This project is a complete remodel of a turn-of-the-century Southeast Portland four-square. Jessica Helgerson gutted a small and disfunctional kitchen, back pantry and mud room to create a large and airy kitchen; added box beams to the dining room, separated the entry from the living room with a deep-cased opening which created two ledges for seating or plants, added a mantle, built-in shelves, and two windows at the fireplace; as well as adding a second window, a wood ceiling and wainscoting to the upstairs bathroom. Woodwork throughout much of the house was stained a dark ebony as were the floors on the first floor.
Jessica Helgerson wanted to create a space that was both glamorous for the Portland hipster couple who live in the house as well as appropriate for the house itself and its period. The new woodwork is designed to look original but the dark stain adds an element of elegance and surprise. With the furnishings we created an eclectic blend of modern and ethnic pieces that are unified by their color and scale. Many of the pieces were custom made locally: the sofa that fits into the bay window; the living room chairs which are cozily upholstered in sheepskin; the dining room benches and table top; and the blown glass sculptures, by Portland-based glass artist ANDY PAIKO.
The clients for this project were a young family with a very modern aesthetic. The trick was to take their hundred-year-old Northwest Portland house and make it feel fresh and current. We completely remodeled the kitchen, opening it to the dining room with glass front cabinets. We removed a full bath downstairs and converted it to a powder room, opening up a back hall that had probably been original and vastly improving the flow of the house.
The clients also asked us to add a master bathroom and squeeze a laundry room into the second floor if possible. Luckily for us one of the bedrooms was larger than it really needed to be and we carved out a master bathroom with double sinks and a generous shower. We designed a cabinet that beautifully conceals a washer, dryer and more storage at the top of the stairs. We insulated and finished the attic, adding four large skylights and painting everything white including the wood floors.
The result is a cheerful, sunny, modern work-and-play space for the clients who both work from home. The color palette is a gradation of whites and cool grays with a bright entry fading to a darker living room and a dramatically dark dining room and library. In the entry we had mirrors laser-cut to form organic shapes that dance along the walls reflecting surprising snippets of the house. The house is now fresh, bright, functional and contemporary while remaining true to itself.
