An American, having moved to Germany, wrote an interesting post about the difference in housing arrangements between American and German houses- . Sometimes some things only amaze an American (such as a hanging toilet), but sometimes they surprise me too (roller shutters down throughout the house, regardless of the time of year or day).

German houses are not usually built with brick or wood, but with metal rebar and sand/limestone mix. Outside and inside the walls are covered with plaster and paint (outside - usually yellow, inside - white). Wallpaper is not used due to high humidity. American houses, usually built of wood/plywood, do not require a signal amplifier to wireless wifi. In a German home, it is required.

In Germany, they prefer to rent a house, rather than having their own. For example, in Berlin, more than 80% of people live in rented housing. Perhaps this is due to a lack of funds (the salary is small and you don’t want to be bound by a loan), or perhaps people do not see their future in this city and want to have freedom of choice and movement. If in America it is common to rent housing for a period of 1 year, then in Germany the minimum period is usually 3 years. The more, the more convenient for the landlord.

In German houses, there is usually no central air conditioning and heating system (grilles in the ceiling and on the floor). With the American hot climate and high humidity You just need constant air conditioning. But Germany is located to the north, it is enough to ventilate the rooms here. Although in old German houses, which are already several centuries old, there is often stubborn mold. The Germans may use small household fans. In cold weather, houses are heated hot water, which is fed into batteries on the wall or under the floor ("warm floors"). The heating level can be adjusted independently. No wonder Germans use less electricity than Americans.

Heating under the window. Balcony door made entirely of glass

But there are light motion sensors that save electricity. For example, they work near the entrance, in the corridor, in the basement.

It was a revelation to Americans that windows could be opened vertically. Sometimes they write on forums that they broke a window in a rented apartment and ask how to fix it and what to say to the landlord. Also, the Americans are puzzled why the Germans do not insert insect screens into all windows. It's just that in Germany all sorts of chemicals are sprayed from helicopters in swampy areas so that mosquitoes do not breed. There really are almost none. Summer night turns into torture for Americans, as all the moths and bugs fly from the darkness to the bright house. The battle between fresh air and lack of insects. Once an American woke up from the fact that a grasshopper was sitting on his chest.

In German houses, roller shutters (metal, wooden, plastic) are usually built into each room. They will be everywhere, except for the windows of the bathroom and toilet. Among Americans, similar strong window fortifications are found on the East Coast or in the southern states, where hurricanes are frequent and windows need to be saved from strong wind and flying debris. Or with the help of thick blinds in the south they escape from the sizzling sun. Americans are wondering why such powerful blinds are needed where there are no hurricanes and the hot south? Versions under consideration:

So that at night the light from street lamps does not interfere with sleep (but the blinds are lowered at night in all rooms);
- so that in winter, leaving the house, to keep it warm (but modern double windows and thermal insulation of the walls perfectly retain heat);
- in order to keep the house cool in the summer (the Germans are afraid of drafts, so they do not ventilate the house in this way in the summer);
- so that the glare of light does not fall on the TV screen;
- to keep their private life secret (it seems to them that 60% of the time the neighbors look out of their windows);
- to feel safe (it seems to the Americans that the Germans thus prepared for the zombie apocalypse);
- perhaps this is a memory of the time when in July 1939 an instruction was issued on the need to tightly close the windows with blankets at night so that the light from inside the house was not visible.
- perhaps there is no logic here. Enough habit that my mother and grandmother did this.

For example, in Holland they rarely curtain their windows, rather they try to decorate them with orchids, lighthouses, seagulls ... The Dutch like to live without curtains, as if demonstrating to all people that they have nothing to hide. Perhaps the Dutch like to look out the window more often than the TV. Perhaps this is their favorite TV program. Or maybe the Dutch just love the sun and don't like to turn their houses into underground spaces where no light can penetrate.

Dutch house in the evening.

Window shutters are what most surprise Americans in Germany. But those shutters on century-old buildings never close.

Usually residential buildings in German towns look like this day and night:

Maybe this is an echo of the war and it seems to them that a sniper is sitting on the roof? But the whole of Europe was at war.

When you move into a rented apartment, you need to be prepared for the fact that instead of lighting in the rooms there will be only wires. buy light bulbs lighting and you have to install them yourself. For example, for the first time, two table lamps brought with us helped us out a lot ..

