Building a Home Porches & Decks Design Dilemma

Enclosing porch to four season room

4 years ago

We are building and have decided to enclose the rear porch making it part of the house and gaining the basement space. Three of the sides are existing as is the roof so we will be closing off the 4th side. It will have heat/ac, flooring etc. Ideally it would have been a full wall of glass with frames but budget doesn't allow for that. Right now the plan is an access door on the right side and 3 large double windows with 2 ft of wall on the top and bottom. My concern is will it look odd from the great room with the windows? I don't want to put doors between the great room and the porch because the porch is only 9ft deep and having to work around big doors will limit the use of the porch. Envision a nice sectional outdoor set in this space. Plan to leave the exterior walls of the house sided so it has the feeling of a porch even though it's an actual room. Don't want it feel like your looking into another room. Open to other suggestions on how to close that side off. Photos of the floorplan and space from interior and exterior as reference.

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PRO

Diana Bier Interiors, LLC

4 years ago

I'd eliminate the windows and just have a cased opening from the great room to the enclosed porch. What you would essentially be doing is adding on to the great room. Having a separate room that's 18' x 9' is not very practical since it's out of proportion and difficult to furnish. Mark is correct, you need some professional help to modify this area.

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Comments (6)

Chris
4 years ago
Hi. Is this still in design stage or is it partially / mostly built? Was there a step down or out to that room or does it just flow? And the walls that separate it from the living area need to stay? Can you also make it open to dining… eliminating the window and that door?
Jennifer
Original Author
4 years ago
Getting ready to start. There will not be a step down to that room. I was thinking the walls would stay to make this it's own space but had not considered opening to the dining room. Not sure structurally if that wall can go or not.
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keith Dcil
4 years ago
I would try to open the wall between the living room and the new enclosed porch as much as possible since living room won’t have any of its own windows.
PRO
Mark Bischak, Architect
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
"Will it look odd from the great room with the windows?"

Yes

"Envision a nice sectional"

There is no such thing as a 'nice sectional'.

"Don't want it feel like your looking into another room."

You will be looking into another room.

You needed a local architect to protect yourself from yourself.
WestCoast Hopeful
4 years ago
I would not enclose it. It will always feel like a funny add on. Keep it as a covered porch, get the nice sectional, which despite Mark saying otherwise fully do exist. Get heaters on the covered porch if you need them and enjoy.