skip to main content
SEATING SALE
0
Your shopping cart is empty.
Sign In
Join as a Pro
History of Houzz
GET IDEAS
PHOTOS
Kitchen & DiningKitchenDining RoomPantryGreat RoomBreakfast Nook
Bed & BathBathroomPowder RoomBedroomStorage & ClosetBaby & Kids
LivingLiving RoomFamily RoomSunroom
OutdoorLandscapePatioDeckPoolBackyardPorchExteriorOutdoor KitchenFront YardDrivewayPoolhouse
WalkwaysStaircaseEntryHall
Bar & WineHome BarWine Cellar
UtilityLaundryGarageMudroom
More RoomsGame RoomHome OfficeBasementCraftLibraryGym
Popular Design IdeasKitchen BacksplashFirepit
FireplaceDeck RailingPergolaPrivacy FenceSmall Closet
MAGAZINE
Stories and GuidesPopular StoriesRenovation Cost Guides
DISCUSSIONS
Get AdviceDesign DilemmasBefore & After
HOUZZ TV
HOUZZ RESEARCH
FIND PROFESSIONALS
PROFESSIONALS
DesignArchitects & Building DesignersKitchen & Bathroom DesignersInterior Designers & DecoratorsDesign-Build FirmsLighting Designers & Suppliers
RemodelingKitchen & Bathroom RemodelersGeneral ContractorsHome BuildersTile & Countertop ContractorsMasonry & Concrete ContractorsExterior & Siding ContractorsStair & Railing ContractorsFireplace Contractors
RenovationCarpentersCabinetry & Cabinet MakersFlooring ContractorsWindow ContractorsDoor ContractorsGlass & Shower Door ContractorsCarpet Contractors
OutdoorLandscape Architects & DesignersLandscape ContractorsDeck & Patio BuildersFence ContractorsDriveway & Paving ContractorsSwimming Pool BuildersHot Tub & Spa Dealers
ServicesPaintersRoofing & Gutter ContractorsOrganizers & Closet DesignersHome StagersGarage Door ServicesWindow Treatment ServicesPaint & Wall Covering Dealers
Appliances & SystemsAppliance Sales & ServicesHVAC ContractorsHome Theater & AutomationOutdoor Lighting & AV SpecialistsSolar Energy Contractors
All ProfessionalsAll ServicesFor Professionals
SHOP BY DEPARTMENT
KITCHEN & DINING
Kitchen & Dining FurnitureSinks & FaucetsKitchen AppliancesTabletopCabinets & StorageKnobs & PullsKitchen LightingTileCookware & BakewareTools & GadgetsView All
FURNITURE
Living RoomKitchen & DiningHome OfficeOutdoorBedroomStorageBathroomView All
BATH
Bathroom VanitiesShowersBathtubsBathroom LightingFaucetsBathroom SinksTileBath AccessoriesBath LinensMedicine CabinetsView All
DECOR
RugsMirrorsWall DecorDecorative AccentsArtworkPillows & ThrowsHoliday DecorView All
BEDROOM
Beds & HeadboardsBeddingDressersNightstandsBenchesBedroom DecorLampsCloset StorageFutonsChaisesView All
HOME IMPROVEMENT
HardwareTileBathroom FixturesKitchen FixturesHeating & CoolingBuilding MaterialsTools & EquipmentView All
LIVING
Coffee & Accent TablesRugsSofas & SectionalsArmchairs & Accent ChairsTV Stand & Media StorageHome DecorLampsArtworkBookcasesFireplaces & AccessoriesView All
OUTDOOR
Patio FurnitureOutdoor DecorOutdoor LightingPool & SpaLawn & GardenOutdoor StructuresOutdoor CookingView All
LIGHTING
ChandeliersPendant LightsFlush-MountsBathroom & VanityWall SconcesCeiling FansTable LampsFloor LampsKitchen & CabinetOutdoor LightingView All
MORE
Storage & OrganizationHome OfficeBaby & KidsHome BarCleaning & LaundryPet SuppliesHoliday DecorView All
Looking for the perfect gift? Send a Houzz Gift Card!
SALE
ON SALE - UP TO 75% OFF
Bathroom VanitiesChandeliersBar StoolsPendant LightsRugsLiving Room ChairsDining Room FurnitureWall LightingCoffee TablesSide & End TablesHome Office FurnitureSofasBedroom FurnitureLampsMirrors
SEATING SALE
Free Shipping
Counter Stools by Style 
Up to 50% Off
Bestselling Living Room Seating 
Up to 65% Off
Bar Stools With Free Shipping 
Up to 55% Off
Bestselling Dining Chairs 
Before and Afters
Before and Afters
Bathroom of the Week: Soft Neutrals With a Nod to History
Top Ideabooks
Bathroom of the Week: Soft Neutrals With a Nod to HistoryHouzz Tour: Home Returns to Its Modern RootsYard of the Week: Native and Low-Water Plants in ColoradoYard of the Week: Privacy, Seating and Lush Plantings
Appears in
Remodeling Guides
Porches
Porches
10 Ideas for Decorating Your Summer Porch
Top Ideabooks
10 Ideas for Decorating Your Summer Porch7 Ideas to Get You Back on the Front PorchGet the Hang of Hanging Flower BasketsExpert Talk: Porch Swings Sway Into Sweet Life
Appears in
Landscape Design
Porch of the Week
Porch of the Week
A Summer House With Prairie School Style
Top Ideabooks
A Summer House With Prairie School StyleScreened-In Porch and a Deck Under the Oaks in MinnesotaPorch of the Week: An Outdoor Room for Cooking and RelaxingA Wraparound Goes From Unwelcoming to Irresistible
Appears in
Landscape Design
Landscape Design
Landscape Design
9 Design Tips to Enhance Views of Your Garden From Indoors
Top Ideabooks
9 Design Tips to Enhance Views of Your Garden From IndoorsYard of the Week: Native and Low-Water Plants in Colorado9 Garden Structures Offer Year-Round InterestPantone’s 2021 Color of the Year Looks Optimistic in Landscapes
Appears in
Latest From Houzz
See also
PoolsOutbuildingsGarden StylesPorchesOutdoor AccessoriesDecksPatiosPathsInspiring GardensFences and GatesOutdoor ProjectsUrban GardensFront Yard IdeasBackyard IdeasSide Yard IdeasOutdoor KitchensIdeas for Sloped LotsPergolasLawn AlternativesPatio of the WeekPorch of the Week