Americans are surprised that German toilets have not one but two flush buttons and they are different! In the US, older toilets use 13.6 liters of water to flush, newer ultra-low-flow toilets use 6 liters. In Germany, pressing a large button uses 7.5 liters of water, and a small one - 3.8 liters.
Also for Americans, the design is amazing wall hung toilet. They are used to having it attached to the floor. And it’s also surprising to Americans that there is a brush in the toilet ...

Americans are used to the fact that in the kitchen waiting for them is a two-door refrigerator with a minimum height of 1.8 m, a huge oven and a large space for utensils and creativity. German cuisine disappoints them in this regard. Not all rented German houses have kitchen furniture, and if there is, then it is not at all "American" in size. When baking a turkey in a German oven, the Americans even have to cut off its legs, otherwise it simply does not fit inside.

Usually, at the entrance to a rented apartment, new tenants in the kitchen expect only the possibility of connecting water and electric wires. The previous tenants will even take the sink and countertop with them (most likely, because of its size, it will be useless in a new place, but here the Germans are driven not by logic, but by a sense of justice - you didn’t pay them for this kitchen). Typically, tenants buy kitchen furniture on their own or buy it cheaply from previous tenants who moved out (fortunately, they rarely move in Germany).

What does a typical American stove look like:

What does the kitchen look like in a rented German apartment (a small elevation on the left is a refrigerator):

Now I'm starting to understand why the Germans go to the store every day ... They simply do not fit anything at home. However, from the previous post, you already understood that the Germans prefer not to cook at home, they eat ready-made food that needs to be warmed up as much as possible (What do they eat in Germany? and).

German built-in oven:

What did the Americans do first? Of course we bought new refrigerator! True, they did not measure in advance the doorway of the closet where they intended to put him, but he climbed in anyway:

The storage room inside the apartment is often used to install an additional refrigerator or freezer. At our house, for example, there is a place for connecting washing machine. Also, usually the apartment is supposed to have a basement where you can store bicycles, skis, rods and whatever your heart desires (except for combustible and flammable items). Yes, when moving, the Germans will also take the dryer and washing machine with them.

If in America a large and beautiful space is accepted in front of the house, then the Germans have the opposite: in front of the house there will be quite small space, and all the beauty will be behind the house, away from prying eyes. Even apartment buildings in Germany, unsightly from the street, will have a pretty patio. Perhaps this is because the Germans do not want to "show off" their beautiful yards, while the Americans, on the contrary, like to look attractive. Usually in the backyards, the Germans cook sausages and fry meat.

In American homes, it is customary to make wall niches that can be closed, which can be conveniently used as dressing rooms or pantries. They will be present even in the smallest apartments in New York:

In Germany, instead of such niches, they buy furniture where they hang and fold clothes. Americans believe that cabinets are what Ikea does its main business in Germany.

Americans are used to their big houses have large furniture. But it just won't fit in the comparatively smaller German apartments. For example, this big dinner table for 10 people and chairs, the Americans had to sell before moving to Germany:

Of course, there were still difficulties in finding an adapter for equipment designed for a different mains voltage. For example, electronics bought in Germany will not work in the US unless adapters or transformers are used. Therefore, those who leave Europe for America usually sell all their equipment through websites at low prices. This is very convenient for those who move to Germany and do not want to invest a fortune in the purchase of new equipment. The EU electrical plug is different from the US one (2 small round pins vs 2 small flat prongs). Things that usually don't work from the US: TVs, irons, hair dryers, coffee pots, electric shavers, lamps, etc.

I'll add on my own:

If the house is old, post-war construction, most likely the bathroom will only have a shower. But at modern renovation everything looks nice:

In old houses, the division of rooms into a kitchen and a dining room has been preserved, i.e. they don’t eat in the kitchen, they only cook (however, as in the pre-revolutionary houses of Moscow and St. Petersburg).

Small German kitchen. Cooking here:

Here they eat:

In the kitchen, you can only have a bite to eat, sitting at this impromptu table on high bar stools:

The central place in the living room is occupied by a TV (each room of the German house has a TV outlet). For example, our neighbors watch TV as if on schedule - every day from 18:00 to 22:00. Then they lower their blinds and you can't hear them. His barbell continues to lie in the shed, her bike is there. It seems that in their life there is only home and work.

The German bedroom differs from others in that an additional switch will be arranged above the bed. Americans are surprised that in Germany there are big switches, not in the form of a lever. Very often, even on a double bed there will be two separate blankets (and not one large one) and there will be no bedspread on top (this is a wonder for the Germans). Terry stretch sheets are often used.

For some reason, the Germans avoid eating on the balconies, although they buy flowers, trees and beautiful furniture there.

