Screened porches and patios offer great outdoor space for relaxing and entertaining family and friends. Sometimes the size of your porch or patio can feel limiting. Don’t despair if your screened space feels small to you because there are ways to make it feel open and airy. Incorporating the tips we share in this article will help you feel comfortable in your outdoor space so that you can enjoy it to the fullest.
Quality design, materials, and fabrication by Tripod Aluminum will transform your outdoor space into a a usable, screened area that can be enjoyed year-round. Maximizing the height of your space will lend to a feeling of openness. Light colors, tidiness, and greenery all help to create a space that feels inviting and cozy without feeling cramped.
Tripod Aluminum has been building screened rooms for over 30 years. We know what a great addition they are for your home. Expanding your living space with beautiful year-round comfort, our screened porches and patios provide a great spot for a variety of activities, from your morning coffee and quiet time to a raucous game of rummy with friends. No space is too small to be turned into your outdoor escape. In this article, we will discuss tips for making a small space feel bigger to bring you more enjoyment.
Smart Designs and Smart Materials
Using white framing automatically lightens up your screened room. Our enclosures, made of durable yet lightweight aluminum, provide a light, airy atmosphere for your screened enclosure. For your small space, the professionals at Tripod Aluminum know that you will love our panoramic screen enclosures! With less framing, they provide uninterrupted views, making the enclosure almost invisible. You will feel like you are outside, not “closed in,” while experiencing all the benefits of a screened room, such as UV protection and the absence of mosquitoes!
Go Vertical: Maximize Height to Expand the Feel
A high porch or patio ceiling will help maximize the height of your screened room, making it feel larger. Don’t fret if you don’t have a high ceiling! You can use vertical design elements to draw the eye upward, like hanging plants or fun, beachy decor near the top of your enclosure. If your ceiling is high enough, add a ceiling fan to help circulate air flow for comfort. This helps conserve floor space by eliminating the need for box or pedestal fans, maximizing your space.
Choose the Right Outdoor Furniture
Don’t feel the need to fill every inch of space. Minimal, tasteful, and usable pieces are what you want to look for when shopping for the right outdoor furniture for your screened porch or patio. Choose low-profile furniture to help the area feel taller, hence making it feel larger. Don’t choose a giant outdoor sectional for a small space. Choose multi-use pieces when possible, like ottomans or benches with storage. Hang items or use shelves, but keep floor space as clear as possible to make the area feel more spacious.
Keep it Light and Bright
Use light colors for your furniture, furniture cushions, throw pillows, and decor. If your house forms any of the walls of your patio area, you may even choose to repaint it to help brighten up your outdoor space, giving your house a little TLC in the process! Cute mirrors and reflective surfaces, like glass-top tables help bounce light around. It creates a bright, vibrant atmosphere. Hang decorative lights to brighten things up at night!
Declutter and Define Zones
Keep accessories minimal and purposeful. Don’t feel the need to overdecorate. The old saying “less is more” is really true. A few key pieces are all you need to make a space feel welcoming. Remember to choose multi-use pieces, as mentioned above. This will help you keep the area decluttered. Not only is clutter unwelcoming, it instantly “shrinks” your space.
Define zones. If you want a reading corner, put a chair there with a small, cute table to hold your book and a drink. If you want an eating area for outdoor dining on nice nights, choose a light-colored, compact but functional table. To further define zones, these areas can have different outdoor rugs.
Add Greenery for Depth and Life
Hanging plants not only help draw the eye upward to make a room feel taller and more spacious, bu they also add a pop of color and a touch of life to the space. Additionally, they don’t take up floor space. If you want more than just hanging plants though, consider vertical planters. Greenery softens the hard lines of a structure and makes a space feel welcoming. Choose easy to care for plants, however, because wilted or dead plants don’t do the space any favors! Succulents don’t bring quite the same softness to the space as other plants, but they still bring color and life. They can be a good option for those with a “brown thumb.”
Summary
A small area can still be used to create a beautiful screened area. With smart designs and materials, a small area will feel more spacious, light, and airy. Our panoramic screen enclosures are the perfect way to make a small area feel larger. Maximizing height with design elements to draw the eye upward is another trick to make a small area seem larger. Choose outdoor furniture to fit the space, not fill the space. Keep decor light and bright and keep the space uncluttered. Greenery makes a space inviting while adding depth. At Tripod Aluminum, we can provide all your screen enclosure needs from small condo balconies to large pool enclosures. Expanding your outdoor living space is what we do, and we look forward to serving you!
