indigo: a life

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A blog by Indigo Design Architects

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17 Mar 10

Relating Outside to Inside Home extension projects often start where a need is identified for more space inside for different activities, or more space for some of the time. Adding another room or re-structuring the space can take the pressure off a previously constricted layout. But extending also gives the opportunity to experience a different way of relating to external spaces, to bring elements of the garden indoors, and to allow the interior outside. In the 19th century in this country family homes were designed with a particular kind of separation between indoors and outdoors. Gardens very often were service yards, used for refuse disposal, drying washing and giving access to an outside toilet. As sanitary engineering developed in response to health and building legislation, the rear facade of the house started to bristle with a mysterious and steaming array of cast iron pipes. With bathrooms now internalised to become a central part of the home layout, and with different options in dealing with refuse, recycling and laundry, the previously humble back yard has involved into what for many people is our own green space. This can be a place to breath and relax, to invite nature in. To wander out into the garden on a summers evening and to feel the texture of the grass beneath the soles of our feet is to have a private experience of the earth whence we came.  Incorporating flexible ways of connecting exterior and interior suits the way we now live in this country and that’s partly to do with our climate. The weather in this country is famously changeable.  Consequently we need to be opportunist in the way we enjoy the outdoors. Locating a dining space so that it relates to the garden becomes a way of doing this. In winter it gives the opportunity to enjoy views of the garden where there’s always something going on. From the comfort of our interior we can enjoy view of the ground outside through glass. On a warm winter’s day we can bathe in sunshine with the doors open. In summer with doors open we can have the relaxed experience of bringing the outside indoors.

Relating Outside to Inside

Home extension projects often start where a need is identified for more space inside for different activities, or more space for some of the time. Adding another room or re-structuring the space can take the pressure off a previously constricted layout. But extending also gives the opportunity to experience a different way of relating to external spaces, to bring elements of the garden indoors, and to allow the interior outside.


In the 19th century in this country family homes were designed with a particular kind of separation between indoors and outdoors. Gardens very often were service yards, used for refuse disposal, drying washing and giving access to an outside toilet. As sanitary engineering developed in response to health and building legislation, the rear facade of the house started to bristle with a mysterious and steaming array of cast iron pipes.


With bathrooms now internalised to become a central part of the home layout, and with different options in dealing with refuse, recycling and laundry, the previously humble back yard has involved into what for many people is our own green space. This can be a place to breath and relax, to invite nature in. To wander out into the garden on a summers evening and to feel the texture of the grass beneath the soles of our feet is to have a private experience of the earth whence we came. 

Incorporating flexible ways of connecting exterior and interior suits the way we now live in this country and that’s partly to do with our climate. The weather in this country is famously changeable.  Consequently we need to be opportunist in the way we enjoy the outdoors. Locating a dining space so that it relates to the garden becomes a way of doing this. In winter it gives the opportunity to enjoy views of the garden where there’s always something going on. From the comfort of our interior we can enjoy view of the ground outside through glass. On a warm winter’s day we can bathe in sunshine with the doors open. In summer with doors open we can have the relaxed experience of bringing the outside indoors.