Before

The owners wanted to take advantage of their secluded back yard in a medium-density neighborhood to create a living space for relaxing and entertaining friends. They wanted to combine the comfort of the inside with the beauty and freshness of the outside.

The covered screened porch offered all the benefits they were looking for. The large screen panels let lots of natural light in and let the warm summer breezes pass right through. The large screens also help give the porch a spacious feel by not closing the walls. The color-matched rain gutters eliminate most of the rain splash back on the panels below the screens, which means less maintenance.

After

The shades help to give privacy without totally blocking visibility or air movement.

The size of the porch was partially determined by the amount of furniture that would be used and by the number of people the owners wanted to entertain. The 12’x16’ footprint fits well with the physical restrictions of the house and lot size and serves the owners’ life style needs.

The owners were looking for a bit of a heavy timber look and not fussy finishes. The framing is also the finish, which helped save money on finish materials and labor. The owners could spend the savings on nicer furniture.

The walnut-stained concrete floor provides the beauty and durability that the owners were looking for. With its low maintenance and easy cleaning, this floor fits the owners’ life style so they can spend more time relaxing or entertaining friends on the porch instead of working on it.

We replaced the existing single back door with a slider and removed an interior wall and door, which opened the central area of the house to the new porch and really helped make the porch and backyard an extension of the kitchen, dining room, and living rooms while providing for entertaining ease.