Screened-In Porches Provide Five Amazing Advantages
Screened-in porches are the perfect home improvement project for North Carolina homeowners. Our year-round mild weather is something all residents want to enjoy at home. A screen porch is the best of both worlds – inside and outside. A homeowner can enjoy numerous benefits from a screened porch. Best of all, porch design ideas are limitless and fun to consider and implement. Structurally Speaking will design and build the porch of your dreams. We provide unique designs, reasonable pricing, quality project management, and unmatched customer service. Contact us at 919-786-4825 to start your screened porch project.
Benefits of Screened-In Porches
Screened-in porches are immensely popular in North Carolina as they provide numerous benefits to southern homeowners. Without further ado, here are the top five advantages to adding on a screened-in porch:
- Adds value
- Provides additional space
- Ability to enjoy the outdoors no matter the weather
- Great space for pets
- Numerous ways to utilize the space
- No insects can spoil your relaxation
Adds value to your house
When taking on a home improvement project, it is always important to consider if it will add value to your current residence. According to a 2017 study completed by the American Institute of Architects, outdoor living spaces remain the most popular requests homeowners are inquiring about to builders. The study stated outdoor living space addition requests increased for the sixth year in a row.
Outdoor living spaces include screened-in porches, patios, decks, hot tub decks, pergolas, three-season rooms and sunrooms. Adding usable space to a home will always increase a home’s value. A screened-in porch as an outdoor living space addition adds usable space; therefore, it adds value to your home. Structurally Speaking has the experience and skill to design and build all of these additions to your home. Let us discuss the needs of your family and the options available during a free consultation.
More space to play and relax
Adding more space not only increases your home’s value, but gives you and the family more space to spread out. A screened porch will be another area of your home for playing, relaxing, entertaining, or whatever you choose to do in that space.
Enjoy the outdoors no matter the weather forecast
One of the best features of a screen porch is that its occupants will enjoy the outdoors while still being ‘indoors’ enough to not get wet from rain or scorched from direct sunlight. Not only does it keep out the elements, but also pesky bugs will not be able to get through the screen.
Great space for pets
People not only enjoy the porch area, but pets will also love the space. Indoor cats typically do not get to enjoy the outdoors other than an occasionally open window. However, a screened-in porch changes that completely! Dogs will also love feeling the breeze and smelling the fresh air through the screen without being on a leash.
Endless ideas for usage
Of course, the ideas for how to use a screen porch are limitless. Here are a few suggestions on ways to use a screened-in porch:
- Dining area
- Parties or entertainment
- Home office
- Reading nook
- Study spot
- Homeschool room
- Outdoor-style movie room
- Playroom
- Garden or arboretum
- Outdoor kitchen
No insect worries
You can relax and serve food without worrying about mosquitoes, flies or any other uninvited guests invading your outdoor space! Best of all, no mosquito bites to spoil your fun!
Ideas for Year-Round Screen Porches
Now that you know all the benefits of a screened porch, it is time to start considering must-have additions to ensure you can utilize it year-round. Spring and fall are always the perfect temperatures in North Carolina, so a screen porch is flawless the way it is. However, summertime in the south gets toasty. Therefore, an important and almost necessary addition to a screened in porch is a ceiling fan. Depending on how large the porch is, sometimes you may want to add more than one fan to the ceiling. While winters are mild in North Carolina, it still gets cold. In fact, it is usually too cold to enjoy being outside for long. But, adding an outdoor fireplace is a great way to add warmth on cold evenings on a screened porch. Another option is using outdoor heaters.
Porch Design Ideas
The most enjoyable part of any home addition is the design phase! A screen porch is no different. From furniture to lighting, it is important to consider all aspects in your porch design.
Fabulous Furniture for Relaxing and Entertaining
These are a few ideas for your new porch furniture:
- All-weather patio furniture – wind, sunlight, and rain gusts will impact the furniture’s life, so you want something that will survive the elements.
- Porch swings
- Swinging daybed – perfect for those who want a sleeping porch.
- Synthetic wicker furniture
- Sectionals
- Table & Chairs – great to turn the porch into a dining room option.
- Hammock
- Desk – during these days when many of us are working or schooling from home, an extra place to have a work/study area is almost a necessity!
Looking for more furniture and design ideas? Check out these pictures on Houzz for more screened-in porch design ideas. Once you decide which furniture you want, next up is deciding how to arrange it all in this new living space.
Illuminating Lighting for the Entire Porch Area
After determining the design for the porch, it is crucial to decide what type of lighting you want to set the ambiance on your porch. Below are a few popular lighting options for screened-in porches:
- String bistro lights
- Small lamps
- Stand-up lamps
- Outdoor chandelier
- Carriage lanterns
- Candles
- Ceiling fan lights
- Outdoor lanterns
- Wall-mounted task lamps
- Christmas string lights
- Sconces
Consider the use of the porch area before deciding on lighting. If it will be a study or home office space, then you will want something that gives off a lot of light. Or, if it is for entertaining you will want fun lighting that sets an exciting atmosphere. Do not be afraid to mix lighting up either. There is no rule that says you can only use one type of lighting while designing your new outdoor living space.
