Could you do the bumpout on piers with a handsome skirt? My front entryway is 50% on piers, 50% over basement. The floor is a little cool at times on the pier side but generally the entryway stays toasty year round.

Well the good news is that it should not need piers, because of the size of the bumpout relative to, IIRC, the floor joists?

eg

Here's a random thought. I have large fixed panes with awning windows under them. It's so nice to have unobstructed views from the fixed panes, but air circulation from the screened awning windows which can be open even when it is raining.

So you mean, casement windows can't be left open in rain i guess? Can you show me a pic of what you mean?

Are you really really sure you want to do this? We have a screened in porch (freestanding, separate from the house) and a year-round sunroom. There is a completely different feel to them. We live in our screen porch in the summer and barely set foot in the sunroom.

I think we do. This room faces woods and gardens.

When the weather is nice, we sit on the verandah,or down by the pool, or on our stone terrace ... all facing the ocean

When the weather is not so nice, the screened porch is too cold, but the extra space would be pleasant because you aren't going outside.

Keep in mind too that this is already very different from what my inlaws call a "screenhouse" (I think that is what you are describing.) That has 100% screened walls on all sides.

The existing room is about 60% screening, but only on two sides, so 30% of the total. Very different than what you might be thinking of. I am hoping to choose a window configuration that just maintains that degree of airflow.

Could you put a fireplace in the screened porch so you could roast chestnuts on an open fire? Most of the homes I've had, had two walls of the house in the patio, even this temporary townhome has that . None had a fireplace, it is a dreamy setup for those who have it. Perhaps a corner fireplace so you do not lose much view. Maybe you have some stone or (?) on your property to utilize. Or, some sort of old fashioned potbelly type or something old fashioned with personality.

Sorry Mtn, I live on the patio. save the patio!

@mtnrdredux_gw This isn't my house, but is good example. Screens go on the inside of the part that opens, so you have protection from bugs. Because the windows open upwards, they provide their own shield against rain. The ones in the picture aren't open all the way, probably about 50% open.

Could you put a fireplace in the screened porch

Those don't really warm you up.

Most of the homes I've had, had two walls of the house in the patio,

My first home, and our lakehouse, had screened porches on three sides, with screens from the floor to ceiling. Pretty common in traditional homes to go front-to-back because you have enough property for privacy for a side porch. Townhomes usually do not put much on the side of a home.

Also common up North are what Beagles describes, a free standing thing, almost like a big tent, all screen but for the floor and roof.

so you do not lose much view.

When people want a view, they look to the front or the other side .. the way the land curves we have almost a 270degree ocean viewshed. No one comes to this corner for a view, though the woods and gardens (not pictured;they are next door) are very nice and would be a "view" if not competing with the Atlantic Ocean. Plus I am putting glass where you see screen, still plenty of view.

I live on the patio.

You live in Florida.🤪

Here's a picture of a different installation with two awning windows per each large fixed pane.

Oh, thank you Fun, now I know what you mean! I thought you meant a fabric awning.

I want the air flow to be approx the same volume and placement as what we have. These awning options would put the air at my feet. Moreover, the size of the room means furniture needs to go against the knee wall.

You might want to consider radiant floor heat for the space. Re the windows, I think double hung would be my preference. However, depending upon the size, double hung start to get quite heavy and not so easy to open. I might have a fixed glass panel or awning window above the double hung. You may want to talk to Freeport Conservatory Co. I believe they could be good resource, and will understand the charm of your house and its location as well as the Maine Coastal climate.

https://mainehouse.pro/freeport-conservatories 

Having a window that opens at or near the bottom could obstruct the vew of people sitting in the room. I would use casements if at all possible, with some fixed panes that allow unobstructed views.

I am familiar with the kind of screened porch you have, Mtn. Depending on how it is finished that configuration often feels like part porch, part back utility room. I’m sure yours is beautifully finished but would feel more like a room and be more usable with the proposed changes.

You could also consider simple sliding windows. They are lighter, and easier to adjust around the room, also easier to reach over a chair or table that might be against the knee wall. They would give you plenty of airflow from whatever direction it's available that day, and can be left just barely slid open for fresh air overnight. If you get spring loaded screens, they are easy to remove for the winter when you want maximum light. I've been where you are now when I changed my screened porch to windows. It was the contractor who pointed out all the advantages to the sliding windows over double hung, casements, or awnings, and he was right (even though he would have made more money on markup if he sold me the double-hung).

Local, thanks. We have a Parish Conservatory at he home here in CT; I will look at their site too, for ideas. I think they tend to do an entire bolt-on structure and we want to keep what we can (like the original panelled exterior). Plus we have contractors we like a lot in Maine.

I did some research and I can get ~3'x5' casements standard. I could use two pairs of those across the back (and more on the side). From inside, the effect would be like this:

The exterior rear elevation would be two pairs side by side, but white of course like the existing windows.Given the style of the existing windows I would not do all muntins, but more of the farmhouse feel.

BTW it was very hard to find photos of my porch, which shows how underutilized it is. I did find one from a socially distanced dinner we held there. It gives you some idea. You enter this room from french doors off the LR. We had the table for 3 on the left, and table for 4 on the right.

LOL who set the table

We enclosed our porch last year to make it a 3 season room (the floor is uninsulated). We have the sliding windows and think they work really well. I will try to post a pic but I've had miserable luck with that for quite a while.

