The bathroom looked like something from a 2019 interior design feed: smooth gray walls, a floor that didn’t have any seams, and black taps that caught the morning light. It looked perfect at first. Then you saw the small crack in the hairline near the shower. The dull spot on the floor where the laundry basket had left a stain. That annoying feeling that this once very fashionable microcement suddenly felt… worn out.
I’ve talked to three different friends in the past year and they all said the same thing: “We chose microcement because everyone else did.” Now I just want something that feels better.
The end of the microcement dream
You can see microcement in any newly renovated flat from the last five years, just like you can see a familiar Instagram filter. Those gray walls that went on and on promised a “loft” look, even in a 45 m² apartment on a busy street. Simple, easy to clean, and almost like a building.
The problem is that when something is everywhere, it stops being special. Microcement has reached that point. It went from “wow” to “oh, that again” to “expected.” And in real life, with kids, pets, spilled coffee, and hard water, its flaws have started to show.
If you ask interior contractors, they’ll tell you the same thing. At the height of the trend, people asked for microcement showers, kitchen counters, and even stairs. Then, a year or two later, the calls started: stains that wouldn’t go away, chipped corners, and showers that needed to be re-sealed.
One installer in London told me about a couple who loved the look so much that they covered their whole ground floor in microcement. Two winters later, they realized that the cold, hard surface made the space feel more like a gallery than a home. The wife said she had started putting rugs all over the place “just to make things softer.” That means a lot.
Microcement is not a bad thing. It’s just a product that has been pushed too far. It needs perfect substrates, expert application, regular sealing, and gentle cleaners. Most real homes don’t have that kind of discipline. To be honest, no one really does this every day.
The super-sleek concrete look is losing popularity as design trends move toward texture, warmth, and touch. People still want clean lines, but they don’t want to feel like they’re living in a parking garage. The emotional tide is shifting toward something softer, warmer, and more forgiving.
The quiet takeover of the material: lime-based “soft stone” finishes
A new synthetic coating is not the rising star on many architects’ moodboards. These are a group of finishes made from lime and clay that are often called “soft stone,” “mineral plaster,” or “tadelakt-style” coatings. They look like stone that has been smoothed out by hands over many years on walls. A little cloudy, a little mottled, and a little reflective.
People change because of the touch. Some microcement systems feel cold and a little plastic, but these new finishes feel soft and almost like skin. You don’t even think about it when you run your hand along the wall. That simple, almost automatic gesture is what makes a space feel like it’s been lived in instead of staged.
Imagine a shower wall that is a sandy beige color and has veining that is not printed but comes from the application itself. There is no clear line where the tile grout should be, and there is no small crack that stands out. It looks like a flat surface that gets deeper when it gets wet and then goes back to being soft and matte when it dries.
Last year, a friend in Barcelona replaced her old microcement shower with a new lime-based coating. She said, half-joking, “It finally looks like I’m living in a hotel in Marrakech, not a Pinterest board from the Covid era.” The upkeep? A little bit of soap, a soft cloth, and waxing it again every so often. She says she is much less afraid of that day than she was of resealing her old microcement.
It’s not just the looks that have changed; the technology behind these products has too. Modern mineral plasters use old recipes (lime, marble powder, and clay) along with hidden binders that make them more resistant to water and wear and tear. They don’t try to make their products as hard as concrete. They like small changes, soft patina, and a little movement.
That makes them strangely fit with real life. Small marks or water stains don’t mean “damage,” they just add to the surface’s story. It’s a different way of thinking about beauty: less perfect, more present. And that’s exactly where a lot of us are going with our homes right now.
How to change from microcement to a softer mineral look
If you already live with microcement and want something warmer, the first thing you should do is take a look, not panic. Look at where the material really bothers you: is it the shower, the worktop, or the floor in the hallway? People often find that changing just one important surface can change the whole feel of a room.
When conditions are right, experts can lightly sand the microcement, strengthen any weak spots, and then put a mineral plaster system on top. It feels more like fixing a wall than tearing down a bathroom. The most important thing is to work with someone who knows both materials, not just the new trend.
If you’re starting from scratch with a renovation, the easiest places to start are vertical surfaces like bathroom walls, splashbacks, and feature walls in the living room or bedroom. You can also do floors and countertops, but they require a more advanced product and a very skilled hand. These finishes are more versatile than microcement, but they still have limits.
People often make the mistake of thinking they will act like tiles or laminate. They will leave a mark. They will get a soft patina where you touch them the most. That first tiny scratch on a “perfect” surface feels like a crime scene for all of us. These lime-based coatings help ease that worry. The first mark doesn’t ruin the story; it starts it.
French interior designer Claire M. says, “I stopped promising clients ‘immaculate’.” Now, most of her projects use lime plasters. “Instead, I say, this finish will change with you. You might be looking for the wrong material if you want a house that never changes.
Begin small
- Before you commit to a mineral finish for your whole bathroom or kitchen, try it out on one accent wall or a small area first.
Pick a warmer color scheme
- These colors—beige-grey, clay pink, olive, and straw—feel softer right away than cold concrete grey.
Request samples
- For a week, live with sample boards at home. You can watch them in the morning, at night, when they’re wet, or when they’re dry.
Talk about how to clean
- Talk to your installer about what products to stay away from. Bleach-heavy sprays and rough scrubbing pads are usually not on the list.
Make a plan for micro-maintenance.
- It’s normal to re-wax wet areas every few years. It’s a small ritual that makes your surface last longer.
A different way to think about walls that are “done”
It’s not just a trend story that microcement is going away and lime-based “soft stone” finishes are becoming more popular. It says a lot about what we want from our homes after years of carefully chosen photos and sharp-edged minimalism. Once, smooth concrete meant control, cleanliness, and a certain way of life. These days, that same smoothness can feel a little too clean.
These new mineral coatings make a different sound. They reflect light in surprising ways, they don’t mind small flaws, and they get better with age. They don’t say “design,” they say “someone really lives here.” That’s a small but big change.
That’s probably why architects, decorators, and even people who do their own renovations are all using them at the same time. Not because microcement is bad, but because we’re all tired of fighting with our homes. We don’t want to walk on a surface that is too perfect and worry about getting it dirty. We want floors that can hold up to a birthday party and walls we can lean on with a cup of coffee in hand.
It’s not just about switching out one material for another at the end of the microcement era. It’s time to give up on the idea of a perfect home and accept a more peaceful, forgiving beauty. The kind that doesn’t make you worry every time you walk barefoot out of the shower.
| Main point: | Detail: | Value for the reader: |
|---|---|---|
| Microcement is losing ground. | Many homeowners are thinking twice about it because of cracks, stains, and a “cold” look. | Helps you avoid buying a finish that might feel old or annoying in a few years |
| Finishes made of lime and “soft stone” are becoming more popular. | Mineral plasters and tadelakt-style coatings add warmth, texture, and a patina. | Offers you a choice that feels modern, touchable, and more forgiving in everyday life. |
| Make specific changes first | Pay attention to important walls or wet areas, hire experienced installers, and be okay with the fact that things will get older. | Lets you improve your space without going overboard or making promises you can’t keep. |
