PRODUCT: MOTORIZED RETRACTABLE SCREENS | LOCATION: MOBILE, AL | STYLE: 1920s TUDOR
Alabama summers are something else. Locals call it “the air you can wear” — a combination of heat and humidity that makes spending time outdoors genuinely uncomfortable. But for the owners of this 1920s American Tudor-style home in Mobile, a full renovation and a set of motorized retractable screens changed everything. Their rear porch became a restful and cool haven — even in the midst of a sultry Southern summer.
Heritage home with a modern heart
The renovation was managed by Lipford Construction with a clear goal: create an energy-efficient home that preserved the original architecture while meeting the needs of modern living. The retractable screen tracks and housings were recessed directly into the porch columns, allowing the screens to retract completely when not in use and preserving the home’s architectural character without any visible hardware cluttering the facade.
Keeping things cool
From over 30 available mesh options, the designers selected Sheerweave 2360 in a charcoal finish. This material does more than keep bugs out — it blocks UV rays and significantly reduces the temperature inside the screened porch, making it genuinely livable through the peak summer months.
Making the most of home
Danny Lipford, who led the renovation project, noted that homeowners consistently underestimate what their properties are capable of. Installing the motorized screens, he said, “extended the time homeowners are able to spend outside even during hot Alabama summer months” — turning a porch that sat unused for most of the year into one of the most-used spaces in the home.