Posts tagged ‘renovation’

Mar 31

How to have a Lovelier Morning

Some mornings you need a little something extra to shake loose the cobwebs from your brain and get your day off to the right start.

You could knock back an extra latte, or you could treat yourself to a deeply satisfying jolt of beauty, symmetry, rhythm and color.

Here are 5 high impact bathroom design details that will treat your eyeballs to fresh delights each morning.

1. Add a Little Wow with Your Wall Treatments.

A powder room is a great place to go bold on the walls, and most contemporary wallpaper is designed to prevent water issues so you can add wow without the worries.

You could also turn your bathroom into a work of art by commissioning a custom paint treatment. Or….

Blend a cool graphic tile with a warm burst of orange for an eye-popping wake up experience.

Speaking of tile…

2. Inset a Little Individuality.

One choice that allows for a great combination of classic and personal is hex tile flooring with customized designs.

Here are a few examples of how custom inset tile designs allowed our clients to express themselves while still keeping it classic.

3. A Little Vanity is a Good Thing.

Custom vanities can help you maximize your footprint, and they are a great way to add drama to your bathroom.

Why not re-purpose a cool vintage sideboard into a statement-making vanity cabinet?

4. Look a Bit Lovelier.

The right bathroom lighting can be the difference between leaving the house brimming with confidence and leaving the house worried about scaring small children as you pass by.

Here are a few lighting fixtures that will make a little mirror magic:

These adjustable twin sconces can be aimed to bounce light into the mirror… a flattering way to get a clear view without any distorting shadows.

Who wouldn’t look lovely in the reflected light of 100 crystals?

If old Hollywood glamour is your thing, a crystal chandelier will make you feel ready for your close up… Mr. DeMille.

Elegant sconces on either side of the mirror provide important task lighting, while the unusual handmade pendant lamp draws the eye flatteringly upward.

Note: Lighting experts recommend that you ban the can in the bathroom. Nothing says “Good Morning, Zombie!” like a downlight.

Of course the best light is natural light from a beautiful and inspiring clerestory or transom window.

5. Accessorize.

Hardware is the jewelry of the bathroom. You should have fun with yours.

The blend of salvaged wood and vintage hardware on these vanity cabinet drawers add a sense of depth and history to this bathroom, inspiring curiosity.

The pretty little glass knobs on these floor to ceiling medicine cabinets add just the right spark of color to complete the ensemble.

Ready for more inspiration for your own bathroom update?

We’re hosting a Timeless Bathroom Home Design Workshop on April 9th at the Kennedy School and two lucky attendees will win $50 Rejuvenation gift certificates.

Get the details and RSVP here.

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Dec 18

Makeover Kitchen: Making Progress!

We’ve got some great pictures from the field as our Kitchen Makeover reaches its midway point.

Here’s a quick progress update:

The demolition phase has wrapped up, with the existing upper cabinets removed and the walls opened up where necessary to add in needed wiring:

This is always a scary part of the process… when you start thinking, “WHAT HAVE I DONE?” and “WILL I EVER HAVE A WORKING SINK AGAIN?”

Sometimes during demolition we have some surprises!

It’s not uncommon to discover previously unsuspected dry rot or portions of old timbers that are in need of removal and repair.

Sometimes we discover water damage, and sometimes we discover that a wall has a more complex role in the weight distribution of the house than was initially estimated.

For this project, we elected to add in a stronger beam above the new pennisula to make sure the floor above had ample support.

While the walls are open, our electricians from Master Tech installed the wiring for the new light fixtures from Schoolhouse Electric.

Then the painters work their magic, making everything clean and white and bright.

Some cool details start showing up, like the elegant corbels (the curvy shaped bracket things you see above) that will hold up the Carrara marble counter on their peninsula.

Check out how the original heating register has been stripped and cleaned up and freshly painted.

Part of the fun of this particular renovation is the way we have been able to save many of the cool historic details (like the heating register) while improving the way the kitchen functions and fits in with the rest of the house.

This is also the time when we start prepping for all of the final finishes and fixtures get installed.

Above you can see one of our colleagues at Wall to Wall Tile and Stone creating a template that will be used to guide the fabrication of the Carrara marble counter top.

Did you know: In older houses, hardly anything is square and straight so each cabinet and surface needs to be carefully adjusted to compensate the various places where the walls or floor are a bit out of level or out of plumb.

When you are dealing with an expensive one-of-a-kind piece of stone, it is very important that the fabricators have an opportunity to create a template that will exactly fit the existing space (wonky corners and all).

Here’s a look at the template in progress.

Next up: Sinks, appliances, back splashes, light fixtures and cabinets get installed and the project nears the finish line.

We can’t wait to see the results of the generous contributions from George Morlan Plumbing, Versatile Wood Products, Standard TV and Appliance, Schoolhouse Electric and Oregon Tile and Marble when they get installed later this month!

Explore More with these Previous Kitchen Makeover Posts:

Ready, Set, Launch!

Contract Revisions: The Devil in the Details

Design Phase

Meet the Makeover Winners

Announcing the Winner

Makeover Contest Finalists

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

Thanks again to our Small Kitchen Makeover Contest Partners:

Oct 9

Mary Poppins Inspires Rooftop Boat Hatch

We like to say that if our clients dream it, we can do it.

Recently, we had the opportunity to put that idea to the test when a client requested a VERY unusual rooftop accessory:

A custom fabricated stainless steel boat hatch.