Utilize the Ceiling
Do not forget about the ceiling. There is a centuries-old tradition to paint porch ceilings in a pale blue color. People thought the color scared off ghosts and evil spirits and kept them from entering the home. They thought the blue resembled water that spirts could not cross, or the sky which spirits could easily pass through. Consequently, that is how the color got its name, haint blue, which is an alternate spelling of ‘haunt’ during the early days in southern history.
Other Outdoor Room Choices
There are a few more selections to consider when designing your new screened-in porch. Whether you select a sectional sofa or individual chairs, having a fun or classy pillow is a must-add choice. If your backyard is in view of other houses, then privacy might be a concern. One option to add more privacy would be to add some draperies or awnings over each screen. These also keep too much sunlight from coming through a screen when the porch is in direct sunlight.
Rugs are a great choice to place over decking for comfort, especially if you love being barefoot on your porch. Click here for some great tips on how to choose the right rug for your porch or patio spaces. If you plan to use your new screened-in porch for parties or entertaining then be sure to invest in a nice, outdoor-friendly, bar cart. For those that want to make another kitchen space out of their porch, use this Louisiana house screen porch as an example. They add a grill and counters in a beautiful fashion.
Lastly, a final option to consider is what type of screen door you will add to the screen porch. It is important the door always has some type of hook or lock to keep it closed when not opening or closing the door.
Keeping it Clean
Does the thought of keeping your screened-in porch clean make you cringe? Do not worry, it is not too complex. The biggest thing to keep in mind is to conduct regular cleaning as well as seasonal maintenance. Be sure to read this article with tips and tricks on how to easily keep your porch sparkling.
How Much Does It Cost?
Are you excited about the idea of hiring a porch builder for your new screened-in porch yet? You are probably now wondering how much it costs to build a screen porch. There is no exact cost or answer to this question as it greatly varies depending on many factors and the scope of the project. Here are a few aspects that impact cost when building a screen porch:
- Decking materials and screen fabric
- Screen size and quantity
- Size of the space
- Length of time the project takes
- Electrical needs, if adding wiring
- Adding outdoor grill and/or counter tops
These are only a few factors to consider when pricing a screen porch addition. Our owner, Jim Brennan, provides all potential clients with a free, no-obligation initial consultation to discuss the project and pricing. Call us at 919-786-4825 to request yours and begin planning your dream porch.
Enclosed Patio: Screened-In Porch Versus Sunroom
As you read earlier, there are many types of outdoor spaces to add onto your home. Are you struggling to decide between a screened-in porch or sunroom? Are you not sure which patio enclosure is right for you, your house, or your family?
First, it is important to understand the differences between the two. A screened-in porch is an enclosed porch with screens. Whereas, a sunroom typically has glass and walls which does not put inhabitants in direct contact with the elements. It is, in effect, another room added to your home and has heat and air conditioning.
There are various factors to consider when deciding between the two.
Do you already have an existing deck or patio that you can easily enclose with screens? If yes, this choice could save you money.
Is your budget flexible? Sunrooms tend to cost more to build, so if you have a bigger budget this might be a great option.
Are you wanting to enjoy the breeze and fresh air? Then, a screen porch is the way to go.
Read this article for more questions to ask yourself when deciding between a sunroom and screened-in porch.
Why Structurally Speaking?
Structurally Speaking is committed to designing and building high-quality outdoor living spaces for our Raleigh-area clients. Our owner, Jim Brennan, worked with the largest United States deck and porch builder for over a decade. He proved to be one of their top designers in the Raleigh division. In 2008, he started his own business, Structurally Speaking, to provide Raleigh area homeowners with his unique approach to designing porches and decks. His porch ideas are unique for every project and not a cookie-cutter approach. His designs will complement your home’s style and location.
As a top Raleigh porch builder, we are committed to four major values for every project. Those are:
- Customized design
- Competitive pricing
- Expert project management
- Excellent customer service
What else can we do? In addition to building top-quality screened-in porches, we also provide these services as well:
- Deck
- Sunroom
- Pergola
- 3-Season Porch
- Hot Tub Deck
Your Call to Action
Picture this… a calming breeze flowing through the screen, happy birds chirping, and a warm cup of coffee in your hand. All of that can be yours if you build a screened-in porch for your house! At Structurally Speaking, our goal is to put you in the screened porch of your dreams. We want you to have a space you absolutely love. Give us a call today at 919-786-4825 or fill out our simple contact form to request your free, no-obligation consultation.