What’s your ideal outdoor living space look like? Are you a front porch person? Perhaps you’re a deck or a patio person. I love each of those as well. But my favorite kind of outdoor space has always been a screen porch (or screened-in porch/screened room depending on where you’re from).
Here in the Washington D.C. area, it can get a bit mosquito-y in the summer, and instead of slathering on the bug spray to spend time outdoors, I’d been dreaming of adding a screen porch to the back of our home for more than a decade.
Above is how our deck/backyard area looked when we moved into our home. We had a nice, big deck…but it had a kind of “Alcatraz-chic” look to me…TONS of railing even though the deck was about a foot off the ground.
Before the Screen Room: Budget-Friendly Outdoor DIY Projects
The deck has seen changes over the years that worked with our budget at various points in time.
We started by removing the railings to give it a more open feel (and some accused me of wanting to kill my neighbors with that move, but I assured them I didn’t know them well enough at that point to want to get rid of them ;).
Then we stained the deck white and gray to help preserve the decking and give it a look we liked more than the red.
We added the pergola, and some outdoor “rugs” which were simply stenciled with paint onto the deck.
Small changes like adding the DIY can-delier and the outdoor movie screen really helped make the space more inviting.
But I really, really, really wanted to add a screen room. And finally, after owning this home for 13 years, we were able to add one!
Screen Room Chimney Under Construction
We built the screen room on top of our existing deck, but needed to have some work done to reinforce the framing. That was done, and composite decking was used to replace the original wood deck boards.
Next, the fireplace was built, which was quite a process.
The chimney was built with cinderblocks, then the outside was parged (and soon to be painted) to give it a rustic look.
Next, the screen room was framed, and the roof installed.
Screen Room Reveal
Skipping through lots and lots of time, steps, missteps, etc. Let’s cut to the good part. The “finished” product (in quotes because of course there’s still a list of things yet to be done, like landscaping this area, etc.).
And here’s the screen room from the outside looking in during our first snowstorm. We have electric heaters and all-weather windows in the room so we can use it all year.
Here’s what the interior of the screen room looks like:
When the whole deck was open, we didn’t use all of it because it was honestly just too much deck. I love having some open deck that’s great for grilling, darts and ping pong, and of course…s’mores!
But now with the all-weather windows (ours are from SunSpace), our screen room area of the deck can be used all year…my favorite times to be out here are during thunderstorms and when it snows.
Since I’m a big fan of the outdoors (have you seen my other site, National Parks Mom?) this screen porch lets me escape to the outdoors anytime, without having to deal with mosquitos, sun, or rain. It’s heavenly!
More Outdoor Living Ideas & Inspiration
What do you think of our screen room reveal? I hope it has given you a few ideas for your own, if you’re considering adding a screen porch or screen room.
On the hunt for more home decorating ideas and DIY home improvement projects for your outdoor living space? Be sure to check out these articles, too!
- 17 Screened-in Porch Ideas + Inspiration Photos
- Under Deck Ideas – Brilliant Under Deck Storage You’ve GOT to See!
- DIY Window & Door Rescreening Tutorial
- Deck & Cover…Backyard Deck Ideas & Our Deck Makeover Reveal!
- She’s a STAINIAC, STAINIAC… AKA A DIY Deck Staining Adventure
- Staining a Deck, and Pain in the Prep
- It’s going down, I’m yelling timber. AKA DIY Deck Demolition!
- If I had a Hammer…AKA Plans for a DIY Deck Makeover
- Tin Can DIY Outdoor Lighting Tutorial. You CAN Do This!
- Umbrella Painting: Renew Your Outdoor Umbrella
- DIY Outdoor Movie Screen
- Turn a Potting Bench Turns DIY Outdoor Bar Cart
- Painted DIY Outdoor Rug Tutorial
Pin this screen room for later!
Pssst…before you go, I sure would love to hang out with you again really soon! Sign up now and get a FREE copy of “Builder-Grade To Beautiful: 10 Totally Transformative Home Decorating Solutions, All Under $100!” Click here to enter your email or on the image below. Your copy will be sent right away!
Sandra Haynes says
Heather, I just read your screen porch reveal on Facebook. It is really good, and your pictures capture the beauty of not only the screenroom, but the rest of the outdoor living space at the back of your house as well. Thanks for sharing. I plan to check out the latest from your National Parks Mom website soon. Love you, Mom