Home Design Workshop: Changing Family

Written by Jeanette Shupp of Restore Oregon

In the Changing Family Workshop, ARCIFORM gives tips on designing a home for family, addressing questions like: What kind of spaces does your family need now and in the future?  How do you create a family-friendly kitchen? Shown above is the whole house remodel completed for this family’s 1909 Colonial Revival home.

Home is one of the most important places on earth. In Oregon, many of us live in well-loved old homes with boxy rooms, flights of narrow, steep steps, and beautiful heritage timber woodwork. We love them! These homes fill our life with character and help tell the stories of the past, while we help to write the next chapter for the home and ourselves. It can be stressful when that next chapter—like welcoming a new baby, the reality of an “empty nest,” or making space to care for aging parents—poses some unexpected complications in our home and living spaces. Our friends at ARCIFORM, a preservation-minded design, restore, and renovation company based in Portland, Oregon, have set out to help homeowners simplify the process of “changing-life” renovation and design through their upcoming Changing Family Workshop.

This 1920 whole house remodel addressed many Changing Family issues, with with a kids’ play area, a wheelchair accessible driveway and covered areas for everyone to enjoy together.

With over 21 years in business, ARCIFORM has remodeled more than 200 homes. You might recognize them from moving the Morris Marks House, a rare, two-story example of 1880’s Italianate architecture, across downtown Portland, but their primary focus is to help people live in spaces that tell the stories of their life. With the company’s extensive knowledge of architectural remodeling and design process, ARCIFORM listens carefully to their clients and is committed to telling their clients’ stories through the unique spaces they help them create.

A Changing Family does not just refer to people. ARCIFORM gives tips on designing a home for pets as well. Shown above is client Dan Volkmer’s 1907 Craftsman Kitchen and his beloved dog, Watson.

Throughout 2018, ARCIFORM will host a Design Workshop series to offer homeowners valuable knowledge and planning tools for remodels, specializing in historic accuracy combined with modern style. On July 12^th, 2018, join ARCIFORM for the 3^rd Design Workshop, Changing Family, to find tips, tricks, and guidance to confidently navigate a renovation inspired by some of life’s unexpected changes. The Changing Family Workshop offers ARCIFORM’s team of design, build, and restoration experts for Q&A and will covers topics such as how to change your home to welcome a child, what to do when children move out and parents move in—and even how to accommodate pets in your space.

Home Design Workshop: Changing Family

by ARCIFORM

DATE AND TIME
Thursday, July 12, 2018
5:00 PM – 8:00 PM PDT

LOCATION
Architectural Heritage Center
701 Southeast Grand Avenue
Portland, OR 97214

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Dan Volkmer’s Kitchen Remodel

Dan Volkmer, Portland real estate agent with 40 years’ experience specializing in historic homes, and Anne De Wolf, principal designer at ARCIFORM, have had a symbiotic relationship since the early years of Anne’s career.  Through the years, Dan has referred many-a-client to ARCIFORM, as they are a premiere design/build team in Portland for restoring period homes.   

When Anne and Richard De Wolf (Anne’s partner and the founder of ARCIFORM) were searching for their own historic Portland real estate, Dan was their go-to man. When it was time for Dan and Frank to renovate their 1907 Craftsman, Anne was their first choice, with her reputation for historic expertise in various architectural styles and an uncanny ability to incorporate unusual architecture and hidden storage into her projects.  

This is where the story gets interesting. Normally, a renovation is a collaborative event between designer and home owners. Because they fully trust Anne’s eye, Dan and Frank decided to give her carte-blanche with their kitchen design. Not a single paint color nor piece of hardware to preserve was chosen by the homeowners. This remodel was 100% Anne De Wolf’s design.

Their home is known as the S. Morton Cohn (Cohn-Sichel) House, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  The registry requires them to keep the facade true to original colors and form – there is no requirement to retain historical features for the interior. Dan and Frank, with their love of older homes, wanted to restore the kitchen to better-than-the-original form.

