Homeowners whose local amenities include a mild climate often want an outdoor space to use and enjoy throughout the year. Jim and Linda Blount had a 400-square-foot backyard deck with plenty of room for a grill, patio furniture, and other outdoor accessories, but in reality all that space was too much of a good thing. With no sheltering structure except a small makeshift pergola, the deck was “too outdoors.” By contrast, an adjacent indoor dining area cried out for some breathing room. Their builder believed the couple could achieve as much outside as they could in. A game plan developed with a remodeled kitchen and eating area and a charming covered deck.

Old decking was stripped away so the home’s foundation could be expanded by 225 square feet. The beneficiary of the extra space was the kitchen and eating area, just inside a pair of new French doors. Outside, guests are greeted by a deck half the size of—but twice as welcoming as—the original. A framed and shingled roof is punctuated by three skylights. The reconfigured deck is bordered by a series of graceful arched bays. The couple has hosted as many as 60 people for spring and summer gatherings. “It’s like we have one great big room,” Linda says.