Possible schemes

The schemes below are ones i have come up with by looking at fabrics online.

Scheme 1 - Samples collected from www.terrysfabrics.co.uk

This first scheme is very bright. As pubs are usually dark shades I wondered if a bright shade of a colour often used in a pub may work. This shade is a bit much. The contrast in black, green and white will probably be a bit stark for the interior. By using the fabrics here it may look a bit too contemporary and risk alienating the original customers. It doesn't fit the landlord, landlady or their customers at all.

Scheme 2 - Samples collected from www.terrysfabrics.co.uk

This second scheme I love. The flowery print I found influenced this scheme. The brown and orange in contrast to the cream creates a very warm colour palette. However as the pub is full of dark beams I intend on keeping this may be a bit too much brown and instead of adding light to the interior this scheme may do the opposite.

Scheme 3 - Samples collected from www.terrysfabrics.co.uk

This scheme is pretty but just isn't practical for the pub. Although it would add light into the dark spaces it would be very hard to keep clean. In a place where food and drink is spilt on a regular basis adding this amount of cream would be a stupid thing to do.
I won't be taking any of these schemes forward for the reasons stated. Instead i will look into the area and see if that can be reflected in the scheme.

Colour Chart

I will be trying to use sustainable paint wherever possible. Although it can be more expensive eco-friendly paint is less toxic does not damage the surrounding enviroment. There are two companies i have come across in the past and they are Paint the Town Green and Little Green

Scanned in

Paint the Town Green colour chart - Scanned in

PTTG green is a company run and set up by Phil Robinson. He is a London based painter and decorator. For the past 12 years he has worked on different scale projects for private and corporate clients. Through his job as a decorator he works with paint all the time and soon learned the potential impact paint had not only on the environment but himself too. He looked into it and found that conventional paints released toxics over time and there is a lot of waste from using these paints that get dumped on landfill sites. Pain the Town Green is his answer to getting rid of the problems of using conventional paint. Not only are they made from natural and eco-friendly substances but they are not damaging to humans either. There are 60 colours to choose from. With a mix of bright, dark and neutral shades.

The second company is Little Greene. This company is committed to the responsible production of high quality paints and wallpaper in regards to environmental issues. They use natural resources to produce their paints. They claim to have over 40% more pigment then many ordinary paints which means their paint has a better deoth of colour.

Once my colour scheme has been selected I will be selecting shades from either chart.

Bibliography

Little Greene, Paint &Wallpaper 1773. (2011) [Online] The Little Greene Paint Company Ltd. Available from: http://www.littlegreene.com/
[Accessed: 16th October 2011]

Paint The Town Green, Eco-Decorating Company. [No Date] [Online] Available from: http://www.paintthetowngreen.biz/index.html
[Accessed: 16th October 2011]       

Pubs in the area

There are a lot of pubs in the surrounding area but I have chosen three to look at. I will compare these pubs to see what the competition for the Cottage pub is.

The Bugle

http://www.theprinceconsortpub.co.uk/

The Bugle is a pub on the waterfront in Hamble, a short walk from Netley. It is a grade II listed building that has been traditionally restored. The use of flagstone, solid oak and woodburning stoves creates a timeless interior. This pub is owned by Ideal Leisure who are based in Southampton.

The interior offers that typical rustic feel. It is quite light but lacks colour injection. Everything is very wood orientated with only the upholstery of the chairs and stools being the only fabric. Although it is rustic looking it lacks the homely feel associated with this style.

This pub has a dedicated dining area that is similar in style to the bar area. Where this pub is owned by a company I think it is lacking in the personal touch The Cottage Inn can offer their customers. Not only in decoration but service as well. The Cottage Inn however at this present time does not offer dining to their customers but it is something that needs to be looked at as this is in the pipeline.
Images sourced from http://www.theprinceconsortpub.co.uk/

Prince Consort

http://www.theprinceconsortpub.co.uk/

This pub is in Netley and quite close to the entrance of the Royal Victoria Country Park. This pub offers food too. It have been re-decorated in the past couple of years with a modern approach. I really don't think this suits this particular pub. The area has so much history and I feel that this interior doesn't reflect that, it could be anywhere. This pub is also by the water but you wouldn't know it. It is too contemporary for it's surroundings and customers.

