Serious question, why do home forge safety rules get ignored?
I keep seeing forges set up with no thought to sparks. Flammable stuff is way too close. My setup has a concrete back wall and metal shelving. It's not pretty, but it's safe.
Ugh, it's that "out of sight, out of mind" thing with slow dangers. I'm guilty of it myself sometimes (like that one time I almost left a paint can near a heater, yikes). Concrete might feel ugly and final, but so is a fire. Your setup sounds smart because it accepts that a stray spark is a question of "when," not "if." I'd take boring and safe over a cool looking workshop that's one accident away from trouble.
Notice this happens with anything involving a slow build versus a sudden danger. People are great at reacting to an open flame, but terrible at picturing a stray spark floating for thirty seconds before landing on some oily rags. Concrete feels ugly and permanent, while moving a cardboard box later is always the plan. That gap between what feels dangerous and what actually is dangerous gets people hurt.
Honestly I used to think a clean floor was enough. Then I saw a video of a spark catching some sawdust across the room. Now I get that you have to plan for the whole space, not just the anvil.