Screen Porch Design -
Architectural Style Matters

Your screen porch design should be architecturally compatible with your home's style to avoid a 'tacked-on' look.

Ideally, your porch roof design should blend in as if it was part of the original structure. This applies no matter the size of screen porch your are designing.

Photos are compliments of The Porch Company, Nashville, Tennessee.

• Roof lines are the trickiest part of the screen porch in most cases and are the most important screen porch design factor. Try to keep the roof lines consistent with your home as in the photo below from The Porch Company.
• If you have a gable roof, try to incorporate a gable into your screen porch roof design. Although a shed roof would be less expensive, a gable roof will not only have more appeal but also allow for a cathedral ceiling.







• In some cases, it may be very difficult to join one roof to another due to the rise and run (slope). The longer the roof the more rise (slope) it needs to shed water, ice, and snow. Adjustments may have to be made to meet code requirements. Our porch roof section will give you some great ideas.





• Match the roofing materials on both your home and screen porch roof.
• At the opposite end is the porch's foundation. It doesn't have to match but a beautiful screen porch's appeal can be ruined if you have an unsightly foundation. In the photo note how the screen porch's foundation both matches and blends with the home. Unlike a deck, a screen porch is an extension of your home. Because ventilation under the screen porch is important, consider the type and appearance of the porch foundation. Use both our landscaping and porch skirting sections to help you plan wisely.







• Style is important. If you have a country-style home, building a contemporary screen porch will look out-of-place. Try to keep window framing, trim, etc., basically the same throughout. It doesn't have to match exactly but it should be close. Just as different window coverings can change the appearance of a room, trim and framing can change the appearance of your screened porch.
• Attention to details can help blend your porch's style with that of your home. Carry your home's trim onto your screen porch if possible. This is especially important if you are using screen porch kits or screen porch enclosure.
• Use the same trim from your home around your screen panels.


• Try to match your outdoor lights with those on your home.
• Use the same type awnings on your porch as you have on your home.