Yes, you can. Your architect should be able to handle water drainage from snow and rain in the courtyard since you are starting from scratch. Ask about options for roof slopes that surround the courtyard but don't dump water into it, where the gutters would go, and how to plan for regular access to clean out the pipes and drains.

Dear Anne: " if you’re not an architect I dont know why you are commenting on a post specifically about architecture. "

Conservatories were a popular feature in bigger homes, which sort of sounds like what you are talking about?

what about going with an historic look besides Victorian? a lot of our Victorians are tall and narrow in the city so I am having trouble picturing what you are after.

I was in a house a few years ago with a conservatory

Sounds like they want a roof over it tho...

Yeah, central inner courtyard is what I’m looking for with only interior access from inside the home.

Lisa, why would someone say buy and restore a Queen Anne that when I specifically posted about something completely different. That just doesn’t make sense or help me at all. Also, there’s a reason the home posted is cheap. I live in Cleveland and I know the area.

We have a super cool courtyard garden in an warehouse conversion here.

No roof over the courtyard- open

I live in a converted warehouse now! I have an old freight elevator in my place!

https://www.dezeen.com/2018/12/19/conservatory-house-off-grid-nadine-englebrecht-architecture-south-africa/

Great thanks everyone. I figured it would be tough if even possible. I won’t consider it anymore. Removing this post now since we’ve hashed it out as not a good idea. Thanks!

Take a couple of architecture and design classes. You need the historical grounding to be able to understand buildings and design. You need more exposure to the concept of proportion, and designing for site suitability. If you’re going to build on that land, build something that suits the land. You’re a long way away from making anything happen right now. Take the time to learn a lot more about it all before you do anything but make payments on that land and saving to have 30% down plus the paid off land.

Instead of a full courtyard, why not create a U shaped house. That would alleviate a lot of the water/snow/ice issues you'd have in a true courtyard house. I love courtyard homes, but the ones I've seen are mostly one story and in areas that don't get lots of rain/snow.

I did a U shaped house because here in FL I was concerned about water and also I didn't have a large lot to allow me to do a true courtyard. However as suggested, my house is is low feeling since my house is craftsman, not victorian. The wings are 1 story and the center is 2 story.

It’s got to be enclosed on all sides and completely inaccessible from the outside.

@live_wire_oak I am in the field and have taken courses. Thanks for the suggestion though.

The land is mine already it’s paid for.

I thought about the courtyard aspect only after I visited a friends new home in my area with a courtyard. It is an uncommon feature for this area but it worked well and they really like it.

Will it have a roof? If so, how does that roof work with the roof on the four sides. If it will be open air, how are you planning to deal with drainage?

Does this build have a budget? Because you will be paying for a lot more footings/ foundation in an area with a deep frost line.

I don’t understand the “must only be accessible from indoors”. That causes huge problems and big expenses with the program. I’d second the suggestion for a couple of architectural courses for fun and for better understanding. Building design IS different than than interior decoration. It’s much more all encompassing of the major systems as a whole.

This is one of my favorite sites to become informed about the non exciting nuts and bolts that are more important than the exciting choice of cabinets and floors. There are SO many good articles to read! https://www.buildingscience.com/

I thought about the courtyard aspect only after I visited a friends new home in my area with a courtyard. It is an uncommon feature for this area but it worked well and they really like it.

Have you spoken to their architect? Also, s/he might be able to refer you to a colleague familiar with the Italianate style.

I confess to being confused. Maybe it's the terminology. To me, a totally enclosed, two story space, with or without some sort of roof, inside a house, is an atrium, not a courtyard. I think of courtyards as being larger and more open: the ones I've seen in Europe and here in Australia, at least in individual houses, have been quite large (think space for a garden, maybe a fishpond, outdoor seating and eating), and unless the house is enormous, usually single story to get the outdoor connection. I don't think that's what the OP is envisioning.

Maybe a few photos of the kind of thing she's thinking about would help, along eith some idea of what the function of the space would be, because I'm struggling with the concept.

I thought about the courtyard aspect only after I visited a friends new home in my area with a courtyard. It is an uncommon feature for this area but it worked well and they really like it.

What style is it? How many stories? How big is the courtyard? Is it completely enclosed?

Anne, what's your goal with complete enclosure rather than a u-shaped house?

Italianate (not Victorian) with courtyard:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWa_BdLfg64

Frick Museum garden court:

https://www.frick.org/about/gardens/garden_court

Variation on your description: L-shaped home with high walls on two sides. Pilasters on said walls. I.e. courtyard like a secret garden.

