Concrete Habitat creates solid niche

On the rooftop deck above the new Ruby Suites apartments sits a massive, 10-foot-long concrete table with a fire feature down the middle. In one of the adjoining first-floor restaurants is an 4- by 8-foot fire pit.

Both were created by Concrete Habitat, a local company launched by Jim “Spider” Brown. Several years ago, Brown partnered with Willie Wilson, a former land developer.

Spraying concrete into custom molds, the pair turn out projects ranging from simple coffee tables to elaborate countertops with seamless built-in sinks.

Glass fibers embedded in the concrete permit architectural elements to be cast as thin as ¾ inch without cracking. And because the concrete is less porous than traditional granite countertops, it resists staining and requires minimal maintenance, the manufacturers claim.

During a recent interview, Wilson discussed Concrete Habitat’s products.

S-R: What are your entry-level items?

Wilson: Our concrete vases start at around $40, and our wine chillers are $79. Hollow concrete side tables start at $250.

S-R: What’s most popular right now?

Wilson: Vanities with integral sinks. We offer a range of colors, and can inlay things like coins, shells or company emblems.

S-R: And the cost?

Wilson: One we’re just finishing was $1,400.

S-R: How much time between placing an order and delivery?

Wilson: We like to have two weeks.

S-R: Is there much trial and error?

Wilson: Only if someone wants a custom color.

S-R: Tell me about your fire features.

Wilson: Our two most popular are our wok fire bowl, which is 36 inches wide, weighs 87 pounds and costs $950, and our large concrete fire bowl, which is 4 feet wide, 500 pounds and costs $1,500. The wok comes with a stainless-steel insert and fuel canister, and the large bowl includes a custom-fitted gas burner. The most expensive fire feature we’ve made was $6,500.

S-R: Are there other people in town doing this?

Wilson: Not that I’m aware of. A few years ago, concrete countertops were trendy and people got into this without knowing what they were doing. But they didn’t use what’s called GFRC – glass fiber reinforced concrete – and their products tended to crack. Ours come with a two-year warranty.

S-R: What about the recession?

Wilson: It had a huge impact on the higher-end home market. But things are absolutely picking up now.

S-R: Where do you sell your products?

Wilson: Primarily in Spokane and Coeur d’Alene, although we’re just finishing a dining room table for Seattle clients.

S-R: Any unusual requests?

Wilson: People with lots of property call up asking if we can make them a water tank to put on a hill. We don’t do water tanks. But we are working on concrete wine vats – what wineries call “eggs” – that will be mounted on casters, so they can be rolled around tasting rooms, and visitors can sample wine directly out of them.