Wooden shutters and arched windows in a new house built in the style of old Romanian houses

If you are an admirer of Romanian architectural styles, often inspired by peasant constructions, when you build your dream house you will want to find in it at least some of the characteristics of these styles. This is what the Vasile couple - the owners of the house presented below - wanted. Initially I thought it was an old renovated house. The division of the house, the arched windows, the wooden shutters recall houses over a century oldwhose renovation we spoke about not long ago. As with the renovated houses, the windows and doors were made with great attention to detail by the firm Holze.

About home in general

The construction of the house on Theodor Pallady Avenue started in 2017 and took about 2 years. The asymmetrical elements of the house are reminiscent of old peasant houses, which were started by the first generation, then continued by the second, maybe even the third generation. The additions, although they were distinct from the original construction, formed a unitary whole with the original building, because the same line of construction and finishing was maintained.

The house has two levels connected by a central concrete spiral staircase with two-inch solid oak steps and a hand-crafted wrought iron handrail. The open ground floor brings new architectural and design concepts in family communication to the forefront, bringing the kitchen and living room together. Also on the ground floor is a work office and a bathroom, but the office is separate from the open-plan spaces.

The staircase connects the living room to the bedrooms upstairs. Upstairs are three bedrooms and a bathroom, all with entrance from a central hallway. All the spaces are bright, both thanks to the windows and the light colors used to finish the walls and interior doors.

In order not to alter the final quality of the windows, Holze aluminum frames were used during construction

Arched windows are what give the idea of a renovated old house. They are found on the facade and on the sides of the house, generally in groups of two. The entrance door also has an arched arch and a wide casement. It is a glazed door that allows light to enter, with a metal grille that reproduces elements of the staircase handrail. The same elements are also found on the balustrade of the terrace on the left side of the first floor.

In order not to extend the working time at the house and at the same time to preserve the quality and appearance of the carpentry, Holze has developed its own working system based on aluminum pre-frames. These pre-frames are fitted into the window openings so that plastering and finishing can be done without fear of damaging the windows. The windows can be fitted at the end without damaging the freshly finished walls. While the frames are being installed and the construction crew is finishing, the millwork is being produced and finished in the factory, reducing labor time on the house. The windows and doors are installed when all the finishing work on the house is finished, so there is no risk of being splashed with cement or kicked.

The window frames of Vasile's house are made of layered meranti wood, a hard, noble species, commonly used for windows. They are double glazed windows which provide very good thermal and sound insulation. The windows were made of wood on the inside and granite on the outside.

Wooden shutters increase home value

Wooden shutters are an increasingly rare and fine accessory to home windows. In the past, it was common to shield yourself from the scorching sun or daylight with them. There were many craftsmen who knew how to make them. Now there are fewer and fewer who know how to work them so that they work well and stand the test of time despite external aggression. Holze is one of those few.

The shutters of the Vasile house are made of massive tee. All knots have been removed because they are sensitive spots where wood deterioration starts. Water can get into the area around the knot and slowly attack the wood, even cracking the blade. The hardware used allows the slats to be opened and closed and the shutters to be opened by folding them in half.

I said shutters increase the value of the house. Literally and figuratively. As well as the aesthetics of a house with shutters, there is also the cost of the shutters themselves. If you want shutters you should know that they practically double the cost of the window. It's a lot of well-crafted wood, high-performance exterior protection materials and good quality, durable hardware.

Doors can be more than a boundary between two spaces

All doors, both interior and exterior, were also made by Holze. The exterior doors are made of meranti, with interior and exterior hooding. The wide inset molding reinforces the old-house image by suggesting thick walls, as they were built in the past. The dark walnut finish - walnut - is very similar to the roof and matches the exterior natural stone fascia of varying textures with shades of imperial blue. The pattern of the gash at the base of the house is echoed at the top of the ground and first floors.

Inside the doors are light in color, avoiding the coolness of white. Ivory was chosen, a warm and distinguished color. The fittings are made of antiqued bronze, giving the interior a warm and elegant touch.

For interior doors Holze recommends strong essences such as oak tree, frasin or meranti, even if they are painted in RAL colors. Doors are easily knocked with children's furniture or toys and the finish cannot protect a soft wood from knocks. Bevels, scratches and dents in the wood can damage the overall appearance. It is also recommended to install solid wood doors in an elegant space.

If you want a special home, it's not enough just to consider the architecture and construction. Equally important are the materials with which the house is finished, the doors and windows, the way they are built and installed, and the care and attention with which they are constructed and fitted. Double glazed windows with wooden frames will give your home a pleasant appearance while contributing to its energy efficiency.