The contrast in the dinning area and bar is too much. Both are flooded with light but the bar is full of dark wood and the dining area full of light wood. The two don't link or flow together.

 

This pub is in direct competition with The Cottage Inn, as they are both trying to appeal to the same customers. They are walkers, locals and tourists. This pub has nothing about it that says it is different. No textures or patterns, just block colours.

Images sourced from http://www.theprinceconsortpub.co.uk/
 

The Victory Inn

http://www.victoryinnhamble.co.uk/

The Victory is also in Hamble but is not on the waterfront but is pub the road from The Bugle. It is a grade II listed building and has been a local to villagers and catered for visitors for over 300 years. The interior of the pub reflects that by retaining many features and references to the past. It is like stepping back in time.

This interior is quite dark but because it has that link to the past you expect it and would be disappointed if it were any different. It sets itself apart from the rest with its own unique selling point. You not only go for a pint but also get to indulge in history too.

It isn't a huge space but is quirky. The Victory has a restaurant upstairs to cater for more people and different needs.

Images sourced from http://www.victoryinnhamble.co.uk/

By looking at these pubs it has come to light that I need to offer the customers of the pub something a little different from what other pubs in the area are offering.

Bibliography

The Bugle. (2005) [Online] Green Design of Southampton. Available from: http://www.buglehamble.co.uk/da/17007.html
[Accessed: 17th October 2011]
The Prince Consort. (2009) [Online] PKSV Leisure Limited. Available from: http://www.theprinceconsortpub.co.uk/
[Accessed: 17th October 2011]
Victory Inn. [No Date] [Online] Available from: http://victoryinnhamble.co.uk/index.html
[Accessed:17th October 2011]

Old style

Pubs have been around for centuries. In order to design this pub effectively I need to gain an understanding of what they were used for and the decoration of them. Also if there has been any change in the interiors during the past 10 years or so. As well as what characteristics are important to a pubs design.

Sourced from  Designing Commercial Interiors book- Drawing by Edwin Tunis

The image above is a drawing of an interior from an 18th century inn,  focusing on the bar area. this interior is full of wood from the floor to the ceilings. It would of probably looked very dark and dull, especially as the only form of light would of been by candle light at this time. This is a very typical tavern interior for this period. During this time period inns and taverns were very much sought after by people looking for food and beverages. It was also a place for local people to barter, trade and gamble. These places we now call pubs were mainly used by men but were run by women brewsters. In particular working class and middle class men. In some respects elements of this remains today. They are mainly occupied by men who are trying to get out of the way of their wives. Only last week when visiting a pub on a Thursday night for a game of darts my own group consisted of more boys than girls by quite a margin (5 boys and 2 girls) Not only that we were very outnumbered with in the pub itself. In the whole time we were there only three ladies visited the pub, husbands in tow. In contrast there seemed to be an ever growing stream of men turning up by themselves or in groups of two of three. At one point in the bar alone there were 6 females (including the barmaid and myself) and 15 males. This may be due to the stereotype of such a place. This is a point to consider when designing The Cottage Inn to make it appeal to both sexes.
(Image: Pictrowski, C.M & Rogers, E.A. 2007, Designing Commercial Interiors, 2nd Edition. New Jersey: John Wiley and Sons. )

Fox and Flowerpot, Woking

This next interior is from the Fox and Flower Pot in Woking. This pub was built in 1985 and was designed to look like a traditrional ale house. The characteristics used to achieve this consist of flagstone flooring, solid timber beams and posts, brickwork on show, open fireplace and country style furniture. The lighting doesn't quite fit and maybe old style lanterns would of complemented the space better in creating a traditional interior. This look is probably what one would expect to find when walking into a random pub out of the city. It does look very dated in today's market. I feel that this type of interior can be bought into the 21st century with out losing the characteristics of an old country pub. It can be done through treatment of wood and the fabrics selected, something i am hoping to find a balance of with in the re-design of The Cottage.

