A Wraparound Goes From Unwelcoming to Irresistible
Renovating the porch adds neighborliness and charm to this 1908 Florida home
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When his wife decided that she wouldn’t hang out on their porch because she was scared someone would either fall through it or off it, architect Dean Dalrymple resolved to take action. “If I redid the porch, I didn’t want it to be OK — I wanted it to be great, and I never wanted to have to do it again,” he says. Their house is on a corner, so he also wanted it to make a statement. “It was important to me that the porch look inviting and have some Caribbean-Key West coastal flair,” he says. His effort worked like a charm since the porch they once crossed as quickly as possible is now a favorite spot to sit, relax and stay awhile.
When his wife decided that she wouldn’t hang out on their porch because she was scared someone would either fall through it or off it, architect Dean Dalrymple resolved to take action. “If I redid the porch, I didn’t want it to be OK — I wanted it to be great, and I never wanted to have to do it again,” he says. Their house is on a corner, so he also wanted it to make a statement. “It was important to me that the porch look inviting and have some Caribbean-Key West coastal flair,” he says. His effort worked like a charm since the porch they once crossed as quickly as possible is now a favorite spot to sit, relax and stay awhile.
AFTER: The new roof is covered in metal, more in keeping with the home’s age. The new pitch improved the way the roof meets the house.
In addition to structural elements that complied with hurricane codes, the couple wanted the porch to feel safe and comfortable. New railings have assuaged their fears of falling off the porch — at just 8 feet deep, it’s relatively narrow. Because the porch is less than 30 inches above the ground, Dean was able to design railings that were just 28 inches high, which allows for a more open view and pleasing proportions. (Check your local codes if you’re thinking about doing something like this — rules may vary.)
Dean spruced up the existing stairs by painting them and adding an overlay of planks that match the new porch decking.
Exterior paint: Fjord 2250, Sherwin-Williams (discontinued but company will mix it upon request); trim paint: White Heron, Sherwin-Williams
In addition to structural elements that complied with hurricane codes, the couple wanted the porch to feel safe and comfortable. New railings have assuaged their fears of falling off the porch — at just 8 feet deep, it’s relatively narrow. Because the porch is less than 30 inches above the ground, Dean was able to design railings that were just 28 inches high, which allows for a more open view and pleasing proportions. (Check your local codes if you’re thinking about doing something like this — rules may vary.)
Dean spruced up the existing stairs by painting them and adding an overlay of planks that match the new porch decking.
Exterior paint: Fjord 2250, Sherwin-Williams (discontinued but company will mix it upon request); trim paint: White Heron, Sherwin-Williams
The construction took about three months and presented unexpected challenges. After the entire porch was ripped off, a 500-year storm hit, water ran underneath the house and started some cracking, which led to more repairs. Then, after Dean had carefully preserved and repaired the original 8-by-8-inch porch columns, a thief made off with four of them, so they had to replicate those. The couple rolled with it. “You just have to adapt and conquer,” Dean says.
The new porch has three zones: the outdoor living room at the left end, “the bow” on the corner and the reading nook on the right end. “Having three zones means we can pick where we hang out depending on the number of people we’re with and what we want to do out here,” Dean says.
Orange chairs: Charlottetown natural all-weather wicker, Martha Stewart Living
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Orange chairs: Charlottetown natural all-weather wicker, Martha Stewart Living
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This is looking down toward the socializing end, the outdoor living room. This photo also gives us a good chance to look closely at some of the details. Using long-lasting materials didn’t mean they had to choose the most expensive materials. The roof is 5V crimp metal roofing — less expensive than other metal options — and the ceiling is T1-11 plywood siding, which emulates tongue-and-groove paneling for less cost. The light is an old favorite — Dean received it as a birthday gift from a bunch of friends about 15 years ago. “I think they got it at a yard sale,” he says with a laugh.
“Having two chairs facing out at the corner is kind of like placing them on the bow of a boat, looking out to sea,” Dean says. “The neighborhood has a lot of pedestrian traffic, and we like to sit in this spot, while enjoying an adult beverage, and chat with our neighbors. … It’s a lot more interesting than facing the chairs toward the house.”
This is the quieter reading area around the other side. Note that the wraparound porch has two sets of steps leading up to it, one on each side. Dean made the cypress shutters himself and stained them with Sherwin-Williams Sable solid-body stain.
Using materials that would last was a priority. The new decking is 5/4-by-6-inch cumaru decking with hidden fasteners. It is finished with ipe oil. Dean advises that this type of decking should be refinished about every 18 to 24 months.
Cumaru decking: Advantage Lumber
Cumaru decking: Advantage Lumber
The Dalrymples have lived in the home for 23 years and now are enjoying the front porch in a whole new way. However, the architect’s plan to make the porch inviting may have worked too well — so many folks rang the doorbell to ask about the color of the house that he decided to leave paint swatches with the answer outside.
Photos of this house have generated so many questions about its discontinued exterior paint color, Fjord 2250 by Sherwin-Williams, that Dean called the paint company to see what could be done. He was told that if Sherwin-Williams customers show up with the paint name and number, it can be mixed for them.
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Photos of this house have generated so many questions about its discontinued exterior paint color, Fjord 2250 by Sherwin-Williams, that Dean called the paint company to see what could be done. He was told that if Sherwin-Williams customers show up with the paint name and number, it can be mixed for them.
Have a great porch? We want to see it! Please share a photo in the Comments and tell us why you love it.
More:
See thousands of porch photos and save your favorites
Porch at a Glance
What happens here: Dean and Tami Dalrymple watch the world go by, chat with neighbors, read and enjoy adult beverages
Location: East Hill neighborhood of Pensacola, Florida
Size: 400 square feet (37.2 square meters)
Designer: Dalrymple | Sallis Architecture
“We decided when we became empty nesters to either move or renovate,” Dean says. The couple has lived in their 1908 home for 23 years. Their renovations included moving the kitchen and opening up the floor plan. While they were at it, they decided they might as well rebuild the porch.
BEFORE: The decking sloped toward the house, which made for awkward footing and rendered a rocking chair useless. Not having any sort of railing made the couple afraid that people would fall off the porch into the shrubs. Also, the roof was at an odd pitch, and the rafters came up into the wall framing the wrong way. Dean didn’t like the way the porch roof met the frieze board and trim. The tongue-and-groove paneling in the ceiling was in bad shape, as were the asphalt shingles. Finally, a complete restoration allowed him to bring it up to more recent hurricane-related codes.