I have no advice to offer, just going to shamelessly follow for updates.

And green table thingie! I missed you!

Not sure if you would follow this advice but I got two extra cats into my life not meaning to and I am out on the front deck more than ever with them. Get curious cats and then follow them around. :-).

I guess I'm saying that there has to be a good reason to go to that room. Especially if the activities that you are drawn to, and do are in another room, you won't go there.

I love casement windows. To me they're timeless. I really like the one you posted.

JMCk,that is absolutely fabulously gorgeous! TDF! So happy to meet a fellow porch encloser.

Teeda, Ya know, I was thinking today, why am I hesitating? I know exactly what it feels like to be in a room of casement windows because that is what my craftroom and LR are here. However, here I rarely have them open for long periods, so I need to make sure I am happy with the screen solution.

Lol, Yeonnassky. If I build it, they will come. Our Maine house has no family room or office. When we make it our primary home, we need one or both, and I don't want to take over all the bedrooms for such uses. As a summer home, it's rarely used because there are so many outdoor options.

Jinx, green thingie now has a white marble shelf resting on the post thingies! I have to find a pic.

Smiling, JMCK, here is why I hesitate on sliding windows. Unless I am missing something, if I have sliding windows covering a wall area of say, "x", then the maximum area for ventilation has to be .5x, correct? Where as with sets of casement, it is more like .9x? I want to preserve as much airflow as possible.

Jmck, what a nice job!!! I think that is the best example I have ever seen.

mtn, if the breeze is coming exactly perpendicular to wall with the open casement, you will get more inflow than a slider. But as soon as the breeze moves off that exact perpendicular, then the extended casements can acutally interfere and obstruct the breeze. You can compensate for that by continuing to adjust the casement panel angles while you're sitting out there, (i.e. keep moving the casements directly parallel with the wind,) but that was too fussy for me. With all the sliders open, you get at least 50% of whatever air is moving, with no further adjustments.

Also in the lazy summer vibe, I like the nearly instant closure of the sliding window. My four kitchen casements take much longer to close. Maybe you're thinking of those great French center-latch casements that are on hinges or sliding levers, (and quicker closing), than the turn-handle style of many USA casement models. You have lots of workable choices, and I predict it will look lovely no matter which ones you choose.

i think casement windows are classic for a dutch colonial revival style home. I also found these images of 1920s eras sunrooms. Since you are oceanfront in Maine, and already have multiple outdoor spots to enjoy breezes and the sun, I wonder how breezy you would actually want/need this sunroom to be. Cloudy, cool days feel chillier near the water. I think NE sunrooms are lovely for those types of days.

Some great images, thanks! I do agree that a casemented sunroom is very much the vernacular. I'm also thinking, looking at the image of my home, that bumping it out could actually enhance the symmetry,since the left side is bumped out already. But I will only go as far as we can without adding piers. I also think keeping the white vertical line down the center is important, and having only the top portion muntined. I might add copper roofs on both sides.

Since you are oceanfront in Maine, and already have multiple outdoor spots to enjoy breezes and the sun, I wonder how breezy you would actually want/need this sunroom to be

Luckily, this isn't hypothetical, since we know how the room lives now. Since it is away from the ocean breeze, the airiness is pleasant in summer. I would like an option that preserves as much of the air and light we have now as possible.

You chose the best that I've seen for a long time. It's fabulous!

I have lived with casements and double-hungs, and one of the nice things about casements is you can control how the breeze enters the house, so that you get air movement without the paper napkins blowing off the table.

I like jmck’s fixed glass at the bottom!

Love the copper roof possibility! And really enjoying watching the early stages of your project. Moving from idea to reality is so exciting.. one I don't accomplish often enough on home projects (work projects DO get done).

Mtn, you are right that the breeze is .5 of what it used to be. I was worried about that, but it turns out, it is not a problem. It very much feels like a screen porch with all the windows open. For me, casements seem like they block some of the breeze anyway as they are hanging out there in space. I'm sure whatever you do will be gorgeous!!!

Between your gorgeous example (really JMCK, where have you been hiding this lovely project) and Smiling's discourse on window styles and aerodynamics (which I had wondered about but could not articulate)I may just think about sliders. May I ask what brand yours are? And would you happen to know what size your sliders are? Do you use screens?

Our porch was converted by a company that does just that. They have their own proprietary windows so I'm not sure what is actually available on the open market. It was made custom to fit our existing porch structure. The windows are 48" wide and 66" high. The knee wall is 24" high. We do have screens, which also slide. The company who installed ours is called Patio Enclosures and I believe they have franchises around the country. We are happy with the end result. Thank you Mtn, and others, for your kind compliments!

Thank you, JMCK. Very helpful.

Alas, after talking myself into sliders, my DH made an excellent point. Sliders are suboptimal for all-season rooms in our climate, because they do not seal anywhere as tight as casement. So I think we are back to casement. The winds off the Atlantic in January are nothing to sneeze at.

We will have to meet with our contractor we've used in the past, when we are up there next. Current thoughts are to keep the symmetry by only bumping it out as much as we can cantilever, keeping the panelled knee wall and central white vertical rail, starting the muntins about 2/3 of the way up, and making the roofs match, perhaps in copper.

This would all have to be done late fall or next spring, so my update will not be for a while. Thanks all!

You’ve probably already considered this, but there is an option of having removable storm windows built. This adds a certain three season quality while preserving the fully screened experience in summer. Very vintage!