The Bonnie Prince Pub, Switzerland

I found this image really intreging because at first it looks like an interior from a typical English pub but this is actually in Switzerland. They have taken influence from the English pub concept and recreated it abroad. From what I have found it was apparently designed by an English interior design company, so that explains why everything is just right. I really like the mix of high, low and comfortable seating. It gives the space contrast and different levels.

The Swan, Kent

The Swan pub is situated in Ashford, Kent. This pub is with a market town. When this space was re-designed the goal was to maximise the trading space and improve efficiency without detracting from he building characteristics. Various area were moved around to create more space. This pub shows that a modern and more efficient operation can be applied to a traditional atmosphere.

The Bakery and Brewhouse, Oxford

The Bakery and brewhouse was a relatively new building when the book used for this information was published in 1994. The pub was formed from a number of already existing buildings in an area that was being redeveloped. The brief was to create an authentic traditional setting with modern applications. I love the split levels and balcony area this pub has. It was retained many features that the existing buildings already had and applied pub characteristics where possible, including wood paneling and exposed brickwork. Even though this is a huge space it still has that warm and friendly country pub look.

It would appear from looking at these sources that old probably is best in retaining the unique style and character that pubs have. However as stated above these interiors can be bought up to date with use of patterns, colours and textures. An over haul and contemporary design would just lose what customers know and love about their local.

Bibliography
Images and Information for this post sourced from:
Lawson, F. 1994, Restaurants, Clubs and Bars - Planning, Design and investment for Food Servise Facilities. Oxford: Architectural Press
Pictrowski, C.M & Rogers, E.A. 2007, Designing Commercial Interiors, 2nd Edition. New Jersey: John Wiley and Sons.

Floor plans

This is the floor plan on the three spaces I will be re-designing. The Public Bar, Lounge and Lower Lounge. As you can see there are various alcoves to contend with as well as steps and numerous doors and walkways. The way the customers and staff move through the space needs to be considered.

The other consideration is the beams with in all three areas. In the lounge and lower lounge they aren't so much of a problem as they are quite small and don't encroach on the ceiling. In the bar area although there are less of them they are larger and covered because they are RSJ's. making a feature of them isn't really an option. Trying to detract attention away from them is best.

History of the pub

Sourced from www.wadworth.co.uk

It has been really hard finding out information about the history of this pub. From talking to the landlord and looking at the history of the house around it the building appears to date back to the turn of the century between 1900 and 1920. The pub had an extension to the left hand side of it around 20 years ago. There is a clear divide between old a new with the old covered in beams that the owners don't think are real and the new extension that only has a fireplace to add to its characteristics.

The pub is under the chain Wadsworth and this is how they have described The Cottage Inn on their website www.wadworth.co.uk:
'Nestled in picturesque countryside, The Cottage is popular with locals and visitors alike.
Open fires make for a cosy atmosphere in Winter, while in Summer it's a joy to spend time in the pub's pretty gardens.
The stunning Victoria Country Park and Hamble Marina are close by making The Cottage the perfect pit stop for light refreshments when visiting this beautiful area.
A meat draw is held every Sunday afternoon and Quiz Night is every Wednesday at 8.30pm.
Andy & Ceri look forward to seeing you.'

The people of www.netleyabbeytartanarmy.net/pubguide.htm had this to say:
'The Cottage is a cosy wee boozer split into two bars, with low ceiling beams and loads of nick-nacks on the wall. Gives you a "pleasant drink in a country pub" vibe.'

