the region. As part of the organization’s discount program—individuals who purchase an annual membership receive a “Green Card,” which affords them deals at all of the GA’s 90 partnering businesses—the Refinery offers a five percent discount to all Green Alliance members.
For all their genuine desire to render their business as green as possible, Kate and Patrick Simons understand that theirs is a niche where quality and craftsmanship still count for just as much as reducing carbon footprints.
“At the end of the day, you have to be willing to meet and exceed the customer’s expectations,” Patrick says. “At the same time, we’re trying to find that balance and keep our eyes open for new products and methods that will continue to help us both be green and maintain that reliability and quality.”
While the couple remains excited by the idea of growing their business to include a wider variety of designs, approaches, and applications, right now it is all about exposure, Patrick says. “We want people to know that concrete is more than bridges, driveways, and sidewalks. It can be functional, beautiful, home art as well.”
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Nancy Bither, Atlantic Design Center
(207) 363-3004 - atlanticdesignctr.com
How would you describe your design style or philosophy?
My approach is a little more technical than some. While style is critically important, I tend to think function is the priority. I want to know the appliance details and the storage needs before I talk about what my client wants for a door style or finish. However, coordinating the whole picture successfully is still the most satisfying part of my job.
What is a common mistake homeowners make when planning a kitchen?
The two biggest misconceptions are how much time is necessary to design and estimate a project as well as remodel or install a new kitchen. Good contractors and successful designers are very busy. Then trying to coordinate three or four subcontractors to both estimate their end of the project and install their product in a timely manner is a challenge the homeowner rarely understands.
Do you enjoy cooking and does that inspire your kitchen designs?
Well, I guess my secret is out now. For the last 20 years my wonderful husband, who is a fantastic cook, does all the meals—and the clean up too! He even spoils me by making me lunch every day. However, I believe just because I haven’t cooked in the kitchen of late doesn’t mean I don’t know how one works efficiently. Just ask my clients!
What exciting trends do you see in kitchen design?
Clean lines and low maintenance are still strong trends in kitchen design. Therefore, recessed panel doors and quartz countertops are our number one sellers. And here in northern New England, white and off-white will always be the most popular color choices. However, the excitement is in using bold accent colors like “Tequila Lime,” “Deep Ocean,” and “Hawthorne Yellow,” which can really make the design sing.
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Scott Purswell, Dovetailed Kitchens, Inc.
603 433-9918 - dovetailedkitchens.com
How would you describe your design style or philosophy?
My personal style starts with and revolves around my clients’ vision and dream of what they want their kitchen to feel like, what they want the ambiance to be, what they want the kitchen to communicate, and how they want it to work. I want them to like it as much in 15 years as they like it the day it goes in.
What is a common mistake homeowners make when planning a kitchen?
“Let me count the ways…” No, seriously, I would have to say that avoiding the assistance of design professionals would be the biggest mistake. Everyone can use some experienced design help. I’ve helped architects design their own kitchens, and I received assistance on my personal kitchens from architects, interior designers, etc. It’s advisable to hire someone certified by his or her particular professional organization.
Do you enjoy cooking and does that inspire your kitchen designs?
I love to cook, and even better, I’ve enjoyed living with an extremely gifted cook for over 30 years. Watching and helping prepare exquisite meals and seeing them served with thoughtful and beautiful presentations has been the background music of my kitchen designs. Imagining the meals being prepared in the kitchen and imagining what happens during the meals—that is inspiring!
What exciting trends do you see in kitchen design?
In the longer arc of kitchen trends, the kitchen being integrated into the living space is the most exiting. I hear frequently, “Everyone always ends up in the kitchen!” and it’s true for almost everyone. Another trend revolves around the tremendous, almost overwhelming, amount of choice. Whatever your personal style or vision may be, there are whole worlds of materials and choices to help you achieve it!
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Linda Clough-Cloutier, Lifestyles Kitchens and Baths
603 964-1771 - lifestyleskitchens.com
How would you describe your design style or philosophy?
I design each kitchen as if it were my own. Listening to my clients’ needs, wishes, and goals is so important. Do they enjoy cooking? Do they have children that like to help? What is their style? The size of the space is also critical. The list can go on and on and I love that! The more information I have, the better the design.
What is a common mistake homeowners make when planning a kitchen?
Sometimes people don’t know about placement of the elements that make a good working design. Occasionally, they want to fit very large appliances into a smaller kitchen. That can be a challenge. For the most part, though, my clients are coming to me so I can help guide them to the best design, and we work things out so they don’t make mistakes.