Growing up in Ohio, Dan has an innate love for older homes, as the state is known to have many majestic Italianate structures. To restore their home true to the era but with a modern flair, Anne was his sole choice when selecting a designer. They share the opinion that “every home has a story”, not to mention that, through their longtime business relationship, they had built a mutual trust.

A capture of their kitchen before demolition

Cabinets before

The original stained fir cabinets and marble counters were a few of the items chosen to salvage for reuse.

Replicated cabinets

Versatile Wood Products matched original details for the new cabinetry.

Anne seen here relaxing in the mudroom remodel. Encaustic hex floor tile was chosen for this busy passageway.  New doors were added to the back patio. 

The new island provides ample storage and is a gathering spot for food preparation or catching up at the end of the day.

Seen here are the restored original cabinets and salvaged Carrara marble. The 30″ gas range is by Wolf from Eastbank Appliance with a custom hood cover. New cabinet hardware by Restoration Hardware. Adorable Watson gets Anne’s attention.

Pendants and ceiling mounted lighting by Rejuvenation

Unique storage solutions are among Anne’s most appreciated details. Where paper was once piling up, this custom-made, reclaimed wood magazine/newspaper rack alleviates the mess.   

Another well-loved feature of Anne’s design is this handy nook: a perfectly-placed surface for putting groceries away. She sourced the wallpaper through www.walnutwallpaper.com

Picasso said, loosely, “In order to break the rules, one must first know the rules”. Typically, painted kitchen cabinets of the era would be a shade of white. Anne chose to bend the rules and infuse some color with a heron blue/grey to complement the encaustic hex tile in the adjacent mudroom. For the new backsplash, Tempest Tileworks’ 2×4 tile in milk white pairs beautifully with the salvaged Carrara counters, and Anne added a butcher block prep area at the end of the cabinet run.   

Seen here are some of the fine details by Versatile Wood Products’ cabinetry craftsmen. Drawers are made from sustainable bamboo and faced with quality wood. Drawers slide smoothly and shut with a soft close mechanism. 

An Urban/Nature Fusion: The Eugenis & Amy House

Christy Eugenis stands at her front door, carved by artist Tom Cramer, with its handle from a 1954 Chevy Bel Air hood ornament she found in a local salvage shop. The door’s design was inspired by the shapes and forms of both natural and urban landscapes.

We surprised Christy Eugenis on Thursday. Arriving a bit early for our scheduled meeting to discuss Design Week, photographer Mitch Hose and I wanted to get a few shots for a blog piece as well. But Christy, a former photo stylist, videographer and fashion show producer, took it in stride.

“I would have picked up a bit more had I known there were going to be photos! Ah well, let’s do it,” she says with a smile.

The midcentury home is truly a masterpiece. Christy will open her doors for ARCIFORM’s Design Week Open House on Thursday, April 19th from 4-7pm.

“Portland sculptor Alisa Looney will be here to tell us about her metal window screen, and Christiane Millinger will join us to share about the rugs she sells in town,” Christy tells me.

The custom window screen by Alisa Looney and hand-carved door by Tom Cramer make the home stand out as a midcentury masterpiece that showcases art.

Christy’s latest endeavors include the remodeling of her home and operating several extended-stay vacation rentals.

“I’ve enjoyed coaching some of my single friends on how to increase their income by investing in real estate and creating interesting environments for guests.”

Christy will also be speaking at ARCIFORM’s Home Design Workshop about ADUs and Short-Term Rentals on Wednesday, April 18th from 5-8pm.

I take in the expansive, bright and calming space. The ceiling, clad in fir tongue & groove paneling, is perhaps the most impressive element on the main floor. The roofline, angled slightly upward, gives the space an airy, urban-nature feel.

