Clermont couple designs garden house styled after magazines

Elizabeth Harrison is a self-professed magazine junkie.

After moving into her Clermont home two years ago, she knew she wanted a garden house and she knew exactly how she wanted it to look.

I wanted something really different and unique, Harrison said. It just came to me. It was the look that I wanted. I wanted it to look like it was old, like it had been here for 100 years just sitting out in the yard.

Inspired by magazine photos, Harrison drew a picture of what she wanted and asked Jones Cottrell, owner of Clearview Construction in Clermont, to build it.

Cottrell said he was excited about the unusual request and was pleased with the end result.

Construction began in spring 2013 and was completed after three months.

Two large, metal arched doors open to reveal an interior decorated with antique furniture and artworks by Gainesville-based artist Jane Taylor. The 22-square-foot octagonal garden house is crowned by a 10-foot-tall copper roof. The foundation was made with antique bricks, weeping mortar makes the year-old structure seem timeless. Seven antique windows lift open while iron window grates below allow air to circulate through the space, making it comfortable year-round.

Cottrell said the shape of the garden house caused a bit of difficulty. He and his crew built the frame of the bell-shaped copper roof in his barn and then placed it on top of the building using a crane.

Harrison recalled how excited she was to see her vision become a reality when she watched the crew hand crimp the copper roof.

Her enthusiasm motivated the crew, Cottrell said.

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Clermont couple designs garden house styled after magazines