By Christina Poletto
For gardeners, a greenhouse is the ultimate luxury, offering a head start on spring even when snow still coats the ground.
But many homeowners now want their glass-walled rooms to do more than grow plants. Today's most creative takes, which include standalone greenhouses and conservatories attached to the main house, double as places to read, relax or entertain, surrounded by year-round greenery.
That kind of double duty requires careful planning from the start, designers say, since choices about insulation, environmental controls and glazing can quickly push costs higher -- and are difficult to reverse later.
At three very different budgets, these light-filled spaces support thriving plants while also serving as a peaceful escape.
A six-figure sanctuary
When a fire razed their home in Ripon, Wis., Jackie and Chuck Nelson, who run a commercial painting business, reimagined the space formerly occupied by a music room and office into a Victorian Gothic-style conservatory.
Jackie was passionate about growing some of her favorite tropical plants from Florida, where she's from, Midwest winters be damned. "The only way to grow orchids in Wisconsin is indoors," she said. They turned to Jim Hewitt, a master gardener and owner of Minneapolis design-build firm Conservatory Craftsmen.
For the 14-by-23-foot climate-controlled space, Hewitt wrapped a steel substructure in Sapele mahogany to create a room that felt both warm and welcoming. Decorative muntins on the insulated windows make the panels look like they're crafted from individual pieces of glass.
In place of the former chimney, the couple opted for a mahogany-wrapped gas fireplace, which sits low, allowing for regular sightings of wild bucks and birds. "It's the place to watch the sunrise, especially on cold mornings while sitting in front of the fireplace with our pets and a delicious hot cup of coffee," said Jackie.
The Nelsons said the whole project cost between $350,000 and $450,000. The orchids are thriving and the space has made for a great backdrop for their daughters' wedding photos.
A more modest Tennessee retreat
If you don't want to drop six figures for a garden sanctuary, build-your-own kits from greenhouse companies like Janssens and Alton can be had for low five figures.
Looking to grow herbs, flowers and a lemon tree on her Tennessee property, designer and antiques curator Lauren Sullivan opted for a 13-by-20-foot Victorian Lodge model from the U.K.'s Hartley Botanic. While Sullivan didn't disclose the price, Christiana Drewry, a gardener and landscape designer, said she's come across small Hartley Botanic greenhouses in her work that go for about $40,000.
Features like temperature-regulating roof vents and roller blinds keep the space functioning year round. Sullivan brings in portable heaters in the winter.
Sullivan sourced and styled the interior decorative materials herself. Turned pavers exude a checkerboard feel at the entrance, while vintage 1900s Spanish tile found at 1stDibs, an online marketplace, extends the playful pattern indoors.
Sullivan often goes to the space to relax. "There's something incredibly grounding about being surrounded by glass, greenery and natural light," Sullivan said. "[The light] shifts throughout the day and across seasons, keeping the space feeling alive."
A low-cost labor of love
When Christiana Drewry, the gardener and landscape designer, and her husband, Kodiak, received a windfall of original douglas fir single-pane windows from a neighbor, they took it as a sign to put dreams for a greenhouse in motion.
They chose the sunniest spot on the flattest part of their two acres in Marin County, Calif., for the 9-by-21-foot space. The couple worked together to remove brush, grade the land and build two retaining walls. Kodiak milled the lumber for the greenhouse from a redwood tree on the property. In all, the project cost around $2,500.
The couple takes a more conventional approach to the greenhouse, using it as a garden workshop year-round, but it gets especially busy in the spring. In March, Christiana will seed brassicas like kale, broccoli and cabbage, along with onions and leeks.
Soon, she hopes her daughter will join in the work. "I have a feeling it will be one of her favorite places, as it is mine," she said. "There is a tiny harvest basket and a little watering can waiting for her."
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
February 26, 2026 17:00 ET (22:00 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2026 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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