Different Styles for Breezeways

Choosing the Right Style

• Think about your home's requirements before you begin making specific choices about the design of your breezeway. If you already have a paved sidewalk or walkway between the two structures, you can simply build a roof over the walkway to provide protection from the elements. If the area between the structures is unpaved, you will need to build a foundation for the flooring, such as a wooden frame, or pave the area with stone or brick. Consider your home's visual characteristics and decide how closely you want the breezeway to match them before you begin construction.

Open-Sided Breezeways

• Open-sided breezeways consist of a simple roof covering a walkway; there are no walls erected as with an enclosed breezeway. These breezeways offer protection from the elements and can be used as a shaded outdoor sitting area when the weather is nice. Add a ceiling fan to the roof to keep the breezeway comfortable in the warmer months. You may also want to add latticework or screens to the sides of the breezeway to provide additional protection while still allowing airflow.

Enclosed Breezeways

• Sometimes it isn't practical to build a breezeway that will be exposed to rain, snow or the sun; in these cases, an enclosed breezeway can offer the protection of an enclosed space while adding aesthetic value to the home. Building an enclosed breezeway is a more complex task, but such a design offers more flexibility than open-sided breezeways. Enclosed breezeways can be used for a variety of purposes: as outdoor kitchens, home offices, play areas for pets and more. Installing high windows on the sides of the breezeway can provide a view into nature without compromising the comfort of an enclosed, air-conditioned space.

Open-Roof Breezeways

• If adding aesthetic value or a sitting area such as an outdoor kitchen is your main goal in constructing a breezeway, you may want to consider foregoing the roof and constructing an open-roof patio area between the structures. An open-roof breezeway can connect two buildings in a manner that is consistent with the existing architecture while providing an outdoor area that can be used for a variety of purposes. You may still want to erect screens or latticework to offer some protection from the elements. You should also carefully consider the climate of your area before constructing an open-roof breezeway, as it will be most useful in pleasant weather.