The balcony in Holland is literally created for lunches and dinners:

Nice balconies in Heidelberg.

What are German houses -

A German-style house is a strict, concise housing, usually built in one or two floors. Externally, the architecture is very characteristic: the facades have a white finish and decor with dark wood beams. The style of buildings is called fachwerk (from German: fach werk - panels, building). Buildings with such facades are very harmonious. They originate from medieval Europe. A little later, the German style spread from there all over the world and is still popular today.

The building is erected according to the frame method, it does not have central load-bearing elements. The whole structure consists of sections of wooden beams. The sectors between them are filled with adobe blocks, sometimes with stone or brick.

Fachwerk design features

The German-style frame house includes the following structures:

• horizontal wooden beams;
• vertical wooden racks-supports;
• corner braces.

Braces are very important elements wooden frame bavarian house. They serve as a kind of spacers, taking over most of the load. Not less than important element German architecture are fastenings. They are made by old technology, which has changed little.

The free sectors of the beams are filled with adobe materials made of natural materials such as clay, straw or wood chips. On top of them, plaster is applied to the walls, without covering wooden elements building.

The facade of the German-style house acquires its charm precisely due to the contrast of dark beams and white trim. Of course, modern technologies made their own adjustments to the traditional German architectural direction. Now, instead of adobe blocks, brick, stone and polymers are used. Some buildings combine several materials at once.

Today, houses with a German flavor are built not only according to frame technology. Both concrete and stone buildings are decorated with beams and white facades, getting an elegant house with the spirit of a Bavarian village. For decoration external walls houses use the following materials:

• polyurethane and plastic panels;
• plywood;
• cement boards.

The projects of German houses involve the use of strict rectangular silhouettes with ledges. Often plans are supplemented with extensions, especially terraces. Another one feature fachwerk - an increase in the area of ​​the second and subsequent floors. Each new level buildings in the German style are significantly larger than the previous one. It is assumed that such a technique ensures that moisture drains from the roof without harming the facade finish.

The roofs of Bavarian houses are characterized pitched structure, including multi-tweezers. most popular roofing material is a tile of earthy shades: from red to deep coal.

Fachwerk interior

Often, German houses have a national flavor, not only outside, but also inside. The special character of the room is determined by wooden beams. They remain intact inside. The Bavarian interior looks very harmonious in country houses and cottages (see photo below).

It is recommended to use a warm palette and natural finish in German-style houses. This applies not only to walls, but also to furniture and decor. Projects of German-style houses using frame technology are built very quickly, which means that they practically do not shrink. This allows you to start finishing the Bavarian house immediately after the supply of communications.

The walls and ceiling of half-timbered buildings do not need elaborate finishing materials. It is best to use discreet, muted colors in the decor of German interiors. Stone harmonizes with wood. They trim the niches of fireplaces, walls in the kitchen or in the living room. Optimal for such work is a decorative flat stone with an imitation of the texture of a cobblestone. It looks especially colorful in the interior.

If the house is built of concrete or other materials that do not involve the use of wooden beams, imitation wooden structures are attached to the walls.

Advice! To cover the floor in the German interior is used natural wood and its analogues. It would also be appropriate to look like a tile with a stone texture.

Carpets and other textile floor coverings must comply general character premises. It is not recommended to use bright, caustic colors, the same applies to building materials. All shades of beige and milky colors and natural surfaces are optimal.

German architecture is very convenient for glazing. Window openings can be placed in all rooms, including in the attic room. best material for windows - wood, but many companies offer elegant PVC products imitating the texture of wood.

Note! A common technique in Bavarian houses is the absence of a ceiling. Leave only wooden rafters, struts and other elements of the roof frame, but the ceiling trim is completely absent. German-style houses with such roofs look very spacious (examples of houses are shown in the photo below).

Attic and attic superstructures give the Bavarian house a special charm. They are decorated with windows with shutters and flower boxes. In general, the plant decor at home is given Special attention. Plants planted around the perimeter of the building will help complete the look. german house from a fairytale. Recommended for planting coniferous trees bushy grasses, such as heather.

Details in the decoration of the Bavarian facade play an important role. Window shutters, metal weather vanes and cozy lanterns - all this will add zest to the image of the building. The material of the details should be combined with the wooden beams of the house. It can be forging or stone.

Furniture and interior decor

When choosing furniture for a German home, you should be especially careful. An overly elaborate detail will look out of place, which can ruin general style Bavarian interior. It is recommended to use wood and leather products. Natural materials fit perfectly into bavarian style the buildings.