A George Nelson Saucer pendant, walls in Hearts of Palm green and custom-mixed turquoise blue and warm-toned wood give the home the urban-nature/Palm Springs feel we were after

“The first concept for the new roofline had the original gable slope on the east side, and the west side lifted up,” Christy explains as she holds her fingers together showing this angle.

But instead ARCIFORM removed the entire roof, a giant wood beam was craned into place at the center of the structure, and the roof rebuilt around this, making it the most significant part of the house remodel.

The next thing I note is the blue textured wall with curved lines. It looks like an ocean.

A custom mahogany cabinet by Versatile Wood Products curves into the wall sheathed in panels by Textures-3D  

“I love the architecture and color of Palm Springs, which influenced the re-imagination of our Portland home.”

My favorite thing about their home is all of the color.

“We live in Portland. Why would you want more gray?!” Christy exclaims.

“Few people are doing color these days, it’s all grays. This is so much fun,” Anne De Wolf agrees.

Anne worked closely with Christy and Stan on the design of their remodel. The project included the new roofline, large windows and doors facing their city view and the back deck as well as the remodel of the interior with exception of the kitchen, which had been done only a few years prior. The floor plan is mostly original, with walls moved only to create the master bathroom and reconfigure the basement’s laundry room and bathroom.

Christy and Stan enjoy collecting art. The driftwood horse on the mantle by Eastern Oregon sculptor Brenna Tyler  was purchased in Joseph while doing Cycle Oregon, and also works as their Christmas tree in the winter. As we walk into the master bedroom I admire the framed artwork above her bed.

“This textural piece was the first artwork I ever purchased, from Victoria Frey at  Quartersaw Gallery in 1990. It’s by Oregon artist Ken Hunt. ” Its handmade paper with rough edges and deep blues is truly captivating.

ARCIFORM created a corner window to capture more of the view which frames a cobalt blue Zircon gas fireplace by Malm

“Blue is my favorite color,” says Christy. “It’s one of nature’s best colors. With all of the wood paneling ARCIFORM added, it feels so wonderful in this space.”

The wood paneling and built-in shelving is truly magnificent, looking just like the midcentury spaces so sought-after today.

Inspired by her grandmother’s stories, Christy started a video biography business in the early ‘90s called “Family Legends”

On our way out of the bedroom, I glimpse the master bath with pebble flooring against tile. Here you see the artistic metal window screen from the inside. It’s a whole new way of experiencing it.

Subtle marine hues in the master bath set a soothing tone. United Tile’s Q-Stone tile shares the floor with sliced pebbles, which run up the shower’s plumbing wall. A view of the custom window screen is framed by Pental’s Satin dimensional tile in Bianco Wave. Custom vanity by Versatile Wood Products

There is a whole room dedicated to the closet. It’s clear Christy is not only passionate about art but also about fashion as she shows us a Pucci dress.

“We took out a wall to expand this space so Christy and Stan could have a closet with a dressing area and a daybed, in case visitors cannot use the stairs down to the guest rooms,” Anne comments.

Next, we head downstairs, into a fully refinished basement with a lounge room, office, kitchenette and bar. ARCIFORM made the lounge room cozy with a new fireplace surround and more connected to the back yard with a wall of windows.

Their style continues on this level with a pendant light and matching lamp shade gifted to Christy by her friend and midcentury collector Ron Wallace of 3 Monkeys Boutique.

As we stand in the backyard and feel the sun for a bit, Christy recollects the evolution of the deck. “When we bought the house in 1994, there was only a small balcony off the master bedroom, which was transformed to a wonderful L-shaped deck with metal railings Richard Brown designed for us. Over the years we found it was a bit too small. Now the roof carries out over a larger deck for a dramatic effect over the outdoor dining area.” ARCIFORM was able to reuse the existing deck railing by making only a few changes.

