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10:55 AM - Long Time Coming! |
| Boy, oh boy, does it feel good to have this home improvement project completed!Like most --if not all-- of you, we had never lived in a passive solar home that sported a wrap-around greenhouse, much less one that served as the structure's entry point.So when we moved here three years ago, we decided not to remodel or change anything for at least twelve months, figuring we would need that time to learn how to live in such a structure and what changes we wanted to make.The first summer served up record-breaking heat and the following winter brought a number of below-zero nights.We needed to do something to control those extremes and to conserve energy!Last year we had the breezeway sealed off with a wall of sliding glass doors to allow in winter heat and keep out summer heat.We also removed two 20' x 3' x 3' raised beds that were built under the upstairs overhang ... these beds presented more garden room than we need and lacked light enough to grow crops we wish to grow.Including the remaining 50' x 3' x 3' raised bed, which runs along the west wall, the sunroom is 350 square feet.That's a lot of reclaimed space, and have we been enjoying it!The sunroom has so soon become our favorite place to kick back, not only because we managed to plan and execute this project without killing each other.At least I think there's more to it than that.Anyway, I made a slideshow of the transformation.There are four repeating photos.Below are brief explanations for the first two images.The other two explanations are below the slideshow.First picture, captioned 'breezeway view before we moved in': This came from the real estate brochure and was taken before we bought the property.It looks toward the southwest corner to the wrap-around greenhouse and shows the original open-to-the-greenhouse construction.The openness allowed bugs to free-range in our home.Ew.Second picture, captioned 'raised beds removed': The holes were to allow the two 20' x 3' x 3' raised beds to drain.It required thirty-nine 80-pound bags of concrete to fill these holes.The driveway is one flight of stairs downhill from the sunroom.Can you say workout?Third picture, captioned 'finished sunroom': Like, ta da!In keeping with the previous owner's standard, we used earth friendly items.The chairs are not only recycled plastic, but can be recycled.The carpet is sustainable bamboo.Wood from the removed beds was used to construct the storage unit along the back wall, and to create covers for other storage units along the west wall (not shown).The removed soil was carted up the hill to the terrace gardens.Fourth picture, captioned 'breezeway view to sunroom now': This picture looks toward the southwest corner (and entryway) of the greenhouse.The main greenhouse, the two-story south wing, is behind the wall.Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!Don'tcha just love it when a plan comes together?........Some of you report difficulty in seeing the slideshow, so here are those photos: (All but the first one were taken with the robot's Web cam.You guessed that, huh?:D) Breezeway view before we moved in Raised beds removed Finished sunroom Breezeway view to sunroom now |
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