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better location for door/porch off addition?

11 years ago

Your comments have helped with my floorplans. Now I have a specific, smaller question.

Spouse says I must put a "sitting" porch on the addition w/ room for a couple of Adirondacks or rocking chairs. I need to figure out which location for our porch will look prettier: off the side-rear, or off the rear-rear. Main concern is aesthetics. (Drawing of house/addition below)

House is a 1.5 story Cape Cod, 35' w x 25' deep. The addition can only go another 13' wide, so we're going back 35 or 36 deep. Existing patio is brick laid in sand.

Option 1:

Porch off *side* of addition, nestled near existing exterior wall of den. Is close to the den's only window. Maybe creates a more integrated courtyard effect in back of house? Negatives: Porch is visible from den window ... will it look cluttered? If the porch has a roof, will it be even more of an obstruction (site lines, light)?

Option 2:

Porch on far rear of the addition, looking straight into the backyard, with a good 20'-25' before the privacy fence. Gives our in-law a private use of rear yard, but not such a big deal since we rarely all use the yard/patio at the same time. Negative: Will having the door/porch way on the back be weird for future owner?

No matter what, the den's window is going to lose some site lines and light. Is it actually prettier to see the porch area instead of looking at 10' of wall? (Because there will be a wall, with maybe just one window, and 2 AC compressors if I don't move them.)

Thoughts?

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Comments (5)

kirkhall
11 years ago
I'd put it on the side and blend with the current patio.
kirkhall
11 years ago
After re-reading your other post... you mention guests of your inlaw.
Can you put a side door into the LR portion of the "suite" so they are fairly independent as far as guests coming and going are concerned? If not, I'm not sure what the advantage to having their own living space (LR) will be. Seems like they'd likely spend most of their time in YOUR LR (unless they were extreme introverts).
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EngProf
Original Author
11 years ago
Thanks, Kirkhall. In-law has a pretty direct route to her suite of rooms, even though it looks like traipsing across our space. In reality, because the front door opens straight into main living room (no foyer), we retreat to the den. Unless we have guests.
kirkhall
11 years ago
Okay.
Say, do you have exterior pictures of your cape? Is it a story and a half, or only 1 story with basement?

I ask because your starting dimensions are almost identical to mine (a 1 1/2 story cape; no basement)--23 x 34
And, we added a 15x20 addition onto the back... You are worried about proportions, so I was wondering if I could help you with that... But, it might not really be the same, if yours isn't a 1 1/2 story cape.
User
11 years ago
Could you do a little larger porch and incorporate both areas? You would have a private area in back and the other portion would be accessible from the den. Maybe convert the den's window into french or single glass door for access and light.

First consider orientation and view, then how the porch would look visually and be accessed. Where would you use it the most?

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