Posts tagged ‘portland remodel’

Apr 13

Postcards from the Field: April

This morning we thought we’d take you on a quick virtual tour of some of the projects we are currently working on here at Arciform…

Here are a few of the projects underway…

This mudroom in Lake Oswego is getting a very cool tile treatment….

A gas pass-thru fireplace in SE Portland is being installed in a mid-century whole house remodel…

Some views are being re-framed at a different mid-century addition project….

… with the help of a VERY large crane.

A porch is coming together out in Beaverton…

… while some very groovy tile is being set for a mid-century bathroom in Hillsdale.

Bike racks and lockers are going to add some cool kid style to a basement renovation in NW Portland…

….while this elegant custom radiator cabinet is being prepped for install up in the SW Hills.

Coming soon to Arciform… a historic Portland church gets a bell tower restoration, a Corvallis National Register property gets a new kitchen and the roof gets raised on a collection of dormer addition master suites all over Portland.

So… what are YOU working on?

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Jun 10

Historic Curb Appeal: Maintaining Your Craftsman

A craftsman bungalow is many a homeowner’s dream.Their deep eaves, broad front porches, simple lines and cozy, lantern-like interior spaces create a casual living environment well suited to NW living.

What details should you pay attention to when your bungalow needs a bit of love and care?

Here are 5 important considerations for restoring the exterior of your bungalow:

1. Respect your Rafter Tails. If you are lucky, your craftsman comes complete with decoratively detailed rafter tails (the ends of the beams that hold your roof up). These showcase a core craftman virtue: architectural elements that are both functional and beautiful.

When the time comes to repair or replace your roof or update your gutter system, be sure to take care to protect your rafter tails from being shorn off in the process. Once sawn off they cannot be easily replaced it is wise to work with a company that will identify roofing and gutter solutions that will protect your home’s original tails and architectural beams.

2. Protect your Stained Glass with Storms. Craftsman homes are designed with long low horizontal surfaces, double hung windows and dark woods which create a lantern-like glow on the interior. You may be tempted to lighten up the home by adding additional picture or clerestory windows but resist the urge.

The cozy glow is part of the point.

The lower light of a craftsman also serves to highlight the beautiful stained glass windows that are frequently a key decorative feature. Protect your stained glass (and your other original windows) by installing historically accurate wooden storm windows.

3. Make an Entrance. One of the simplest ways to update the curb appeal of your bungalow is by creating a dramatic front entrance. Because Craftsman front doors typically open directly into the main living space, a beautiful entry door will have the benefit of adding curb appeal and adding to the charm of your home’s interior. Typical Craftsman front doors feature little wooden blocks called dentals that project out from the door in a horizontal pattern and sidelights that often feature etched or stained glass.

4. Get Creative with Column Designs. One place where you have some aesthetic leeway on a Craftsman is in the design of your porch columns and railings. Though it is most common to see square, strongly horizontal shapes and patterns in a craftsman porch you and your designer should feel free to play with proportions and details to find something you like.

Just be sure to avoid unnecessary ornamentation. In a craftsman, the design of the architectural elements themselves should hold the aesthetic appeal rather than filigrees, additions, or architecturally unnecessary ornamentation.

5. Go Bigger… In the Basement.The long, low horizontal lines of a Craftsman can offer few vertical surfaces to connect to a ground floor addition. Dormer additions are often impeded by the relatively shallow pitch of the bungalow roof.

So if extra space is needed to accommodate a growing family, explore the potential of a basement addition. By the time the Arts and Crafts style became popular, the basement and foundation technology was vastly improved over the Victorian era, giving you more space, (usually) a more watertight footprint and some flexibility to carve out finished space in your basement.

The most important basement considerations?

Do you have the ceiling height for officially permitted finished spaces? And do you have an appropriately located window or door that will work for fire safety egress?

Your Arciform designer can help you identify the renovation potential of your bungalow basement. With some smart design solutions, it can be a great way to add guest space and play space without marring the exterior design of your home.

Want more good ideas for making your classic home the envy of the neighborhood?

Join us July 16th for a Historic Home How To Workshop at Old Portland and Architectural. Get the details and RSVP here.

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May 12

Case Study: A Historic Review Kitchen

We often get asked what kind of projects will trigger Portland’s Historic Review process and what can be done to help a project navigate smoothly through that process.

Here is Arciform Junior Designer Jeffrey Kelley’s experience working on a current Arciform project that passed Historic Review with flying colors and is now under construction:

Tell me about your recent historic review project. What historic designations does the client’s home have?

