Tanglewood Conservatories Blog – Alan Stein's Writings about Custom Conservatory Design and More

As many of you know, I’ve mentioned the conservatory that was donated to the Caroline County Historical Society by one of our clients some time ago. The client had to move before the conservatory could be installed and the new owners could not use it.

It is a beautiful room that the Society is now selling at a steep discount in order to raise money for their restorations of several old buildings dating to the pre-revolutionary war period.

These are some drawings of the conservatory. The room is in storage awaiting its new owners. Please contact Nancy at Tanglewood if you are interested in a terrific deal on this great conservatory.

You will not likely find an opportunity like this again – and all in support of a very worthy cause!

Here is a picture of a small greenhouse that we completed last summer. I took the photograph myself and not being able to get back far enough or get up high enough, had to settle for poking the camera through the bushes as best I could. We’ll get some really nice shots of this in the spring and will then get it up on our main Gallery page.

It is a very small room, only 7’ wide by 16’ long, but it’s just the right size for a small greenhouse at home on a tight residential lot. Because it is attached to the house, the homeowner and the architect wanted to make sure that its design and quality were a suitable complement to the home.

We used a cooper clad roof to match the metal work on the house, painted the room to match the colors of the home and continued the stone of the house out around the basewall of the conservatory as well. The conservatory’s hip roof complements the roof lines of the house.

What we tried to accomplish with this small commission, was to make the design both a really special little piece of the whole architectural composition (the house), yet have it fit in well with the overall scheme. This is not always as easy to accomplish as it might seem.

When working on any creative endeavor, architectural design included, there is always the potential to let one’s ego get in the way. If the artist starts to feel self conscious about the work or allows themselves think their work is something very special, the sensitivity required to strike just the right balance will be clouded.

This small conservatory does not seem to overpower the composition or draw too much attention to itself. This was accomplished by keeping the overall geometry simple (just a small rectangular hip roof design) but increasing the intricacy of the details just a bit.

Cigar Aficionado magazine feature
If you happen to be a cigar lover, you might notice the spotlight given to Tanglewood Conservatories in the February 2008 issue of Cigar Aficionado magazine. On page 179, the second to last page in the magazine, is a feature called “Made for You”.

The “Made for You” section is devoted to showcasing such exceptionally high quality items that they are especially noteworthy. They are generally custom made for each purchaser.

Here is the way the editors describe them: “In a world of fast food and one-size-fits-all sensibilities, how often does something feel made especially for you?

The “Made for You” section celebrates those items that are created with such a high quality of hand-workmanship and degree of customization that they become individual to you”.

“In each issue, our editors will endeavor to bring you special things from anywhere on the globe, choosing them solely on the basis of outstanding quality. Our goal is to give you guidance on the best of everything”.

Well said! Tanglewood Conservatories is proud to be included in this rarified lot.

Tanglewood Conservatories was founded by the husband and wife team of Alan Stein and Nancy Virts in 1993.

Beginning in a 3,000 square foot warehouse, with little more equipment than a “contractors” table saw, the company began to design and assemble stock windows and doors into “conservatory-styled” home additions for customers in the Washington, DC area.

Alan had already been involved with numerous building projects when two of his customers requested he build them a “conservatory”. After researching manufacturers of prefabricated systems and finding none suitable, he decided to build them himself.

Several successful projects later, Alan and Nancy, by now enchanted with the concept of “crystal palaces”, decided to rename the company Tanglewood Conservatories and pursue their new passion. Nancy’s sense of connection between music and design stood behind her choice of the name which was taken from the well known music center.

Fifteen years later, the company occupies 40,000 square foot of space and employs 30 craftsmen, designers and staff. Our commitment is to design and build the best conservatories in the world, architecturally and technically, to build Tanglewood into a world-class company and to consistently deliver the best experience possible to our customers.

Our passion for these beautiful buildings, our desire for excellence in their design and construction and our love of new and engaging opportunities, has continually led us into deeper waters.

The initial concept of using “stock” parts from outsourced suppliers has long ago given way to a relentless drive to become a vertically integrated, well-controlled modern manufacturing company. At the same time, our desire to continually develop new products and approaches and to explore the use of new materials and techniques remains stronger than ever.

Current new endeavors include the design and construction of traditional cast iron and steel conservatories and greenhouses.

I’d like to wish everyone a very Happy Holiday and New Year. May 2008 be a year filled with health, happiness and growth for all of us.