Soft, warm shades of textiles and frame furniture, a natural stone, wood and metal will bring a touch of German Gothic into the room. A niche near the stove in the kitchen can be decorated with stone, in the manner of a medieval hearth. Flower beds with petunias and azaleas will add charm to the rooms.

To illuminate the interior of German houses, it is also recommended to use warm light. There should be more lights in the central rooms. For an intimate atmosphere, bedrooms and reading areas are suitable, where there will be enough wall sconces and point light. Stained-glass windows can be bright spots in the interior. It is not necessary to decorate the windows of the house with them. Desk lamp, countertops and kitchen cabinets can also be decorated with colored glass.

In designing a half-timbered house, it is not necessary to follow traditional German technology. You can take a project that is convenient for you and refine it by adding stylistic fachwerk details. For such purposes, you can hire a professional designer, he will draft a German house according to your requests.

Large construction companies should have projects of German houses. Therefore, if you plan to turn to professionals, immediately ask about the availability of projects with a Bavarian flavor. The construction of a Bavarian house ready plan will cost you much less.

Monday, 25 February 2019 12:00

romario

Recently, when building a house, much attention has been paid to its appearance. And we are talking not only about interior decoration - great importance also has external design at home.

Do not forget about the facade, because modern designers can offer a huge number of solutions that will be able to make your home truly original. It should be noted that in the German style are quite rare. The facade of the house will emphasize the taste, features and habits of the owner. If you are determined that you want to make your home unique with a facade, then you will need to decide on its style, and then on the material. When choosing a style, you should pay attention to the surrounding area: if the houses nearby have a design different from your facade, then no matter how beautiful it is, it will not fit well into the overall picture. After you decide on all the points, you can get to work.

One of best solutions The facades of the houses are modest and original German style. We note that German architecture has always been famous for its attractive appearance and economy. That is, for finishing you do not need a lot of material.
Such houses are usually built in the form of a rectangle or square, thereby achieving a rich appearance. But further, the German style is not distinguished by a smooth surface: since ancient times, decorative stone has been used for home improvement, which, by the way, is a key material. Now in Germany you can often find houses in which the basement is lined with this stone.
Windows are made in the form of rectangles or arches. The windows are divided by small jumpers into several sections. Doors are selected depending on the color of the decorative stone. The roof, as a rule, is also painted in a color similar to the facade.
Here it is worth noting an important point: any house, no matter how it was originally built, can be converted to the German style. The most important thing is to choose the right construction material certain color.

Fachwerk style is the latest fashion trend for the construction of residential buildings. Peculiarity this style lies in the fact that small boards are installed vertically, horizontally and diagonally throughout the house, which create an imitation of wooden beams. It is worth noting that the creation of such a style often costs the owners a pretty penny. It is also recommended to contact professional designer that can create a great style to match your home.

Of the advantages, it is worth noting that such houses will always stand out with originality. wooden boards quite easy to mount, because they are quite light and are assembled according to the type of designer. Each separate house has its own dimensions, so the boards are made to order.
However, a German-style half-timbered house still has a couple of drawbacks:

• the design is short-lived - it will last you about 20 years, after which it will have to be replaced;
• imitating beams create poor thermal insulation.

But if you think about it, then modern technologies do not stand still, and perhaps in a few years half-timbered houses will completely lose their shortcomings. Even though they are so small. You can also experiment by adopting some small features from such styles as, and "hi-tech". This will allow you to create a truly unique and inimitable facade.

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House in the German style: 2 Bavarian currents and 8 rules of arrangement

The German-style house is a luxurious building with light-colored walls and brown wooden beams. Beams are located at different angles and create an interesting appearance. Let's take a closer look at German-style houses.

House design

The peculiarity of such houses is that they do not have load-bearing central elements, since the structure is built using sections. And the space between specific sections is filled with certain building materials:

• clay concrete materials.
• Brick.
• Stone. This option is used quite rarely, but is also used in the German style.

The classic option is one-storey cottage with a pronounced attic, which is comfortably located on the border or second floor. Thus, the owners of the house receive a two-story building.

The first floor includes the territorial arrangement of the living room, dining room and kitchen. Quite often there is also a bathroom for the convenience of residents.

On the second floor, that is, in the attic, there is a bedroom and a children's room. Also, if space permits, you can arrange a bathroom. It is extremely rare to observe the construction and arrangement of three-story houses.