Also, I thought this historic design might whet your appetite. Victorian Italianate on acreage:

It started life as a saltbox farmhouse. Brick painted to Italianate colors, with climb-able turret added and Italian-influenced ornamentation. It is a National Historic House, home of President Van Buren. IIRC It has an orangerie or some-such attached to the house at the back. It has servants' quarters (for modern-day guests?) and kitchen in the basement and special narrow stairs for waiters to take hot food to the large gloomy dining room with extra large frescoes. Beautiful rooms upstairs. Perhaps these features would be helpful? A closer look? Here: https://www.nps.gov/mava/index.htm

Could you maybe get some ideas from something like https://mcmansionhell.com/about. You could just substitute an enclosed courtyard for the de rigueur two-story foyers?

For a one-story MCM atrium house Google "Eichler atrium house". A wide variety was built.

Joanna Gaines did a 2 story atrium in a French Country remodel. Not sure how close this is to your courtyard idea.

https://magnolia.com/our-show/episode-02-the-gatecrest-story/

I say this mostly because chip and joanna need to go away and not come back. They're obnoxious and they have poor taste.

That is not French Country. It is a severly bastardized 70s contemporary.

Crap, I twisted my ankle stepping off my soap box.

Good architecture is not 'cut and paste'. Anyone's needs and wants, along with being responsive to the site, can be creatively achieved; but not by just anybody.

Ok, I am no architect, and did not read the article, was confused by the French country references, so I didn’t understand what I was looking at. Was the atrium causing damage to the house? Why did it make the house unselllable? Call me crazy, but if I found a house with an atrium I would have said, where can I sign up for this? Lol. But I am a plant nerd. That kitchen was pretty funky too. The biggest no go for me is wall to wall carpeting, and definitely no to pink carpet. I must be crazy because some of the original stuff in this house looks kind of cool to me lol.

The heat in the kitchen was too hot. The cook ran away. With ear plugs and saying na na na na na na na na.

Gosh forbid anyone have to research facts to debate and defend a weak concept in a real world design critique. They might learn something. That’s why there’s no such actual designer as either of the names used on the former account.

Damn, now we'll never know why it must be “only accessible from inside the home”. I keep envisioning nude sunbathing at the Cloisters.

Yep. I was thinking, nudist, cult, commune, Wiccan, pagan offerings, secret family member never revealed to public........??????? No offence to anyone, piqued our curiosity then left it hanging there.

Well, I'm still trying to work out why you'd build a house inspired by row houses, with a tiny interior atrium, when you've got 7 acres of genuine outdoors to play with.

There are plenty of examples of rural Italianate farmhouses.

Well, I'm still trying to work out why you'd build a house inspired by row houses, with a tiny interior atrium, when you've got 7 acres of genuine outdoors to play with.

Correct me if I am wrong, but didn't the Italianate style largely develop in English country homes, public buildings and churches? Even when it was brought to America it was largely on estates rather than in busy urban areas. It may seem that small footprint and soaring houses belonged in urban areas, and by today's logic they would, but in reality those soaring elements were largely designed demonstrations of wealth rather than necessity.

I am not good enough at design to create or really even envision what the OP wants. However, we have a house in Europe with a small atrium (or courtyard) that is surrounded by the structure. It is not at all unusual to combine Victorian homes with modern elements and courtyards there. The problem the OP faces is keeping Italianate from becoming Italian villa.

http://milanvancura.com/design-proposals/italianate-country-house/

An Italianate villa with courtyard just requires an Italianate Villa budget.

Sticking to your original post; THE most important atrium aspect will be drainage. All that snow melt and rain has to be pumped out of the atrium. Good luck.

The OP says "I am interested an exterior to be like a modern version if a brick Victorian Italianate/row house style". Hence one element of my confusion.

Since the OP seems to have departed in a huff, taking her account with her, it's in any case moot.

Damn, now we'll never know why it must be “only accessible from inside the home”. I keep envisioning nude sunbathing at the Cloisters.

Or a secure herb garden to keep pesky teenagers, deer, rabbits, ground hogs from raiding it.

It Might be easier/cheaper to do if you have the back side of the atrium/courtyard consist of wall or landscaping.

Center courtyard would be very hard to achieve realistically... Could you settle on the idea of a L or U-shaped house? Could fence the open side (brick, iron, etc) or do a wall of vegetation?

When I envision what you're saying, I can't think of why I would want to spend that amount to be outside but not see the outside landscape... Maybe a roof terrace instead?

Or a secure herb garden to keep pesky teenagers, deer, rabbits, ground hogs from raiding it.

"Herbs" in quotation marks. The kind that may attract teenage raids?

Even though the OP has gone, this thread has moments of being VERY entertaining. Some off-the-wall samples and features would add to the effect. Keep 'er coming, folks!

I'm waiting for someone to offer a Tuscan monastery knock-off.

PS Hope y'all liked my "servants' quarters" gratuitous detail.

Wait....so, no courtyard house??

oh, well! Everyone hated the kitchen and house I posted. I didn’t even tell yah I wanted a courtyard. Whomp-whomp!

Back to reading mcmansion hell! :)

That house has some kind of orangerie....