Make bare cement look good?

Paint it, Gold leaf it, verdigris it, weather it!

All of my fireplaces are made of pre-cast cement

and all of them have been painted with water-based acrylic paints.

I painted our very large Hall fireplace to look as if it were made of stone

I added gold leafing to the shell and painted the cement to mimic marble for our upstairs bedroom fireplace.

Dust off the dirt and start painting.  No primer necessary

This urn has been out in our harsh weather for more than 17 years...no sign of peeling or fading

Even synthetic stucco can be painted with acrylic paints

I need to finish the door surround

The upper part (Trumeau) of our living room fireplace

also made of pre-cast cement pieces and painted with water-based  paints.  A sealer (Okon) is a good idea for the hearth so you can clean it now and then

A cement garden urn painted 

 If you can wait a few years, nature is the best Artificer of them all

A little paint and a little help from the weather is all it takes. 

Gina