Many construction companies provide services for the construction of turnkey houses. Here you only need to agree on the project and its cost. Of particular interest is the facade of the house.

On the facade can be placed flower pots, hooks for Christmas decorations and even birdhouses. Such elements give additional notes of comfort and friendliness.

Construction features

German-style projects are made from a half-timbered frame. The frame is equipped with three elements:

• Beam. This is a certain size timber, made from materials of natural origin: wood.
• Braces. it wooden bars, which are important to arrange in accordance with the corners.
• Rack. it wooden support located in the vertical plane.

For the German style, you need to use braces. They give the house strength and stability. The braces are fastened in accordance with the joints of the existing parts. Such cunning characterizes true German quality.

Types of German houses: 2 styles

The German style of houses can be translated into reality by two main building abilities:

A photo	Description
	half-timbered houses A distinctive feature is the vertical frame. It is combined with cross braces and beams. The alignment is done diagonally. Beams should be painted in a contrasting color to the color of the walls. This results in a magnificent entourage and German expressiveness. Components in such houses act well natural stones and plaster.
	gothic houses Such houses have a natural originality. Quite often they are compared with Gothic castles. A pointed roof, as well as elongated windows, make houses much more attractive and refined. The Gothic style often includes brick columns, but they are not only an element of decor, but also serve as a support for the roof, the summer terrace.

Decoration Materials

Exterior decoration is based on the Bavarian style. Where clay walls and wooden beams are observed.

Some projects are created using decorative stone, brick or plastic panels.

Exterior and interior: 8 rules of arrangement

With your own hands, you can easily create unique German interiors, moderately restrained and refined. It is important to know the basic rules:

A photo	Description
	Rule 1. Colors and shades The German style makes extensive use of light shades and pastel colors. All natural materials are endowed with the same shades: clay, stone, wood. Wall decoration should be as natural, neutral and unobtrusive as possible. You can actively use decorative stones, cobblestones, lightly covered with plaster as decorative elements. The interior decor allows the use of wooden beams, equipped on the walls and ceiling.
	Rule 2. Flooring Actual use as floor covering wood. It can be a laminate of any shades and combinations, as well as parquet. For bedrooms, children's and living rooms, you can buy carpets with a low pile. The color scheme is selected in accordance with a single style line. As a rule, the floor covering is chosen darker than the color of the walls. In the German style, brown, white and beige scales are actively used.
	Rule 3. Window frames and doors Frames are also better to choose from natural materials. But plastic under a tree is allowed. Imitation of a half-timbered house is well suited, it even allows you to glaze the entire building as a whole. The German style is quite demanding on the intricacies of the design of window frames and entrance doors. It is important that the front door stands out from the background of the house.
	Rule 4. Attic Houses with an attic always look much more attractive and comfortable. In the attic you can create a summer room, flower garden and much more. It is important when arranging the attic to think over the thermal insulation system. Window shutters are good to decorate bright colors like petunias. The German style also involves the arrangement of the terrace. Its appearance will look harmonious with plants such as parthenocissus, heather or blackberry. There are benches and tables for evening tea on the terrace. It is important that the pieces of furniture are made of natural material.
	Rule 5. Furniture The furniture is characterized by conciseness, exquisite design and naturalness. Actively use wood, stone. Animal skins or imitation fur are suitable as upholstery. Beds, tables, chairs, wardrobes must be made of wood.
	Rule 6 Accessories Often the German style is compared with Italian interiors. It is important to use natural ingredients. You can apply some elements of Gothic in the interior. For example, cooker stylized as a Gothic oven arch. Place clay pots on the shelves. The German style necessarily contains a variety of fresh flowers, respectively, planted in clay pots.
	Rule 7. Fireplace The highlight of any interior is a fireplace, but the German style cannot be complete without it. If it is not possible to create real fireplace with the pipe out, it can be easily replaced with an electric one. In stores you can find a large assortment of stylized fireplaces. The facing of the fireplace should be natural, as a rule, it is a stone (brick or clay is rarely used).
	Rule 8. Lighting The right lighting option will be floor lamps, sconces and ceiling lights. It is better if there are natural elements in the decor elements of the lamps. The more lighting inside the space, the better. Large-scale chandeliers stylized as candles look harmonious in this style.

Conclusion

German charm, grace and pedantry are the main qualities that are appropriate to use in house projects. Houses built on the basis of German classical style, differ in functionality, durability and attractiveness.

The video in this article will clearly demonstrate the topic. And if you have any questions, ask them in the comments

February 9, 2018

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