An Indoor-Outdoor Addition That Does It All

A Baton Rouge, La., family got the three new rooms they wanted — by building just one screened-in porch. HGTV Magazine shows you how.

By: Alyse Harral Stevens

From: HGTV Magazine

Related To:

Photo By: Trevor Dixon

In Need of Space

With two teenage sons and an 85-pound yellow Lab, Jay and Barbin Graham were craving more space in their 2,600-square-foot home of 15 years. But when they got an estimate for an addition — $350,000 — they had sticker shock. "You could build a new house for that!" says Barbin, who owns a sign-manufacturing company with Jay.

The Better Plan

Instead, they found a way to add room for a lot less money: Replace the back deck with a 500-square-foot screened-in porch designed as an outdoor living room, kitchen and dining area. Total cost? $65,000. Plenty of prime features — pine floors, vaulted ceilings, a brick fireplace, a built-in gas grill and weather-resistant furniture — have made it the family’s favorite spot.

Strong Window Screens

Aluminum screening keeps bugs out and fresh air in. During the coldest winter months, the Grahams add heavy plastic roll-down sheeting panels from enclosureguy.com.

Extra-Large Coffee Table

Barbin knew she wanted a coffee table big enough for a crowd. A local metalsmith built the base (painted Intellectual Gray by Sherwin-Williams) and added a 4-foot-by-5-foot reclaimed-pine top.

Blue and Cream Color Scheme

To give their new "living room" a kick-off-your-shoes feel, the Grahams chose a beige sofa and chairs (from Pottery Barn) made of outdoor Sunbrella fabric and eucalyptus wood. The floor pillows and indoor/outdoor rug are from Dash & Albert.

Casual Dining

Barbin, Jay, Denton (left), and Turner eat dinner together on the porch as often as they can. For seating, they picked benches made of weather-resistant eucalyptus wood (from Pottery Barn).

Countertop Space

The main kitchen is just inside the house, but the family wanted a place to cook on the porch, too. They put in a 20-foot granite countertop and cabinets. Jay cooks with the Bull grill and fryer (bullbbq.com for stores) twice a week year-round.

Durable Floors

The pine floor is pressure-treated to prevent rotting. To clean it, Barbin just gives it a garden hose rinse. The water drains out of the spaces between planks, and screening under the floor keeps bugs from climbing through the cracks.

Window Seat

The fireplace’s 2-foot-deep hearth extends along the wall, creating a window seat that’s perfect for curling up with a book.

Wood-Burning Fireplace

The prefab brick fireplace (from isokern.net) was about half the price of a custom-built version. With a gas ignition, it’s a cinch to light with just a match — no old newspapers or kindling needed.

TV Cabinet

The Grahams had a 5-foot-by-7-foot cabinet built for their 60-inch TV, which is wired with outdoor surround-sound. "We used to have season tickets for LSU football games," says Jay. "But then we realized we had everything we needed right here! Now our friends invite themselves over to watch."

An Indoor-Outdoor Addition That Does It All

Related To:

In Need of Space

The Better Plan

Strong Window Screens

Extra-Large Coffee Table

Blue and Cream Color Scheme

Casual Dining

Countertop Space

Durable Floors

Window Seat

Wood-Burning Fireplace

TV Cabinet

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