MS Paint: Carport Alterations

In the rear of the house built into a hill is a two car carport.  The carport was added in about 1980 in conjunction with the general remodel of the house occurring at that time.  Attached to the house, the carport allows for access to one's car without having to get wet when it's raining.  But it was also designed to function as an outdoor entertaining space, with a built-in kitchenette, an overhead fan, lighting, connectivity with the sunroom and the den, and a general aesthetic tying with the rest of the house.

Above the carport was an unconditioned attic with a window on one end and a small french door on the opposite end.  The attic space has been used for storage and as a recreation room for grandchildren, with a ping pong table and other games inside.  Access is a bit difficult because the French door and the staircase leading to the attic are both very narrow. 

Rough Rendering of Existing Carport Attic:

Jane and Van decided to alter the carport's attic to make it more functional and accessible.  To this end, they decided to add heat and air, to remove the existing staircase and make the existing entrance into a decorative Juliette balcony, and to add a dormer and a new access point in the back.  For now, they envision using the attic space for storage, although they could see it used as a home office or a bonus room or a guest suite at some point in the future.

Below are the plans for the attic, which were conceived with MS Paint and generally adopted/followed by their contractor in altering the carport attic.

The railing for the Juliette balcony was the subject of some debate.  Initially, their contractor proposed a decorative iron railing.  I felt that an iron railing would not be in keeping with the house's architecture (which features no iron work but extensive wood railing details), and instead proposed a custom wood railing with a decorative Chippendale accent.  Jane and Van agreed, and this is the rough plan they adopted for the Juliette balcony.