The French Gyro Focus fireplace is one of Stan’s favorite features – it is functional art

Feeling the sun on our backs while talking about how the deck was done

Christy talks about her latest development project: “Birth Control by Architecture”

Christy describes for me her journey into creating video biographies. The oil painting behind us is by her grandmother, who inspired her to begin documenting people’s lives through video. The Versatile Wood Products custom screen adds ’60s flavor

“The fully-refinished basement is all ready for us as we get older. We’ll just live down here and our nurse has a kitchen to cook in for us while we rent the upstairs out,” says Christy

by Snow Blackwood
Photos by Mitch Hose

A Night to Remember

Last Thursday night we celebrated 21 years of preservation, remodeling and design, 24 years of marriage and the launching of a new website—very soon! For those of you who have ever built a website, you know that sometimes it takes longer than expected…

Richard and Anne answered questions on the stage in the beautiful TOC Concert Hall, we mingled, we drank J. Seeds Apple Cider Whiskey cocktails.

Take a look at photos below… we hope to see you at our next event!

Reimagining a Master Suite for Comfortable Style Now – and in Years to Come

This week I caught up with ARCIFORM Designer Tara Douglas on a master suite remodel the firm completed last month for a couple in the Irvington neighborhood. A major focus of this remodel was to create spaces that suit their needs now while preparing for future aging-in-place.

A soothing color palette in the master bedroom: crisp white shutters and trim, bedding and walls in ethereal pale green

“The clients want to stay in their home for many years to come, so we incorporated design features that could be helpful later in life,” Tara tells me. The house, a beautiful 1925 Craftsman Bungalow, was in excellent condition, but rooms were small and the floor plan was cramped. The central focus was on reconfiguring a ground floor bath and two bedrooms into a new master suite. The goal was to combine classic and modern styles to echo the Craftsman details and feel of the house while achieving efficient, contemporary livability.

New full-height pantry cabinet in the hall is steps away from the kitchen, made by Versatile Wood Products

To that end, Arciform’s team reconfigured the existing space, turning the original bathroom into a walk-through closet, with the smaller bedroom becoming a new, more spacious bath. The original master bedroom was expanded, with the old closet now serving as a TV nook. The hallway includes a new broom closet and a full-height, built-in pantry cabinet. Existing wood floors were patched and refinished. The existing vanity and medicine cabinets were reused, with new surfaces and fixtures throughout.

“I started working on the project as the Design Associate, but took over as Designer once construction started,” says Tara. This was a perfect arrangement since, as the Design Associate, she had sourced all the products for the clients and was well-acquainted with the look and feel they wanted.

The Irvington neighborhood takes pride in preserving the historic integrity of its homes. The community’s Irvington Home Tour (on May 20th this year) brings more than 800 visitors to peruse the insides of these classic homes each year, so the team kept in mind that their work served both the needs of their clients and the historic sensibilities of the neighborhood.

A Victoria and Albert tub proved to be the perfect combination of classic grace and modern economy of design that the clients were looking for. A floor-mounted Ashbee Tub Filler by DXV is lovely in polished nickel. The freestanding limestone and resin tub sits elegantly in a room with louvered shutters, white cabinetry, stone countertops and a marble-clad shower. The clients love natural stone and, working with Alpha Stoneworks, they found a remnant of Superwhite Quartzite for the vanity countertop. In the shower, Carrara marble is echoed in the hexagonal floor tile, while charcoal gray tile in a chevron pattern provides pleasant contrast to the predominantly light room.

Throughout the new master suite this subtle interplay of classic and contemporary, warm and austere, elegant and functional sets the mood. Moldings and trim are classically white in Behr’s Ultra Pure White while the bedroom and closet walls are painted a fresh, soothing Sea Salt, complementing the original oak floors.

The new shower is tiled in Carrara 3×6 tile at the walls and 1″ hex on the floor. Shower fixtures are Kohler’s Artifacts. A new built-in cubby keeps towels close at hand.

The new space incorporates some very deliberate choices. Radiant heating under the master bath floor tile creates a warm, comfortable feeling and can be set on a timer. Although they do not need them now, blocking was installed in the walls of the shower and WC to provide support for future grab bars. The curbless shower provides a hazard-free transition.

