Skip to content

Posts tagged ‘Arciform’

May 5

Adventures in Remodeling Part 2: the Garage

The new garage was built to closely match the original structure

When you hear the word garage, adventure doesn’t usually come to mind. Garages are supposed to be functional and practical.

But our clients at the 1920 bungalow in First Addition, Lake Oswego have a pretty special garage. Arciform‘s talented craftsmen created the structure just for them, and it had stories to tell before it was even completed. It’s sure to be the setting of many future memories.

There was a carport before we started the project

Project Manager Adam Schoeffel shares 4 reasons this garage is such a special place:

#1: Roof Trusses & Interior Paneling

Adam redesigned the trusses to accommodate a grading issue which caused the garage door to impede the plane of conventional truss design. He upsized framing members and ordered a vaulted scissor truss for a more hand-framed look. The trusses were painted to contrast with the aged patina of the salvaged lap board which clads the walls and ceiling.

Adam’s scissor trusses look sharp!

 #2: Storage with Icebox Panel Doors

Adam and Site Co-Lead Eric Delph (the bearded one above) collaborated on this project, but the idea came from the client. Eric co-designed and constructed the unique storage with its icebox doors, and it looks as if it’s always been there. It is a real conversation piece, and everyone wants to open and close those doors.

Douglas Fir shiplap on walls and ceiling were sourced from local homes being demolished and from Portland area reclaimed wood vendors

#3: The Seed Cabinet

Our client found a handsome antique seed cabinet and knew it would provide great storage. It sat in the garage for many months while Arciform worked on other parts of the home.

One day, four of the cabinet drawers vanished! Without hesitation, Site Co-Lead Jamie Whittaker took charge of creating replicas. The old walnut was tough to match, but Adam found an alternate species that was very close and poked around several salvage shops to find the right hardware. They even matched the original drawer boxes, using flat-sawn fir. Jamie’s four drawers were so convincing, it was hard to tell which ones were new.

About six months after the project was completed, the four missing drawers were returned with an apology note attached to them!

 

#4: The Rodeo Sign

This is no small souvenir, but a family heirloom which holds years of memories. Our client has roots in St. Paul, OR, and has remained involved in the St Paul Rodeo for years.

The sign is made up of planks bolted together, then carved and painted. It needed stabilizing, so our crew disassembled it, stored it and later installed new pipe through it, slowly compressing the boards. They took great care to keep the words and images in alignment and looking crisp.  Our clients intended it to be hung on a basement wall, but it was way too big, and looks truly at-home in the garage!

There are still more stories to tell about this project! Don’t miss our final post in the series next week: Adventures in Remodeling, Part 3: the Kitchen.

Professional photos by BlankEye and Photo Art Portraits

Apr 28

Adventures in Remodeling Part 1: the Secret Wine Cellar

How do you make your home something special to you? This series of 3 posts will share stories about how we helped clients make this home all their own.

In 2011 on a corner lot in the heart of Lake Oswego sat a charming 1920 bungalow for sale. It captured the hearts of a globetrotting family living in Florida, and they purchased the house with plans to relocate closer to their Oregon roots.

They hired design-build firm Arciform to help turn this gem into their forever home. With plans for a cross-country move, a flurry of emails, team meetings, and trips to local salvage shops started.

The home sits in First Addition, one of Lake Oswego’s oldest neighborhoods. Many homes in this area were first owned and occupied by Oregon Iron & Steel Company workers, built in a variety of architectural styles.

Principal Designer Anne De Wolf worked closely with the couple on a thoughtful interior remodel and additions. They shared a respect of the home’s style and era, using this to guide design decisions: from how to increase the footprint, down to door & cabinet hardware.

Reconfigured spaces and more square footage were desired, so the new plans provided a larger kitchen, a mudroom, a master suite, a new bath for the kids, and an outdoor living space.

 

The couple has a knack for finding wonderful old pieces with stories to tell. There are many antique fixtures, finishes and furnishings integrated into the project. Reclaimed sinks, shiplap paneling and more were salvaged from all over, including demolition sites, Salvage Works, Aurora Mills, eBay, and The ReBuilding Center.

The clients’ inspired vision brought so much fun to this project. One of many examples is the creation of the secret wine cellar.

It all started with four existing concrete steps in the basement. Though he didn’t know what to do with them, our client knew he wanted to do something. What purpose could those serve: storage of some kind? He needed somewhere to keep their wine…but how would they access it?

The adventurous spirit of the client inspired the trap door in the new kitchen floor.

