Christopher Strom Architects
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Pondside

Remodel and Addition | Eden Prairie, MN

 
“Our experience with CSA Architects could not have been better. Not only did they suggest extraordinary and amazing design ideas, they incorporated our ideas and dreams in a totally collaborative way. We love our home, and guests seem to agree - often gasping when they walk in!”
— Pondside Homeowners

Updated Home Alongside Nature

Unlike the typical inquiries we receive via email, this project came to us in the form of a mailed letter. The clients, who had lived in their home for over 44 years, were ready for an upgrade but didn’t want to leave behind the strong relationships and close-knit community they had built with their neighbors. One of these longstanding relationships was between the client and Chris Strom. Not only had Chris grown up just two doors down from the home, but the original builder was also his grandfather. In homage to family history, the clients desired to remain on their current lot and have us reimagine the 1980s home with respect for the existing bones and Chris’s grandfather’s legacy.

The 1980 floorplan was dated, lacking a sufficient, open kitchen, a mudroom, or a pantry. While the beautiful location overlooks a pond, the limited windows kept the space closed off. The kitchen was tucked in the rear of the home, not given views to the living, dining, or backyard. To solve this, we added a 14’ foot addition to the west. This unlocked key elements: the kitchen could expand to occupy the full width of the space, and the dining could slide to its logical location between the living room and kitchen. There was also room for a mudroom, pantry, and small office.

By increasing the natural light, connection to nature, and ability to age in place, this home was designed with well-being and connection to nature in mind. We added four large, 5’ wide by 6’ tall windows to the living room which provide stunning views of the large willow tree, pond, and park beyond. In the kitchen, instead of a backsplash, a 12-foot-long, two-foot-high window was added to bring ambient north light into the cooking area.

 

Pivot Point

A key design feature for this remodel was creating a “Pivot Point” at the kitchen island. When standing behind the island, the clients wanted to: see out to the backyard, be part of the dining/living room, and see visitors arrive at the front entry.

 

Stairs

The stairs, immediately adjacent to the front entry, allow light and views into the lower level. The stair design is “light” – both in terms of form and materiality. The powder-coated steel railing is comprised of thin rods spanning between narrow bars.  Fasteners are hidden within baseplates buried into the skirt boards.  Vertical-grain black ash treads and risers unfold like paper down to the lower level.

Tall wooden slats highlight the verticality of the stair opening. Made of matching vertical-grain black ash, the slats provide texture and detail to an otherwise minimal palette. Lock-mitered joints prevent the narrow slats from warping throughout changing seasons and humidity.

 

Aging in Place

The homeowners have lived in this neighborhood for over 40 years. Now in retirement, the owners want to stay in their home as long as possible. By renovating their home, rather than moving, they can stay close to the neighbors and pond that they love.

This addition/remodel limits the number of stairs climbed each day by locating all essential functions, including the laundry, on the main level. The front entry has been upgraded with a roof over the front steps to prevent ice and snow from accumulating on the steps.

 

Before & After

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