Screened-in porches provide many of the comforts of being indoors while being outside. They have many benefits: keeping mosquitoes away, protecting from inclement weather and serving as a year-round place to eat outdoors. Designing the perfect screened-in porch is a skill, though. Here are some tips for planning your dream screened-in porch.

Screen In a Section

Some homeowners struggle to choose between a traditional porch and a screened-in one. They like the benefits of having screens, but they also enjoy being fully outdoors when the weather is nice. For the best of both worlds, consider screening in only a section of your porch.

If you decide to screen in part and leave part open, make sure both sections are large enough to be functional. If the open section is only 20 square feet, you probably will not end up using it for anything. Both the screened in section and the open section should be large enough for a table and several seats.

Build Storage Underneath

Your landscaping will significantly affect the atmosphere of your porch. Your yard, trees, bushes, walkways, water features and gardens act as its decorations. Nothing detracts from a beautiful view as much as a storage shed does. If possible, build storage beneath your porch, so that you do not need a storage shed. If this is not practical, then try to move the shed out of view.

Look Up

When planning a porch, most homeowners focus on the horizontal views out over the yard. Do not forget to also consider the vertical view. What will you and your guests see when they are on the porch and look up? Will there just be an ugly plywood ceiling? Give your porch’s ceiling the attention it deserves, and consider installing:

  • skylights
  • a chandelier
  • ceiling fans

Along with installing a beautiful feature on your ceiling, you should paint or stain the ceiling as well. It does not need to become the focal point of the porch, but its beauty should be consistent with the rest of your porch’s and your yard’s.

Include Comfortable Seating

A picnic table is a classic outdoor table, largely because it can withstand the elements. A bench will not suffice as a seating arrangement, however. Your main table on the porch can be a picnic table, or any other kind of table, but more comfortable seating is needed if you want people to linger on the porch. Make sure there are a few nice chairs and a couch for people to sit in when they are not eating. This will ensure the porch is used for purposes other than eating. To really go all-out with the seating, look for a nice swing.

Consider a Multi-Use Porch

Your porch does not have to be just for eating and visiting. Consider making it a multi-use space by setting up a daybed and dress, or a desk and bookcase on it. Most screened-in porches have an area that is protected from the weather, which is a great place to put these items. You will not be sleeping or working out there every day, but when you do it will be wonderful.

Be Creative Yet Practical

When designing your porch, be creative yet practical. Consider the space you have available and how you would like to use it. That will help you decide how to screen your porch in, what to do with the ceiling and what furniture to set up. As long as you balance these two aspects of planning a porch, you will have one that will serve you well for years to come.


Building a screen room onto your house has several advantages. At Increte of Houston, we can answer all of your screen room questions. Call us at (281) 499-3990 or send us a message here.