A family of four loved spending time on the deck and lawn of their Chaska, Minnesota, home, which backs up to a beautiful stretch of woods. However, at certain times of day, mosquitoes often brought an abrupt end to outdoor time. When the homeowners decided to add a screened-in porch, they called husband-and-wife design-build team Mark and Mary Mackmiller, who already had completed two other large remodeling projects for them. The final design features a stacked vinyl window system that allows the family to enjoy the space well into the shoulder seasons.
Mark advises consulting a structural engineer for any porch design, particularly one with minimal posts and large window openings. “The more frequent and stronger wind gusts we have now require structural engineering to ensure safety and the structural integrity of a porch,” he says.
The Right Dimensions for Your Porch
The triangular upper gables are fitted with high-quality Plexiglas to seal out the elements. On the right, a door connects the new porch to the existing deck.
The window system features four vinyl panels that can be stacked at the top, bottom or middle to control the airflow. They’re shown here stacked at the top, but on blustery days, the homeowners can slide just the top row down to vent heat while remaining shielded from the wind while seated. With a large screen attached to each frame, this versatile setup keeps the porch comfortable regardless of the weather.
Here’s a view from outside with the windows stacked along the top.
Inside, the mood shifts. Prefinished cedar tongue-and-groove boards clad the ceiling and exterior wall, creating a rich, organic connection to the trees beyond. “We could have left the exterior wall’s existing siding,” Mark says, “but it felt out of place here.” Instead, the cedar adds to the nestled-in-the-woods vibe, and using a prefinished product ensured a smoother installation with less future maintenance.
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Because the porch sits more than 36 inches off the ground, building codes required railings. “I wanted to make the view as clear as possible,” Mark says. “I didn’t want [the homeowners] to come out here and feel like they were behind bars.” To achieve this, he used tempered, laminated glass panels and meticulously aligned the railing’s white metal supports with the porch’s structural posts. The result is a nearly invisible barrier that offers uninterrupted views of the wooded backdrop.
Instead, he chose 12-by-24-inch porcelain tiles that mimic vein-cut sandstone. Using tile elevated the look of the porch, eliminated the maintenance concerns of a traditional deck and added a contemporary element.
Floor tile: Davenport collection, Anatolia
Six dimmable LED disk lights are also tucked into the ceiling, giving the homeowners control over the ambiance at night.
Ceiling fan: Aviation in brushed nickel with silver blades, 60 inches, Minka-Aire
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Furniture: Eden collection, Yardbird
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Porch at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple with two elementary school-age children
Location: Chaska, Minnesota
Size: 214 square feet (19.9 square meters)
Design and build: mackmiller design+build
Finding the right spot for the porch was the first hurdle. The family loved their existing deck and wanted to ensure that the new addition wouldn’t rob the family room or kitchen of natural light. This left the area behind the dining room as the best location. To make up for any light lost, the firm placed a new window on the side of the house and designed the porch’s roofline to maintain a clear view from the second-story windows.
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