Stafford Cliff’s book The Way We Live Alfresco, looks at the ways in which we can incorporate the external environment into our every day lives. This covers transitional spaces, which Cliff interprets to be ‘Verandas, Terraces, Patios and Conservatories’ (Cliff, 2005), and a particularly relevant chapter titled Bringing the Outside In.
Looking firstly at transitional spaces, Cliff explores how these allow the movement from interior to exterior. The spaces described by Cliff usually accommodate social happenings, and so the images and detail within this chapter depict how to create a flow between perhaps a sitting room and an outdoor seating area. This aspect is important in my research, as I am looking to design a kitchen, and possibly open this up onto a dining patio.
The image below shows how a transition can be created however the design contains items of furniture that the English climate would not allow. Although I cannot use the patio as an extension of the kitchen by bringing out a dresser or cupboard, other ways that a smooth transition can be achieved is perhaps to have seat cushions that match the kitchen curtains or to have similar chairs to those at the breakfast table. Working the transition the other way, flowers from the patio could be used as decoration in the kitchen to link the two areas together.
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| Cliff, 2005 |
This second image is another example of a seamless transition from internal to external. The internal flooring perfectly matches that of the patio, allowing the interior to flow through to the outside. This is an idea that I could use when designing my client’s kitchen, to continue the connections theme.
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| Cliff, 2005 |
The chapter mentioned previously Bringing the Outside In is subtitled Alfresco Decorations, and looks at ways of bringing external features inside. The images in this chapter are described as being ‘concerned with ways in which the outside can illuminate the interior – how for instance, the peace and tranquility of gardens can be brought inside as an influence, without compromising the comforts of life indoors’ (Cliff, 2005). As this is a key theme stated in my brief, I will be analysing this chapter carefully, and looking at the images that display a connection to the outside environment.
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| Cliff, 2005 |
This design has interesting hints of nature dotted throughout it. The main focus in this room are the vases on the table. These are made from tree branches, and so here we have the first hint of nature. The branches growing out of the vases indicate a natural structure, bringing life and movement into the room. The fabric on the chair in the foreground imitates grass, and has some sort of reptile sitting on it. The Logic behind this design is not clear, however the presence of the countryside is very clear.
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| Cliff, 2005 |
This floor design lookes at the structure of a leaf, detailing its skeleton. I really like the idea of this design, it could work well as a kitchen floor. The subtlety of nature here makes the brick almost look elegant.
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| Cliff, 2005 |
This kitchen is made entirely from wood and stone. It feels as though it could be outside in spite of the man made items such as the cooker. The colours too are entirely natural, however I do not know how practical this design would be.
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| Cliff, 2005 |
In this image, the fire place is guarded by large natural stones. The floor seat layout suggests this is not a design from this country, as it looks far too ethnic. The presence of nature dominates this room with heavy wood furniture and a natural colour palette.
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| Cliff, 2005 |
This room also uses colours to demonstrate nature. The seating is covered in an earth red fabric, and the wooden tables look rough and natural.
Nowadays it is possible to see nature brought into the home through floral prints on walls and curtains. What Cliff does is demonstrate a range of different ways that nature can be incorporated into interior design.
Discussing materials for furniture, Cliff states 'articles of furniture may even reflect the natural world in their roughness of texture and the untreated state of the materials from which they are made. Here Cliff is beginning to touch on the idea of truth to materials, a theory that will be looked at later.
Cliff discusses the idea of natures forms, and explores how these can be used in decoration. Richard L. Dubé is another who discusses natural forms and it is his book Natural Pattern Forms: A Practical Sourcebook for Landscape Design he gives the following definition:
'Natural patterns and natural forms can be defined as any arrangement of objects/masses and/or bisecting smooth or disturbed planes that have come together without the assistance or influence of humankind'
By looking at the countryside and how its natural structures and forms can be brought into the interior, my theme juxtaposes Dube's theory. The key aspect of his theory, is that natures forms occur 'without' man. Trying to convey true nature, and natures true forms in interior design is never going to be fundamentally accurate, and so I need to research other ways of allowing the countryside to connect through the interior. This is not to say that I won't look at nature's form, and ways that it can be used, as my client is looking for a connection with the countryside, and not an exact imitation of the external environment. This brings me back to Cliff's earlier quote 'how for instance, the peace and tranquility of gardens can be brought inside as an influence, without compromising the comforts of life indoors’ (Cliff, 2005). Cliff acknowledges that the countryside should be an influence, and so this is how I will approach my design task.
Post Bibliography
Cliff, S and De Chabaneix, G. 2005. The Way We Live Alfresco. Thames and Hudson
Dubé, R. 1997. Natural Pattern Forms: A Practical Sourcebook for Landscape Design. John Wiley and Sons
Cliff, S and De Chabaneix, G. 2005. The Way We Live Alfresco. Thames and Hudson
Dubé, R. 1997. Natural Pattern Forms: A Practical Sourcebook for Landscape Design. John Wiley and Sons
