“I create to challenge my ideas of what is possible. I want to create something that will be around for years. My pieces will be around for decades after I’m gone. Not many other genres can say that.”

 

Creator Profile:

Brandon Boetto + SlabHaus

Creator: Brandon Boetto

Company:  SlabHaus (@slabhaus #slabhaus)

Location: 1210 W. Alameda Dr. Tempe, Arizona 85282 (Showroom coming Spring 2015)

Website: SlabHaus.com

Words of Wisdom – “Try to be unique. Try to find a niche. Try your best not to copy what’s been done and push the boundaries of what you think is possible.”

 

If you haven’t seen how far you can take concrete, then you haven’t been exposed to the concrete artistry of Brandon Boetto and his company, SlabHaus.

Brandon isn’t just the owner of one of the coolest companies I’ve ever come in contact with, he’s the lead designer of concrete-made home décor, and he’s killing it.Here’s just some of his work to get you excited.

 

 

Concrete Coffee Table

Photo Credit: Images of Slabhaus projects courtesy of Michael Baxter

 

I had the privilege of sitting down with Brandon at Four Peaks Brewery and we talked creativity, Corporate America, entrepreneurship and of course, his company SlabHaus.

HDF: You’re truly an artist and an entrepreneur. What were you doing that led up to you creating your own company SlabHaus and transitioning into becoming a master of concrete?

Brandon – Well, I still feel like I’m just barely getting my feet wet. I’m just very fortunate to have a great mentor in Brandon Gore. He’s truly a master of concrete.

I got started while I was an employee at Tempe-based bluemedia, a signage and print company. I was employee #15 and was there for 9 years. Now they have 150 employees, so you can imagine how large the company has grown.

 

HDF: Wow, so you saw a lot of changes?

Brandon – Yeah, I had reached the point in my job where I was mentally checked out. My computer became a creative black hole. I was spread too thin and wasn’t focused anymore.

Looking back, I think I subconsciously knew it was just a matter of time before I would leave but it was a nice job with benefits and great people so it was tough for me to make the leap myself……. and that’s when I got laid off.  Being forced into the unknown was intensely scary. At first I was devastated but looking back weeks later it was the best thing that had ever happened to me.

However, while I was there, I discovered industrial design and concrete furniture online. I stumbled across this awesome sink made out of concrete and I thought, ‘This is badass! I want to do this!’

See, I’m a designer by trade. I’ve been around technology my whole life, and while I was a designer for web and media, I knew I wanted to create something in the physical world. So, I sought out to take a class in Tempe for concrete artistry, found Brandon Gore’s class and leaped fully in from there.

 

HDF: So it was a smooth transition?

Brandon: Absolutely not, after I took my first class, I felt like I got in way over my head. I went home thinking “this is a massive undertaking”, and it was. It took me 3-4 months just to buy all the materials.

The first several months I was tinkering in my garage. Then I went from my garage to a shop in Tempe with a buddy of mine. We split the space. He built motorcycles and I built concrete.

Once I got laid off, the owner asked me what I wanted to do because he could get me into anything, but he knew I no longer wanted to do what I was doing. There was no better time to start my own thing with my concrete.

 

HDF: I’ve seen some of your concrete pieces and they are amazing. What’s the most unique piece you’ve created?

Brandon: Concrete headboards – They were actually featured in Scottsdale Magazine and are 12ft wide by 5 ft tall and close to 800 pounds. They actually had to be craned up to a 3^rd floor. These have been my favorite piece to date. Nobody can look at them and know its concrete right off the bat. It’s something truly unique that people wouldn’t expect.

 

Concrete Headboard

 

Photo Credit: Images of Slabhaus projects courtesy of Michael Baxter

 

HDF: Was that the heaviest piece you’ve done?

Brandon:  No, the heaviest was a 950-pound fire pit.

 

HDF: Holy Shit! Final Question – How did you get the name SlabHaus?

Brandon: I literally took the word “concrete” and when to synonym.com and started doing research. I knew that keeping the 4 letter words together would make a better logo then “house” so Slab & Haus came together. That’s the design side of me.

 

HDF: Brandon, your stuff is amazing and I truly thank you for giving me the time to hear your story.

Brandon: Thanks man! Keep an eye on facebook, I have some cool projects coming down the pipe.

HDF: ABSOLUTELY!

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Photo Credit: Profile photo in Header Graphic via Chris Kontakis

Photo Credit: Images of Slabhaus projects courtesy of Michael Baxter