Hello, forum!
A few weeks ago, I asked here for some advice and received several helpful tips. By now, our house design is nearly finalized in my mind. We have a builder who is currently requesting quotes from subcontractors and will soon provide us with a fairly detailed price estimate.
This will be our house 🙂
Plot and Location:
At first glance, it sounds quite modern because of the offset shed roof and floor-to-ceiling windows. However, I can still imagine the overall impression to be somewhat “friendlier” and cozy. I dream, for example, of a somewhat Mediterranean-style garden; there will be many container plants on the terrace, I love terracotta and warm colors. Our hardy palm will be dug out and replanted on the plot (+ one or two more 😉) and so on.
That is why we are already thinking about the exterior appearance of the house. When we receive the first offer in about two weeks and it roughly fits our budget, the details will follow...
Do you have ideas on how to shape our house’s character toward rural, Mediterranean, warm, and sunny despite its modern architectural form?
Which colors would you suggest? I was thinking of shades of orange, maybe warm yellow combined with some green...? It’s hard for me to imagine...
It will be a timber house in timber frame construction, so we would like a partial wooden cladding. Do you have ideas for the layout and color(s) here?
I look forward to all your tips!
Christiane
A few weeks ago, I asked here for some advice and received several helpful tips. By now, our house design is nearly finalized in my mind. We have a builder who is currently requesting quotes from subcontractors and will soon provide us with a fairly detailed price estimate.
This will be our house 🙂
Plot and Location:
- 750 sqm (25m*30m; 2690 sq ft (82 ft * 98 ft))
- slight north-facing slope (~3-4m (10-13 ft) drop over 30m (98 ft)), accessed from the top, i.e., the south side (road runs east-west)
- open views from east through north to west, so quite long evening sun, but usually a gentle breeze from the west
- surrounding houses are low-rise (maximum one-and-a-half stories) and relatively far apart due to plot sizes
- fields and nature right next door
- very good city connection; we commute 10 and 15 minutes to work
- offset shed roof with ridge parallel to the street, so east-west, lower roof on the slope side
- dual-pitched (the slope side half is wider)
- built 3m (10 ft) from the eastern edge of the plot
- fully basemented with two rooms on the ground floor facing downhill, opening to the outside
- classic ground floor with living/dining, semi-open kitchen (sliding door), study, guest WC with shower
- upper floor with master bedroom, 2 kids’ rooms, family bathroom
- attic divided into 3 parts, accessible from the children’s rooms and the hallway
- many floor-to-ceiling windows (but not only those)
- single garage directly by the street, carport next to it
- timber frame construction
- KfW40 standard energy efficiency
- insulation with natural materials (mainly cellulose and wood fiber)
- air-source heat pump with integrated ventilation system with heat recovery
- solar collectors on the roof for hot water support
- to be done later 😀
- corner terrace facing south and west
- planned mixed hedge along the street side and possibly continuing around
At first glance, it sounds quite modern because of the offset shed roof and floor-to-ceiling windows. However, I can still imagine the overall impression to be somewhat “friendlier” and cozy. I dream, for example, of a somewhat Mediterranean-style garden; there will be many container plants on the terrace, I love terracotta and warm colors. Our hardy palm will be dug out and replanted on the plot (+ one or two more 😉) and so on.
That is why we are already thinking about the exterior appearance of the house. When we receive the first offer in about two weeks and it roughly fits our budget, the details will follow...
Do you have ideas on how to shape our house’s character toward rural, Mediterranean, warm, and sunny despite its modern architectural form?
Which colors would you suggest? I was thinking of shades of orange, maybe warm yellow combined with some green...? It’s hard for me to imagine...
It will be a timber house in timber frame construction, so we would like a partial wooden cladding. Do you have ideas for the layout and color(s) here?
I look forward to all your tips!
Christiane
Well, fixed lower window elements don’t really suit a Mediterranean-style house. These should ideally be full-height (like patio doors) and open with two panels.
The rooms should, however, be spacious enough so that the sofa set can be placed in the middle of the room if needed.
I speak from experience, as I planned and built such a house for myself (see attachment).
Wood used outdoors is always very maintenance-intensive and, at higher elevations, sometimes only accessible with scaffolding—always keep that in mind.
Regarding the color scheme, just take a look at an appropriate holiday home catalog. There are plenty of ideas there.
But generally, ochre-red tones, like terracotta, “cooked or burnt earth” for the façade, white windows (which I have) or brown to dark brown. The roof with red to light red hollow roof tiles; “monk and nun” tiles would be original, but they are complex, heavy, and quite expensive.
If a ventilation system is planned, why not combine it with the heating? Have you ever considered a warm air recirculation heating system? This combines heating and controlled residential ventilation with heat recovery, and if needed, also air conditioning. Radiators are not necessary here, but can be installed, e.g., towel warmers in the bathroom.
Kind regards,
Danton
The rooms should, however, be spacious enough so that the sofa set can be placed in the middle of the room if needed.
I speak from experience, as I planned and built such a house for myself (see attachment).
Wood used outdoors is always very maintenance-intensive and, at higher elevations, sometimes only accessible with scaffolding—always keep that in mind.
Regarding the color scheme, just take a look at an appropriate holiday home catalog. There are plenty of ideas there.
But generally, ochre-red tones, like terracotta, “cooked or burnt earth” for the façade, white windows (which I have) or brown to dark brown. The roof with red to light red hollow roof tiles; “monk and nun” tiles would be original, but they are complex, heavy, and quite expensive.
If a ventilation system is planned, why not combine it with the heating? Have you ever considered a warm air recirculation heating system? This combines heating and controlled residential ventilation with heat recovery, and if needed, also air conditioning. Radiators are not necessary here, but can be installed, e.g., towel warmers in the bathroom.
Kind regards,
Danton
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