This remodel preserves the beauty of one of Portland’s Craftsman homes while creating an enduringly stylish and functional environment that will provide years of comfortable living for its owners.

Tara (above) has worked for Arciform since 2015. She holds degrees in Residential Architectural Design, Drafting, Kitchen & Bath Design. PHOTO BY CHRIS DIBBLE. INTERVIEW BY SNOW BLACKWOOD

SOURCING:
Stone Essentials 3×6 tile, Bianco Carrara from Z Collection:  https://www.ztilestone.com/biancocarrarahttps://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/d2624a_be65c8fd96ef4cf2b5e380d81a931b6c.pdf

Victoria & Albert Monaco Freestanding tub from Ferguson: https://www.ferguson.com/product/victoria-albert-bath-monaco-69-x-32-in-double-ended-free-standing-tub-in-white-vmonnsw/_/R-4155750

DXV’s Ashbee Tub Filler from Ferguson: https://www.dxv.com/en/product/traditional-floor-mount-tub-filler-with-ashbee-lever-handles

Local fabricator Alpha Stoneworks for Superwhite Quartzite remnant:
http://alphastoneworks.com/

Natucer’s Shapes porcelain Chevron tile in Oslo Charcoal from Z Collection:
https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/d2624a_471f74944571438689a4022ccffa9d9f.pdf

5 Kitchen Remodels We Love

There’s a reason they call kitchens the heart of the home. A kitchen is where you spend  time not just making food for yourself or others, but also where you grow your family. Kitchens are lively and full of energy when friends and family gather. They’re a calm and comforting nest after a heated discussion. They’re strong and stable when the rest of the world is chaotic. Kitchens are full of love.

Here are a few of our favorites:

Creative and Spirited

This 1909 kitchen had undergone a previous remodel in 1980. Our goal was to refine it so that it was reminiscent of a time when kitchens were just beginning to be social hubs—the 1950s. We covered the walls in subway tiles which gives it a functional feel and makes clean up easy after cooking splatters! The unique gas oven by LaCanche in delft blue, works with the family’s antiques. We added an industrial edge with polished chrome fixtures and steel open shelving. The result is something the homeowner calls “creative and spirited.”

Super Modern with Classic Architecture

One of the best parts about residential design is the freedom to mix styles and eras. We love to do this while carefully respecting the home’s history. When looking at this kitchen, you might not guess that it’s in a home built in 1909. The homeowner’s aesthetic in appliances and materials was more modern. We worked with that while keeping the open kitchen in harmony with more traditional adjacent spaces. Details like dark-hued lower cabinets tie to the original fir molding. Needing an elegant, serene space to unwind after emotionally-taxing days as a counselor, our client appreciated the clean lines and soothing colors.

French-Inspired 

It’s true what they say about yellow: it’s the color of happiness. Pairing this butter-cream shade with classic white subway tiles is fresh, light and makes things sunny even on a gray Portland day. Versatile Wood Products built a custom island just the right size to prove useful, beautiful and space efficient. As a nod to French Country style, we built flour bins lined in zinc and incorporated the mudroom and back porch into the kitchen. The bistro table, rattan chairs, pressed tin ceiling and decorative range hood make you feel like you’re at a boulangerie in Normandy!

Classic & Modern at the Same Time

How do you separate a kitchen and dining room without completely closing them off? With triple-hung windows! They can be closed to keep cooking smells and sounds out of the dining room, while the textured glass lets the light in. The combination of natural stone and a professional stainless steel oven works to bring the modern and classic styles together in this kitchen. A quartzite-topped custom island makes chopping and food prep easy. We loved making the dining room shine like a jewel with bright turquoise walls, restoring the 1925 chandelier from the original home and maximizing natural light.

