Veranda is not only a beautiful addition to a private house or a country cottage, but also a room that performs many functions. On a sultry summer day you can hide there from the scorching sun, and in rainy and inclement weather you can hide from the rain and wind. The originality of a manor house is often determined by a glazed summer veranda.
No one wants to be in a stuffy house in the hot summer days. It is better to sit over a cup of coffee in an open area, closer to nature. And not only in summer, but also in winter, when there is wind and cold outside, you can sit and enjoy the warmth, coziness and communication, as well as the beautiful scenery behind glass.
The presence of a summer terrace will allow:
- give additional space for receiving guests and a good rest in the fresh air;
- plant a summer garden to accommodate perennial flowers and plants;
- create a full-fledged place for family meals;
- get an extra pantry;
- create an additional barrier for heat loss during the winter period of operation of the facility.
Types of Verandas
Such a room can be built during the construction of a house or later attached. It must be remembered that the connection of the veranda and the house is the most important point in the construction of the structure. And the incompatibility of different materials at the junction leads to cracks.
There are various ideas for the location of the veranda relative to parts of the world:
- The eastern side provides tea in the morning and helps to hide from the sultry midday sun.
- The southern direction is ideal for building a conservatory on the veranda.
- Western accommodation allows you to watch a magnificent sunset.
- The veranda on the north side is the most suitable option for the southern regions.
Stages of construction
The initial stage of any construction is the development of the project. When constructing a frame house, it is better to foresee the presence of a veranda in advance so that its frame becomes a continuation. In the case when the building is already ready, to attach a summer veranda to the house will not be a big problem. It is placed along the main or end facades of the main building so that there is a door inside to enter it from the living rooms. Usually its length is 3-6 m, and its width is about 2.5 m. In the photo there is a summer veranda attached to the house.
A professional project is the key to the durability and reliability of the building. The next step is to legalize the structure and obtain permission to erect a summer terrace. There are a lot of design options for such a room. Among them, there are quite original and interesting projects. What to choose? Among the many projects of summer verandas, it is important to choose the one that will meet the needs of everyone living in the house. For example, a building can be turned into a terrace if you install sliding walls in it. When moving apart, such a design develops in one or both sides, like an accordion. You can build sliding walls and other devices. Moreover, each section, having a width of from 0.9 to 1.2 m, is attached to the rail or pipe. To reduce the effort to move certain parts of the wall, sometimes instead of the hook, a bracket is used in the form of a bracket, on the end of which rollers are mounted that move freely along a horizontal rail.
Consider several options for summer verandas with photos. A very original and functional is an elongated porch. Many build an extension in the form of a terrace. To implement such a project, it is necessary to put special support beams and erect the necessary partitions. When the main work is completed, you should make a slanting canopy from the wall of the house. To attach a summer terrace, it is worth using the same materials from which the house is built. Then it will be in harmony with the style and design of the entire structure.
Summer kitchen combined with a veranda
A very convenient project, which involves:
- reception of guests;
- arrangement of family celebrations;
- performance of summer cottages.
At the same time, the project looks like a small cozy house. They spend time only on warm summer days. Such a room is quite simple to build and does not provide for large cash investments. Here, in addition to the kitchen itself, there is only one room in which the necessary furniture is placed and guest and family meals are organized in the fresh air.
There are some rules for arranging such a room:
- The summer kitchen with a veranda should be spacious enough so that you can cook dinner, prepare for the winter and even receive guests.
- It is necessary to ensure good ventilation of the room, but at the same time it is cool in hot summers and warm enough in spring and autumn.
- A summer kitchen with a veranda should have everything you need in order to carry out its functions. The room contains a stove, a desk, a sink and furniture for storing dishes. At least benches, chairs or armchairs should be placed on the veranda.
- All rooms are well lit by natural light. Both the summer kitchen and the veranda should have at most one solid wall without windows.
- The presence of a foundation and a platform, raising rooms above the ground, especially if the building is being erected in an average climatic zone, is mandatory.
Summer porch in the country
A country house is a particle of nature, peace and relaxation from the bustle of city life. Each summer resident equips his brainchild at his discretion, as it is convenient and functional. But a cottage without a veranda seems incomplete. Since this extension is a functional and aesthetic extension of the house, its dimensions are relatively small - the length does not exceed 7 m and the width is within 3 m.
To ensure stability and prevent distortions, the foundation under the veranda is constructed according to the depth of the foundation of the building itself. For the construction of the frame, various designs are often used. At the same time, the walls of the extension should be tightly joined with the main building. The roof is usually made flat and pitched, which prevents the accumulation of moisture on it and extends the service life. Options for summer verandas with photos are shown below. To heat the annexes in the autumn-winter season, it is advisable to build a fireplace - this will add warmth and comfort to the room.
Organizing the decor and choosing furniture, you must remember that all elements must be designed in the same style. This lends a harmonious appearance to the veranda. Well, if all the elements of the building will be simple and natural. This will create a sense of harmony with nature, which is what they achieve during the construction of such a room.
For most people, the veranda in the summer kitchen is still not a warehouse where you can dump things that are unnecessary in the house, but a place where you can sit and relax in the fresh air, while the weather reigns on the street. The room must be well ventilated. This goal can be achieved if you build a kitchen with a veranda in the country without full glazing with openings or with opening display cases or huge windows. In this case, they should be easy to open, so that the room becomes a place of comfortable pastime.
Wooden building
Many owners of country houses for the construction of a summer terrace in the country choose this traditional building material as more affordable. To consider this option, you should evaluate all its advantages and disadvantages.
Pros of a veranda built of wood:
- Ease of assembly. In the construction of such a veranda, even an unprofessional builder can cope with the task.
