Decorating and enjoying a screened porch

As summer temperatures soar and our bodies break into sweat, we seek shelter indoors, where we're protected from bugs and heat. But even on the hottest day, we should not disregard the porch.

Screened porches offer an experience that cannot be found elsewhere. They are the meeting point between home and garden, offering exposure to the elements with the protection and comfort of being indoors. In other words, the best of both worlds.

"It's nature up close, but not too personal," said Washington, D.C.-based designer Christopher Patrick. "That's a fun luxury to play around with."

But screened porches are not always fun to decorate.

"It's a hybrid space, so people have a tough time figuring out how to approach it," said James Farmer, author of the book "Porch Living" ($30, Gibbs Smith). "It's not inside, but it's not outside. It's not the garden, but it's not the dining room. It can be whatever you want it to be, but having too many options is intimidating. People don't know where to begin."

To simplify things, Farmer recommends approaching the porch exactly as you would a living room. Decide what functions the space should serve and then decorate it accordingly, adjusting finishes and fabrics to suit an outdoor living space. The aesthetic goal, he said, is for the porch to be an extension of the home.

When designer David Mitchell decorated his porch, he enclosed it with screens to capture the nostalgic feeling of summer camp in North Carolina, a beloved childhood memory.

The challenge was making the narrow, 10- by 20-foot space seem roomy for a group and also pleasant during Washington, D.C., heat waves.

"I wanted room for six of us to have cocktails and dinner," he said. "Once I finally figured that out, I had to make it bearable."

Doing so required experimentation, but Mitchell settled on a combination of ceiling fans and Dyson floor fans. Overhead fans spin hot air around, he said, while floor fans circulate the cooler air before it rises.

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Decorating and enjoying a screened porch