Cheng Concrete Announces Winners of Kitchen and Bath Concrete Maker Challenge

Top entry is a guitar-shaped sink for a music venue.

Fu-Tung Cheng Award Winner by Jonathan Seaman
Fu-Tung Cheng Award Winner by Jonathan Seaman
Cheng Concrete Exchange Logo 10944167

CHENG Concrete has reinvented its nearly decade-long concrete design challenge with the first of a new series — the Kitchen & Bath Concrete Maker Challenge. Launched early this fall, the Concrete Challenge was open to any concrete maker, either do-it-yourselfer or professional, with a kitchen or bath project made with any of the following CHENG mix products: Countertop Pro-Formula, NeoMix Original, or D-FRC (Decorative Fiber Reinforced Concrete).

After a one-month entry period, the People’s Choice Award Winner was selected by the voting public followed by the Fu-Tung Cheng Award Winner chosen by Fu-Tung Cheng, founder of CHENG Concrete and CHENG Design.

Fu-Tung Cheng Award Winner

Cheng picked Jonathan Seaman’s Integral Guitar Sink as the Fu-Tung Cheng Award Winner. Integral Guitar Sink was designed and fabricated in the shape of a guitar for a music venue and utilizes a custom-fabricated, retro-style microphone as a faucet fixture. Made with CHENG D-FRC in a custom color, Integral Guitar Sink measures 8’-0” x 3’-0” with a 6-inch drop edge and weighs nearly 400 lbs. Other than CHENG D-FRC BackingBlend, the oversized integral sink requires no reinforcement. Jonathan’s company, Infistone Concrete & Design, located in Lexington, KY, specializes in concrete kitchen countertops, bathroom vanities, integral sinks, and concrete furniture for both residential and commercial environments.

“I chose this project on its sheer whimsy, how fun it really was. In contrast to all the other entries, the guitar shape was surprising—and I can especially appreciate the custom fabrication that went into making the microphone faucet,” explains Cheng on why he chose the project. “The simple lines of the vanity highlight the form of the sink, the microphone, down to the detail of the slot drain making it a real standout.”

Runner Up for the Fu-Tung Cheng Award was Chris Ossenfort of Dallas, TX, for his entry, Kitchen Dining Table – Walnut & Concrete, a DIY project made with a solid walnut slab and CHENG Countertop Pro-Formula in Stone color. “I thought this was a great display of how the concrete literally embraced the natural beauty of that walnut slab. That organic form is unusual and the concrete didn’t compete with it, but instead, highlighted it,” said Cheng.

People’s Choice Award Winner

Approximately 4,000 total votes were submitted by the public and spread between 34 national and international entries. The project with the most votes was named the People’s Choice Award Winner with the honor going to Zebrawood Vanity and Sink by Andrew Seaman of Frederick, MD. Part of an 18-month home remodel, Andrew made the integral ramp sink vanity for a half-bath with CHENG Countertop Pro-Formula in Charcoal.

Andrew describes his goals for this do-it-yourself project, “I had wanted to attempt a decorative concrete project for some time, but was afraid to commit to doing something too big as my first attempt. I wanted to design something with lots of contrast: light and dark, modern and rustic, solid and soft. The simple lines of the sink, with the interesting textures of the zebrawood provide additional contrasting facets. The slot drain has fascinated me since the first time I saw one so I had to incorporate that element too. And the spill faucet completes the contrast with a simple Zen-like touch and a modern, elegant feel. It showcases the simplicity of decorative concrete and proves that anyone with a DIY disposition can achieve spectacular results.”

With only seven points separating the People’s Choice Award Winner from the First Runner Up, Johns Residence bathroom vanity by Jelsson Batista of Batista Group, Inc. in Delray Beach, FL, the two projects jockeyed for the top spot throughout the two-week voting period. The top spot was decided just minutes before voting closed.

From Denver, CO, Greyscape Studio’s The Curve, an integral kitchen sink and countertop, finished strong as Second Runner Up to the People’s Choice.

Prizes and Future Concrete Maker Challenges

The Kitchen and Bath Concrete Maker Challenge hosted by CHENG Concrete furnished over $2,000 in prizes that included a professional stand-up mixer, CHENG Countertop Pro-Formula mixes, CHENG Sealer and finishing products. An Alpha WDP-120 Concrete Wet / Dry Variable Speed Polisher was included as part of the People’s Choice Award prize package sponsored by Alpha Professional Tools.

For complete winning entry galleries, project profiles, and all entry submissions, visit www.chengconcrete.com/concretemaker. The kitchen and bath genre is the first of a planned series. Looking forward, CHENG Concrete hopes to launch the next Concrete Maker Challenge by next spring and may include concrete furniture or outdoor living as upcoming challenges.

Companies in this article
Latest