- Relatively light weight. The extension does not imply the construction of a powerful foundation, and therefore construction costs are significantly reduced.
- Beautiful exterior view for country houses. Since many cottages are built precisely from wood, when creating a building, the best option would be to use the same raw materials.
- Environmental friendliness and safety. Wood is one of the safest materials for health. The disadvantage of using this material is processing. Why? All components must be processed with special tools at the beginning of construction and during operation.
If this condition is not met, the wooden extension begins to gradually deteriorate due to exposure:
- external precipitation;
- fungi;
- insects
- bacteria.
Brick porch
The extension, as a rule, is constructed from the same material as the house itself. This means that a veranda from a log house will fit organically into a wooden house, and for a brick structure, an additional room from the same material would be the best option. Everything should be in harmony. The attached brick porch to the wooden house will look ugly and ridiculous. In addition to the practical side, be sure to consider the aesthetic appearance. After all, this is the face of the summer house.
The most important advantage of the brick veranda is that the walls of this material keep cool indoors in the summer, which makes the owners of the house feel comfortable, even if there is heat and heat on the street. Also, this structure does not require constant care. After finishing work with such material, the building will have an excellent appearance for many years. Under a brick building, you need to build the foundation is the same as under the house.
Such a structure can last up to 200 years, in contrast to the short-lived wooden extension. If you thoroughly insulate this part of the house, then the walls can keep a pleasant temperature in the room and on the coldest days. The main disadvantage of the brick veranda is the large weight of the structure. It requires the construction of a solid and heavy foundation, which involves significant investments.
Polycarbonate Veranda
Polycarbonate is used less often for construction than brick or wood, but it allows you to build a budget and light summer veranda to the house.
It has several advantages:
- transparent;
- has good thermal insulation;
- has high ductility;
- Looks beautiful against the background of any home.
The properties of this material are perfect for building a veranda designed for planting a winter garden. But polycarbonate also has its drawbacks. The main disadvantage is the heating of the material under the summer sun, therefore, on hot days, the veranda should be equipped with good ventilation, so that rest on it is comfortable.
Glazing
Any veranda should be primarily spacious and bright, therefore, large windows are used in its construction. You can put a glass door - then the room will turn out even more airy and light. Sometimes the general glazing of walls and roofs is realized. If the veranda is surrounded by trees and flowers, this option will be very successful. Then through the transparent walls and roof you can admire the blue or starry sky and the panorama of your own garden.
Often the windows of the veranda are decorated with a mosaic of glass of different colors. They transform the facade of the house from the street and fill the room with rainbow light. Typically, multi-colored glass is embedded at the top of windows. When the sun hits, the mosaic gives a beautiful color effect. Sometimes the veranda is decorated with openwork ornaments carved from wood or plywood.
Sliding window constructions have become very popular in modern construction. With one movement of the hand, you can push the windows of the veranda, turning it into a summer terrace. As a rule, this is a room in which there is always a lot of light. Often it pleases, but in the hot lunchtime you want to hide from the scorching sun. In this case, it is reasonable to use sun-protection devices - blinds, curtains, shutters. For example, as in one of the photos of the summer terrace in the country.
In the summer it is often much more pleasant to be in the fresh air, closer to nature than indoors.
Arrangement of a veranda
Choosing a style for the design of such a room, it is worth considering its location relative to the house. For example, if the veranda is located on the east or north side of the building, then the British style will be most optimal:
- wicker furniture;
- natural fabrics with floral patterns;
- many small pillows;
- tropical decor elements in the form of palm trees.
It is also important to functionally and practically equip the veranda. To one of the walls you can put a cabinet made of boards or plywood for dishes and other household utensils. If you attach a summer veranda on the south side of the house, then the best option would be the Mediterranean style, where there are enough blue and white tones. Moreover, these shades are used not only in decoration, but also in furniture. There are certainly bouquets of fresh flowers or potted compositions, and Roman curtains are also appropriate.
In any of these buildings, an ethnic style is used:
- country;
- Oriental;
- Provence
- eco style;
- Scandinavian.
Little things for comfort
Whatever style is chosen, the presence of things that make the veranda much more comfortable is permissible for everyone:
- small pillows;
- tablecloths;
- chair covers;
- potted flowers;
- fresh flowers in vases;
- night lights;
- paintings, family photos, panels.
Often a veranda is used as a room for receiving guests. For this, of course, armchairs, chairs, a folding table and a small sofa will be required. In order for any member of the family to feel comfortable in such a corner, it is necessary to find out everyone’s preferences before registration.
Any element of the decor of the summer veranda should be combined with the rest in style. For example, if there are many children in the house, you can arrange a children's porch and equip it in the form of a sailboat or a princess castle.
For kids, you need a lot of multi-colored pillows of different shapes and sizes, small houses, a pool with balls and even, if the area allows, a small swing.
Rules of construction depending on the purpose
Each owner of a private house when building a summer terrace with his own hands, you should know these rules:
- If you plan to attach it as a kitchen, a room for exercise equipment or a relaxing break, it is worth considering that the windows of the room go to your own site, and not to the neighbors.
- Among the projects of summer verandas, the photo of the most glazed veranda looks especially attractive. But when choosing such a project, you should consider a good air conditioning system. If this is not done, in hot weather the greenhouse effect will not allow you to enjoy a pleasant vacation. For a greater contemplation of nature, you can insert large windows with removable frames: such a device will quickly and easily open from an enclosed space.
- The temperature in the extension and during inclement weather, and in the cold season will always be comfortable if you choose dense material for the construction of walls.
A bright and spacious summer veranda will be a great place for a relaxing holiday, for a neighbor's tea party or sincere parties with friends. And if it is properly designed, carefully thought out the original design, then it can become a real decoration of a private house and the pride of the owner.