Interior Home Design Decorating: Get Out Your 'DROOL BUCKETS'

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Get Out Your 'DROOL BUCKETS'

A single fig vine (Ficus pumila) planted in the mid 1860s now covers all the interior walls and beams of the structure.

What is an Orangery ?

"The fundamental difference between an Orangery and a Conservatory is its structure, a conservatory is generally regarded as a temporary non-integral part of the property.

An orangery, with its greater mass of columns, pilasters and classic details creates a striking visual impact and contributes to the overall appeal of your home with a robust and permanent presence.

In the 18th century at the height of their popularity, orangeries were mainly used for the cultivation and preservation of exotic or delicate plants. Nowadays, with the availability of modern materials they are once more gaining popularity and creating wonderful family rooms for use as studies, dining rooms, sitting rooms and play rooms to name but a few.

The possibilities are only limited by the imagination"

The first Orangeries were created in Italy in the 15th. century. They were created to protect much prized citrus trees.

During the winter months, before there were stoves to warm the Orangeries, open fires were lit.

"Orangeries often featured large columns made from stone, and a solid back wall. The front and sides had a huge glass double door more often than not with a semi circular window above. The rest would have been made up of floor to ceiling windows, in keeping with the original architecture. Internally there were plastered walls, cornices and pilasters. During the summer months whilst the plants were enjoying the warmer weather the orangery would be used for entertaining and summer balls. But during the winter this is when the Orangeries were used as they were intended, for the protection of all those delicate varieties of plants that would mainly be Orange trees, this is why the term Orangeries came into being"

I think this room is so very beautiful, I can see myself in most of these spaces.

How about you ?

How wonderful this would be with a view of the ocean, or mountains and a huge lake !?

This looks like me. A space I would live in , cook in, hold court in with my nearest and dearest loved ones. Certainly, if I walked into a house that was for sale , and this was part of the kitchen...I would want to buy it.

What a great idea to have an Orangery roof...in almost any room.

Right ?

"The definition an orangery has become blurred in recent times. Traditionally orangeries were constructed for the growth and cultivation of exotic plants and fruits. They were extravagant buildings with large windows and doors set between brick piers. The roofs were made from glass set on cast iron rafters and large cast box gutters to create areas of flat roof. The entire roof area was then surrounded by a parapet wall and the exterior walls were embellished with large stone columns and pilasters"