Hello!

We are wanting to recreate the fireplace mantel in the photo below (in terms of color, material and overall design). A designer friend mentioned having something fabricated in "cast concrete" to create this look.

There is only one company locally in Arizona that can fabricate a fireplace mantel in cast concrete (most only do sinks + counters). The company mentioned it might look different than this photo below. I got the impression this photo is not a mantel made in cast concrete but they were not sure what it was.

Also, they mentioned they can only do 2 finishes for the sealant: satin and semi gloss.

We are hoping to create kind of a natural looking, "castle stone" type look and thus, was hoping for a matte finish.

I guess the matte sealant they use creates a whitish residue so they do not recommend using the matte sealant. No sealant is not recommended b/c concrete stains so easily.

I am concerned if we go with the satin finish, we are going to create a semi-shiney painted concrete look, which would make more sense for a modern home.

Our house is traditional looking, but we are trying to give it an update to the best of our ability without compromising the integrity of the house. We have wainscot, thick crown molding, french doors and hardwood floors...

A few questions:

1. Am I overthinking this and cast concrete in a satin finish will be fine and look similar enough?

2. Is there another material I should be considering to achieve this look? My understanding is limestone and other natural stones do not come in a charcoal grey. What is this mantel made of?

3. Lastly, do you have any referrals for me on who can help me make this mantel? I live in Arizona.

Thank you!!