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looking for input on a shed dormer we are putting on our garage/bonus room. I have added some red lines to the image below to show what we have in mind.
My main questions are around the design...specifically the siding. I dont think we can find the same siding that was used on the rest of the house (did some looking) so we either find something that looks similar (but the stuff on the house is 13 years old so it wont match no matter what we do) or we go with a contrasting siding that clearly does not match.
My concern is that since, to maximize space, the dormer will come out as far as the wall on the main house, it will look odd no matter what we do...either we have identical sidnig on the dormer and house which might look bad because it doesnt match, or might look weird because it will essentially be a continuous expanse of exterior wall with a downspout and trim running through the middle....or it will look weird with a different siding material used for the dormer.
Anyone have pics of a similar dormer situation on a home? All the ones I see are normal smaller dormers which are typically centered on the garage and dont extend out as far as the wall on the main house and I think its easier to use a non-matching siding or pick a contrasting siding in that case.
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When I looked at your pic a sleeping porch like you would see on an older house sprang to mind.
I think this would add a lot of interest and visually open up the back of the house.
I see a wall of windows with panels underneath. No siding involved. Just lots of white trim.
I can see it but I couldnt find an exact picture so heres two links.
The first is a house with a sleeping porch. Ignore the siding under the windows.
Check out the panels under the windows in the second link. Pretend the windows arent curved.
When I looked at your pic a sleeping porch like you would see on an older house sprang to mind.
I think this would add a lot of interest and visually open up the back of the house.
I see a wall of windows with panels underneath. No siding involved. Just lots of white trim.
I can see it but I couldnt find an exact picture so heres two links.
The first is a house with a sleeping porch. Ignore the siding under the windows.
Check out the panels under the windows in the second link. Pretend the windows arent curved.
That's a great idea. Actually this is the most architecturally accurate way to design a classic dormer front, which really is not supposed to have siding at all, it should be all window and casing/trim. Obviously, these full width rear dormers are going to have to be designed and clad somewhat differently but Cecilia has the right idea; it should be designed as a bank of mulled windows as much as possible, the tops of the window (trim) should go to roofline and below should just be treated as a simple paneled feature to match the window mullions- if the bank of windows doesn't go the whole width, center that bank and clad with panels or siding on the remaining front wall area. If the interior design would have walls going to the exterior that doesn't match the mullion location (it would crash into a window), or it would be too much sunlight or window cost, then that area should be designed as a "blind" window, trimmed and sized as its surrounding windows and with a solid panel where the glazing would be to keep the pattern and symmetry- maybe a simple diamond trim design in the center to keep it interesting.
The panels and trim could easily be made of hardboard or even vinyl (yuck) if you wanted to go that route for ease of maintenance/cost as they are well away from being able to discern the exact detailing and construction by eye and touch.
I have to say this was an option I had never considered, and when I read it, I pictured it, and I definitely love the thought. I think it must be the single best way to make a dormer like this visually appealing....but I dont think its going to work for us.
Budget is a concern for this project and I think using a lot of glass like that would make the dormer portion of the reno more costly than we can really afford. Additionally, in this dormer, the first 8' or so will be a bathroom, and the rest of it will be a TV room with the TV and entertainment center going up against the new dormer wall so I dont think those rooms based on their uses and layouts would really be able to take full advantage of a lot of big windows like that...even so, I think its such a great idea, that were it not for cost considerations I would probably pursue it.
I tried brainstorming since I dont need all that glass if a similar look could be achieved but with faux shutters over the non-existent windows or something....but concluded that would probably wind up looking terrible
Why can't you just paint the addition the same color as the existing siding? If could match the width of the current siding, the differences would be barely noticeable.
I think the OP has vinyl siding; which fades from UV exposure so even the exact same 'new' would look "off-color".
As for the design, the pic should show a diff. angle.
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