Do you enjoy cooking and does that inspire your kitchen designs?
I love to cook. Cooking is my way of relaxing. Because I take such an interest in cooking, I find that I can share my experiences with my clients. I have learned how important it is to have all the spices in the right location and all the cooking and baking utensils right at your fingertips. All of this is so much fun, and sharing it is even better!
What exciting trends do you see in kitchen design?
I have been designing kitchens for almost 30 years and I have seen it all! The trend today is sleek and heading toward contemporary with clean lines and easy maintenance. Painted finishes and painted glazed finishes or stained wood have been popular for a long time. Two-toned or even three colors are trending. But whatever the trends, your kitchen should be anything you want it to be!
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Janice Page, PKsurroundings Owner/Designer
603 817-6347 - PKsurroundings.com
How would you describe your design style or philosophy?
A home should always feel like a client’s personal sanctuary. I listen carefully to my client’s thoughts and intentions and also pull from my experiences of travel, schooling, and past projects to create an individualized and proprietary space. Every project I design is built on trust, quality products, and following through on every detail.
What is a common mistake homeowners make when planning a kitchen?
People who plan their own kitchens without the benefit of a Certified Kitchen Designer (CKD) can make mistakes in space allocations and layout. There is also huge value in working with a Certified Kitchen Designer, who is also an interior designer, because the designer can help make the most efficient use of the space. Kitchens not only have to be beautiful, they have to work beautifully, too.
Do you enjoy cooking and does that inspire your kitchen designs?
I enjoy cooking and believe it requires a combination of art and science to make a medley of tastes come together just right. I also am inspired by many of the arts— culinary, theater, and the study of masterful painters. Being a cook is one element that is helpful when designing a kitchen because it can make you attuned to the use and feel of the space.
What exciting trends do you see in kitchen design?
I see simple and classic lines in cabinetry with either specialty woods or painted finishes; functional storage options; “mini living areas” for more intimate seating within the kitchen; pantry storage; considering lighting as “jewelry” and appreciating how it can change the room; and designing with walls, ceiling, and floor in mind to create a well thought out and finished space that includes color and texture.
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Kathlyn G. Box, Adaptations Unlimited
603 319-4765 - adaptationsunlimited.com
How would you describe your design style or philosophy?
Often design kitchens for historic homes, which are my favorites. My designs are a balance between the wants and needs of my clients, integrating new appliances and conveniences into a space, and maintaining the classical character of the home. I enjoy the challenge of making the kitchen look like it has always been there by utilizing older- looking materials that are not dated or trendy.
What is a common mistake homeowners make when planning a kitchen?
The most common issue I see is that homeowners tend to underestimate the space that is needed between countertops. Frequently, people try to make the space between an island and the opposing countertop just 36 inches, which is barely adequate for one person to work in, but it wouldn’t allow two people to work or even pass each other. I recommend 42 inches as a minimum.
Do you enjoy cooking and does that inspire your kitchen designs?
I do enjoy cooking, especially soups and stews in the cold weather months. These meals usually require a lot of cutting of vegetables and prep work. Because of this, I have found over the years how very important the countertop area between the refrigerator and the sink is. I strive to give my clients the largest countertop space possible in this critical preparation area.
What exciting trends do you see in kitchen design?
An exciting trend is the increased use of electronics, from cooks using iPads for recipes to the use of computers to schedule and keep track of the children’s activities, to listening to music and watching TV. It’s important to have a central place for the smartphone, iPad, and MP3 players to be charged. The kitchen has always been the hub of the household and still is today!
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Mari Woods, Kitchen Bath Home
603 319-8910 - mariwoods.com
How would you describe your design style or philosophy?
My design style is best described as intellectual. I spend a lot of pre-design time interviewing my clients and understanding their tastes, their functional needs, and their personalities. Although every design I create is unique, the common thread is that each will be grounded in precision and will reflect the aesthetics and unique personality of the owner.
What is a common mistake homeowners make when planning a kitchen?
The biggest mistake is hiring the wrong designer, or not hiring a designer at all. For the average homeowner who only plans a kitchen once or twice in a lifetime, it is impossible to think of everything. Hiring the right designer, who knows the proper questions to ask, listens to their clients’ responses, and who capably fulfills their clients’ needs and desires, is critical.
Do you enjoy cooking and does that inspire your kitchen designs?
