Picture stepping out for a romantic evening without leaving your home. Imagine a reading nook with lots of natural light and a dining room with a view of nature. Consider that one of the most relaxing rooms in your house may be after all, your porch or screened sunroom.
Almost any underused outdoor space can be reclaimed, redesigned, and turned into a wonderful living space. As long as you have a floor beneath you and a roof above, these areas can become mini-retreats from the rest of the house or turned into a room that is totally unique from the others inside the home.
Just like designing a room indoors, you need to plan what you are going to do and what look you want to achieve. So here are the basics:
1. Furniture. Begin by deciding what activities will take place in this porch or screened room: reading, dining, or relaxing with family and friends. The intended purpose will guide your furniture choices: dining table and chairs, chaise lounge, or loveseat. Then, find a suitable arrangement that is easy to walk around and maximizes the view, breezes, etc. If the space is big enough, divide it into two areas, each dedicated to a task, such as dining area in one end and lounging at the other. As you select your furniture, remember outdoor furniture no longer means white wicker or black wrought iron. Manufacturers today offer choices that rival the style, comfort and finish options of indoor furniture, all while remaining durable and weather-resistant. There has been a recent explosion of gorgeous outdoor fabrics and trims that are available in the same colors, patterns and weaves as their indoor counterparts. Most of the time, it is hard to tell which is which.
2. Ceilings and floors. These two areas can contribute such character and statement to a porch or screened room. Try an outdoor rug to add pattern and interest to a grouping of furniture. Think jute, sisal or a braided rug. For old wood or cement floors, think about painting with a suitable outdoor paint and add a great stencil design or pattern to make a “rug” out of paint. These rugs also help to define multiple furniture arrangements within a larger room space.
The ceiling is often neglected in any room, but here are some inexpensive touches that can yield big results. Try a light blue paint to mimic sky. Or add beadboard paneling to an old, ugly ceiling. Billowing fabric, loosely stapled, gives a spa feeling, while using metal tin tiles can evoke a vintage feeling in any outdoor space.
3. Lighting. When considering the ceiling, don’t forget lighting. As in any indoor room, lighting is not only a critical functional element, but adds mood and character as well. There are many choices today for ceiling lights. You may want to consider a fan for those summer breezes. You might consider a wonderful iron chandelier for old world charm or the simplicity of a carriage lantern in a great old patina. If you don’t have electricity overhead, consider adding a candlelier for romantic candlelit evenings. Old plain wall lights near the door can be replaced with a fixture that is big on style and provides safe, general illumination. Finally, many lamps today are available for covered outdoor areas; like most of today’s outdoor furnishings, they are as unique and stylish as their indoor counterparts.
4. Curtains. Curtains for a porch or screened room? Yes, absolutely! Again, just as in your indoor rooms, adding basic panels can completely transform a boring space. Use simple tension rods for easy release, which aids in storage and cleaning. These curtain panels can help keep the sun and its glare out during the day, as well as provide privacy or hide unsightly objects such as air conditioning units, storage units, etc. Be creative and use your imagination for tie-backs, as well. Simple corded jute or ribbon, or iron or wooden salvage moldings, can add unique detail.
5. Accessories. Finally, it is the accessories that make your porch or screened room as unique as you are. Use photos on tables, group favorite collectables en masse, such as sea shells or antique garden tools, to create interesting vignettes. If you have some wall space, hang pictures of flowers from wall calendars or frame seed packets – just try anything that gets your style across. The right accessories can blur the distinction between indoors and outdoors; try using statuary, bird baths as tables, and buckets and pails as magazine racks. Add wind chimes for sound and a water feature - tabletop or wall mounted – to continue with your theme. Finally, don’t forget Mother Nature’s ultimate accessories: plants and flowers. Plant window boxes inside under the windows and have topiaries on a dining table – anything to use this new space as an expanded garden area. These outdoor rooms can be great transition areas for your plants.
By reclaiming underused porches and screened rooms as new living spaces, with the same elements and design as the rest of your indoor rooms, you not only add valuable square footage, but also the ability to enjoy the great outdoors in style and comfort for much of the year.