Dream Greenhouse Helps a Pennsylvania Couple Garden Year-Round
An addition to a historic Bucks County stone farmhouse complements the architecture and provides views out to a pond
Style. “We were inspired by the beautiful original 1810 Bucks County stone farmhouse, and we wanted to continue the traditional quality and farmhouse design and materials,” Mancuso says. “We wanted the addition to be a sympathetic architectural statement to the main house and provide a special retreat from the rest of the household.”
While the greenhouse fits in with the rest of the architecture, inside it looks different from the other rooms. The house has low ceilings and small rooms, and the greenhouse wows with its tall and wide volume, boldly dark walls and extensive connection to the outdoors.
Furniture. The homeowners wanted to use a few key pieces from their collection of antique cherry furniture in the greenhouse, and the most important piece was the dining table. “The dining table was key to the space and is used every day. The homeowners love morning coffee, meals and entertaining guests in the greenhouse,” Mancuso says. Another important piece is the potting bench, where they store gardening tools. The light fixtures were custom-made by a family friend from a 1920s glass collection.
Materials. The homeowners wanted low-maintenance floors that they could hose down (floor drains run along the perimeter of the room). The floors are salvaged antique bricks in a herringbone pattern. The walls are beadboard painted black. The rafters and V-groove boards on the ceiling are pine. They used flagstone on the sills around the room, which are large enough to hold pots.
Heating and cooling. “The greenhouse is on its own zone and tied into the upgraded mechanical system so it can be heated and cooled appropriately throughout the seasons,” Mancuso says.
Antique hardware: Michael M. Coldren Co.; check out more potting benches
While the greenhouse fits in with the rest of the architecture, inside it looks different from the other rooms. The house has low ceilings and small rooms, and the greenhouse wows with its tall and wide volume, boldly dark walls and extensive connection to the outdoors.
Furniture. The homeowners wanted to use a few key pieces from their collection of antique cherry furniture in the greenhouse, and the most important piece was the dining table. “The dining table was key to the space and is used every day. The homeowners love morning coffee, meals and entertaining guests in the greenhouse,” Mancuso says. Another important piece is the potting bench, where they store gardening tools. The light fixtures were custom-made by a family friend from a 1920s glass collection.
Materials. The homeowners wanted low-maintenance floors that they could hose down (floor drains run along the perimeter of the room). The floors are salvaged antique bricks in a herringbone pattern. The walls are beadboard painted black. The rafters and V-groove boards on the ceiling are pine. They used flagstone on the sills around the room, which are large enough to hold pots.
Heating and cooling. “The greenhouse is on its own zone and tied into the upgraded mechanical system so it can be heated and cooled appropriately throughout the seasons,” Mancuso says.
Antique hardware: Michael M. Coldren Co.; check out more potting benches
Adjacent spaces. Interior French doors connect the greenhouse to the kitchen and family room, seen here. So even when they aren’t using the greenhouse, the couple enjoys the views through it every day.
Transom window. “As avid growers of orchids, the homeowners wanted to be able to enjoy views of the greenhouse and plants while maintaining privacy. The shelf allows space for potted plants to grow and be viewed from the master bedroom when they are lying in bed,” Mancuso says.
Paint color. The designers did not keep a record of this, however, they recommend Benjamin Moore’s Historical Color Series for projects like this one and suggest Black HC-190 for this look.
Browse flower pots
Paint color. The designers did not keep a record of this, however, they recommend Benjamin Moore’s Historical Color Series for projects like this one and suggest Black HC-190 for this look.
Browse flower pots
Here you can see the orchids and the cupola through the transom window from the master bedroom.
Contractor: Cherokee Construction
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Greenhouse at a Glance
Who lives here: Empty nesters who love to garden
Location: Bucks County, Pennsylvania
Size: 324 square feet (30 square meters); 18 by 18 feet
Design: Period Architecture
These homeowners in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, are avid gardeners, and they longed to get their hands into the soil during the freezing winter months. So when adding onto and renovating the first floor of their classic 1810 stone farmhouse, they had their architects design their dream greenhouse. They sought a space where they could tend to their orchids and other plants, gather with family and friends and enjoy their morning coffee while looking out onto their property’s picturesque pond and gardens.
Scope of work. The greenhouse is part of an addition to the first floor of the home. They also added a first-floor master bedroom and renovated existing spaces.
The setting. The little stone structure in the foreground above was also part of the project. “The homeowners wanted a classic springhouse seen so often around the Pennsylvania countryside. It was built at the mouth of the pond and is also very useful for storing skimmers and such for cleaning the pond,” says architect Doug Mancuso. The greenhouse is the black structure with the green roof and the cupola in the background.
Exterior. To make the most of the sunlight, the greenhouse faces south. “We designed the greenhouse to project from the house for three sides of glass. For additional volume, light and air ventilation, the cupola is an added feature,” Mancuso says. They used stone to match the existing house and flagstone sills. The exterior pilasters and millwork are painted mahogany.
Windows: Norwood
See more photos of this project