Although the sun room faces north, its windows and skylights (on the east and west sides of the roof) flood the space with enough light for even the most detailed needlework. One of the homeowners had seen a single radius window with flanks on each side and wanted a similar palladium look in her home. After looking at several elevations, she and Mackowski determined there was enough room for an even more attractive triple set of radius windows. Energy efficiency and the homeowners' comfort are ensured by the use of low-E glass. Windows: Andersen. Skylights: Velux. Housewrap: DuPont Tyvek. Siding: James Hardie. Paint: ICI Dulux. Photos by Ray Strawbridge
This beautiful sun room was designed around an unusual furnishing: a large quilting frame. When the homeowners contacted Quality Home Improvements by David J. Mackowski Inc. in Raleigh, N.C., they had three requests: a light-filled space for the wife's quilt-making, some kind of work area to accommodate her husband's love of mechanical work, and the usual need for more storage space.
David Mackowski filled all three needs with one addition. The sun room is built in a space previously occupied by one end of a long, narrow deck. The project won a 2002 Chrysalis Award for best sun room over $75,000, design/build. The husbandÆs work space is underneath the sun room in a newly created basement area, which also contains the storage room. Double doors provide direct access from the basement to the back yard. Mackowski took advantage of the lot's downward slope for the basement, but he still had to excavate 20 yards of soil, which was used to level the back yard somewhat. The wood used for the new deck is ipe (EE-pay), a Brazilian hardwood with natural weather resistance. The railings of the new deck, at the bottom of an extra-wide stairway that also offers additional seating for outdoor gatherings, are punctuated with cast-iron sections that provide a touch of traditional Southern style.