Enjoy the best of summer from the comfort of a screen porch. Here are some smart ideas.

Stifling summer heat and pesky bugs persuaded Kim Hitchcock to morph her Decatur, Ga., deck into a covered screen porch. Her deck was only a few years old, so she made plans to bolster the foundation and build the porch right on top of it. Built-in benches were removed to expand the floor space, and the builder then constructed the frame right on top of the decking, matching design details to the home’s Tudor exterior.

Garden-party perfect
Double doors open to stairs wide and short enough to go without a hand railing. The porch and lush backyard “are perfect for having a garden party, which I haven’t done yet,” Hitchcock says with a laugh.

The structure, including the original decking, is built from pressure-treated pine to resist insects and decay. An opaque wood stain matches the porch to the home’s trim.

“Some of the houses in my neighborhood have maybe one Tudor accent, so it’s hard to call them full-fledged Tudors,” Hitchcock says. “This porch gives my home much more authenticity.”

A peaked roof and matching trim keep this addition in step with the rest of the home. Landscaping and a patio augment the new exterior.

Illuminating point
Lighting was put along the home’s original roofline during construction of the porch. The switch-operated lights bathe the porch’s ceiling; no other lamps are needed.

The screening extends to the ceiling to maximize natural light and increase the view to the wooded lot behind the house. “It’s almost panoramic,” Hitchcock says. “The view alone would have been call enough for change.”

Coal-black all-weather wicker furniture with indoor/outdoor cushions matches the home’s casual cottage style, making it an extension of the indoor living space.

House party
Hitchcock thinks of the porch as an extra sitting room, perfectly suited for hosting the small groups of three to four that she enjoys most.

The porch’s location right off the kitchen makes it easy to bring finger food outside, but Hitchcock doesn’t need a group to enjoy the 10-by-16-foot space. “I use it every single night,” she says.

Source: Better Homes & Gardens