 

Before: the abandoned steps in question

After: vision and teamwork gave this area new purpose

Site lead Eric Delph says, “When thinking of all the work accomplished at this residence, the one thing that stands out in everyone’s mind is that wine cellar! It evolved from an idea to reality with many hands and great interaction with the clients. From the hidden hatch doors to the storage system and that great final touch by the client himself: a confessional door!”

There are more stories to tell about this project! Stay tuned for the next chapter: Adventures in Remodeling, Part 2: the Garage.

Professional photos by BlankEye and Photo Art Portraits

Mar 27

Join us for the Kitchen Revival Tour April 13th

Portland Monthly shared some pre-tour insights about the Architectural Heritage Center’s upcoming Kitchen Revival Tour, along with a sneak peek photo of one of the kitchens on the tour:

change

(We love the little arched detail below the sink in this tour kitchen!
Photo provided by the Architectural Heritage Center.)

Arciform also has a kitchen being showcased on the tour, which takes place on April 13th, from 10 am to 4 pm. More information and tickets here.

You can check out behind the scenes pictures and get the “client’s eye view” of our project here.

IMG_4382(Here’s the Arciform tour kitchen. Photo by Photo Art Portraits.)

Meanwhile,  Portland Monthly has some great insights into why it is important to both revive and restore the vintage kitchens at the heart of your home:

You’d think what a person needs from a kitchen would stay the same – it’s a place to store and prepare (and maybe consume) food. But really, kitchens are much more than that. Their design expresses how we feel about those daily, utilitarian needs, and what role it plays in our lives. Cooking in 2013 ain’t what it was in 1913.

And it’s not just because of the refrigerator (and the microwave and the toaster oven and the dishwasher). The kitchen of a hundred year old house was likely smaller than we’d want today; it wasn’t intended to be the gathering place and hub of our home the way it probably is in food-centric Portlandia circa 2013.

And while we might like the elaborate woodwork and high ceilings of an 1890s Queen Anne Victorian house, or the rustic, sheltering feeling of 1915 Arts and Crafts bungalow, we might not be too crazy about how separate the kitchens were from the dining room. But that was the way to keep those nasty cooking smells away from the rest of the house, and the servants out of sight. Read the rest of the article here.

We look forward to seeing you at the Kitchen Revival Tour on April 13th!

Explore the Arciform Photo Galleries | All About Arciform | Schedule a Design Consultation

Mar 20

Client’s Eye View: Restoring a Vintage Kitchen with a Touch of Tiffany Blue

Meet Marty and Matt, clients whose beautiful vintage kitchen renovation is featured on this year’s Architectural Heritage Center’s 2013 Kitchen Revival Tour.

Marty's iphone 1353

You can check out their kitchen on the Tour on April 13 (get your tickets here), but before you go, we thought you might enjoy Marty’s take on the goals and outcomes of her project, along with a few comments from project’s lead carpenter, Jeremy Gould, about some of the pleasures (and challenges) of a vintage kitchen restoration.

Arciform Asks: Marty, What were your goals for your kitchen renovation?

Stockton_1929_Kitchen_B_ (4)(Here’s a peek at the kitchen prior to the remodel.)

  • Installing a dishwasher (our first in 10 years)
  • Adding an island and increasing the work/counter space in the kitchen
  • Opening up the kitchen by eliminating the dark enclosed hallway, which led to the back door
  • Creating a space that would become the heart and activity center of the home
  • Maintaining the vintage charm, which was one of the reasons we fell in love with this house

Arciform Asks: What were your concerns going into the remodel process?

Simply living in a kitchen remodel, especially … with two young children and a dog.

This was not our first major remodel, but it was our first with kids. We addressed this by expanding the use of our laundry room to include a temporary kitchen by relocating the microwave, slow cooker, toaster and a small kitchenette set. All was very doable and kind of like inside camping.

Stockton_1929_Kitchen_D_ (6)

(Here is the kitchen renovation in progress. Hard to imagine where you could make a sandwich, isn’t it?)

Arciform Asks Lead Carpenter Jeremy Gould: This was a client who wanted to retain and enhance the vintage character of her kitchen.

What unique challenges does it pose to work in a kitchen where many elements are older/original?

One of my bigger challenges was removing the wall at the left hand side of the tile counter top without disturbing the tile backsplash which was on the wall. I had to work like a surgeon and gently remove small pieces of wall at a time to not crack the grout.

???????????????????????????????

