| There's something magical about sleeping outside, | | | | Happily, it's relatively easy to create a secure, |
| drinking in the night sounds of crickets, frogs and | | | | comfortable place that makes outdoor sleeping a |
| wind chimes, watching fireflies and stars, and | | | | real joy again. If you can, choose a porch or |
| feeling the cool night breeze. You'll find children | | | | balcony on a side of your house that is protected |
| giggling long past their bedtime from sheer | | | | from the weather, or add a simple framework on |
| excitement. | | | | a deck. A leak-proof roof with extended eaves is |
| A treat for adults and children alike, sleeping | | | | critical and helps keep inclement weather from |
| outdoors has long been a part of camping | | | | blowing in directly onto the occupants. |
| tradition, but many adults also have fond | | | | If security is an issue, you'll feel safer in a second |
| memories of childhood nights in their parents' or | | | | storey room. Privacy is easier to achieve on the |
| grandparents' sleeping porch. | | | | side or back of a house, but even a room on the |
| The cover story of Architectural Digest's October | | | | front of your house can be hidden from view of |
| 2003 issue featured a visit to the Montana ranch | | | | passers-by with the installation of matchstick |
| of Dennis Quaid where he has built a magnificent | | | | roll-up blinds or fabric drapes. |
| home that includes a wraparound Pennsylvania | | | | The room should be screened in to protect |
| bluestone porch and a tree house for his son Jack. | | | | sleepers from mosquitoes and other night-time |
| In addition, the actor "requested specially" a | | | | insects. You can install window-height screens, or |
| sleeping porch adjacent to the veranda. | | | | make entire screened walls of floor to ceiling |
| In doing so, he joins the ranks of such luminaries | | | | panels. If you'd like to extend the use of the area |
| as former U.S. first lady Eleanor Roosevelt, author | | | | beyond the warmest months, you'll want to install |
| Jack London and baseball legend Babe Ruth, all of | | | | moveable windows or walls. These will also allow |
| whom enjoyed slumbering in screened-in rooms. | | | | the room's occupants to better control the |
| A sleeping porch has been defined as a | | | | amount of outdoors that comes in -- a desirable |
| well-ventilated, usually screened, porch used as | | | | feature during inclement weather. |
| occasional sleeping quarters. Before the advent of | | | | You can furnish a sleeping porch with as many |
| air-conditioning, families often created an area on | | | | creature comforts as you desire, keeping in mind |
| outdoor porches where children would sleep during | | | | whatever exposure to the elements the pieces |
| the hot summer nights. Sleeping porches were, | | | | will have. Ceiling or floor fans will aid the night |
| more often than not, on a home's second storey, | | | | breezes. Bedside tables will provide a place for a |
| frequently above a ground-level porch. | | | | book and reading glasses, or a cold drink. If you |
| It was during the Arts and Crafts movement of | | | | want to use the room during the day as a living |
| the early twentieth century that sleeping porches | | | | area, use day beds, couches or chaises that |
| really gained public favor. Arts and Crafts | | | | serve the dual purpose of seating by day and |
| architects often designed homes without abrupt | | | | sleeping space by night. Or use fold-up cots or |
| divisions between inside and out, and sleeping | | | | roll-away beds. Kids will even enjoy sleeping bags |
| porches provided an ideal transition space. | | | | on the floor. |
| Unfortunately, modern houses don't often sport | | | | Whether used for daytime catnapping or a full |
| open-air sleeping quarters and our culture is | | | | night's rest, sleeping porches can give you a |
| poorer for it. Few of life's experiences speak of | | | | chance to enjoy summer weather to the fullest, |
| summery comfort as a sleeping porch does, and | | | | and experience some of life's pleasant, peaceful |
| one is never out of touch with one's surroundings | | | | moments. |
| in the neighborhood when sleeping outside. | | | | |