I absolutely love decorating screen porches as they can truly be an extension of your home. One free extra room, yes, please! My client (see her bedroom and den here) had a very large space outdoors. It’s a typical rectangle, and when I started there was nothing on it but a grill. We added a fun rug, white tables and drapes, and pops of blue and green. Photos by: Brennan Wesley

Jeremiah Morrow
Large elegant front porch photo in Indianapolis with decking and a roof extension

This beautiful new build project in Mangatawhiri, in the Franklin district of South Auckland meets the brief the clients set out to achieve - capturing the stunning rural vistas with a huge open plan kitchen, living and dining areas opening out onto a concrete terrace. The 3 bedroom home also features a master bathroom and an ensuite, office space, garaging and a striking entranceway. The cladding is James Hardie weatherboard. The expansive kitchen features white handle-free cabinetry, Macrocarpa timber wall panelling and a glass overlay for the splash-back. Clutter is kept to the minimum with an added scullery housing the dishwasher and extra space for storage, and the feature lighting over the kitchen island creates a stylish look and added ambience.

Have an even bigger family? Need even more extra room around the dining table? With a 72" wide tabletop plus an added 16" wide extension leaf, this dining table set from the Bistro collection is enough to hold multiple tableware sets, ornaments, and vases, allowing the whole family to enjoy their dining experience together.

This beautiful new build project in Mangatawhiri, in the Franklin district of South Auckland meets the brief the clients set out to achieve - capturing the stunning rural vistas with a huge open plan kitchen, living and dining areas opening out onto a concrete terrace. The 3 bedroom home also features a master bathroom and an ensuite, office space, garaging and a striking entranceway. The cladding is James Hardie weatherboard. The expansive kitchen features white handle-free cabinetry, Macrocarpa timber wall panelling and a glass overlay for the splash-back. Clutter is kept to the minimum with an added scullery housing the dishwasher and extra space for storage, and the feature lighting over the kitchen island creates a stylish look and added ambience.

This beautiful new build project in Mangatawhiri, in the Franklin district of South Auckland meets the brief the clients set out to acheive - capturing the stunning rural vistas with a huge open plan kitchen, living and dining areas opening out onto a concrete terrace. The 3 bedroom home also features a master bathroom and an ensuite, office space, garaging and a striking entranceway. The cladding is James Hardie weatherboard. The expansive kitchen features white handle-free cabinetry, Macrocarpa timber wall panelling and a glass overlay for the splashback. Clutter is kept to the minimum with an added scullery housing the dishwasher and extra space for storage, and the feature lighting over the kitchen island creates a stylish look and added ambience.

I absolutely love decorating screen porches as they can truly be an extension of your home. One free extra room, yes, please! My client (see her bedroom and den here) had a very large space outdoors. It’s a typical rectangle, and when I started there was nothing on it but a grill. We added a fun rug, white tables and drapes, and pops of blue and green. Photos by: Brennan Wesley

Tall wire planters filled with holiday greens flank the elegant front entry of this southern style home.
Inspiration for a large timeless porch remodel in Chicago with decking and a roof extension

This huge covered patio in Houston offers a warm, dry, beautiful gathering space for friends and family! The clients, Tim and Julie Burke of Spring, TX wanted something more waterproof than the small gazebo where they often entertained friends and family. The Burkes asked for a large, shingled roof extension that matched the existing house. We gave them an 800-square-foot covered patio with a gabled roof and a gorgeous tongue-and-groove wooden ceiling. The hip roof on one one side covers the existing outdoor kitchen and the outdoor bathroom the Burkes want to build themselves. On the other side is a sloped roof creating a breezeway and sitting area between the patio and house. We also installed the best permanent outdoor heating system we could find – Solaira quartz infrared heating units. Able to throw more heat further and more evenly than portable units, these electric-powered heaters can be installed up and out of sight. You don’t have to lug them around, refuel them with propane and worry about storing them. When you need them, all you need to do is a push a button! When heat strikes, however – as it does for any covered patio in Houston – the Burkes can cool off with two industrial-sized outdoor ceiling fans. Two TVs were also added to the existing outdoor kitchen. The Burkes started enjoying those right away, using them to watch the NCAA Final Four basketball championship with their family. We also built an addition onto the outdoor kitchen island that houses an ice maker and extra seating. We also replaced the countertops with new granite. Very few times do you actually get the service you expect,” reads the Houzz review of this covered patio by the clients, Tim and Julie Burke. “But in this case, it went further than we had ever previously experienced.” The computer drawings, they add, really helped them and the homeowners’ association visualize how the project would look when final and all that would be involved: “They really listened to what we needed and so far, it has surpassed our expectations.” They also appreciated the constant communication, quality workmanship, last-minute accommodations and tidying up at the end of the day. “Overall, this has been a great experience, and we love our outdoor space!”

Are you lucky enough to have a large living room or extra space in the bedroom? Create a separate furniture grouping or sitting area as an extension to the main space. Even if used sparely, it extends the finish and look of the entire room. Eric & Chelsea Eul Photography

This beautiful new build project in Mangatawhiri, in the Franklin district of South Auckland meets the brief the clients set out to achieve - capturing the stunning rural vistas with a huge open plan kitchen, living and dining areas opening out onto a concrete terrace. The 3 bedroom home also features a master bathroom and an ensuite, office space, garaging and a striking entranceway. The cladding is James Hardie weatherboard. The expansive kitchen features white handle-free cabinetry, Macrocarpa timber wall panelling and a glass overlay for the splash-back. Clutter is kept to the minimum with an added scullery housing the dishwasher and extra space for storage, and the feature lighting over the kitchen island creates a stylish look and added ambience.

