Secret garden
Abstract: The simple style of outdoor space does not contradict the complex requirements. The reason for the problem is that many people do not understand their real needs and master the basic principles of design. In this article, Ro will take you through six golden rules for creating an outdoor space.
Not long ago, a client sent a private message to Ro, asking how to design their own yard. The client's request is simple and practical, but it must ensure a certain degree of concealment and do not want to be too conspicuous. After further communication, the client put forward diverse and complex demands: Is it possible to add rockery and waterside pavilions? Is it possible to place a fish pond? etc.
Ro found that most clients have a conflicting thought at the beginning of design: "I understand simplicity is what modern design advocates, but too many functional demands, increasingly rich material life, and various suggestions from the people around me make it difficult for me not to To add some functions that may be used in the future." Such ideological contradictions often lead to overwhelm at the initial stage of design.
In fact, the simple style here does not contradict the complex requirements. The crux is that many people do not understand their real needs and master the basic principles of design. In this article, Ro will take you through the six golden rules for creating an outdoor space:
1. Don’t ignore the indoor view
Always consider what the view to the yard looks like from indoors. The window frame/door frame of the room can frame the view to the garden very well, imagine what kind of outdoor scene you expect to see through these frames? In fact, considering the weather and the living habits of most families, most of the fun brought by an outdoor garden comes from the indoor view. Especially when you have a favorite armchair indoors or a laundry area, have direct access to the view of the outdoor garden.
2. Try Bold Geometric Shapes
Outdoor space design is relatively free, so we don’t have to stick to conventional geometric shapes, we can try bold choices. If indecisive, Ro recommends a straight design. Although the curve design will bring softness to the outdoor space, especially for the garden in the city, but because the external space is composed of many factors, the small-scale curve will not affect the overall atmosphere. Moreover, green plants, as an integral part of the garden, can soften rough borders well. Therefore, the more ideal/attitude design is to express the client's design attitude through the contrast between the linear form and the soft boundary formed by the vegetation.
3. Simplicity is still the theme of design
The simple style does not advocate excessive decoration, pursues objectivity, and is conducive to the formation of a clear design space. Use up to three types of floor materials such as turf, sandstone and gravel. This is the key to ensuring coherence and consistency in the overall outdoor space. In the choice of fences, vegetation types or furniture tones, please try not to exceed three or more types.
4. Lighting is important
The role that lights play outdoors is important, and it affects not just what we see outside, but all the important scenes we see from inside the house. Even if the vegetation dies in winter, the garden can be brought to life with the help of lights.
Try to design lighting from different levels: the first layer is practical, illuminating paths, steps and rest areas; the second layer is functional, lighting up any function that we find interesting: a water feature, a certain plant or an interesting wall; The third layer is aesthetics, adding a layer of light at ankle level to make the whole garden glow. Through the combination of these three levels, we can achieve unexpected outdoor spaces.
5. Always consider privacy
Considering the privacy of the garden, this echoes the client's mention of "a certain degree of concealment must be guaranteed, and we do not want to be too conspicuous". Consider placing the sitting area in a completely private garden corner. If it is matched with a swimming pool, you can appropriately block the view with shrubs.
6. Add your favorite furniture
For most people, the seating area in the garden is the main function. Given the limited outdoor area, we need to fully consider whether we need an outdoor dining area or a place to nap? Well, choosing the right furniture is important. The area where the furniture is placed is determined according to what time of day each area has sunlight.
With the above six principles, Ro believes that it can help everyone to open up the idea of outdoor design and find out the functions that satisfy their own living habits, so that they can communicate with professional designers and even design independently.
Lastly, Ro would like to share a clip from Tube Unique Wilderness (a column that introduces the genre of wild survival) with a hand-built pool. The protagonist in the film is in the virgin forest, using only his hands, completely using natural materials and primitive construction techniques to create a secret garden with its own rooftop swimming pool.
This clip brings our sight back to the past. In that era when technology is not yet developed, human beings can still rely on wisdom and perseverance to create their ideal space. So, in the modern age with advanced technology, what else is impossible? The crux of the matter is whether we have a creative heart.