Our other challenge was finding cabinet hinges that matched existing to install on our new cabinets so when looking at the kitchen you couldn’t tell where the old stopped and the new started.

Stockton_1929_Kitchen_B_ (17)(Here’s a close up of those original cabinet hinges.)

Arciform Asks Marty: What did you learn during the process?

We learned to take advantage of when the walls were open by adding structural supports for a future remodel phase and extending electrical work to a hallway niche for art. We also learned that there is an art to orchestrating all the tradesmen and subcontractors. Having an onsite carpenter is like having an extended family member and liaison to the project manager and rest of the team.

Arciform Asks Marty: What are your favorite elements of the completed kitchen and why?

The sheer amount of space is a luxury especially in an older home.

IMG_4382

The soft lighting options and the jellyfish etched on the light shades adds a touch of whimsy and speaks to our family’s interest in nature.

The “Tiffany blue” wall color is both calming and uplifting.

IMG_4395

Keeping the original tile around the sink is almost a match to the house I grew up in on NE 32nd Ave/NE Fremont just blocks away.

A bookcase built at the end of the island is perfect for my mom’s cookbooks.

IMG_4417

The reclaimed hardwoods are almost a match to the rest of the house.

Having a dishwasher!!!!

Arciform Asks: Tell us about the experience of working with Arciform.

Arciform to us is Anne, Richard, Marty, Adam and Jeremy, all professionals who advocated both for us and for the integrity of our home.

When we first met with Anne and Richard, they shared an immediate reaction to keeping the tile around the sink, and the cabinetry and its hardware. Working with Anne and Marty during the design was a joy and I would have liked to have spent more time in the design process, but for our house the design decisions were fairly simple and in keeping with a vintage kitchen.

The construction period was navigated with Jeremy and Adam. Jeremy was a pleasure to have in our home and did fine work, daily communication and keeping our house liveable.

Adam went the extra mile, assisting us with the following: finding our reclaimed hardwoods; hunting through bins at Hippo Hardware for the perfect match to supplement our existing hardware; and finding a vendor for new vintage vents for the kitchen.

Stockton_1929_Kitchen_D_ (4)(Check out the reclaimed hardwoods that Adam helped to source.)

Arciform asks Lead Carpenter Jeremy Gould: What are some of the things you appreciated most about working with the Stockton family?

The Stocktons were very easy to work with and just really nice people. I couldn’t have asked for better clients to work for/with. It was fun hearing the girls’ feedback each morning in the demolition phase of the project. They called me “The Destructor”!

Stockton_1929_Kitchen_D_ (10)

Jeremy adds: This was a very fun project that I think turned out very well!

Marty's iphone 1354

(Here is the whole Stockton clan enjoying the use of their new kitchen during the holidays.)

Arciform would like to thank Marty & Matt for opening their home for the tour and for being such inspiring clients!

Looking for more design inspiration for your kitchen? Join us for our Kitchens that Work Design Workshop on May 18th. Get the details and RSVP here by May 15th to attend FREE.

Explore the Arciform Photo Galleries | All About Arciform | Schedule a Design Consultation

Mar 6

1 Comment

The Guys!

by Nancy Ranchel

I often speak about the guys – the guys who work on my house – those wonderful guys responsible for bringing my ideas to life. As I have no hand-eye coordination and no useful abilities of my own, I rely on these guys. And Arciform guys do not disappoint.

Which isn’t to say they are normal or regular or something you’d see on a network sitcom about construction guys. No, in real life, these guys are as weird as snot. Since weird is right up my alley, I make good use of having them in and around my house. It’s a chance to learn. Learn about the mind and life of construction workers.

Image

If you are planning another project, I encourage you to do the same. Don’t “keep it professional” with these guys. Chat ‘em up. Here are some pointers.

