Restoring Our Old Farm House - No. 5 The Sun Room

You know, when it comes to remodeling, great ideas often evolve into something unexpected. Example, the sleeping porch I had always dreamed of adding to our home evolved into additional living space and now holds an extra dining table and seating area, which we call the sun room. We added this room about 5 years after completing our renovations and moving in. This gave us more square footage for family gatherings. When we are all together (parents, siblings, children and grandchildren), we have close to 20 people, give or take a few, depending on how many tag-a-longs show up. Twenty people in an 1100 square foot house, can get crowded really fast. Not that it can't be done, because we did it often, but an additional 200 square feet really helps out. Here is how things progressed through the addition.

This is how the west side of our house looked before we began the renovations in 2004.

 We used the same rafters and braces so that it would blend with the rest of the house and added windows on all three sides.

 We wanted it to look like it had always been there.

From the inside, we added the entrance through what was the dining room windows.

Mark completely built the exterior of the room before we opened the entry from the inside.

We continued the same wooden floors into the space and finished out the windows consistent with the rest of the house. The one thing we did differently was that we DID NOT USE sheet rock. My sheet rock days are over! I love the way they look but it is a nightmare to do. Sheet rock is best left to the professionals. This room had very little wall space and we used wooden slats and painted them. It has ended up being one of our favorite places to have meals and spend time. 

It was a lot of hard work, but most things worth having usually are.

Here's a Heart Rock for your Pocket:
Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 
Hebrews 12:1-2

Wishing you God's Best,
Elaine

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