Designer, writer and television presenter, Kevin McCloud leapt into our consciousness with his vastly successful Grand Designs show on Channel 4. This month, the affable architectural business owner talks about the difference between decorative and functional.
The other day I found myself having a conversation about clocks, and it dawned on me how our reliance on them in the home has changed so much over the years. In fact, reliance may be the wrong word altogether, and therein lies my point, namely that we rarely require the information that this decorative timepiece gives us.
The reason for this is obvious – we have watches, phones, laptops, and various other timing devices scattered about our personal space. The era of having to get up and walk into another room to discover we’re late for the train is long gone.
There feels some justice in that, too. After all, the humble wall clock was, for many years, vilified in its role in reminding us that we were behind schedule. It must be relieved to know that now, in 2022, it serves a new purpose – it is an aesthetic choice; it is a timeless interior addition that alludes to a tradition of sophistication and style.
It’s strange how an object, in the space not even of a generation, but perhaps a decade or so, can switch so rapidly from functional to decorative. Now, in this fast-paced world where so many of us need to be at specific places at specific times of the day, the wall clock appears content, simply, to sit smugly in the background of household life, faithfully ticking away the seconds ad infinitum.
Its riling raison d’être aside, there was a time when large clocks were considered emblems of opulence; and although the clamour for small and sleeker accessories has relegated the wall clock to an afterthought, there’s a case for arguing this timeless timepiece can add an eye-catching allure to any contemporary space.
The clock is, in many ways, a piece of moving, evolving art. It can exaggerate, calm or simply just sympathise with a wall. It can bring out colours and connect furniture, items and artwork in genre or era or style.
Even if you’re hoping to emulate uber-minimalist interiors, an elegant or oversized wall clock can offer a break from potential monotony while still appearing a natural extension of its surroundings and theme. Designers now treat these creations as art pieces – ditching the rounded constraints or traditional elements to drag the timing device into the present.
But it’s not just new-fangled timepieces that make the cut. The most traditional form remains the stately grandfather clock, and these classic chronometers can fill a niche or space that is too small or awkward for other furniture to fit. With its inherent grandeur and sophisticated heritage, there is certainly still a place for it in the modern home.
Whichever way you look at it, wall clocks belong in a different era, though that tangible link between functional and decorative is one that we should consider across a number of objects and a number of rooms in our homes.
The truth is, a good home, or house, or space, should combine the two. We need things around us that add to the feeling of being provided for us, yet at the same time we want to enjoy that elegance and beautification.
The secret to any space is finding the correct ratio between the two, and that sometimes can be easier said than done. Good luck!
