A Home Within A Home

When a homeowner looking to update their three-season porch hired Architectural Building Arts, they had no idea how amazing the transformation would be. The client had recently downsized and was working on making this house their new home. When they contacted the Architectural Building Arts team, they had already renovated their kitchen and were looking to update the dated finish of their three-season porch. The clients loved the view and the light it gave the house, but they wanted the porch to be a cohesive part of their home, not just an addition. The space also had no HVAC and was in dire need of a face-lift.

Architectural Building Arts started this project like it starts all others: Planning a framework to go from concept to completion and strategizing the best way to achieve the client’s vision within a set budget and timeline. The organization understands that updating a home is personal. They always offer 2-3 recommendations to allow the homeowner to visualize their space in different ways to make the best decision for their home. This project was no exception. It was truly a collaboration. The Architectural Building Arts team hosted weekly site visits to ensure they were staying on track and made sure the homeowners were pleased each step of the way.



The goal was to create a better connection to the home without disturbing their recently renovated kitchen. The first step was to widen the opening into the porch with as minimal impact to the kitchen as possible. Through careful planning and design, only one cabinet had to be removed and one other relocated, which was no small feat. The next step was to figure out how to get HVAC into this room. The team ended up routing vents from the basement to the attic and then back to the porch. It saved the homeowners from spending their money on patching in old spaces. Architectural Building Arts wanted to not only maximize the budget, but also stay within scope.

To give the home a fresh and modern feel, Architectural Building Arts saved the old rustic knotty pine that already existed in the porch and painted it. To keep the integrity and connection with the home, the team took the time to match the colors and finishes of the kitchen for a seamless transition. They found the exact same engineered hardwood floors and used the same vendors for the beautiful French doors that matched the existing windows.



All of Architectural Building Arts’ decisions were made with the goal of creating a strong impact. The team knew they had a winner when they looked back at all the hurdles they had crossed to turn this space into a home. The changes that Architectural Building Arts made to its client’s home were significant. The team transformed the family’s existing porch from a place they merely hung out in to a space that brings them true joy. The best part was being able to make such a huge impact on such a relatively small room. The entire Architectural Building Arts team is so proud of the completed work and it was a unanimous decision that the project be entered in the National Association of the Remodeling Industry’s coveted Contractor of the Year Awards.

It was a surprise to the Architectural Building Arts team at first that their little project became a National Winner. The true success was creating a space for its clients that they love. The team seamlessly transformed a space into part of a home. No matter how big or small the project, it can make a big impact.

NARI is currently accepting applications for their 2018 Contractor of the Year Award. Learn more here!