The Inspiration: Our clients loved the scene at the beginning of Mary Poppins where Admiral Boom shouts hello from his crazy nautical rooftop widow’s walk. They loved the view from their own roof, and they wondered: Could they have a roof deck like that? And if so, how would it be accessed?

Arciform owner and designer Anne De Wolf suggested they borrow a solution from her own coastal cabin: install a boat hatch.

The challenge: Most boat hatches are designed for circumstances where all of the surrounding materials are waterproof and water tight. If a little water falls into the cabin below, that’s considered part of life on a boat.

By contrast, this hatch was going to open into a wood paneled reading loft… and it wouldn’t work for that room to get drizzled on each time the hatch was opened.

The Solution: Arciform Project Manager Spencer Fransway did significant research to find a company that would custom fabricate the hatch to unusual specifications that would force any rooftop water away from the hole. After much searching, a firm in Taiwan whose primary business is in outfitting luxury yachts agreed to take on the project.

A Few Hiccups Along the Way

Communicating with Taiwan across a language barrier, separated by two oceans and several time zones created the some of the biggest challenges.

Many late night conversations and early morning draft revisions were exchanged to get the details of the hatch exactly right.

Along the way, Spencer lost sleep repeatedly, wondering:

Were the specs clear enough? Were there logistical elements we weren’t considering? Is this Taiwanese firm going to be able to meet our clients’ exacting standards?

Spencer sweated every detail.

Then we waited… and checked… and waited….and checked… and waited for the hatch to be fabricated.

While we waited, a few other cool features of the rooftop deck and the reading loft were installed…

Some salvaged railings were added to the roof deck create that nautical “Admiral Boom” look.

In the reading loft below, some very cool metal strapping was applied to hand milled plank flooring and walls to give the loft a bit of a pirate’s treasure chest vibe.

The ceiling was finished, sealed and polished and the hole for the hatch was prepped to receive the hatch.

At last, when all the people involved in the design and ordering of the hatch had begun to worry that it might never be completed (the whole thing took about 8 months from initial concept to installation)… the hatch arrived!

Here is Arciform draftsman and purchaser Bradley Horne getting ready to pull the hatch from its shipping crate.

Next Step: How to Get it to the Roof?

The hatch weighed about 200 lbs, making it a two person project to lift it up the multiple flights of stairs. Getting it to the deck required actually removing a window and shimmying it out onto the roof, where the hatch was secured with a rope and dead lifted the remaining few feet.

Luckily, the hatch fit perfectly into the hole waiting to receive it, and the installation was a breeze.

Thinking about installing your own roof hatch?

Spencer has a few recommendations based on this experience:

“Be aware that the lead time is a big factor,” explains Spencer. “Working with a custom fabricator from another country allowed for a lot of creative freedom but also added communication challenges and significant time delays. Also, consider incorporating a boat designer in the initial design phase. Boats and houses are built quite differently, and it will help to have a little nautical expertise involved in the design decisions.”

In the end, the result is utterly delightful… and perfectly in keeping with this family’s quirky and creative approach to home design.

What wild hair ideas do you have for your own home? Spencer can’t wait to get started making your dreams a reality…

Just as soon as he’s gotten caught up on his sleep.

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Aug 20

Project Profile: Creating Space for a Growing Family

What do you do when you find the perfect home in the perfect spot, but you just need more room to accommodate your growing family? For Melissa and Gary, the answer is to employ Arciform to help them expand the footprint while maintaining the unique character of their Lake Oswego bungalow. Above is a historic image of the home that is being used to drive the design of the addition.

Arciform co-owner Anne De Wolf has been working with the family for two years to create a plan that will accomplish their goals and meet their budget. They’ll begin construction this summer.

Here’s a peek into the progress so far.

1. How did the clients discover Arciform?

Anne: They lived in Florida and found us searching for remodeling companies on line.

2. What are the goals of their project?

Anne: To add living space to the house – a large kitchen, a master bathroom, flexible storage space, a covered back porch and a two car garage. The client wants to furnish the space with salvage including windows and doors and cabinetry.

3. What are some of the challenges the project faces?

Anne: The city of Lake Oswego is enforcing alley-facing garages in the ABC District.

The client had requested a tandem garage to keep the profile of the garage structure small in relationship to the house. This caused some juggling.

Also, the client did needed a firm estimate to commit to moving forward with the project. We went through extensive design options over two years including estimating to create a project that meets the client’s needs and financial goals. And we want to use salvage, so we have had to hunt for some of the pieces during the design phase so that we can design accordingly.

4. What are you most excited about in the design so far?

Anne: All of it! The house will provide a lot of flexibility as the spaces can change with the family’s needs. Also, the client’s philosophy with regards to salvage and style are very much in sync with my own. I am looking forward to seeing the finished product.

5. What are some of the personal touches in the project that really fit their personalities?

Anne: Gary collects salvage architectural elements. We are working with them to find and integrate salvaged windows and doors into the design plan.

(Check out one of the salvage window elements we have collected for the project below.)

Anne: Also, the breezeway, back porch and mudroom – the family has two small boys, and they will be spending a lot of time there.

We’ll keep you posted on the progress of this project as it moves into the construction phase. We couldn’t be more excited to help Gary and Melissa create new, comfortable spaces for their family to enjoy.

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Feb 19

5 Tips to Transform Your Master Suite into a Home Retreat

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:

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.

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.

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.

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.

Ready 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.