PRIVATE
RESIDENCE
North Reading, MA
The Owner of this existing home challenged Gienapp Design with their desires for a three-season porch with several special criteria. The design was to include an exterior stone fireplace with an integral wood-burning cooking grate. The Owner requested the design include extensive use of stone and a strong integration the landscape. They were also seeking to provide ample daylight to the existing dark kitchen. The original house provided a poor kitchen layout, with the cabinets and appliances located in the only available wall for exterior windows.
The design provides a stone base for the porch that flows into the surrounding stone retaining walls of the well-landscaped rear yard. The stone fireplace has an integrated stainless steel firebox with a dedicated damper and flue for the cooking area.
The screen enclosure provides a full view of the adjacent yard. Shutters with glazed panels can be closed to block harsh winds and allow the fireplace to provide enough heat to extend the useable seasons of the porch.
The porch interior has an exposed truss roof structure with bead board ceiling and bluestone flooring.
The design provides a new layout for the kitchen to integrate the porch, and to allow new expansive windows into the kitchen.
