Our clients wanted a space that still felt connected to the outdoors without the downside of their screened in porch, which was too cold in the winter, too wet or covered in pollen in the spring and too hot in the summer. So we worked with them to design a sunroom on the porch's footprint that felt as close to the outdoors as possible.
We used shou sugi ban on the exterior wood - this is an ancient Japenese technique that preserves wood (usually cedar) by charring it with fire. While it can be time and labor intensive, the final product is a gorgeous rich, silvery finish that is fire, rot and insect resistant.
Black locust wood was incorporated into the new uncovered deck. Black locust grows faster than any other known hardwood tree, reducing the demand on tropical rainforests. The wood is naturally rot, decay, mildew and insect resistant as well, so it’s perfect for an outdoor application. It is also stronger and harder than chemically treated pine decking, and will last much longer.
Large windows let in tons of light and allow them to still have a connection to nature. They say this is now the most used room in their house!