Posts tagged ‘Victorian’

Aug 4

What Color Should You Paint Your House?

By selecting a vibrant color palate for this Victorian, the intricate millwork is highlighted.

Is your home a traditional Victorian or craftsman cottage? The style of your house is an important consideration to take when selecting an exterior color palate.

A neutral color for this Cape Cod cottage complements the roof and landscape.

Think about the roof: the colors you select should complement your existing roof.

The bright door on this mid-century home adds a pop of character.

Choosing a pop of color for your front door is an easy way to add some character. If you love your current front door, be sure to select an exterior paint color to complement it.

A multi-toned color palate for this Victorian showcases the exterior details but is subtle and sophisticated.

Consider your neighborhood: will your color selections be neighbor approved? Do you live in a historic neighborhood that will need to approve your new color palate?

We ran across this fun quiz on Houzz that can help you identify the best exterior colors for your home.

Take the quiz here and then let us know what your results were in the comments below!

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Feb 18

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An Adventurous Kitchen and Bath Renovation

Design by Anne De Wolf. Photo by Photo Art Portraits.

This Sellwood family wanted every room of their home to spark their family’s imagination and sense of adventure. Every corner contains a new discovery… and every room is designed to be lived in by a family who likes to work hard and play hard.

Take a look at some of the design solutions that helped keep this adventurous renovation feeling cohesive and welcoming.

Design by Anne De Wolf. Photo by Photo Art Portraits.

In the bathroom, a calming color palette of greys and whites includes pops of unexpected drama in the lacquered black door and the dark distressed drawer fronts.

Design by Anne De Wolf. Photo by Photo Art Portraits.

Salvaged wood in the drawer fronts creates a sense of mystery… and history. What other lives has this wood already had? What secrets did it bear witness to?

Design by Anne De Wolf. Photo by Photo Art Portraits.

A generous tub with a black lacquered tub surround and a glass-walled shower give the whole family a place to wash the day’s adventures away. Pale grey penny tile makes a slip resistant surface for kids on the go.

Design by Anne De Wolf. Photo by Photo Art Portraits.

Outside in the hallway, a secret door leads to the kids’ bedrooms while a ship’s ladder leads to…

Design by Anne De Wolf. Photo by Photo Art Portraits.

A Jules Verne inspired reading loft, complete with salvaged windows and a railing shaped like a pirate ship.

Design by Anne De Wolf. Photo by Photo Art Portraits.

Let’s not forget the custom made boat hatch leading to a rooftop deck with a view of downtown Portland:

Design by Anne De Wolf. Photo by Photo Art Portraits.

Downstairs, the kitchen mixes the exotic with the traditional, juxtaposing contemporary finishes with vintage stained glass…

Design by Anne De Wolf. Photo by Photo Art Portraits.

The result is a vibrant expression of the family’s penchant for inventiveness and joy…

Design by Anne De Wolf. Photo by Photo Art Portraits.

A custom gothic-arched casement window from Versatile Wood Products adds imaginative drama while the handmade marquee sign from marqueeletterlights is a glowing reminder of the family motto.

Design by Anne De Wolf. Photo by Photo Art Portraits.

A custom island adds work and storage space while keeping the kitchen open to the dining and living rooms so the family can stay and play together.

Design by Anne De Wolf. Photo by Photo Art Portraits.

A vintage map detailing the traditional territories of Native American tribal groups acts as window shade and homework inspiration.

Design by Anne De Wolf. Photo by Photo Art Portraits.

Open shelves with custom strapping add storage and display options. Custom divided lite windows above the fridge and behind the shelving separate the pantry space from the display area, inspired by the feeling of small town grocery shop storefronts.

Design by Anne De Wolf. Photo by Photo Art Portraits.

Custom pantry shelving continues the metal strapping theme from upstairs, making the whole house look like its ready for a sea voyage!

Design by Anne De Wolf. Photo by Photo Art Portraits.

In the living room, vintage furnishings mix with architectural columns and simple burlap curtains to create a fresh and appealing space to call home.

Want to see more of this adventurous home? Check out our previous posts featuring their mudroom, roof deck, and very cool basement guest suite.

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Sep 11

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Mudroom Magic

Design by Anne De Wolf. Photo by Photo Art Portraits.

As the fall weather turns mercurial and the schoolbags begin piling up on every surface, the urge to corral all that indoor/outdoor stuff into one tidy location can become overwhelming.

But where to put it all?

For one Arciform client, the solution was to build a small mudroom addition to their Sellwood Victorian, complete with a covered “study loft” balcony, secret doors and ingenious integration of salvage materials to showcase the creative, eclectic personalities of this busy family.

Here’s a look at that project in detail. What ideas and solutions can you apply to your own mudroom update?

Design by Anne De Wolf. Photo by Photo Art Portraits.

This small addition packs a lot of design punch. Salvaged columns, railings and windows help the addition integrate with the quirky Victorian style of the main house, and a touch of gingerbread over the balcony adds whimsy and charm.

Design by Anne De Wolf. Photo by Photo Art Portraits.

Glass entry doors maximize the natural light in the space, creating a warmer welcome than the home’s original side door.

Check out the ceiling in the space- it is assembled from salvaged cabinet doors!

We asked Arciform owner and designer Anne De Wolf how this particular idea came about. She explains,

I came up with the idea when I saw a bunch of cabinet doors at Hippo Hardware. I went back to our shop to ask if we had some extra doors, which of caurse we had. The challenging part was the layout- each door was a different shape and size! But the result was so fun it was worth it.

Design by Anne De Wolf. Photo by Photo Art Portraits.

Another cool feature of the project was the addition of “secret doors” that were invisible from the exterior but provided the kids their own fun way to enter and exit the space. the doors also create a convenient way to stash lacrosse equipment, gardening tools and other bulky items directly into the mudroom space.

We asked Anne: What inspired the secret doors? They are such a cool idea!

This was the client’s idea as the parents and the children have very active imaginations and are very playful.

Design by Anne De Wolf. Photo by Photo Art Portraits.

The final fun touch to the space was the inclusion of a ‘study loft’ balcony. This all-weather reading and study nook gives the kids room to stretch out with a good book or a tricky assignment, while keeping their imaginations fueled with plenty of fresh air and a great view of the neighborhood.

Arciform owner/designer Anne De Wolf suggests that this family’s approach to the project has good lessons for anyone contemplating a mudroom renovation. She explains,

The mudroom is a great space to let out your inner artist as it has “permission” to be a fun, functional and informal sort of space.

Design by Anne De Wolf. Photo by Photo Art Portraits.

We’ve been delighted to help this family address a practical back-to-school issue with an inspiring and playful solution that fits both their family’s personality and the unique style of their Sellwood Victorian home.

Their next project? A Jules Verne inspired roof deck and play loft, complete with submarine hatch.