Now that outdoor rooms are part of the mainstream, homeowners are vying for first place in their composition, decoration and innovation. Homes with outdoor rooms are proving to be the value people thought they’d be when they first arrived on the scene. Home builds are including them in floor plans, remodels are focused on adding them and all sorts of suppliers offer lines of products specifically for outdoor rooms. Some homeowners, however, would appreciate a chance to enjoy outdoor living without the disadvantages of outdoor living. Please allow the designers at Joyce Factory Direct to respectfully and enthusiastically suggest a screened in porch as an alternative. We think these six reasons trump outdoor rooms.

Six: Personalization

A screened porch, patio or deck is a structure with a roof, walls and screens instead of glass. The area can be furnished and decorated like any other room with lighting fixtures, ceiling fans, plants, paintings or any other favorite décor. Screened rooms can be enjoyed three seasons of the year for any of a dozen reasons including entertaining, use as a home office, a wonderfully lit studio for painting or other craft work, working out in the fresh air and sunshine, a safe place for toddlers and little ones to play and a great place for a nap in the sun. Any of these suggestions are open to decoration according to the personality of its owner.

Five: Kids

“Mom, it’s raining”! “Mom, I’m bored”! “Mom, I want to go outside”! There is nothing that benefits a harried mom more than a safe place to tuck the kids for playtime. When it’s raining outside and the kids are bored, send them onto the screened porch or patio. They’ll have the benefit of fresh air in a room providing an aura of “this is different”! Mom can clean the house, work her business, work out or just chill knowing the kids are safe in the screened room with their brightly colored playground equipment, turtle sandbox and toy car or three-wheeler.

Four: Weather

How frustrating is it to have invited a bunch of people over for a celebration, only to have it rain and spoil the party in the outdoor room? How annoying is it to throw a birthday party, sports win celebration or a party for any reason in the outdoor room and watch in horror as the special one and his/her guests wilt from the heat? There’s a reason screened porches, patios and decks are considered the better bet. Families can enjoy each other, have their parties and just generally hang out without getting wet, sunburned, sunstroke or any other unpleasant result of weather.

Three: Focus

Just as “me” time is important, so is “family” time. With electronics of all types dinging and ringing to take us away from our families, there should be one room in a house in which nothing takes away from spending much needed time with our families. We turn off the phones and computers when we get “me” time, so we should do the same with “family” time. Isn’t it funny how comfortable people are in a comfortable room in comforting surroundings? Screened porches, patios and decks give families a chance for the stresses of the day to bleed off in the enjoyment of nature and each other. Relaxing together is as simple as a deck of cards for a game of Crazy 8s or a favorite board game or perhaps telling stories.

Two: Curb Appeal

We would be doing you a serious disservice if we failed to mention curb appeal. Additionally, added rooms give buyers more square footage, thus raising the value of the house. But honestly, how cool is it to not have to clean the leaves off the deck, patio or porch each Fall, bring in the plants so they don’t die in the snow or scrape the snow and ice off the patio or porch? Families might not sit in the screened room in the snow, but they also don’t need a leaf blower. Buyers think about things like this and will appreciate the screened room.

One: Bugs

The number one reason for having a screened room is enjoyment of the seasons minus disgusting bugs. It’s not enough they eat your food and drink your drink. Oh, no. They have to eat you, too. Everyone loves picnics in the park and birthday parties in the back yard around the grill, with the food laid out on the picnic table. We usually have designated fly-swatters, don’t we, who stand by the picnic table and shoo anything that looks interested. We spray or otherwise apply to our bodies the most amazing assortment of remedies preventing bugs from dining on our blood. The dog we can shut in the house, but the bugs just plain bug us.

Screened rooms enjoy the reputation of not costing their homeowners more money to heat and cool. They offer the best of outdoor living without the disadvantages of outdoor living. The possibilities are unlimited, so consider one today.