Is Your House Good for Thunderstorm Viewing?

In our area we're experiencing a round of thunderstorms, which are supposed to continue for another few days.  Reactions to thunderstorms can vary widely from fear to awe with any number of feelings in between.  If you're like me, then you love thunderstorms.  The rumble of the thunder combined with the amazing light show brings a sense of wonder and awe.  They can be a nice change of pace (so long as you're safe).

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Depending on your house layout, it can sometimes be difficult to watch the light show outside.  You might have furniture in front of your window, so it's awkward to try and sit in a position that allows you to watch.  Or you might have small windows inconveniently placed making it difficult to view the storm comfortably.  Another obstacle is when your view is blocked by a neighboring building.  That can bring disappointment and ruin your excitement.

Today I'm going to describe what I think makes a house good for viewing thunderstorms.  First, you need to have large windows.

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Large windows are a must if you want to have a good, unobstructed viewing area to watch the thunderstorm.  You can arrange your furniture in just about any configuration and still be able to watch the lighting streak across the sky while you sit comfortably.  Wouldn't you love to have the view out of the windows in the picture above?

Second, you need a house with multiple levels.

The Winds Cottage

Being able to go up a level higher than the buildings around you helps give a better vantage point.  If your house is the same height as your neighbors, when the lightning flashes below their house then your view is gone and disappointment sets in.  In the picture above, if the second floor isn't high enough then you're able to go up another to get the view you desire.

Third, you need a safe place to watch the thunderstorm.

The Island Cottage

Ideally, having an interior observation loft will give you the height you desire and a 360 degree view of the storm. That would be a pretty awesome view!  If you don't have an observation loft, then go back to the first item on my list:  find a large, unobstructed window to watch the storm from.

Now, it's important to stay safe during thunderstorms.  The National Weather Service has issued a lot of info for Lightning Safety that you should review.  They have multiple links to various safety info, one of which is Tips for Safety with information about outdoor safety, indoor safety, and safety tips of what to do if you are stuck outside during a thunderstorm. For instance, don't watch a thunderstorm from your porch.  It might seem like an ideal place, especially if it's on an upper level.  But, the National Weather Service specifically says this is not a good idea.  Take their advice and stay safe!

If you're interested in designing or remodeling your home to facilitate a better view to watch storms from, let us help you create a design at www.mcleodarchitect.com.  Or view our architect designed house plans, including the Winds Cottage and Island Cottage pictured above, at www.southerncottages.com.

We Are On Houzz

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If you are a fan of Houzz (and a lot of people are), you can now browse interior and exterior pictures of the Island Cottage, Woods Cottage, Plantation Cottage, Porches Cottage, Shelter Cottage and Winds Cottage on our profile (with more to follow soon).  We also have some renderings of the Grand Island Cottage there.  Click the Houzz button above, the one on the left of our blog, or the following link:  Southern Cottages Houzz profile.

If you are not aware of what Houzz is, it is the "largest and most influential directory of remodeling and design professionals".  One way you can use Houzz is to do a search based on a keyword.  A picture list will come up showing you ideas of how to incorporate that particular item into your home. 

Another important feature is the reviews we have received from previous clients.  Take some time to look through those, browse pictures and get some ideas for your home.  As always, please leave us comment if you have any questions or use the "Contact" tab above to find our phone number.

Let us help you create a building to serve your needs at www.mcleodarchitect.com.
View our architect designed house plans at www.southerncottages.com.

Room To Entertain

 

Winds Cottage with Shed Roof

If you have beach front property & love to entertain, the Winds Cottage will give you everything you need: a large living room with ocean view & adjacent kitchen & dining room. It has 5 bedrooms on the upper two floors for weekend & summer guests. The spacious back deck is perfect for enjoying your evenings with friends. Check it out by clicking this link. All of the Southern Cottages House Plans are designed by an architect to give you style with a comprehensive design at a price you can afford.

Winds Cottage first floor.

Winds Cottage with Gable Roof

Let us help you create a building to serve your needs at www.mcleodarchitect.com.
View our architect designed house plans at www.southerncottages.com.

Winds Cottage

  The Winds Cottage is a contemporary adaptation of southern coastal elements put together in a new and exciting way. The plans work well on a narrow lot because views are afforded front to back from nearly all rooms, even if adjacent houses are close together on a crowded waterfront site.

 

 

 

 

 

Some of the amenities of this house are a large living room with adjacent kitchen and diningroom.   The living room looks out to the spacious back deck, which is perfect for enjoying your evenings with friends or family.  It's also a great place to watch the sunset and relax.

 

 

 The Winds Cottage has 5 bedrooms and 4 baths on the upper two floors for weekend & summer guests. 

 

 

All of the finishes are customizable to fit your personal style.

 

 

We currently have three versions of the Winds Cottage.  It is available with a crawlspace foundation or a piling foundation and with a gabled or shed roof.

 

Standard Crawlspace Foundation

 

 

Piling Foundation, Gable Roof, Elevator

Piling Foundation, Shed Roof, Elevator

 

The Problem With Stairs

This picture may be a little extreme, but at the end of the day, have you ever felt like you've been climbing stairs like these in your 2 or 3 story home?

Stairs are a struggle when you need to move in large furniture or simply a car load of groceries. But they can also become more difficult to handle when getting older. How nice would it be to have your own private elevator to take you up and down the levels of your home? Southern Cottages House Plans offers several plans that incorporate a personal elevator into the design. The cottages below all feature an elevator.

Winds Cottage - The Winds Cottage is a contemporary adaptation of southern coastal elements put together in a new and exciting way.

Porches Cottage - The Porches Cottage is ideal for a streetscape lot in a beach house community or anywhere large, covered porches are desirable. The "inverted living area" floor plan maximizes views.

Shelter Cottage - The Shelter Cottage has a large, sheltering roof and ample covered outdoor living spaces. The linear plan allows for views both front and back from most all rooms making it light and airy.

Peaks Cottage - "Rooms in the roof" and a cascading, sheltering roofline give this house a distinctive appearance.

What's Your View?

Ocean View

Waterway View

Lake View

Mountain view

The House Plans below make the most of special views and vistas for that special beach cottage overlooking the ocean, coastal waterway, lake or hills. With features such as roof decks, windowed cupolas or "widows watch", "rooms-in-the-roof" and elevated, covered porches, our "house plans with a view " can capture that special visual appeal that made you love your lot in the first place.

The Island Cottage House Plan is a playful, coastal cottage getaway. With it's wrap around porch, roof decks and roof-top observation loft, we'll call it "Island Victorian".

The Winds Cottage is a contemporary adaptation of southern coastal elements put together in a new and exciting way.

The Porches Cottage is ideal for a streetscape lot in a coastal house community or anywhere large, covered porches are desirable. The "inverted living area" floor plan maximizes views.

The Shelter Cottage has a large, sheltering roof and outdoor living spaces. The linear plan allows for views both front and back from most all rooms making it a light and airy beach house.

"Rooms in the roof" and a cascading, sheltering roofline give this coastal house a distinctive appearance.

The Lookout Cottage is a magnificent coastal home with roof decks, balconies and a rooftop observation platform perfect for overlooking surrounding trees and rooftops.

(ocean, waterway, lake and mountain view pictures found on google images)