Thesis Statement

Interior finishes as the most prevalent material palettes in a person’s daily life, signify an entwined relationship between the occupant, applique, and function. As each finish, on walls, ceilings, floors, counters, and others have evolved to become more durable, functional, and aesthetically “pleasing” to the generic occupant, the young adult(s) who are relocating to a space of their own. 

This thesis reinterprets exterior materiality and applies them as interior ornamentation in the confines of a “tiny home.” The evolution of construction in making homes, in the modern-day application the process is extremely stream-lined since cost and time efficiencies are highly valued, making it difficult to explore new solutions. The depiction of what materials are commonly associated with the concept of interiority created the opportunity to break away from using such materials and blurring the lines of interior and exterior materiality. 

The goal of this thesis is to propose an alternative material palette in a domestic sense, a palette of material easily obtainable in the raw with the addition to minimizing the man-made impact on the environment. This project begins with an understanding of materials used for interior spaces from the early 20th century to the present day. After understanding the contemporary palette used in interior finishes, a new methodology is proposed to depict an alternative interior finish palette. The creation of a specified material palette follows the notion of it being easily gathered in the raw: adobe bricks (mud), grass, wool, wood, and corten steel.