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Steel cladding specialists also have figured out how to effectively coat steel to give it a precast look in a material that has a surface like heavy sandpaper. Centria’s relatively new line of textured siding can be created using custom colors and can fit any profile.

“We are now able to mimic EIFS and precast to create a cladding that is very lightweight, and creates a whole new appearance,” Brow says.

“I think we will begin to see a lot more natural-looking materials used on projects, both for exteriors and interiors, things like zinc and stainless steel,” Brow says. “We already have begun to see designs that mix colors and textures to a greater degree than in the past, and we are seeing more and more use of painted or perforated sunscreens, both as an accent feature and as a means of controlling light and shade.”

“Color is slow to take hold in the U.S.,” Brow says, especially bright colors common to Europe, “but I think we’ll see the new products being used a great deal in concert with other materials, say brick or stone, as a way of adding texture to buildings.”

“The textured line, Brow says, grew from focus group discussions that emphasized the need for a precast look. It is now available in almost any color. An exposed steel, he says, was taken before the same groups early in development and was well-received. We continued to develop the product because architects told us it was something they would like to see.”

Jeff Graveline, product manager for Bethany, Conn.-based Laticrete International Inc., says a new epoxy grout that installs with the ease of traditional cement grout and comes in 40 off-the-shelf colors, has quickly become a best-seller, and better yet, can be mixed with additives that create the luster of gold, the shimmer of silver, the warmth of copper or the sparkle of pearl.

“You can even make your grout glow in the dark,” says Kathleen Scranton, Laticrete creative director.