Tanglewood will be closed for the holiday beginning on Monday, December 24th. We will reopen on Wednesday, January 2nd, 2008.

See you all next year!
Alan

Blown away…#11…too much!!
Got a true emotional feel from that one….that’s not easy, I don’t believe.

Even the flyover states read the NY Times once in awhile.

Thanks, Gang!

Larry Dolan

I came across your web site. Boy what a terrible word for the site you’ve created. My home in Texas isn’t a likely candidate for a conservatory, I love that word! But your photos of your work are just exquisite. Just passing by and thought I’d drop a note to tell you how much I enjoyed the visit. I love beautiful carpentry and unusual design they are just breathtaking.Thank you for the hospitality. Linn Ward

Anyone interested in a deeply discounted Tanglewood conservatory?

Not long ago, a client who had commissioned us for a project in San Francisco decided to sell their house overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge before the conservatory that they had ordered could be installed.

There had been difficulty obtaining a building permit because of the owners had not completed items and got a final occupancy permit for a previous renovation, so the project had been delayed for some time and now business took the owners elsewhere.

Not knowing what to do with the conservatory, a beautiful hip roof design with large Palladian windows set on a raised panel base wall, the client asked for our help in “disposing” of the conservatory.

We suggested and subsequently arranged to have the conservatory donated to the local Caroline County Historical Society, who now has the conservatory up for sale in an effort to raise money for their ongoing restoration projects.

Denton, Maryland, hometown of Tanglewood Conservatories, is a historic hamlet on Maryland’s Eastern shore. It is in this area that the first settlements in this country began in the early 1600’s.

Check out the May 2007 issue of National Geographic. The cover story on the “Real Jamestown Story” took place right here, in and around the beautiful Chesapeake Bay region. Our locale is full of early American and Native American Indian historic sites, from Kent Island to Cambridge, Maryland.

Caroline County was also a major center of activity for the Underground Railroad.

The Historical Society has numerous ongoing projects ranging from site excavations to the moving and complete restoration of significant buildings dating from that period.

Director of the Caroline County Historical Society, Mr. Jok Walsh, says that the society will accept all offers and indicates that the conservatory might be purchased for a fraction of the cost paid by the original buyer. Anyone interested should contact him at 410 479 4188.

Additional information and drawings of the actual conservatory itself is also available from us. Please call Alan Stein or Nancy Virts.

This is a great opportunity for someone. Wouldn’t it make a great holiday gift?
Here are some basics:

Size: Approximately 13′ 6″ x 21′ 3″ rectangular plan with hip roof.
Product type: PRIMED WOOD walls (interior and exterior), color: OFF WHITE.
PRIMED WOOD roof structure, color: OFF WHITE.
EXTRUDED-ALUMINUM roof glazing system, color: WHITE.
PRIMED WOOD DIVIDED LIGHT windows and doors.
Materials: HONDURAS MAHOGANY window frames, window sash, exterior trim.
HONDURAS MAHOGANY roof structure.
POPLAR interior applied trim.
Roof glass: Commercial-grade, insulated, dual sealed units.
TINTED, TEMPERED outboard, LOW E, LAMINATED inboard
Wall glass: CLEAR ANNEALED outboard, LOW E ANNEALED inboard
ALL DOORS AND SIDELIGHTS TO BE TEMPERED GLASS PER CODE.
Doors: ONE (1) CUSTOM 3′ 0″ wide x 8′ 6″ high OUTSWING single door.
hardware: MULTI-POINT GU locksets with brass lever handles, standard GU finishes.
hinges: 4″ x 4″ EXTRUDED SOLID BRASS.
POLISHED BRASS finish.
threshold: SOLID BRASS with OAK interior saddle.
screen doors: NONE
Operable windows: EIGHT (8) AWNING windows with removable insect screens.
hardware: SOLID BRASS push bars and sash lock handle.
finish: SATIN brass
insect screens: WHITE color aluminum frame with charcoal color fiberglass screen cloth.
Skylight vents: ELECTRONICALLY operable with auto rain sensors.
color: MOTOR COVERS to be WHITE.
Low voltage wiring to motors and electrical hookups are by others.
110V wiring to switches by others.
An Non-Interruptible Power Supply unit to be supplied by others is recommended.
insect screens: WHITE aluminum frame with charcoal color fiberglass screen cloth.
Ridge cresting: Cast Aluminum, ACORN style.
Tie rods: TWO (2)- 1/2″ steel rod with decorative center rosette.
Finials: Exterior finials.