Porch of the Week: Indoor-Outdoor Living in Coastal New England

Photos by George Gray

Porch at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple with two teenage daughters
Location: Charlestown, Rhode Island
Size: 400 square feet (37 square meters)
Designer and builder: Mitch Votolato (architectural designer), Kristen Martone (interior designer) and Eric Marcotte (project manager) of Sweenor Builders

A gas fireplace serves as a focal point in the three-season space and warms it up when temperatures drop. “The homeowners wanted to be able to use the porch to watch football games during the fall,” Votolato says. The river rock veneer on the chimney is the same material he used on some parts of the home’s exterior. The hearth and firebox surround are thermal bluestone. The mantel is reclaimed wood.

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The windows seen here are made of a very durable vinyl and are easy to open and close. “In order to extend the season, we used a vinyl product called Amazing EZ-Screen Porch Windows,” Votolato says. There are screens for warmer days, and the windows keep out cold winds, rain, snow and pollen when they’re closed.

Votolato and his team added custom millwork details to the porch to elevate the look. There’s framed molding beneath the windows and V-groove paneling on the ceiling. “The walls, ceiling and moldings are all Azek. This is a composite product that can stand up to the harsh conditions and is very easy to clean,” he says.

“This family loves to entertain their big extended family, so we set the house up for that,” Votolato says. There’s an easy flow from the kitchen and family room inside to this porch and a deck outside.

The flow enhancers include an 8-foot-wide pass-through window between the porch and the kitchen. Centor custom-made the folding window to Votolato’s specifications. Votolato added an Adamantium quartzite bar beneath the window so that people on the porch can interact with whoever is in the kitchen.

The shingles along this wall match those on the home’s exterior. The flooring is a tropical hardwood decking, chosen because it will hold up against the harsh climate very well.

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Moving inside, the kitchen, dining area and family room are part of an open floor plan. This photo shows how these areas connect to the porch. The porch door is glass and provides a clear view across the porch to the pond when closed.

Here’s a closer look at what the pass-through window looks like from the kitchen side when it’s open.

Here’s how it looks when it’s closed.

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The family room is located off the dining area (catch a glimpse of the dining table on the lower-left side of this photo). A 450-square-foot deck sits off the 18-foot-wide opening on the left, on the same side of the house as the porch.

These folding doors operate like the kitchen pass-through window and were also made by Centor.

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This large expanse with doors opens up the main interior spaces to a wood deck and coastal views. It also eases the flow between indoors and out during large family gatherings.

Sweenor Builders worked closely with the Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council when designing the house. The work included siting the house the proper distance from the water’s edge and determining the correct height for the living spaces. The main level is elevated, and the foundation below has flood vents that will let water through should a major storm occur. This required height for the main floor provides fantastic views.

Votolato set up the deck with family gatherings in mind. He tucked the outdoor kitchen off to one side, leaving the coastal views open through the cable railings.

The outdoor kitchen includes a Wolf gas grill, a refrigerator, a sink, a pullout trash receptacle and storage drawers. Most important, it has burners separate from the grill; the family uses them for lobster boils. “The cabinetry has stainless steel edging for durability,” Votolato says. The countertop is Adamantium quartzite.

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