On a rainy afternoon, with a blanket on her lap, Phantom Screens sat with Award-winning actress Sarah Wayne Callies at her home on the Canadian West Coast. Sarah Wayne Callies is an Actress, Director, Storyteller, and survivor of fictional prisons, zombies, and aliens. She is known for her roles in The Walking Dead, Prison Break, the critically acclaimed NatGeo limited series, The Long Road Home, and more recently, for the NBC drama series Council Of Dads.
Accustomed to filming around the globe, the equally accomplished writer and director loves nothing more than coming home to her family’s private retreat in British Columbia.
To complete this outdoor oasis Sarah and her husband, Josh, spent a dozen years saving and planning for a space that reflected Sarah’s serene, laid-back demeanor. The surrounding forests are the backdrop to this grand patio space, with reclaimed old-growth forest wooden beams that were passed down to Sarah from a demolished shop in town.
We love how Sarah connected with nature. You can, too, no matter the size of your space or the season of the year.
Sarah first discovered the “screened in porch” idea while shooting The Walking Dead in Atlanta. These fixed screened porches are a must in Atlanta to keep the bugs out, and she loved being saved from bites. Later, when Sarah and her husband returned to their home on the west coast, they saw motorized screens on the patio at a local restaurant. Watching in awe as the waiter pushed a button for the screens to come down, they knew they needed to learn more about Phantom Screens. Her husband immediately jumped on the phone with their local installer.
Sarah fell in love with the ease of pushing a button to create the perfect outdoor space for entertaining and, of course, showing off her new screened space to her friends and family.
Sarah fell in love with the ease of pushing a button to create the perfect outdoor space for entertaining and, of course, showing off her new screened space to her friends and family.
The Phantom Screens installers worked with Sarah and Josh’s wishes to preserve the old-growth beams. “We wanted to salvage the hand-hewed look of the beams,” explains Sarah. “The installer found a very cool way to mount the screens on the outside so that they are totally unobstructed, they vanish out of sight. No one even knows they are there until they come down.”
The biggest surprise Sarah found was how much heat the screens can retain accompanying her outdoor heaters, which are perfect for dinners. “It is always an honour to share this space with friends and family,” says Sarah. “Everybody’s mood shifts and it’s like being on vacation.”
With protection against bugs, bites, and brisk breezes, Sarah and her family can enjoy their patio space all year. Sarah describes it as a place that “soothes the soul of everyone – family and friends alike.”
Since 1992, Phantom Screens has helped homeowners – like Sarah – builders, and architects have it all – shade from the sun, protection from insects and UV rays, refreshing breeze, and uninterrupted views. If you are planning to make your home eco-friendlier, more comfortable and economical, Phantom Screens is for you.
Want to learn more? Visit phantomscreens.com.
Jessica Croft | November 2022