FT NEWS

It’s not always deliberate that a great piece of work is left unfinished, see Schubert’s 8th Symphony or Mozart’s Requiem, for example. However, sometimes in the creative process there’s a realisation of the beauty in raw or ‘unfinished’ materials. In the case of homes and other buildings, the choice is whether or not to expose elements that may otherwise be hidden – from structural steel to bare concrete and shadeless lightbulbs. Should you dare to bare? Be inspired by these ideas and make the decision that’s right for your home.

Dare to bare… concrete
Probably the most overlooked building material as a raw, unfinished design choice is concrete. From prefabricated panels to polished concrete kitchen worktops, raw concrete is such a versatile medium.

Concrete also lends itself beautifully to a minimalist interior. There’s a nakedness to it that asks for solitary items of furniture or artwork in isolation. The irregularities in surface colouring work with other materials that are natural or imperfect in some way – antiqued glass (acid distressed) is a wonderful example.

Dare to bare… structural timber
Raw timber on show in a home creates a sense of bringing natural elements inside, and there’s a real life essence to be gained from this look.

Structural oak beams in particular bring so much feeling to a space. And in terms of design, dark woods are wonderful for a framing effect against crisp white walls and ceilings – great for demarcating areas of an open-plan space. Cherry and lighter woods work well as part of an overall scheme; bring them in through wooden furniture, floors and staircases.

Dare to bare… electrical accessories
Wiring can be used in interesting ways. The most common is to hang lighting cables in an arrangement that suggests a sense of temporariness, as in an art studio or a construction site where festoon lights have been hung for a specific purpose.

The opportunities for incorporating wiring in this way are really only in relation to lighting schemes, but with a little design flair the possibilities are endless. Cable sleeves can be created from a massive range of materials and in any colour. Again, designs should be checked, installed and certified by a qualifiedDare to bare… bricks (in an industrial property)
Bricks and mortar are rough and cold – not a look that immediately comes to mind when you’re designing a cosy living room. Yet using exposed brickwork, especially on one feature wall, has great design merit. 

Dare to bare… bricks
If you’re lucky enough to have a good-looking internal brick wall in your home – then simply treat it and seal it with clear or coloured products that can be found at any builders’ merchants. If not, then brick-effect panels can be fitted, the benefit of which is that you can identify a pattern and colour that works for you.

Dare to bare… pipework
Pipework is a wonderfully versatile material with which to get creative. In fact, when I was training as a heating engineer, we would create small sculptures from 15mm and 22mm copper pipe to demonstrate skill in pipework. The most common raw finishes are steel and copper, although any finish can be achieved through painting, plating or polishing.

There’s a huge variety of fittings and fixings, as well as threading and bending techniques. Uses include water and gas, obviously, but pipe can also be used as cable trunking to form some interesting lighting features.

Any design that makes functional use of the pipework however (as opposed to strictly decorative) should be approved as safe and installed by a qualified and competent engineer who can certify that the work complies with the relevant regulations.

are to bare… plywood
Sheet materials, especially plywood, can be a real boon when it comes to a homeowner’s budget. Although cost is not the ideal factor on which to base key design choices, it is a reality – and if it’s the difference between being in the home you want rather than settling for something else, then go for it. Plus, plywood can look incredibly warm and stylish in its raw state, and it’s a brilliant base on which to redecorate at a later date if you tire of the look.

So how can it be done right? In a word, pine: pine furniture, pine cabinets, pine shelves. Pine and ply go! Then understand that this really is the ‘unfinished look’, so choose light fittings, tables, chairs and other features that also have a certain ‘makeshift’ style. Try handrail balustrades made of scaffold poles, upturned crates for side tables, or industrial-style wall lights.

Dare to bare… ducting
The practical purpose of ducting is to achieve proper air flow. A good ducting system will, however, keep the air throughout the home fresh and clean and make central parts of the property feel noticeably more comfortable.

Dare to bare… structural steel
Steel is a remarkable material for what it allows us to achieve in architectural design, to the point that we can appear to defy the laws of physics with floating staircases, split-level mezzanines and the like.

Structural steel can be left exposed to give a great industrial twist to an interior. As with exposed ducting, this is a strong look and will work best if you really make feature of it.