When you’re looking to expand your home on a budget, a screen room is by far and away the cheapest and most efficient way to increase your square footage. This is especially true if you have an existing deck or patio that can be used as a foundation, but even if you’re building straight onto your garden, you still get a lot of bang for your buck. Screen rooms are also the quickest extension to install, with projects often being completed inside a week or two from start to finish.
However, knowing what to do with your beautiful new screen room can be tricky. The easy option is to create another living room, complete with couches, end tables and bookshelves. However, you’ve already got one living room, so an extra one seems redundant, even if it has mesh windows to let the heat in. Here are 3 things you can do with a screen room that will revolutionize your entire way of engaging with your home:
- Host a hot tub – the typical screen room is around 200 – 300 square feet, which makes it ideal to create a mini spa area. The central focus should be a big hot tub, with room for at least four people. This will encourage you to use your screen room year round, as well as giving you an alternative entertaining space for your close friends. Finish the feeling with some comfy lounge chairs and low level lighting, along with a heated towel rack for that final touch of decadent luxury.
- Float a bed – if your screen room is a little short on space, or you have a truly incredible view from your screen room, it’s time to install a thicker ceiling and hang a full side bed from the ceiling! Not only will give you a great place to stretch out and relax, but the night time breezes will help you sleep during those hot Calgary nights. You can even double up on how you use the room by hanging the bed on a pulley system, which will allow you to hoist the bed out of the way when you’re not using it.
- Swing time – many people install screen rooms as a way of bringing themselves closer to the great outdoors without having to deal with the harsh sunlight or endless stream of bugs. A great way to enhance this feeling is to install an outdoor swing set inside your screen room. This could be the whole set including the frame, or suspending the swing seat from the ceiling. In either case, remember to buy plenty of cushions and to check the clearance for your feet so they don’t crash against the screen.
These 3 things you can do with a screen room are just the starting point to get you thinking about how to use your new space in creative ways. Any of these options will make you feel like you’ve stepped out of your normal life and into a vacation, all within the space of your own home.