This element of the build was an extension, giving room for an office and shower room. This meant that the room could also be used as an extra guest room, au pair suite or granny annex. The colours were kept light and calm, picking up colours from the garden, which is in full view through the bi-fold doors.

This well-designed kitchen features neutral full-height cabinets that perfectly complement a contrasting dark wood extra-large island, which includes a display area to showcase items of interest. Bathed in natural sunlight, this kitchen is a chef's dream, combining elegance, minimalism, and functionality. Its thoughtful design elements create a harmonious space that is not only visually appealing but also highly efficient for culinary pursuits.

This well-designed kitchen features neutral full-height cabinets that perfectly complement a contrasting dark wood extra-large island, which includes a display area to showcase items of interest. Bathed in natural sunlight, this kitchen is a chef's dream, combining elegance, minimalism, and functionality. Its thoughtful design elements create a harmonious space that is not only visually appealing but also highly efficient for culinary pursuits.

Have an even bigger family? Need even more extra room around the dining table? With a 72" wide tabletop plus an added 16" wide extension leaf, this dining table from the Bistro collection is enough to hold multiple tableware sets, ornaments, and vases, allowing the whole family to enjoy their dining experience together.

This Houston kitchen remodel turned an outdated bachelor pad into a contemporary dream fit for newlyweds. The client wanted a contemporary, somewhat commercial look, but also something homey with a comfy, family feel. And they couldn't go too contemporary, since the style of the home is so traditional. The clean, contemporary, white-black-and-grey color scheme is just the beginning of this transformation from the previous kitchen, The revamped 20-by-15-foot kitchen and adjoining dining area also features new stainless steel appliances by Maytag, lighting and furnishings by Restoration Hardware and countertops in white Carrara marble and Absolute Black honed granite. The paneled oak cabinets are now painted a crisp, bright white and finished off with polished nickel pulls. The center island is now a cool grey a few shades darker than the warm grey on the walls. On top of the grey on the new sheetrock, previously covered in a camel-colored textured paint, is Sherwin Williams' Faux Impressions sparkly "Striae Quartz Stone." Ho-hum 12-inch ceramic floor tiles with a western motif border have been replaced with grey tile "planks" resembling distressed wood. An oak-paneled flush-mount light fixture has given way to recessed lights and barn pendant lamps in oil rubbed bronze from Restoration Hardware. And the section housing clunky upper and lower banks of cabinets between the kitchen an dining area now has a sleek counter-turned-table with custom-milled legs. At first, the client wanted to open up that section altogether, but then realized they needed more counter space. The table - a continuation of the granite countertop - was the perfect solution. Plus, it offered space for extra seating. The black, high-back and low-back bar stools are also from Restoration Hardware - as is the new round chandelier and the dining table over which it hangs. Outdoor Homescapes of Houston also took out a wall between the kitchen and living room and remodeled the adjoining living room as well. A decorative cedar beam stained Minwax Jacobean now spans the ceiling where the wall once stood. The oak paneling and stairway railings in the living room, meanwhile, also got a coat of white paint and new window treatments and light fixtures from Restoration Hardware. Staining the top handrailing with the same Jacobean dark stain, however, boosted the new contemporary look even more. The outdoor living space also got a revamp, with a new patio ceiling also stained Jacobean and new outdoor furniture and outdoor area rug from Restoration Hardware. The furniture is from the Klismos collection, in weathered zinc, with Sunbrella fabric in the color "Smoke."

This beautiful new build project in Mangatawhiri, in the Franklin district of South Auckland meets the brief the clients set out to achieve - capturing the stunning rural vistas with a huge open plan kitchen, living and dining areas opening out onto a concrete terrace. The 3 bedroom home also features a master bathroom and an ensuite, office space, garaging and a striking entranceway. The cladding is James Hardie weatherboard. The expansive kitchen features white handle-free cabinetry, Macrocarpa timber wall panelling and a glass overlay for the splash-back. Clutter is kept to the minimum with an added scullery housing the dishwasher and extra space for storage, and the feature lighting over the kitchen island creates a stylish look and added ambience.

This beautiful new build project in Mangatawhiri, in the Franklin district of South Auckland meets the brief the clients set out to achieve - capturing the stunning rural vistas with a huge open plan kitchen, living and dining areas opening out onto a concrete terrace. The 3 bedroom home also features a master bathroom and an ensuite, office space, garaging and a striking entranceway. The cladding is James Hardie weatherboard. The expansive kitchen features white handle-free cabinetry, Macrocarpa timber wall panelling and a glass overlay for the splash-back. Clutter is kept to the minimum with an added scullery housing the dishwasher and extra space for storage, and the feature lighting over the kitchen island creates a stylish look and added ambience.

This element of the build was an extension, giving room for an office and shower room. This meant that the room could also be used as an extra guest room, au pair suite or granny annex. The colours were kept light and calm, picking up colours from the garden, which is in full view through the bi-fold doors.