Screened-In Porch and a Deck Under the Oaks in Minnesota

An architect opens up views of Minnehaha Creek without disturbing the property’s mature trees

Becky Harris
Becky HarrisNovember 7, 2020
Houzz Contributor. Hi there! I live in a 1920s cottage in Atlanta that I'll describe as "collected." I got into design via Landscape Architecture, which I studied at the University of Virginia. I've been writing about design online for quite a few years over at Hatch: The Design Public Blog.
More
Print
Embed
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Minnehaha Creek is a beautiful waterway that flows through pastoral, wooded and urban areas between Lake Minnetonka to the Mississippi River. So it’s easy to understand why this Edina, Minnesota, couple had dreamed of living along it for decades. When a home overlooking a split in the creek became available, they jumped at the chance to make their dream come true. Their decision was all about location, so their main concern with the house was making sure they were maximizing the views. Architect Christopher Strom helped them rework their deck, screened-in porch and landscaping to open up the views in a way that protected two mature oak trees on the property.
CHRISTOPHER STROM ARCHITECTS
“After” photos by Alyssa Lee Photography

Porch at a Glance

Who uses it: A couple of empty nesters
Location: Edina, Minnesota
Size: 256 square feet (24 square meters); 16 by 16 feet
Architect: Christopher Strom
Contractor: Crown Construction

This beautiful new screened-in porch is one of the homeowners’ favorite spots for enjoying the view of the waterway and watching the kayakers and canoeists that paddle by during the warmer months of the year. The 16-by-16-foot porch accommodates a small cafe table and chairs, an upholstered settee and an upholstered armchair. The furniture can be stored during the snowy months, but otherwise the porch doesn’t need to be winterized.

Shop for outdoor dining furniture
Before Photo
Before: The existing deck and screened-in porch overlooked the creek. But the railings, staircase and shrubs blocked views. Plus, “the back of the house looked like a big white box,” Strom says.

Find a local architect on Houzz
CHRISTOPHER STROM ARCHITECTS
After: A new deck and screened-in porch replace the old ones in the same locations. The protuding staircase has been removed and a new spiral staircase added behind the porch near the house.

“Our first order of business was to change the landscaping to engage the water’s edge,” Strom says. The new landscaping opens up the views from the patio and lower level of the house, and provides easy access down to the creek. The work included leveling off the area beneath the porch — the lattice in the previous photo was hiding a significant slope. Strom used retaining walls made of boulders to create a terraced landscape. New stairs ease the journey down to the water’s edge.

Local Edina and Minnehaha Creek Watershed District restrictions limited the amount of impervious surfaces allowed on the property. Strom made up for some of the new impervious surfaces in the landscaping by making the deck come toward the house at an oblique angle. The porch is in approximately the same spot as the original. “The homeowners liked it off to the side because it preserved the views from inside the house,” Strom says.