I do enjoy cooking, but I can’t say that it inspires my kitchen designs. The kitchens I create are for the use and enjoyment of my clients, and to impose my own personal preferences would be irresponsible. I do think my own cooking experiences give me insight into what my clients may enjoy in their new kitchens and what may frustrate.
What exciting trends do you see in kitchen design?
Technology and the “Smart Kitchen” are truly exciting trends! I started designing kitchens almost 20 years ago and couldn’t imagine a computerized refrigerator that would teach you how to cook, or a faucet that would turn itself on when your hands were too dirty to touch the levers. Now those technologies exist and it is only going to get better and even more fascinating!
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Prefab Green
by Michelle Kaufmann and Catherine Remick
(Gibbs Smith, 2009)
Modern prefabricated house designs are not for the faint of heart, nor are they for the untidy. The sleek and minimalist houses featured in Prefab Green by Michelle Kaufmann and Catherine Remick, aren’t for everyone. Like modern art, chances are you will either love or hate the aesthetics. The good news is that even if the houses aren’t your style, the book is an interesting read and has good information about why and how to build sustainably.
The tale of Prefab Green began when Michelle Kaufmann, a young architect, and her husband, a furniture and stair builder, could not find “an affordable, well-designed, sustainable home.” Instead of giving up, they decided to design and build one themselves.
Called the Glidehouse for the sliding panels of glass and cedar used inside and outside the building, the home started getting noticed. It was not just “green,” but also simple, elegant, and filled with light. Even before her house was finished, Michelle began to figure out how to prefabricate Glidehouse.
The original Glidehouse was built entirely onsite and took 14 months to complete. The first identical prefabricated Glidehouse was built in only four months, and the cost was 30 percent less.
The book shows how the Glidehouse design evolved and has been customized for several different locations. Despite a title that might lead you to believe that this is a survey of available prefab green homes, it features only the work of Michele Kaufmann.
Prefab Green is about how an architect views her own work. It is also about a very particular way of building houses and how a philosophy of green design informs the choices of site, materials, and other issues of sustainability that can change how we think about our homes.
Reviewed by Kerry Michaels
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150 Best Eco House Ideas
by Marta Serrats
(Harper Design, 2010)
With hundreds of beautiful pictures of modern and prefab houses, architecture and design writer Marta Serrats has put together a printed tour of environmentally conscious home ideas. More than 60 individual houses are featured in 150 Best Eco House Ideas, with sites from Japan to Norway to the Green Mountains of Vermont.
The book is divided into ideas on passive energy strategies, which refer to maximizing a home’s location on a site; insulation and the thermal inertia of materials; and active energy strategies, meaning the use of technology for heating and cooling systems. There are also sections on “Prefab Constructions” and “Innovative Ideas.” Many suggestions will be familiar to the reader, such as the use of compact fluorescent bulbs or optimizing window placement. Others, especially those in the innovative section, come from further out: chairs constructed entirely from rolls of paper, or thermal insulation made from timber and bubble wrap.
The 150 ideas of the title range from a short phrase to a few sentences, and many small architectural drawings are placed alongside the photos. While the book can be scant on written details, it is an eye-opening education on the many inspired, environmentally friendly homes being constructed around the world. The heft and style of 150 Best Eco House Ideas make it a perfect table topper, and modern home enthusiasts and conservationists alike will enjoy the beautiful images and creative concepts of the book.
Reviewed by Allison Knab
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Written by Jim Cavan, Green Alliance
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| ECO-ARTIST TIM GAUDREAU MELDS THE WORLDS OF ART AND ADVOCACY |
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What if you tried to photograph everything you threw away for an entire year? Local green artist and activist Tim Gaudreau did just that. His resulting collage, exhibited as far afield as San Francisco, now resides on an office wall at the Green Alliance, of which Gaudreau is a long-standing member.
A vortex of bottles, plastic film canisters and other random trash, the piece typifies this Portsmouth native’s practice of melding the worlds of art and green advocacy. Gaudreau, who splits his time between his more issue-driven, eco-artistic endeavors and Tim Gaudreau Studios, a commercial photography business, recalls his return to graduate school in 2000, when the immediacy of green issues and politics began steering his artwork in a more activist direction.
“I’ve spent a lot of time in the Southwest, and on a mountain hike in California, I remember thinking about how beautiful it was—the fog in the valley, the light shining across the air creating this beautiful atmosphere,” he says. “When I was walking down the mountain, I ran into someone researching the air quality, and he told me it was smog settling in from L.A., 200 miles away. Then it struck me—the dichotomy of simultaneous beauty and ugliness.”
