Oscar, a Maine Coon cat, growls at rabbits and squirrels from the safety of his screened-in porch. Emmy, a Tortoiseshell feline, helps him while enjoying the feeling of “outside” living on the Trex decking. The composite material of wood and resin avoids rot but looks like real walnut wood from a distance.
Just like their cats, owners Aaron Persen and Eric Yarwood spend time communing with nature behind a screen while sitting on comfortable cushions.
“I grew up in Minnesota and it’s the land of mosquitoes. I can experience the outdoors without any bugs,” Persen said.
A traditional fiberglass screen encloses the 12 by 20 foot addition on the backside of the residence that overlooks the backyard. The gabled porch with an eight-foot ceiling fits in seamlessly with the house. Stained cedar supports the structure, matching the roof line, about four feet above ground level.
Persen, the director of facilities, planning, and construction for Metropolitan Community College, felt family furniture would add a warm, intimate ambiance to the room. A 1909 Minnesota cabin couch, re-upholstered in chenille vertical strips, feels like it could fit indoors. The faded yellow pine needed re-finishing until it glowed a satiny chocolate brown. The solid structure of its bones made it possible to bring it into this century with a durable water-resistant fabric with its brick red, cream, straw, and blue-gray colors creating a cool vibe. Two lounge chairs, part of the original set, match the couch while adding extra seating for gatherings.
The couple likes to host parties, even holding their wedding on the screened-in porch two years ago. Persen wanted to follow in his family’s footsteps of exchanging vows at home, and the 10-person event ensured coziness, less stress, and fewer décor decisions. “We let nature be the decoration,” Persen said.
The wicker loveseat, painted the same color as the house in a tranquil gray-blue, belonged to Yarwood’s mother after she bought it at a garage sale as one of her first furniture purchases. The original cushion most likely came from the seat of a 1953 Chevrolet pickup truck, but the couple switched it for a coordinating durable fabric with an oatmeal background and multi-colored striped flecks.
“When I grew up, we had a front porch that our family used constantly…so for me, it’s pure relaxation,” Yarwood said, a coordinator for special events at Metropolitan Community College. “I guess you can turn off the world around you.”
A ceiling fan cools the room in the shaded space and Persen peruses his cookbooks while Yarwood reads the latest historical fiction.
“It’s about the feeling you get, the atmosphere. We design on emotional aesthetics,” said Shandra Pettit, interior designer and principal of Apropos Design.
Pettit’s team coordinated with Persen, who has twenty years of experience as a former architect with DLR Group, on the screened porch as part of a larger project. Since her two clients embraced color and art, the overall look felt fun and inviting, including a taxidermied hen and rooster, complete with hot pink painted spurs. Pillows made from Persen’s grandmother’s silky mink coats provided a curiosity for the cats. Oscar, especially, supervised the process by sniffing fabric panels, testing cushions, and digging in boxes.
“We always ask about fur family to make sure selections are pet-friendly,” Pettit added. “We got Oscar’s approval.”
Yarwood remains in remission after a diagnosis of a rare germ cell cancer 12 years ago. He underwent nine rounds of chemotherapy and three stem cell transplants.
“I slowed down and realized work isn’t the end all and be all, but my relationships with my family and friends mean so much more,” Yarwood reflected.
Both realized happiness could be found in the smallest spaces, listening to the sound of rain under the white lights of their porch together.
This article originally appeared in the March/April 2025 issue of Omaha Home Magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe.