To mitigate the scale of the big white box, he used contrasting materials on the new deck and porch. He also got rid of the recessed bays on one side of the house, which weren’t doing anything for the interior spaces. He replaced the main level’s bay with double slider doors. A new three-foot-deep skirt roof between the main level and the second level also helps cut down the scale of the house. And the black painted aluminum beneath the porch blends in with the shadows.
CHRISTOPHER STROM ARCHITECTS
Preserving two mature oak trees was the top priority during construction. After consulting with an arborist and the pros at Crown Construction, Strom decided to use helical piers and and a steel frame to support the deck. Also known as screw piles, helical piers are corkscrewed deep into the ground, eliminating the need for excavation; here they minimized the impact on the trees. Because of the depth of these piers and the strength of the steel framing, only seven piers were required — four underneath the porch and three under the deck.

Hire a local general contractor
CHRISTOPHER STROM ARCHITECTS
Strom replaced the staircase with a spiral one, tucking it behind the deck. Because the deck needed just three supports, the staircase has a graceful floating appearance.

The homeowners wanted a shed space beneath the porch for kayaks, gardening tools and their grandchildren’s outdoor toys. The shed portion does not have a built floor, but Strom added a layer of mesh beneath the dirt to help keep critters out.
CHRISTOPHER STROM ARCHITECTS
New steel cable railings with a natural wood handrail keep the views open. “Because the impervious surface requirements limited the size of the deck, we used a facia-mounted system for the railings,” Strom says. This means that the railings are mounted on the face of the deck rather than on top, saving precious inches of deck surface.

The decking is a composite material made of recycled plastic and bamboo.

Decking: BamDeck, Cali Bamboo
CHRISTOPHER STROM ARCHITECTS
This photo provides a good view of the deck’s graceful hipped roof. The deck and porch have a pleasing mix of materials that blend with the natural surroundings. The roof material is cedar shingles, and the ceiling is pre-finished lodgepole pine. Strom used custom copper ridge pieces to avoid the clunky look of hanging cedar ridges. They give the roof “a really streamlined look,” he says.

The structural framing is a hot-dip galvanized steel that can stand up to water and weather. Around the porch, the architect filled the spaces between the steel frame’s flanges with the same composite material he used on the deck. The bottom portion of the shed is extruded aluminum painted black. “This makes it very low-maintenance,” Strom says.

Ceiling pine: Woodtone
CHRISTOPHER STROM ARCHITECTS
Look up near the ceiling fan to see the neat square pattern on the lodgepole pine ceiling.
CHRISTOPHER STROM ARCHITECTS
The homeowners love the comfortable shaded spot, where they can catch a breeze while they watch the world paddle by.

More on Houzz
Browse photos of screened-in porches
Find local deck and patio builders
Shop for your outdoor space
Print
Embed
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Comments (14)
See 11 more comments
  • Paul Thornton
    2 months ago

    That'll keep the mosquitos at bay while munching a burger or two.

  • Becky Harris
    2 months ago

    Hi Everyone! I can see why it seems like this porch protrudes out further than the original porch did — the "before" and "after" photos were not taken from the exact same angle, so the comparison is deceiving. The new porch does not extend out from the house any farther than the original one did, nor did it block any of the neighbors' views. We have updated the story in response to these questions. Thank you for paying such careful attention, I appreciate it!

  • designchallenged
    2 months ago

    love this. wish I could afford it!

