r
o u tin e s fo llo w a seaso n al rh y th m in E r in
an d B ru c e T a it ’s fa m ily , an d the p o rc h th e y
ad d ed onto th e ir M in n e a p o lis h o m e p la ys
an im p o rta n t role. T h e scree n e d sp ace lets
th e m e n jo y the o u td o o rs w e ll into fa ll. “It
h as b ecom e th e ir c a b in in the b a c k y a rd ,” says a rc h ite c t
M e riw e th e r Felt. “I t ’s a retreat w h e re yo u ca n ju s t sit
and feel the b reeze.”
In ty p ic a l c a b in fa sh io n , the stru c tu re h as a b ig stone
fire p la c e an d is h e a v y on w o o d —ced ar, p in e , an d ipe. Yet
the o v e ra ll lo o k is cle a n , no t ru stic . T h e sam e goes for
the d e co ra tin g . E r in ’s fresh sp in is m o st no tab le in the
h a n d -c a rv e d b assw o o d d e e r head above the b lu e sto n e
m an te l. “W e th o u g h t it w as fu n n y b e cau se it ’s the
c la s s ic p ie ce to have on a stone fire p lace , b u t it ’s a
m o d e rn take and it ’s re sp e ctfu l o f nature,” sh e says.
R e sp e c tin g n a tu re is w h a t th is p o rc h is a ll ab o u t—
and it ’s w h y the T a its sto p p ed sh o rt o f fin is h in g it for
y e a r-ro u n d use. “Y o u have a d iffe re n t fe e lin g in a
s c re e n e d -in p o rch ,” E r in says. “T h is is a fu ll-o n o u td o o r
ro o m , an d w e ’re fin e c lo s in g it u p in the w in te r.”
in d o o r s
CLIMATE CONTROL
Moisture- and fade-
resistant fabric toughens
up the cushy modern
chairs,
right.
Ipe, an
ultra-durable dark brown
wood, is used for the
floor. Windows fit into
the frames where the
removable screens are,
allowing the family to
use the porch in late fall
and get back in it
sooner in the spring
IN CHARACTER The
porch’s stone chimney,
copper downspouts, and
rafters with scroll-shape
detailing fit the style of
the 1913 cottage,
below.
“It’s evocative of what
the original house was,
and it brings the
craftsmanship back,” says
architect Meriwether Felt.
6 8
OCTOBER 2009 BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS
