We’ve had a taste of spring, and we know that more beautiful days are on their way! Is you mind wandering to sunny days spent outdoors?
Why not make our Minnesota warm season last a littler longer by merging the indoors with the out! A three-season porch — often called a screened porch or a sunroom – can add usable square footage to your home while allowing you to enjoy the feeling of the serene outdoors.
The advantages?
- Extra shade on a hot summer day
- An amazing view
- Additional dining/lounging space in your home
- A wind/rain shelter on a cooler day
- A hiding place from bugs
- Increased value to your home
Better yet, three-season porches are simpler and less expensive to build than a full addition (like a four-season porch), as they don’t connect to heating, air conditioning, or other mechanical systems.
Almost convinced? Here are some tips to consider as you begin the design process for your three-season porch:
- Choose Carefully: Select an experienced remodeler & designer who can carefully customize your plans to fit the layout of your space. You want a seamless new addition that suits the style of your home and will bring added value.
- Think Warmth: The location of your addition will be decided in part by the current layout of your home, but ideally a three-season porch that faces south will capture the most sun’s rays. Skylights are also a wonderful way to draw in light and natural heat.
- Plan for Airflow: On the opposite spectrum, to keep the room cool when necessary, make sure your three-season porch is built with sufficient ventilation (consider small windows on the upper wall) to allow hot air to escape. Ceiling fans are often utilized in a sun porch to create coveted airflow.
- Prioritize Easy Accessibility: Creating a natural flow in the interior of your home should be a high priority. Ensure the floor level of your new enclosure is the same as the flooring height in your home to avoid falls and allow wheelchairs as necessary. Make sure your door or entrance to the porch is roomy for furniture-moving and enjoyable entertaining.
- Know Your Windows: Three season porches styles vary from full walls of windows to a more standard architectural blend with your home. Floor to ceiling windows and screens are beautiful and allow greater light and air flow, though they can be on the higher end price-wise, often needing to be custom-fitted. Alternatively, using standard window and door-frame sizes is a flexible option if you’re looking to cut costs.
- Don’t Skip Design Details: Though three season porches are relatively simple to build in comparison to a full addition, it doesn’t mean yours has to look simple. Adding architectural features such as arches over screen panels, textured walls (think lattice-work or bead-board), or interesting ceiling accents (like beams) will enhance the appearance and add value. Also consider flooring that has an outdoor-feel — interlocking deck tiles for instance — for a wood, slate, or stone look that will also wear well.
Can you feel that warm breeze in your mind? If having extra interior space spring through fall will benefit your family and lifestyle, then a three-season porch might be just what your home needs!
Need more inspiration? Check out the fun design factors of these porches featured by Better Homes & Gardens, and read more about what Houzz thinks the perfect sunroom should be like here.
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Ready to consider a three-season porch or other building / remodeling project for your home? Contact us here at Andrus Built. Resolve to enjoy your home to the fullest this year! Andrus Built offers quality building and remodeling services throughout Saint Paul, North St. Paul, Maplewood, Shoreview, White Bear Lake, Stillwater, and the surrounding Twin Cities area.
