Green Spaces In Building Design are invaluable.

What is closing more home sales today? Is it the latest Chef's kitchen option or the master bath with a steam shower? It might be neither. The next in-demand feature for a Real Estate listing is green living spaces. We will just call them "green rooms" or those transitional spaces moving from inside to outside and vice versa.

The Queen of all green rooms would have to be the conservatory. This large and ornate greenhouse could be freestanding or part of the house. These rooms have glass ceilings, with most of the surrounding walls glass. Historically speaking, during the 17th to 19th centuries, they were called an Orangie or Orangery. This type is a large conservatory where containerized fruit trees lived during the winter months. The Orangery tended to be the most ornate of all structures and displayed highly prized plant collections.

The extent of investment for indoor-outdoor updates is relative to the home value as with any other upgrade. For a less grand choice, such as the conservatory, there are many minor improvements that can have a significant impact.

A side entry is an open invitation for a Lanai or simple patio. Container plants and a recirculating fountain can enhance even the smallest balcony. Just enlarging a window space to include a private garden view can help bring nature indoors.

Added Value

The added value of green spaces can be significant if done wisely. In an article by Devon Thorsby, Editor, Real Estate, U.S. News, September 29, 2017. Quote: Wayne Visbeen, the founder of Visbeen Architects, a home design firm based in East Grand Rapids, Michigan, says nowadays, 100 percent of the homes his firm designs throughout the U.S. include indoor-outdoor living." Unquote.

 Atriums are becoming more popular again because they bring in natural light offering a more spacious feeling. Consider it an interior room with an oversized skylight. Some styles are called "roof lanterns" because of their glass side walls on which the top roof portion rests.  Garden windows have come a long way too. No longer are they a metal box of glass filled with shelves of African Violets. These additions can now complement cabinetry woodwork, come in Gothic Archs, and can run full height. 

Through the roof

Roof-top garden rooms create extensive new green living options. New technology and products have advanced in several ways. Better waterproofing membranes, lightweight planting mediums to reduce weight, and improved drip irrigation have become more available. Movable floor-to-ceiling glass panels, like Nanawall systems or Phantom Screens, and many more new products are available on the market, providing even more options for creating your own transitional green space.

With In Green Living, Joni Keefe shares nature-based design choices for urban greenspaces and Interior Design. Her interests follow sustainable agriculture, eco-friendly building products, and the latest trends in green design. She is a published writer with horticultural design work featured in national publications, this is her newsletter.