  • Read Related Stories
    Bathroom of the Week: Soft Neutrals With a Nod to History
    Bathroom DesignBathroom of the Week: Soft Neutrals With a Nod to History
    By Becky Harris
    A designer balances his clients’ love of organic modern style with their home’s Colonial Revival architecture
    Full Story2
    Houzz Tour: Home Returns to Its Modern Roots
    Houzz ToursHouzz Tour: Home Returns to Its Modern Roots
    By Becky Harris
    A previous renovation had covered up this Canadian home’s original style. A designer fixes that and lightens up rooms
    Full Story12
    Yard of the Week: Native and Low-Water Plants in Colorado
    Landscape DesignYard of the Week: Native and Low-Water Plants in Colorado
    By Lauren Dunec Hoang
    A bleak backyard is transformed into a colorful meadow-like space with a fire pit, a dining patio and an edible garden
    Full Story6
    Yard of the Week: Privacy, Seating and Lush Plantings
    Landscape DesignYard of the Week: Privacy, Seating and Lush Plantings
    By Kate Burt
    This elegant landscape was once a series of unconnected zones. Now it has a focal point and space for entertaining
    Full Story19
    Patio of the Week: Kitchen’s Cheerful Palette Goes Outside
    Landscape DesignPatio of the Week: Kitchen’s Cheerful Palette Goes Outside
    By Becky Harris
    An architect blends indoors and out in a yard with Scandinavian and Japanese influences and a multitiered design
    Full Story5
    Before and After: 5 Kitchen Makeovers in 225 Square Feet or More
    Most PopularBefore and After: 5 Kitchen Makeovers in 225 Square Feet or More
    By Erin Carlyle
    See how designers and remodelers changed layouts and materials to make these kitchens functional and attractive
    Full Story23
    New Style and Openness for a Family-Friendly Illinois Home
    Houzz ToursNew Style and Openness for a Family-Friendly Illinois Home
    By Nora Burba Trulsson
    An interior designer updates his suburban family home with a light and airy palette of white, wood and warm gray
    Full Story51
    Before and After: 6 Kitchen Makeovers in 200 Square Feet or Less
    Most PopularBefore and After: 6 Kitchen Makeovers in 200 Square Feet or Less
    By Erin Carlyle
    See how pros used new layouts and finishes to make these kitchens work better for homeowners
    Full Story87
    Patio of the Week: Designer’s Cozy Retreat in a Side Yard
    Landscape DesignPatio of the Week: Designer’s Cozy Retreat in a Side Yard
    By Lauren Dunec Hoang
    Tight on space, big on style, this 15-foot-wide Boston patio has an outdoor kitchen, dining area and fireplace lounge
    Full Story38
    A Magical Australian Garden With Room to Explore
    Landscape DesignA Magical Australian Garden With Room to Explore
    By Georgia Madden
    Step into a landscape architect-designed yard with distinct elements that complement a traditional-meets-modern home
    Full Story33
    Bathroom of the Week: Dated Bath Becomes a Calm Retreat
    Bathroom of the WeekBathroom of the Week: Dated Bath Becomes a Calm Retreat
    By Becky Harris
    A Minneapolis designer focuses on the four elements of nature to create an oasis for parents
    Full Story15
    Before and After: 6 Dramatic Fireplace Makeovers
    FireplacesBefore and After: 6 Dramatic Fireplace Makeovers
    By Becky Harris
    See how designers refresh the look of a fireplace with everything from a simple paint job to a new stone surround
    Full Story78
    Before and After: 5 Patios That Celebrate Outdoor Living
    Landscape DesignBefore and After: 5 Patios That Celebrate Outdoor Living
    By Annie Thornton
    See how landscape designers transform yards of all sizes and styles into stylish, hardworking patios
    Full Story9
    Before and After: 4 Bathrooms With Dashing Double Vanities
    Bathroom DesignBefore and After: 4 Bathrooms With Dashing Double Vanities
    By Bryan Anthony
    New double vanities add counter space, storage and style to these remodeled bathrooms
    Full Story7
    A Surprise Home Makeover for a Marine and His Kids
    Houzz TV FavoritesA Surprise Home Makeover for a Marine and His Kids
    By Mitchell Parker
    In time for Veterans Day, a vet’s townhouse gets redesigned to embrace scale, function and warmth
    Full Story47
    Shop Related Categories
    Watering & Irrigation
    Watering & Irrigation
    Gardening Tools
    Gardening Tools
    Outdoor Decor
    Outdoor Decor
    Outdoor Pots & Planters
    Outdoor Pots & Planters
    Garden Statues & Yard Art
    Garden Statues & Yard Art
    Outdoor Power Equipment
    Outdoor Power Equipment
    People who liked this story also liked
    Bathroom of the Week: Soft Neutrals With a Nod to History
    Bathroom of the Week: Soft Neutrals With a Nod to HistoryFull Story
    Houzz Tour: Home Returns to Its Modern Roots
    Houzz Tour: Home Returns to Its Modern RootsFull Story
    Yard of the Week: Native and Low-Water Plants in Colorado
    Yard of the Week: Native and Low-Water Plants in ColoradoFull Story
    Yard of the Week: Privacy, Seating and Lush Plantings
    Yard of the Week: Privacy, Seating and Lush PlantingsFull Story
    Patio of the Week: Kitchen’s Cheerful Palette Goes Outside
    Patio of the Week: Kitchen’s Cheerful Palette Goes OutsideFull Story
    Before and After: 5 Kitchen Makeovers in 225 Square Feet or More
    Before and After: 5 Kitchen Makeovers in 225 Square Feet or MoreFull Story
    New Style and Openness for a Family-Friendly Illinois Home
    New Style and Openness for a Family-Friendly Illinois HomeFull Story
    Before and After: 6 Kitchen Makeovers in 200 Square Feet or Less
    Before and After: 6 Kitchen Makeovers in 200 Square Feet or LessFull Story
    Patio of the Week: Designer’s Cozy Retreat in a Side Yard
    Patio of the Week: Designer’s Cozy Retreat in a Side YardFull Story
    A Magical Australian Garden With Room to Explore
    A Magical Australian Garden With Room to ExploreFull Story
    Sponsored
    Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery
    227 Reviews
    Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting gallery. 270 locations nationwide!
    • United States
    • ABOUT
    • CAREERS
    • MOBILE APPS
    • PROFESSIONALS
    • BUTTONS
    • FOR BRANDS
    • SELL
    • Privacy & Notice
    • Terms
    • © 2021 Houzz Inc.