Whoa! Greenhouse Living

Right now I’m back in Maine visiting family and friends.  The trip has been wonderful so far (minus an incredibly large hiccup by Delta Airlines that resulted in a trip that should take about 7 hours (including a layover) taking 36 hours and me getting to spend only 30 minutes with my little brother ).  Sigh.  But let’s not dwell on the negative here.  The positive is that I’m having such a wonderful time with my family and friends and that Maine is beautiful and filled with all kinds of wonderful inspiration.  I find myself constantly wanting to be outdoors – smelling the pines and the ocean, feeling the cool breeze, and taking in the beautiful vistas that surround me.  So, when I came across this very cool greenhouse summer cottage, I stopped dead in my tracks.  Sure, there’s a lack of privacy, but if you’re on an island off the coast of Finland, as this one is, or even one of the lesser populated ones off the coast of Maine, this would make for some pretty peaceful living.  Think of it as getting to sleep under the stars every night, minus the bugs.  Win, win situation, right?

This space is in fact a modular garden shed designed by Scandinavian Avanto Architects. But designer Linda Bergroth loved the design so much that she wanted to use it not for gardening, but for living.  Can you blame her? And so she installed one at her summer place on an island off the coast of Finland.  It looks pretty perfect to me.  The same article that discusses Ms. Bergroth’s greenhouse cottage also shares numerous other greenhouse-esque spaces with us.  This trend seems to be gaining in popularity and I must say, I think that’s a good thing.

This space offers slightly more cushy living, but still gives you that greenhouse effect.  If you have some extra money floating around and want to expand on your house, this could be a great way to add a wonderful and unique sun room.  If I had a room like this on my house, I’m pretty sure (with the exception of the kitchen) the rest of the house wouldn’t see much traffic anymore.

Lovely.  Who doesn’t want immediate access to nature? I love the wood deck surround and the luxurious looking couch and chair.  This would be the perfect place to watch a rainy day roll by.

This final picture reminds me so much of a restaurant I ate at in Sweden while visiting my family last summer. I love the heavy industrial feel of the window framing combined with the natural textiles, woven chairs, and light wood table.  The windows let you become part of the passing seasons outside.  While I originally thought of these spaces and great spaces for the summer time (perhaps because it’s summer now), I think they would also be lovely in the winter.  Nothing beats cabin fever like a room that lets you stay nice and warm AND feel like you’re outside.

What do you think – would you enjoy this type of a space? Or would you feel too much like your life was on display?

All images via Coco Republic’s Field Notes

p.s. Don’t forget to be posting Instagram Pictures for our challenge! #tlacblue !