The Arizona Room: A Perfect Indoor-outdoor Space

In Phoenix, there is a unique architectural feature on some of the older homes built around the Valley: the Arizona Room. The Arizona Room is a semi-outdoor recreational room that runs along the back of a house. Like other rooms in the home, the Arizona Room is completely covered by the roof, ensuring that it stays shady all day long, but its walls are lined with screened windows that allow a near-constant breeze to pass through the space.

As home design increasingly emphasizes the importance of indoor-outdoor living, the Arizona Room may be the revelation that your space is missing. Read more about the history and function of the Arizona Room here.

The Rise of the Arizona Room

Indoor-outdoor spaces have been popular additions to American homes since the turn of the 20th century, when the country’s elite wanted to enjoy the health benefits of fresh air and the beautiful natural scenery of their estate without coming into direct contact with outdoor elements like wind or bugs. This trend prompted the construction of conservatories, which had walls of glass and screens and were filled with growing plants. Yet, around the time of the rise of indoor-outdoor living, Phoenix, Arizona was not a center of luxury, so the development of conservatories and other well-appointed indoor-outdoor spaces was hardly connected to the rise of the Arizona Room.

 Before the territory gained statehood — and before the invention of air conditioning — life in Phoenix was exceedingly hard, and inhabitants were forced to find creative solutions for staying alive during the intense summer heat. One of the most popular methods of cooling off was hanging soaking-wet fabric in open windows, so the occasional breeze blowing through would become cool and comfortable. Many families opted to employ this method on covered patios, which provided shade while maximizing airflow through the wet sheets. Eventually, this practice resulted in the creation of a semi-enclosed room, which could provide more protection from the dangers of the desert and provide the cooling breeze necessary for survival.

After World War II, the population of Phoenix began to skyrocket. Around this time, central air conditioning was much more accessible to the average homeowner, and the need for wet sheets in the windows had radically decreased. Still, newcomers to the Valley of the Sun wanted a way to spend as much time in the gorgeous weather as possible — at least during the fall, winter and spring. Thus, much of the tract housing constructed during the middle of the 20th century featured small, screened porches for this purpose. Thus, the Arizona Room became a staple of home design in Phoenix, and many properties around the Valley (and beyond!) maintain this unique and historic design feature.

Design Benefits of the Arizona Room

Despite being open to the outdoors, the Arizona Room inherently heats up quickly and is slow to cool down. In the brutal Phoenician summers, this is not an advantage — unless homeowners are willing to hang drenched bed sheets over the screened windows. However, during the cold seasons, the unique warmth of the Arizona Room allows homeowners to spend more time in fresh air without bundling up in extra layers of clothing.

What’s more, the semi-enclosed nature of the Arizona Room makes styling the indoor-outdoor space much more rewarding. Arizona Rooms are less likely to gather dirt and debris and more resistant to the invasion of pests; plus, the covered nature of the Arizona Room prevents the harsh Phoenix sun from degrading outdoor décor in a single season. Thus, homeowners can spend more time curating the style of their indoor-outdoor space without worrying about damaging outdoor elements.

Styling an Arizona Room

These days, Arizona Rooms tend to be much more luxurious than the functional porches of the past. Many homeowners are upgrading their Arizona Rooms with insulated skylights, to better illuminate the space, and modern ceiling fans to further improve airflow and comfort. By installing window coverings, homeowners can improve the privacy of their indoor-outdoor space and reduce the accumulation of heat during the shoulder seasons when temperatures can rise.

The style you use to decorate your Arizona Room is entirely dependent on your personal taste and your existing home aesthetic. Most homeowners who celebrate the Arizona Room use traditional Southwest décor, though because the Arizona Room rose to prominence in the middle of the 20th century, mid century modern furnishings are also appropriate. However you style your Arizona Room, you should be satisfied knowing that your property has an important piece of Phoenix history.