A Dining Room That Brings the Outdoors In: Timber Frame, Light, and Flow

When Kate and Chris Eyerman expanded their 90-year-old Pittsburgh Tudor, they didn't just add square footage—they created a luminous, nature-connected dining space that seats 12 comfortably and blurs the line between inside and out.

Design Highlights

• Exposed White Oak Timber Frame: Decorative inside, structural on the covered patio—extends the architecture outdoors.
• Cathedral Ceiling (15 ft) + Large Table (10×4.5 ft): Grand scale without crowding.
• Sightlines: Glass-fronted kitchen cabinets visible from living room; kitchen sink views in every direction.
• Reclaimed Elements: Original stained-glass window reused in dining room; upstairs window set high in gable.
• Materials Continuity: Sandstone from the original quarry used throughout, including new fireplace mantel.

Indoor-Outdoor Flow

Two Pella French doors open to a covered patio with tapered Craftsman columns—steps from 2.25 acres of grass, apple, and pear trees. "It's like an outdoor living room," says Chris. They dine and entertain outside often, with plans for a fireplace and extended patio.

Collaborative Process

Architect Larry Stephens, designer Louise Pascale, and builder Jerry Horn Construction worked seamlessly over nearly four months. The result: a space that feels both timeless and deeply personal.