A neighbor did just this, extending a too-small dining room out into what was a porch. Making the opening into the new space wide open, and using the same flooring and windows in the new as in the old, created continuity.

A more realistic solution might simply be to rearrange the dining room and move the chandelier so it is above the table's new location. May we see what is just past the bow front china cabinet? Where is the kitchen? Can you take a pic from the dining room window to the other end?

The kitchen is behind a swinging door to the right of the far right dining room chair

Is this for a couple of times a year when you need more seating or for most days.You have quite a big DR already and unless this is for everyday I would just leave it. Is the sun room heated,, where would you put all the junk from the sun room the floors will have to be done to match the DR . IMO this will only work if the whole wall is removed and this sun room becomes a permanent part of your house and that might be more than just removing a wall to make it work

To both Patricia Colwell Consulting and decoenthusiaste It is true we use our DR for our whole family 18 & counting a few weeks at a time over the year. We serve many guests when our family is not in town. Our table seats 12 and no more. It is a little squishy with 12 but doable. My husband is a contractor/remodeler . He can do the work except both he and I have trouble imagining what to do that would look nice. I am not worried about redoing the floor in the sunroom ( which desperately needs help). We moved into this house in 2012. We remodeled the 1950's kitchen and laid hardwood floors throughout. We need to attend to the LR/ DR and the original drapes (ugh) and the basement too. But I think we need to get a plan. The question is. If we remove the wall, which is a retaining wall and we will only be able to remove most of it. There will need to be an overhang and a bit of the wall by the windows on the wall to the right of the porch

Is there any way you can make the whole room a dining room with a couple of easy chairs and small couch at the fireplace end?. Make your sun porch a sitting room....change floor and curtains to make it homey.

With so many we need a livingroom. where would we all sit? thanks but that won't work for us

So IMO you need a designer to help you visualize what it will look like , because this is a 3 season room I would be very concerned that the floor will be very cold and the is not proper insualtion anywhere and often these spaces were never meant to be lived in year long.

As I mentioned, my husband is a remodeling contractor.

If the idea is to have the dining table straddle the opening between the two spaces, I don't think it will work well because the opening won't be wide enough for chairs to be sat in. Maybe 2 tables to seat ten each (one in each side of the opened room) would work better. Here's a helpful article for you.

http://www.houseplanshelper.com/dining-room-size.html

The opening will be as wide as the current Dining room. the wall will be opened about 2 feet to the right of the china closet ( which we will need to move). When it is just the regular table, we could use an extra foot/foot and a half on either end to make us more comfortable, which opening the wall will give us. We would need to reorient the light fixtures. I'm thinking we need 2 light fixtures. or a much bigger one. I am thinking that for most of the year when we only have 12 max at the table we can add some couch/chair seating in the back of the (new part of the the DR. But when we are almost 20 people ( which the chart doesn't mention) we will at least have the space we will need to extend in there. - even if there is a couch.. The "additional" table will be able to be removed like leaves, when we don't need them

That will require a hulking beam and some reall support underneth to take the load , just because your hubby is a contractor does not automatically make him an expert at removing walls especially extertior walls. I would be talking to a structural engineer about this project. I have seen too many fails because a contractor thought he knew everything

How big is the sun porch? Can the porch become the dining room? Perhaps a small table where the current dining table is - for everyday - and the banquet table for parties in the sun porch? From the pictures, I can't tell. But it might be more tidy and logical.

Another idea (one we use.) The family home is a Victorian. Separate rooms. For large parties, we move the living room furniture out of the way and put in a temporary, homemade banquet table that seats 26. Tableclothes cover the bare wood - so it's just as festive as any 'good' dining table.

Patricia.. the beam is already there. it is plastered over. it will remain in place. only a portion of the wall will be removed.My husband has done this many times in his 30 years of practice.

auntthelma, the porch is about the same size as the current DR. I can try to explain. when my family comes they come for the Jewish Holidays. each holiday lasts a week or more. that is at least 2 major meals each day of the holiday. We have many children/grand children that also like to hang out in the livingroom. the LR needs to be in place. its enough to just to be able to feed everyone.. I can't be rearranging things after each meal. I know you understand.

Secondary to all of the structural issues that the Houzz Pros are warning you about, it looks like the three season, about to be 4 season room would be a beautiful setting for dining room with all of the windows.

motupeg.. The porch will need new windows.. and I was thinking some kind of french door out to the deck which is parallel to the whole back of the house

I don't see any issue with your original idea of extending the table into an adjoining room for the special times that you need to seat more than 10 or 12. We do it all the time. I love a 'flexible' space that allows us to open it up.

Another idea - why not do the reno and add a thinner banquet table to the porch? Then, when you have holidays, if you need to seat more than the porch table, you can seat at both dining rooms. You have the open wall, so everyone is together. Since you are seating several different meals over the course of a week, you can make sure people sit in different spots so everyone gets to visit.

Mrsbrite, sounds wonderful with a lot of light. I think it would be a favorite spot for a cup of coffee in the morning.

motupeg, you gave me an idea. Mrsbrite - set up the sun porch with a pretty, expandable table. Most of the year, it is small and intimate. Great, as motupeg says, for morning coffee or lunch with a view. When you need it, it expands to hold the big family along with your already large dining table. Sounds nice.

We definitly rotate seating. they fight over who sits next to grandma! I like your idea.. we could also use that room as a playroom.. when not in use..by moving the table over..maybe.

thanks for those last suggestions..now I need help replacing the drapes with some other kind of window treatment.. along with a new paint job. I posted picts on a different thread that shows the house with no drapes (while I was dry cleaning the original ones). ill try to get a link to that post.

https://ml.houzz.com/AzGf/1QdhoYKIdJ
this is the link.. we also need to redo the fireplace... some how.. we have a small gas f/p. that I love. it heats up this side of the house and we love watching the flames. but my husband originally installed it on cinder blocks (ugh)

Patricia. My husband corrected me. He will be installing a beam.

Pesach and Sukkot, or is it Hanukkah, when you get-together? Wonderful that you can all be together at these times. I think the Christian world gets cheated with only Christmas Day and Easter Sunday to celebrate! I'm going to check out your other link, since your open concept plan will require a united paint scheme. Here's a classic one that I love, and it works for most anyone who like a white on white look. Should look good with the rug too. Ben Moore's Navajo White walls and White Dove trim.

decoenthusiaste
The floor my husband wants to lay is similar but not the same. The floor to the porch is basically concrete and a wood floor cannot be nailed down. He wants to get "click hardwood flooring". which will allow him to lay the floor without nailing it .. but the width of the wood "planks" are narrower than the current floor. He says since he will need to place a threshold between the new floor and the old floor and the floor being slightly different looking, he thinks the angle of the floor should go in the opposite direction of the current floor (diagonal). Do you agree?

new wood click flooring