More than just a custom-made deck, this all-season screened porch offers year-round living possibilities.
Story by Ann E. Butenas | Photos by William Spreadbury
It’s no secret that your home is your biggest investment, and when you add a deck or screened porch to that home, you can add some decided value to your overall investment. More than just a structure attached to your home, a deck can serve to expand your living space plus give you numerous ways to relax and unwind.
With a great deck or screened porch, the possibilities for year-round fun are seemingly endless. Pop open a bottle of champagne on New Year’s Eve or fire up the grill and celebrate with hot dogs and a hearty cold one on the Fourth of July. On Halloween, it can be a great place to show off those amazing pumpkin carvings. And the best part about having a space like this? The choices available in terms of styles, sizes and materials are numerous, offering a wide selection of hardwoods from which to choose, as well as fasteners and under deck guttering systems.
No matter where you reside – a country farmhouse, a city dwelling or a lakeside lodge – a well-constructed deck or screened porch offers you one of the best ways to connect with nature, relax and meditate, and this particular screened porch is the epitome of what having a vacation at home can mean.
While a picture clearly speaks a thousand words, some of the highlights of this 18’ x 22’ structure include tile flooring, a real stone veneer fireplace with a three-inch limestone hand-chiseled top cap on top, and 2” x 6” tongue-in-groove car siding on the incredible vaulted ceiling. This space truly rivals an interior living room for personality and style.
Attached to a stunning 3,877 square foot Overland Park residence, this all-season screened porch is clearly a stand out when it comes to outdoor living spaces.
“We brought the outdoors in a bit by fully screening in the space with custom-made materials that provide 60% UVA and UVB protection from the sun,” noted the president of All Under One Roof, the company behind the design and construction. “We specialize in the details with our designs and our bottom line is all about the craftsmanship.”
The eye-catching tile flooring is no accident when it comes to its design style, either. Referred to as a modified hopscotch pattern, three different sized tiles (12” x 12”, 6” x 12”, and 6” x 18”) were deliberately placed to create what appears to be more of a work of art than simply a flooring system. Comfortable and inviting outdoor furniture, coupled with artwork on the walls/siding and custom powder coated Westbury aluminum handmade spindles add to the finesse of the space.
Just outside the screened porch is the open air martini/grill deck, complete with a gas grill that is operated by a propane line that also services the fireplace.
Dry under-deck ceiling was installed under the martini/grill deck which drains excess water to a custom gutter on the house, so when it rains, the patio underneath remains dry.
Descending down the attached custom made iron spiral staircase – a perfect answer to minimize over-usage of space that comes with a traditional deck staircase – you are greeted not only by meticulous landscaping but also by a welcoming body of water that begs, “Everybody in the pool!”
“The pool was already in place when we built the deck,” said the president. “However, we added the flagstone skimstone around the pool, grinding off the old surface and creating a new custom pattern.”
The skimstone extends around the pool and to the patio underneath the main deck.
“We added the skimstone underneath the deck, around the pool and along the side of the house all the way to the front covered porch,” commented the president, also referencing the added touches of the existing pea gravel, flagstone stepping stones, and wrought iron fencing.
The covered porch, coupled with all of the outdoor touches on the ground and around the perimeter of the home, happily offers an easy escape when some much-needed rest and relaxation is on the agenda.
“What used to be just simply an uncovered deck is now a livable space,” emphasized the president. “The homeowners can enjoy using it year-round, using the fireplace with a blower motor on it in the cooler months and the ceiling fan in the warmer months.”
Resources
Project Designer: All Under One Roof | Tile: Emser Tile | Lumber: McCray Lumber | Railing System: Kansas City Deck Supply | Fireplace: Henges Insulation | Concrete Finishing: Sub Q Artistics | Mantle and Fireplace Landing: Legendary Stone | Underdecking: Dry Deck Ceilings
