Together, we poured over books of old buildings and historic, old world greenhouses until we felt that we understood the direction to take in the design of the new room. We produced sketches of several of the ideas along a concept to build the main structure out of steel plates welded together then “skinned” with a lightweight wood window wall system and topped with a glass roof – much in the same way a great conservatory might have been built over a hundred years ago.

This recently constructed Antique greenhouse was inspired by the great conservatories and greenhouses of yesteryear. Designed to house twenty- foot tall trees, the decoratively forged steel structure and curving rooflines hearken back to that imaginative era.

That way, the large, custom greenhouse would not seem too “heavy” for the “glass room” feeling we sought to achieve. The steel structural system was relieved with cutouts that serve as both decoration and to lighten the framework and the wood window walls were “hung” away from the structure on specially designed brackets letting the steel ribs stand free and express their function.Look closely and you’ll see the playful use of the circular and cloverleaf motifs in the stained glass, on the steel beams and in the architectural details.

The woodwork on the interior and exterior is a dark stained mahogany, the gutters and downspouts copper and the roof parts painted so as to disappear into the large expanse of glass. The four leaf clover design that was incorporated into the stained glass and repeated in the steel beams was specifically requested by the client to remind her of her native Ireland.

Your Tanglewood conservatory greenhouse will be made just for you. Built in our shop near the Chesapeake Bay from scratch, in all the world, it will be unique.