Outdoor entertaining at its finest. This vibrant family needed an outdoor space that would solve several issues. With the configuration of the house, the current yard and deck directly behind the house receives little to no sunlight during the course of the day. The deck boards were checking and water was ponding in the middle of the deck due to the lack of sunlight. The grass also needing sunlight would not grow. This in turn, did not allow for the most inviting place for the family to hang out. The house has also gone through several additions and the back elevation was lacking a unifying element. We new what we needed, but the challenge was going to be working with the variety of roof heights, roof pitches, and windows. After much puzzling, sketching, 3d modeling – we had our solution.

The screened porch living space ties in nicely with the taller gable roof. A vaulted ceiling and a large natural stone fireplace creates a warm and inviting area for the family and their guests through most of the year. The screens are mortorized so that the porch can be open during the months without those pesky mosquitos and screened when needed. This also helped us maximize the views from inside to the backyard and get as much daylight inside the house as possible. The dining section of the porch tucks under the second floor master bedroom windows and ties in with the shorter gable form. The ceiling in this area is flat and creates a cozy area right off the kitchen for eating outside. The ipe flooring continues out to the uncovered portion of the porch and carries down the stairs to a new brick patio with stone retaining walled natural areas. All plants in these areas have been chosen for their love of low light levels.

This project was completed late spring of this year. Fire up the grill and invite the neighborhood, this house is ready for an outdoor party.

Contractor – Chris Jokisch

Photogrpahy – PELL ST studio PLLC