Enclosing porch space provides extra square footage and enjoyment in usually mild Richmond

Call it what you will — a sunroom, an enclosed porch or a conservatory — any room that brings the outdoors in is now in vogue, but there are a few key things to consider before building yours: how you plan to use it; how you plan to heat and cool it; and what you want to see from the space...

These rooms tend to becom “soul fulfilling,” says Mason Hearn, president of the contracting firm HomeMasons. “People tell us we're using this room now more than any other room in the house.”