Unpretentious Craftsman

Like a painting by Dou Gerrard, the natural hues in this kitchen evoke warmth, subtlety and grace. Paying particular attention to details, we used concrete countertops on unfinished honey maple cabinetry, which feels both utilitarian and comforting. A mobile island allows for flexibility in the kitchen and an open book shelf for cookbooks keeps time-honored recipes close at hand.

What would your dream kitchen look like? What’s your favorite style and why? Which of these kitchens do you like best? Let us know in the comments below!

The Morris Marks Diaries: Structural Development

An update from project manager, Joe McAlester

Perhaps while stuck in traffic, you’ve noticed the old house sitting at the intersection of Southwest Broadway Drive and Grant Street—you know that busy intersection to get on or off I-405 near SW 6th? It’s an area you might not have given much notice before, other than that cool retro motel sign. Now you find yourself gazing at what looks like a very old home. You may ask yourself, “Just how old is that home? Was it always there?”

In fact, it’s 138 years old. It was cut in half a few months ago and moved from its shady home near PSU with towering new buildings on each side. You probably hadn’t noticed it before, but now it’s come out of the shade and into the light. It might look a little run-down, but don’t worry, it will be a shining part of our city soon. And a shining part of history as well.

The house was built in 1880 by architect Warren H. Williams for Morris Marks, a successful shoe merchant, at what was then #254 Twelfth Street. This is the first of two homes Marks had built. Apparently, he was he was a man who appreciated architecture, as this is perhaps one of the best examples of Italianate architecture our city has to offer.

Arciform founder Richard De Wolf gave me an update on the home a few weeks ago:

“Now that the house has been set on a new foundation and structurally ‘tied back together,’ the historic review portion of the project can happen. Lots of decisions are made during this process. Our history with the city puts us at an advantage with historical restoration projects. We know what to expect and how to make it as efficient as possible.

The use of the building dictates how we move forward. An office building requires different codes than if it were used as a home. Things like ornamentation, rot, siding, etcetera, will be addressed in either scenario, so we can move forward on those common items. Seismic retrofitting is also a concern when deciding which code we apply to the building envelope. Once those are finalized, we can remove the addition on the roofline and restore the beautiful shape that has long since been gone. With a dried-in roof—watch out—we can go crazy on interior finishes and exterior restoration.”

The process is like a large puzzle in which Arciform’s Project Manager puts together the pieces. Today, photographer Christopher Dibble and I get to explore the inside of the house and find out what’s going on, straight from the Project Manager, Joe McAlester.

We feel pretty lucky to get the inside scoop on this home. With an average of 5-6 projects going on at a time, Joe McAlester isn’t usually free to sit and chat about his work, although he seems quite relaxed and happy to do so for us today.

“We’ve never had any top-down, house-lift projects quite like this. There’s a lot of structural stuff to be done. At this stage, we’re finishing structural repairs in the basement. Then we’ll remove the out-of-context dormer that was added on in the 70’s and restore the home to its original style, updated for today’s world,” says Joe.

The home has been a boarding house for many years with numerous children, adults and families as tenants.

”We’ve had several people walking by stop and inquire about the house; they share memories of living in the house and take photos.”

As we walk through the home, I notice layer upon layer of plaster and wallpaper on the walls. Large sliding dining room doors, a beautiful old marble fireplace, high ceilings in every room.

Things like bathrooms weren’t a thought in the 1880s—indoor plumbing didn’t exist yet! Which might be why we find a toilet underneath the stairwell (where Harry Potter would have lived if this were a J.K. Rowling novel).

Joe tells me the house will be done in about 9 months. As we look around and he lists everything that needs to be done, he says, “…maybe a year? Let’s say 9-12 months.”

Heading down to the basement, site lead Jack Ouska and his team are working inside the structural build.

Original beams are being replaced. New, larger beams allow for a more open floor plan with fewer posts.

They are also changing the way the beams are installed to improve headroom. The original beam was installed under the floor joists.  

