At the top of our priority list in designing the floor plan was a screened porch. Both Todd and I grew up with them and quite simply, nothing duplicates the magic of a porch. Not even the magnificent floor-to-ceiling windows our architects incorporated along the entire west-facing elevation. Porches blend the outdoors with the indoors and create additional living space that is entirely different from the rest of the home.
Unlike in our hometown Chicago climate this additional living space in the lowcountry can be used 12 months a year with 1) the short exception of pollen season (more on that in a later post) and 2) the addition of a few climate-related appliances to manage the wide swing of temperatures of the South Carolina coast.
Luckily the Habitat Review Board of Spring Island does not include the screened porch as part of our square footage allocation, so we could add this valuable living space without eating into restrictive square footage maximums. All the more reason why we its design and functionality was so important.
Three key elements came into play for us during the design process: 1) positioning the porch on the property to maximize the western views, frame sunsets and capture the cooling breezes, 2) creating a space that encouraged family together time – which in our family requires a TV, fireplace and dining table.
Our architects (Court Atkins Group) initially located the porch directly off the kitchen and right outside of the great room. The logic of this choice made some sense – ease of serving meals and closer to the dock. However, views of the water from the kitchen would be blocked and the natural light coming into the Great Room would be greatly diminished. So not ideal, and ultimately a deal breaker.
We studied the sun movement over the course of the year to determine how to maximize the sun (and of course, the sunsets).
After many other iterations, we landed on putting the porch off the north side of the house. This improved the home’s natural lighting and opened its view corridors. Also, because the porch is connected to the owner’s suite, there is now a quiet, private outdoor place for morning coffee, and fresh air flow screened from the elements.
Going from plan to reality ….
Ceiling fans, vaulted ceilings and infrared heaters extend the use of the porch across both warmer and cooler months. Game changers!
The sunsets we see from the porch are our reward for all the planning …
We took our inspiration from spaces like these. Stay tuned for our own final porch results!
Building Spring Island 