Gaudreau evoked this epiphany when he undertook his Self-Portrait, As Revealed in Trash in early 2005. That same dichotomy continues to drive the green artist to still
higher levels of creativity and advocacy. Indeed, many of his self-described “performative” art pieces are intended not only to stimulate observers but also to incite and inspire them. For example, Gaudreau created viewers—eye-level frames staked into open hillsides—to show how sprawl could arise. To make his point, he attached to each viewer a transparent sheet imprinted with an image of Wal-Mart or a housing development. Once observers saw how overdevelopment alters the landscape, they would be more apt to consider the consequences of such practices in their own community. Gaudreau’s art is nothing if not interactive and community oriented.
In the summer of 2008, Timberland, the outdoor outfitter, commissioned Gaudreau to construct a creative piece to raise awareness about the importance of recycling. The artist built a giant, three-dimensional plastic boot out of recycled water and soda bottles. Designed to foster recognition of which types of refuse can be recycled, the boot measured 7 feet high, 12 feet long and 5 feet wide. Titled Give Plastic the Boot, it would come to serve as a visual cornerstone for Timberland’s international sales campaign, which was rolling out a new line of boots made partly from recycled plastics. Indeed, it would not be the last time that Gaudreau incorporated recycled materials into a piece of advocacy art: a few months later, he shaped recycled bottles into a large faucet, which he donated to help a Washington, DC-based advocacy group lobby on behalf of international water issues.
While Gaudreau’s “green art” has in the past fueled conversation, lately he has been trying his hand at more functional pieces. Specifically, Gaudreau has taken to producing furniture made entirely of natural materials—wood, dirt and grass. The whole idea started in casual conversation with his wife, Atlanta, when they became interested in researching how to bring a “truly green” couch into their Portsmouth home. After researching organic fabrics and woods, Gaudreau had the idea of making one entirely out of natural materials. He hammered together a basic wooden form, a mold, and then filled the structure with dirt. Once compacted and dried, he removed the wooden form and planted organic turf grass all over it. The result was a couch that was as lush and green as it was heavy (Gaudreau’s estimate is close to a ton). It now occupies a prominent spot in his backyard.
Gaudreau’s green couches—his own and two others that reside in a Newburyport, Massachusetts, pocket park—may be more practical than a plastic boot, but they are nevertheless conversation starters. “What appealed to me was the idea of having a living sculpture. Sure, it would have to be outside, but that presented its own opportunities,” Gaudreau says. “I recognized that modern society didn’t really afford the time to truly enjoy nature, to just go outside and sit on the grass. So the result was a piece that was really inviting and surprisingly comfortable.” The Portsmouth artist says the response from passersby has been overwhelmingly positive. “I actually had one woman come up to me and say, ‘It’s like the earth is hugging me.’ That really struck a chord with me.”
Just as impressive as Gaudreau’s green artwork is his personal commitment to green living. He heats his home and studio with a wood-pellet boiler and passive solar features. Solar photovoltaic panels generate power. As a result, he has not received an electric bill in over six months. Almost all of his appliances are Energy-Star rated, and he and Atlanta drive bio-diesel powered Volkswagens. He tends an organic garden large enough to feed five local families and makes his own flavored seltzer waters in order to eliminate what he describes as a former “four-bottled-drinks-a-day habit.” In his photography business, Gaudreau went digital in 2001, eliminating the chemical-heavy papers, film, and toners that once typified the world of professional photography.
The artist’s community involvement includes giving seminars at schools throughout the region. Last year, he partnered with the Islington Creek Neighborhood Association and EcoMovement Consulting and Hauling to form Zero Waste Portsmouth. This organization is spearheading efforts to place the city’s first public recycling and composting receptacles downtown. Fellow Green Alliance member Middleton Building Supply donated materials for the bins. Pupils at Portsmouth’s middle and high schools
made the bins' decorative ceramic tiles, while students from Robert J. Lister Academy, a high school for at-risk adolescents, created the prototype waste station, which was
installed in August at Prescott Park. Five more bins should be set out by spring. Gaudreau also hosts Portsmouth Green Drinks, a monthly gathering of eco-friendly community members, who socialize and listen to guest speakers.
Green concerns will stay front and center for this artist, who would like to design interior spaces and features for green buildings and private residences. Gaudreau wants his work to move people beyond visual appreciation to theoretical discussions and eventually to real eco-change.
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