What’s not to love about a screened porch? Here in New England where ample rainfall creates great habitats for flying insects, we really appreciate summer evenings with those pesky critters on the other side of a screen.
So screened porches are win-win – right? Almost.
The drawback is that any covered porch cuts down on the natural light in the adjacent rooms of the house all year long. For some people, loss of direct sunlight through the windows is an important consideration, especially during the six months or so of cold weather (in northern climes) when a screened porch will not be used.
The solution shown here is a handsome timber frame barn, built as a garage-plus-porch. These clients enjoy the benefits of a nearby porch for dining and relaxing, without sacrificing sunny windows in their home.
For others, the right site might cover only one window of their house or a window in a room that is mostly used at night, when sunlight is not an issue, such as a TV room or formal dining room.
