Commercial Decorative Project: The Preserves Common Area
Tennessee Concrete Magazine
Concrete Design Awards
Spring 2006
This fantastic project was extremely enjoyable for Memphis Ready Mix in that the developer of The Preserves neighborhood provided them with a loose plan for the project and encouraged MRM and contractor Kevin Baltz from Baltz and Sons to be creative. There are three areas in the neighborhood that were part of this project that used 4000 psi concrete, pea-gravel with Ultra Fiber-500, with stamp/skin finishes, hand scoring, acid-etch staining and sealing.
The first area is an arbor-covered bench at the entrance to the neighborhood. In this area, they placed a landing within the arbor and then sought to create the appearance of large stepping stones that would approach the arbor in an almost whimsical pattern. Each landing was texture-stamped and stained separately to mimic actual stone.
A second area has a large gazebo centered in a beautiful hillside with trees. Beneath the gazebo is a large octagonal landing. The center area 
award4.jpgwas finished with three different slate skins with London-cobble banding around the perimeter.
A lower adjacent area was scored into large slate-like blocks for a grill area, and finally, a circular area for picnic tables. Handscored onto the circular landing is a directionally accurate compass pattern star that was carefully hand stained to create a dramatic contrast that really made the area interesting.
The final result produced three functional and beautiful common areas that used concrete to help blend each are into its surroundings seamlessly.