The idea is to redesign the pub so it still is a "cozy boozer" and "country pub" just with a fresher interior.

Bibliogrpahy

NATA. (2010) [Online] Netely Abbey Tartan Army. Available from:  http://www.netleyabbeytartanarmy.net/pages/netley_pubs.htm#cottage
[Accessed: 15th October 2011]
Wadsworth, Pub Finder - Cottage Inn. (2010) [Online] Wadworth & Co Ltd. Available from: http://www.wadworth.co.uk/southampton/cottage_inn/index.html
[Accessed: 15th October 2011]

The Visit & Brief

Bar's fireplace

Alcove two

Back wall and Alcove

Here are the quick photographs taken on visit to document the space. The images here are of the bar area. It is an odd shape with 2 alcoves and a wall that is not square to the rest. At the moment the furniture doesn't fit very well and the alcoves are not utilized to their best. For a small space the tables are too heavy and chunky. The way the colours have been applied makes the space feel very closed in. Painting the beams green and walls white brings the ceiling down. Also light is an issue as it doesn't flow very well through the building, which isn't helped by the tones of colour and application.

Looking towards bar from dart area

Entrance into bar

Fire exit

The lounge and lower lounge (pictured below) are slightly different in style as the original character remains. These include: exsposed brick, beams and a fireplace. It is of a very old style. There is a mix-match of woods, colours and various ornaments that again make this area feel very dated and enclosed.

Leading down to lower lounge area

Lounge Bar

Fireplace that sits between both levels

The images below are of the lower lounge. The ceiling is lower still. The furnishing in this space are very heavy and block light coming in from the window. It is all a bit to dark.

Lower lounge looking towards window

Lower lounge looking towards toilet doors

When talking to the clients they expressed their desire to give The Cottage Inn a re-haul. As stated in the proposal they would like to add their own stamp on the pub through the decoration and their own personalities. The only restrictions as such are that the designs are not to be too minimalist or contemporary. Apart from that I have free reign in choices of furnishing, colours and space planning.
There are many things to consider when re-designing this space. Visual appeal is the main one as well as spaciousness. The idea is too make the space feel as big as possible and utilize all the space available with key pieces of furniture. Bringing in colour with the use of pattern and texture through upholstery. It might be as well to bring in the surrounding area into this design. With research of the pub itself i hope to find the perfect solution for this little friendly local pub.

Bibliography
All of my own Images

'Cottage Inn'terior

The project is to re-design a local pub. The owners are in their late 30’s/ early 40’s and have taken on ‘The Cottage Inn’ in the past year.  With the responsibilities of running a pub on a daily basis they haven’t had the time to put their own stamp on it, which they can’t wait to do.

The Cottage Inn is a little pub in Butlocks Heath in Netley Abbey. It is with in a rural area. The immediate area still has a little bit of that old style community feel left. So it is important that the re-designing of the pub doesn’t alienate the locals.

The pub is made up of three spaces: the bar, the lounge and lower lounge. I will be re-designing all three. I intend to keep the friendly vibe and character this pub has but hopefully inject the personalities of the owners.  The bathrooms aren’t of my concern as the client already has plans for them.

Pubs generally do try to have that home from home feel. However many are very out of date in style compared to today’s market. They are full to the brim with dark wood, mix-matched chairs, dated patterns and clutter. Although I don’t want to change the perception of what a pub is and what it offers its customers, the interiors of them do need bringing up into the 21^st century. So with The Cottage I will be looking into how to do that with different patterns, colours and textures of fabrics, as well as different tones of wood, carpet and wall coverings.

Intended Primary Research

-       Talking to the clients

-       Measuring the space

-       Draw up floor plans

-       Photographing the interior

-       Observe how people use the space

-       Visit pubs in and around Netley Abbey (Competition)

Intended Secondary Research

-       Research the area

-       Research into customer profiles

-       Look into Pub Decoration: What is expected