  1. If they’re working outside, keep the windows open. This is a no-brainer, but don’t overlook it. The guys will soon forget you’re in the house and they’ll speak freely. They will speak about their wives and kids, Anne and Richard, politics, office gossip, everything. It’s a fantastic opportunity to pick up tidbits for use at the next Arciform party. For example, at Builders and Butchers you will meet some of these spouses. You’ll have inside info and can use it how you see fit.
  2. Encourage them to play music as much as possible. I work at home, so sometimes they have to turn it off while I’m on the phone, but otherwise I try to enjoy it. The guys often rotate day-by-day who gets to pick the station. You will hear all kinds of music plus talk radio, and probably sports radio. Your crew will discuss the talk radio and sing along to the regular radio. They will tell stories about what a certain song reminds them of – sometimes quite interesting stories. It’s fun and annoying and something you won’t normally hear. You might miss it when they’re gone, or maybe you won’t. But enjoy it while it lasts.
  3. Listen to them fight. And they will fight! The on-site lead will carefully instruct his team to do something, and will probably repeat the instructions three or four times. (At this point I am thinking to myself – for God’s sake, they’ve got it, already.) The team will agree – three of four times. They will then do the exact opposite, and the yelling will start. This is enjoyable because it’s not your business.
  4. Have a drink with them at the end of the week.  Ask them about their weekend plans. This always gets me reminiscing about the things I did when I was young and had energy.
  5. Give them a hard time about their bad habits (smoking!). This is fun because they really don’t feel they can do the same with you.
  6. If they ask to bring family or friends over to see the project – do it! Encourage it! Then pump the friends and family for information about the guys. Embarrassing tales are the best.

Image

All right, enough for now. What do you think – should we ask the guys what they think about the clients (me and you)? NO – we’re perfect, right? Nothing to tell. And if there is, I don’t want to hear it.

About Nancy Ranchel

Nancy is an accountant who offsets the practicality of her day job with extravagant and outrageous remodeling projects, often involving massive amounts of scrap metal.  In her free time she can be found dreaming up new ways to turn her house into an art installation, digging through scrap heaps, and contemplating a world without plastic. Check out Nancy’s blog here: www.replaceinpdx.com/

Explore the Arciform Photo Galleries | All About Arciform | Schedule a Design Consultation

Feb 19

5 Tips to Transform Your Master Suite into a Home Retreat

IMG_3624

Designed by Anne De Wolf

A restful, well designed master suite can have a huge impact on the quality of your relationship – creating a private retreat from the world that celebrates who you are together and keeps you focused on the values you both share.

When planning for your dream master suite, these 5 tips from Arciform owner and senior designer Anne De Wolf can help you frame your goals and ensure you end up with a space that is both restful and rejuvenating for the relationship at the heart of your home:

Designed by Kristyn Bester

1. Consider the view: What do you want to fall asleep to at night and wake up to in the morning? Is there a work of art or photograph that brings you happy memories or takes you away to a favorite place? A window view of your favorite backyard tree? Arrange your master suite so that the things that inspire you most are right in your line of sight when you are snuggled in bed.
Feng Shui tip: Arrange your bed so that your feet don’t point towards the door. Send your energy towards a great view (as in the picture above) or an inspiring image, whenever possible.

2. What sound scape will make for a more restful retreat? Consider insulating the walls of your master suite to block out household and neighborhood noises. Then add artfully placed speakers and a discreet music system to help set the mood for relaxation or play. But leave the other electronic devices out of your room – TVs, computers, or phones can divert your attention back to the cares of the world. Your bed should be a place of rest or play… not work.

3. Consider romance: Do soft and silky textures make you feel frisky? Do you prefer lighting that creates shadowy drama or playful colors? A favorite robe laid across the bed or a thick and luxurious rug can create an invitation to adventure. And think about mirrors: A surprise peek at an artfully placed reflection can keep the home fires… aflame.

Design by Anne De Wolf

Designed by Anne De Wolf

4. What do you wear that you’d love to display? A picture frame can be used to show off favorite jewelry, while a dress form can brighten a corner with a dress you love. Conversely, what do you wear that you’d prefer to keep tucked out of sight? Have a space for undressing that has built in, convenient solutions for gathering laundry and keeping your room clutter-free.

IMG_3626

Designed by Anne De Wolf

5. What colors will lull you to sleep (or kick-start your day?) A simple tone on tone palette of greys and blues or warm earth tones can soothe the eye and keep the worries of the day from intruding on your private retreat at night. If you find you have trouble sleeping, a restful palette might be for you. By contrast, if you have trouble pulling yourself out of bed in the morning, a palette of light and airy colors might help you get in gear for the day.

Designed by Anne De Wolf

A master suite should be as personal and unique as the couple who calls it home. How can Arciform help you transform your bedroom into an at home retreat?

Photos in this post by Photo Art Portraits of Arciform Clients in SW Portland, Forest Park and Mt Tabor.

HDW_logo_11_2014Ready to turn your master suite into a home retreat? Join us February 18th for a Master Suite Design Workshop to get inspired for your next project. Details and RSVP here.

Explore the Arciform Photo Galleries | All About Arciform | Schedule a Design Consultation