The project was a kitchen renovation done on the Frank C. Stettler house, which was designed by Ellis Lawrence in 1914. This home is designated as a Historic Landmark on the national registry.

What were the client’s goals for her renovation project?

She wanted to renovate the kitchen to make it more period appropriate while at the same time gaining space for a powder bath since there wasn’t a first floor bathroom.

Here are some BEFORE pictures of the existing kitchen:

And here are some perspective renderings of the project design:

These perspective renderings show the concept for the new kitchen. Designed by Kristyn Bester.

What aspect of the project required historic review?

Historic review deals with changes to the exterior of a home. In this case we were removing an exterior access to the basement as well as reconfiguring some windows.

What design choices were made or modified with historic review in mind?

We had to make sure that the door and window choices we were making fit the style of the home and reflected the existing architecture. So things like matching the divided light pattern [on the windows], rail and style dimensions [on the doors], millwork details, hardware, header height, etc.

What kind of questions need to be answered for Historic Review?

Here’s an example:

“Historic changes. Most properties change over time. Those changes that have acquired historic significance will be preserved.

There will be no changes to areas that have acquired historic significance after the original construction of the house. The proposed remodel area, which was previously remodeled, has yet to be documented in the historic description of the house and was constructed sometime within the last twenty years. The materials and finishes in the current kitchen do not reflect the period in which the house was built and will, as much as possible, be replaced with more period appropriate choices.

The exterior basement entry at the side and West facing façade of the house is not mentioned in the National Register description of the house and serves as a secondary and rarely used point of access to the basement. The proposed remodel will replace this entrance and absorb the stairwell in favor of a kitchen and nook layout that will improve functionality, increase usable space and feature architectural details that will better reflect the home’s original intent. For example, new double hung windows will be installed at the West façade to replace the exterior basement door and closely match details of the adjacent double hung windows. This will provide a more consistent architectural rhythm along this wall. The South façade will feature new French doors with a divided light configuration and sticking profiles to match the original West facing door which leads to the original porte-cochère.”

What kind of documentation of those choices did the city require?

We submitted exterior elevations, window and door specs, floor plans, and a thorough explanation as to how and why we were going to match the existing architecture with materials that mimicked but did not match what was there. Historic review wants there to be designation between what was existing and what is new.

What concerns did you have about the review process- were there aspects of the project you were worried would face a review challenge?

Our biggest concern was whether or not the review was going to grant us permission to remove the exterior access to the basement. Even though there is interior access to the basement this seemed like an area in which they could argue that it was part of the original function of the house.

How long did the review process take?

We submitted the review on March 18^th and we got the approval on May 1^st pending a 14 day appeal period.

What feedback (if any) did you get from the review team about the process?

The only feedback we got was a question about the door configuration and why we chose to match the door at the porte cochere. We explained that the home owner wanted to match the existing details of the original door rather than match the French door on the same façade which had been added much later.

Any advice you would offer for a homeowner in a historic district looking to do a similar renovation?

I would say to do as much research on your home before you start designing as possible. It is important to know as much about the home’s history as possible before considering how to alter it. It is also important to understand what triggers a historic review and make sure that if you do trigger it the changes are all critical to the project. If you can avoid changing the exterior of your home then you avoid the review all together.

10. Where would you recommend homeowners go to start their research?

There are great resources available through Portland’s Development Services website. I’d start there. Portland Maps can also be a great place to find out basic information about your home’s history and what renovations it has already received in its lifetime.

And of course the Arciform Design Team is always happy to help!

We look forward to posting completed images from this project later this summer.

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Mar 7

5 Tips to Add More Comfort and Joy to your Bathroom

Sometimes you don’t know how much better your morning can be until you have added a few of these subtle but essential creature comforts to your bathroom. Here’s our Top 5 update recommendations improve the comfort of your bathroom and bring more joy to your daily routine.

5. Dual Shower Heads

The master bath of this 1922 Colonial Revival home was renovated and expanded by Arciform. Designed by Anne De Wolf. Photo by Photo Art Portraits.

Whether your morning routine is too tight to allow for sequential showering or you just think that most things are better when done together, a shower alcove with room for both partners to shower at the same time can add enjoyment AND efficiency to your morning.

4. A Soaking Tub

This bathroom renovation by Arciform in a 1909 Queen Anne in the Forest Park neighborhood focused on highlighting the original architecture with a few luxurious amenities. Designed by Anne De Wolf. Photo by Photo Art Portraits.