“To install the new beam, we cut a channel in the floor joists. The new beam will be installed in that channel, and the floor joists will be attached to the side of the beam. This will create roughly 5 inches more of headroom from the basement floor to the bottom of the beam. In addition to fewer posts, this will really help open up the space,” Joe explains to me as I try to grasp how in the world they’re making this old home stand strong again.

Written by Snow Blackwood

Photos by Christopher Dibble

A Kitchen for Cooking, Cats and Comfort

Clockwise from left: Linda’s baking supplies as she prepares her Chewy Ginger-Molasses Chocolate-Chunk cookies (recipe here!), Denali loves the camera and the kitchen; Simple ingredients and natural light are a recipe for the heart.

“I believe cats to be spirits come to earth. A cat, I am sure, could walk on a cloud without coming through.” – Jules Verne

Linda Schmidt loves cats. This is the first thing I noticed about the 1929 Tudor home. The cat shaped topiary as I walk through the front door, the bengal cat, Denali with it’s striking fur coat, cat paintings on the walls by Jonathan Blum.

Linda gives new meaning to the term: “cat lady”. This cat lady, is not one with loud wallpaper and leaky roofs. This cat lady has a restrained color palette and refined taste for antiques mixed with a traditional-modern style.
“Sometimes you get lucky and land a client with optimal taste and personality.” Anne De Wolf, owner of Arciform, has been working with Linda for over 9 years on the remodel of her 2,300 square foot home in Portland’s beautiful Southwest Hills overlooking a green yard brightened by magnificent yellow and orange fall leaves today.
Over the years, to say the two have developed a friendship would be putting it lightly. It’s obvious to see they have a uniquely close relationship. One that perhaps can only be obtained through the process of working on a project so close to your soul as one’s home.

“This is really Linda’s masterpiece. I didn’t do much.” De Wolf is humble. As the restoration-designer of historic homes, Anne turns others’ dreams into realities. And as a designer myself (though not of homes) I recognize the skill in taking one’s perspective and being able to turn this into something that’s expressive of them without projecting your own ego onto it.
“It comes down to a love for your work and having fun.” Anne doesn’t take herself too seriously and she believes creating and design should be fun. “You can see the difference when the process was fun.”

During our photoshoot, Anne and Linda’s contagious laughter fills the house. They playfully make jokes about “Sue” the imaginary neighbor who’s been causing upheaval with her loose ways. Never has it been so easy to get people to laugh and smile for photos.

As we walk around the dining table I admire the rustic-modern chairs—all from Restoration Hardware.

Framed photos of Linda’s family tree.

“Everything had to be perfect. Symmetry and perfection is important to Linda. I mean look at this!” Anne says as she shows me the intricately placed collage of photos which frame ALL of Linda’s history. She has black and white photos from the 1800’s of her German ancestors. Framed immigration papers from her “Papi”—the term both Linda and Anne use for their fathers. Both are of German descent.

Balancing a rustic, antiquey style with perfection and symmetry is not always easy. However, the way it’s done here works amazingly well. That—I can only guess—is in large part because of the relationship that Linda and Anne have developed over the years.
The dining room table is on wheels flanked with wide old boards that display a warm patina.
“We left it large even though the dining room is small, it creates intimacy.” says De Wolf.
The beautiful aged-wood balances the cool color palette and symmetrical precision of the arched entrances to the stairwell and front door. Every arched entrance was widened and changed so they matched in size creating a Escher-esque view from room to room.
The kitchen was the most recent part of the remodel. Having already completed the other parts of the home, only the basement remodel remains.

Linda loves to bake. So elements like the slide-and-pull shelving unit that go way back into the cabinetry were important. The kitchen is small, but the use of space makes it efficient.
The black cabinetry, mixed with gray and white is matched to a black range make the space feel incredibly elegant. And as Denali dances into the room lured by Linda baking ginger-chocolate cookies, the view is picture-perfect.

Written by Snow Blackwood  Photos by Christopher Dibble