We're building a carriage house (ie: 2 story garage) this summer. I've mentioned our plans on the blog before, but haven't really updated you guys on the progress. Over the last few months, we've cleared the space where the carriage house will be built, we've leveled it, and laid down a base of crushed gravel. It doesn't sound like much, but trust me, it was crazy hard work. We've obtained all of the necessary permits, and now we're waiting for our contractor to pour the concrete foundation (this will happen in the next couple of weeks).
Here are a couple of elevations of the future carriage house:
front view:
Two-car garage with an upstairs room. Love the tiny dormer windows.
*we will be upgrading to carriage-style garage doors (with windows and carriage-style hardware); also, we will be installing three large lanterns, alongside and in between the garage doors.
side view:
To give ourselves a little extra space in that upstairs room, we decided to go with a shed dormer on the backside of the carriage house (as you can see in this elevation above). You won't be able to see this roofline from the front of the carriage house (so, it's sort of discreet). Trust me, I agonized over this decision. I'm not a huge fan of shed dormers. But, in the end, it provides the most heavenly (and much needed) space in this upstairs room. If we ever want to make this an office, or even a guest house, a shed dormer was a total necessity. So, it's happening.
*our side door will not look like this one; we'll also be adding a wall-mounted lantern near the doorway.
back view:
The shed dormer in all it's glory.
*this drawing shows two windows on the backside, but we'll be using four (a pair on the left and a pair on the right). The extra windows will make the room feel brighter and happier. :)
One more note on the carriage house:
Even though it's not pictured in the elevations, we're adding a cupola!
I never thought I would want a cupola, but I do. So, a cupola will also be happening here. :) Maybe we'll get a cute weather vane too.
UPDATE: About a month after this post, we replaced the gable dormers on the front elevation with two larger, hipped dormers. See the new elevation here! :)
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Exciting! Keep us updated on progress - I am sure it will add a lot of value to your property! I have been doing a lot of research on a garage with storage space above it for my own place - but the expense - has made me pause. Did you go with a pre-designed kit (with alterations) - or did you have an architect custom design it from scratch?
ReplyDeleteMelkorka-- we're going with an Amish Builder in Lancaster County, PA. They pre-fab the whole thing (based on our specifications). They build it off site, and then deliver it in pieces. I will definitely blog more about them and the whole process as the build date gets closer!!
ReplyDeletexoxo
Kelly
Carriage Houses are wonderful. It will be a pleasure to follow along while it goes up.
ReplyDeleteI love carriage houses and I can't wait to see how yours turns out. You have certainly tackled some great projects so I know it will be great. We have a cupola and a weathervane on top of our carport and I love it! I recommend Walpole Woodworkers for inspiration.
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