Not everyone has the disposable income necessary to cover an ambitious home addition. Screen rooms make wonderful social gathering places in any house, but the construction costs are through the roof. It would probably be well into fall or winter before the work was finished anyway. Instead of footing the bill for a pricy screen room, consider placing a freestanding screen house out on the back lawn.

Screen houses resemble large, roomy tents, but with one notable difference: You can see through them on all sides. These structures are suitable for after-dinner drinks with friends or just enjoying a carefree summer afternoon with a good book. The barely visible screen affords a panoramic view of the house’s surroundings, and it also acts as mosquito netting.