Tag Archives: three-season rooms

Planning for an Outdoor Room?

An outdoor room can enhance the beauty of your home and help increase your property value. However, creating an outdoor room takes planning. So expense, design and functionality are all things you want to consider.

Budget – This will naturally be the first thing you think about when you’re planning an outdoor room. Unfortunately for most people, the sky is not the limit, so how much you have to spend will directly determine how elaborate your outdoor room will be.
Design – Take into consideration whether you want an open air room or an enclosed room. Open air rooms are terraces or decks with no cover. While this type of outdoor room is nice, it is limited as far as livability goes. You can increase livability in an open air room by adding a cover such as an awning, pitched roof or trellis. An enclosed seasonal room gives you more outdoor living options because it offers protection from the rain and other harsh conditions.

Planning an outdoor room can be overwhelming. Don’t worry, if you don’t know where to start, you can enlist the help of the experts at Outdoor Environments. Contact us today!

Seasonal Rooms 101

Outdoor Environments is experienced with creating custom three and four-season room additions in the Overland Park and Kansas City areas. But many people are not clear about what the difference is between the two. Here’s a quick lesson:

Three-season rooms or porches

  • Can be used for up to three seasons in a year, usually spring, summer and fall
  • Insulation is common, but they’re not meant to be heated during the winter
  • Serves as a comfortable area that’s not really inside or outside
  • Uses can include exercising, reading or relaxing with a spa or hot tub

Example of three-season room by Outdoor Environments:

Four-season rooms

  • Can be used year-round, regardless of season or weather conditions
  • Provide extra benefits for the extreme Midwestern winters
  • Can be heated and/or cooled just like any other room in the house
  • Usually portray the same architectural style as the rest of the house

Example of four-season room by Outdoor Environments:

So the choice is up to you. Which type of outdoor room do you think would best suit your needs? Leave a comment and let us know!

Great Outdoor Rooms: Three-Season vs. Four-Season

What is the difference between three-season and four-season outdoor rooms? Three-season porches, as the name implies, can be used in as many seasons per year (particularly spring, summer and fall); and although they may be insulated, they are not designed to be heated during winter months. Three-season rooms in theory offer the best of both worlds: Acting as a buffer between your home and your yard, the rooms can be used for everything from curling up by the fire to an exercise room or hot tub. Keep in mind, though, that everything in this room will be exposed to the elements; therefore, all materials must be able to withstand freezing elements.

Check out a few three-season rooms designed by Outdoor Environments below:

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Four-season rooms, on the other hand, are more utilitarian; enclosed porches may be used 12 months out of the year and provide comfort during the harsh months of Midwestern winters. These rooms are generally an extension of the home’s architectural style and are as thermally efficient as the rest of the home thanks to insulated glass and wall panels that allow for efficient heating and cooling throughout the year.

Below, find a few examples of four-season additions from Outdoor Environments:

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