Porches and Patios

A new home combines privacy, daylight, and durability, and fits comfortably into a traditional neighborhoodby Charlie Witzke

Go inside this lakeside cottage to see how massing influences interior shapes by Jeremiah Eck

If a picture says a thousand words, these before and after photos say a million

With the right guidelines, everyone can easily construct and benefit from an accessible entry to their homesby Karen L. Braitmayer

Whether your porch is for shelter, relaxation, or reflection, a world of design choices are await youby James M. Crisp, Sandra L. Mahoney

You can add a porch to almost any house, but only a well-designed one will look like it's always been there. In this excerpt from their book, "On the Porch," architect James M. Crisp and project designer Sandra L. Mahoney suggest several fundamentals for designing the perfect new porch for an existing home.by James M. Crisp, Sandra L. Mahoney

Invest in high-end materials and workmanship rather than simply in square footageby Sigrid Simonson

Tailored to emphasize the surrounding views, this open floor plan executed in durable materials is sheltered by insulating concrete wallsby Martin McBirney

An architect's kitchen sketches inspire the transformation of her 1970s ranchby Melissa Harris

Make the right design choices, and you'll have an outdoor room you can enjoy without battling the bugsby Scott Gibson

First be true to the original character of the house, then rethink the floor planby Doug Tanner

At the hub of a busy house, a sunlit kitchen with great views and clever work areas brings family and friends togetherby Judy Selin, Stephen Selin

A gardener and an architect collaborate to create a house that blurs the lines between indoors and outby Jack Hyland, Larry Wente

Three building systems, each with its own advantages, combine to create a traditional-looking Washington homeby Jill Fuerstneau Sousa

Expanding the kitchen into a neglected porch fills it with daylight and a view of the private, wooded backyardby Eric Gill

Separate buildings are arranged to create privacy and inviting outdoor spacesby David O'Neil

Adding timber-frame elements to a stick-frame house makes economic and aesthetic senseby Anthony Zaya

Three generations of an Oregan family build an affordable, comfortable homeby Dennis Parker

An addition creates an ample gourmet kitchen and exciting outdoor spaces while giving this Seattle home a much-needed face-liftby Laura Kraft