The joys of a full sized tub you can really immerse yourself in cannot be overstated.

One expert tip: Consider the view. A tub designed for a long soak should have something beautiful to rest your eyes on while you relax. Whether its a beautiful window flooding the room with natural light or simply your favorite work of art hung right at eye level, the right view will create a space that invites reflection and encourages you to linger.

When you are done, an elegant handset will allow you to rinse off without the shock of of a full shower.

3. Foot-Friendly Flooring

This mid-century home in the SW Hills was a big change for the Arciform clients who had formerly owned a Tudor home. The bathroom update focused on clean lines and comfort amenities that both members of the couple could enjoy. Designed by Anne De Wolf. Photo by Arciform.

If you are planning to pull up the flooring anyway, consider tucking in electric radiant heat.

Having your bare toes meet warm tile will make the whole process of getting ready a pleasure. Plus, the whole bathroom will stay warmer.

Detail view of the bathroom flooring of our mid-century client. Designed by Anne De Wolf. Photo by Arciform.

This mid-century bathroom update added radiant floor heat beneath the large format tile in the main bath area and a pebbled surface to the shower alcove to gently massage feet in the shower. As a bonus, the pebbled surface resists slipping: always an important bathroom consideration.

2. Heated Bathroom Accessories

This bathroom renovation also incorporated a powder room for guests adjacent to the main bath. Designed by Anne De Wolf. Photo by Photo Art Portraits.

A towel warmer like the one at left ensures that getting out of the shower is as relaxing as getting in. And while you are at it, how about a heated toilet seat? Or a heated mirror that won’t fog up during your shower?

1. Why Not Add a Washlet?

The couple who has retired to a Pearl District loft asked Arciform to install several cool technology features, including a “washlet” on their toilet with a wall mounted control. Designed by Kristyn Bester. Photo by Photo Art Portraits.

Most older homes do not have room to accommodate both a toilet and a bidet… but any home can consider adding a “washlet.” This ingenious piece of technology installs like a regular toilet seat but functions like a bidet to provide warm water to your most sensitive places just when you need it. How supremely civilized!

What comfort amenities are you considering adding to your bathroom? Join us February 18th for a Master Suite Design Workshop to get inspired for your next project. Details and RSVP here.

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Mar 6

Kitchen Makeover: The Big Reveal

We couldn’t be more excited to show of the final results of our Portland Monthly Kitchen Makeover.

Ready?

Before we go farther… Let’s take a look back at where we began.

Remember this?

Thanks to thoughtful design from Arciform Senior Designer Chelly Wentworth it now it looks like this:

These new upper cabinets and open corner shelving were provided by Versatile Wood Products and installed by the Arciform team. Isn’t it amazing what a fresh coat of paint can do to highlight the gorgeous original millwork details and transform the look of a space?

Next: Remember this?

Now there’s this:

The new range and range hood are both from Standard TV and Appliance and the peninsula cabinetry and open shelving is by Versatile Wood Products. The larger than average beam across the opening conceals needed venting for the range hood provided by Advanced Heating and Cooling. The clients saved costs by doing some of the demolition of the existing chimney and the wall themselves.

That beautiful Carrara marble countertop is thanks to Oregon Tile and Marble, with expert installation by Wall to Wall Stone Corp.

And this…

Now looks like this:

Thanks to George Morlan Plumbing for the undermount sink and new sink fixture and Power Plumbing for the additional plumbing parts. Oregon Tile and Marble provided the beautiful subway tile backsplash. The new hardwood flooring was contributed by Emerson Hardwoods and installed by the excellent CZ Becker. Arciform was delighted to be able to save the existing lower cabinets with their charming original hardware and mesh detail.

And let’s not forget that this:

Now looks like this:

Here’s a few of the details we particularly love:

The simple stainless of the pot racks picks up the stainless steel of their new fridge.

The timeless lighting fixtures from Schoolhouse Electric add grace without distracting from the clean lines of the kitchen. We’re grateful to Master Tech Electric for coming in during the estimating process with an additional donation to support the cost of getting these beautiful new fixtures installed.

The breakfast bar incorporated the new wine fridge, a key client priority, and the corbels beneath the marble bar subtly reference the beautiful existing built in dining room cabinetry. Emerson Hardwoods and CZ Becker did an amazing job of exactly matching the color of the existing dining room floor, extending it into the kitchen to make the whole space feel continuous.