Concrete has long been revered for its versatility and strength, from some of its earliest known applications in ancient Egypt and Rome to its more contemporary function in modern infrastructure, architecture, and beyond. But today’s artists and makers are bringing a whole new level of craftsmanship and imagination to the material—blurring the boundaries between industrial and organic form in endlessly interesting ways.
Alice Tacheny has mastered the art of making durable feel delicate as she coaxes concrete into subtly structured, graceful designs. Drawing on inspiration from travel, the natural world, and her artful upbringing, she honors the long history of this enduring and timeless medium with pieces that feel entirely new. We’re delighted to partner with Alice and share her unique aesthetic, talent and concrete vessels with you.
Crafting with Concrete
Over the years, Alice Tacheny’s body of work and mastery of medium has stretched across a variety of familiar materials—from wood and brass to leather and concrete. But it’s this last that we’re excited to share with you, starting with the artisanal and elemental Phases Black and White Platter.
This platter feels industrial, and yet the subtle curves of this design and the organic lines between black and white somehow rival the warmth of more natural materials—live-edge walnut and clay come to mind.
On Instagram, she calls this piece “the super moon of the tray world” and it’s easy to see that inspiration in the minimal, crescent-like layers at its edges. This platter was made to be touched, contemplated, and put to use, so make it a countertop staple with fresh fruit or a smattering of your most-used salts and spices, or pull it out for your next party and top it artfully with appetizers or aperitifs.
Concrete Trays: One-of-a-Kind Designs
In this collection, Alice Tacheny has captured a kind of classic, concrete cool that’s worth celebrating. The slim, geometric structures she’s crafted feel at once relaxed and refined, streamlined and texturally rich. It’s those unexpected combinations that make these objects such a delight, but how do they come to life?
The process begins and ends in her Bay Area studio, first by experimenting with form in wood, plaster or clay. Final designs are made into silicone molds and eventually cast in concrete. In the case of the multi-colored pieces, concrete is poured into the molds by hand at the same time. The two colors always come together in a new, and totally different way, producing infinite variations of the same design. The result is that every piece has its own unique pattern where the colors meld; each object is one-of-a-kind.
Sculptural Platters and Plates
Adding a little of that trademark authenticity to your tabletop is a great way to enhance any serveware collection, and Alice Tacheny’s Slab Platter fits the bill. The variations in pattern add depth and character to each piece, and that unmistakably handmade element works well in contrast to the clear-cut, geometric shape of this particular design.
Classic, contemporary, and interesting in its own right, this concrete tray looks equally lovely unadorned as it does piled with snacks to serve. Let it complement some beautifully arranged charcuterie or crudité, without detracting from the contents.
For smaller servings and accoutrements, try the Slab Black and White Plate. It’s the perfect size for a mini baguette or a half a dozen oysters. Beyond the dining room, try it as a bedside phone-charging station or as a simple backdrop for your favorite candle, vase, or potted plant—when functionality is built into the design, the possibilities are endless.
A Shape for Every Space
Looking for something with a higher profile? Alice Tacheny rounds out this line with the thoughtfully crafted and incredibly versatile Concrete Black and White Caddy. Inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright’s Marin Civic Center, the curves and symmetry of this vessel mirror the organic rhythm and repetition of the arches found on that iconic exterior. And in the same way Wright’s architecture seeks to create harmony within the larger landscape, the soft edges and sculptural ease of Tacheny’s caddy make it a natural complement to any surface.
Also available in Ore and Straw, use this vessel as a catchall for household items to keep your surfaces free of clutter. Place it sink-side and use it as a holder for cotton swabs, a toothbrush, soap dispenser, etc. Give it a home on your desk and fill it with pens, pencils, and maybe even a small succulent.
Concrete looks especially striking as a backdrop for organic materials from plants to fresh produce, so this caddy makes sense in the kitchen too. In this case, the two-sided design makes it the ideal vessel for decadent snacks like pistachios, olives, and cherries—one side for your snacks and the other for shells and pits.
Timeless, Tactile Beauty
Finally, the Fade To Black Cori Bowls are the perfect versatile capstone to this collection of serve pieces. They’re all completely food-safe and are best preserved when hand-washed with a minimally abrasive sponge or cloth. Concrete may be best known for its simplicity and clarity in form, but part of its charm comes from its rich texture and tactile quality. Its surface is as lovely to feel as it is to look at, and just as we expect fine leather, wood, or metal objects to show wear-and-tear with use, these concrete pieces show their character in a patina that develops over time.
In an interview with SFGATE, Alice Tacheny makes a case for embracing that natural change: “I like making beautiful things, but I don’t think they should ever be too precious to be used every day. The more you imprint your daily use into it, the more interesting and compelling it becomes—oil stains, coffee mug rings, scratches—just embrace it. Perfection is an allusion.”
So put these exquisite concrete trays and vessels to good use in your home and watch as they evolve alongside you. We all deserve to experience a little beauty in function and, on that, these pieces more than deliver.
Shop the Alice Tacheny Collection.