All she wanted was a screened porch and a better bathroom. And at the start, there were lots of square plans. Straight out from the back of the house, simple, maybe 14’ x 14’. The house was minimally decorated, understated—what type of solution would resonate with her?

I showed her the square plans. Talked about their logic. Then, I pulled out the sketch of a different idea. A porch angled around the pecan tree. A door out from the bedroom to a built–in daybed. A larger space for a table and chairs. A bathroom where the window opens into the porch, almost an outdoor shower.

She pointed her finger to the sketch.

That one.

So we made a quirky screened porch with a steel frame, warm cedar screen surrounds and roof joists painted light blue. Alternating width wood floor boards flush out with the top of the steel perimeter beam and continue up to form the daybed. Stripped to the original wood siding, the bathroom is now glossy white with a plank wood counter and shiny new tiles in shades of blue and green.

She leaves the door to the porch open year round—it is her new living room.