John Yeon Addition

We are wrapping up design work for an addition to a John Yeon home in SW Portland. The design pays homage to the unique stylings of the home by leaving the dramatic roofline untouched. We connect to the existing house with a enclosed breezeway connection and have created a master bedroom wing on the other side. We used a simple stucco material to not compete with the vertical motions of the Yeon design while creating a dramatic move of our own. The east elevation will have a floor to ceiling bifold door system to "open up" to the internal courtyard the buildings create.

Modern Gate Design

We designed this modern deck with custom galvanized railing (still under construction in these photos), glass and an ipe cap and deck surface. Simple design is important when designing gates, fences and decks as they should be accented by plants and the landscape around them. This simplicity also leads to a beauty to the materials instead of an indulgence in them.

This ipe gate we designed and built in our shop.

Architecture In These Times

Well it has been quite some time since I posted on here--I apologize for that! The economy has taken a toll on us all and unfortunately on architecture and design as well. While we all still want to be surrounded with really nice things, they still cost the same but with lower budgets comes the hard part of getting quality without sacrificing too much.

I do feel a new surge is coming and am confident things are on the mend. My goal is to be sensitive to these issues without sacrificing the important details!

Holistic Design

Modern design isn't just furniture from Design Within Rach. It is a holistic approach to space, especially when today's modern family prefers more open space, a better relationship to the outside, better light and circulation.

Often I am hired to redesign a kitchen or a bathroom--but the problem isn't just that space. It far too often is the relationship of this space to the neighboring rooms, the lack of storage or circulation and the inability to look at the whole space holistically can really limit design and improvement in the end.

I encourage most people to invest in this process. While you may not be able to afford to do that "dream project" (at least not all at the same time) you can plan for the future or at least never ask "what if".

Modern Shed

We designed a custom shed for a client with a very limited amount of space. Simple, off the shelf materials can keep your costs low.

Bathroom Remodel

I recently visited finished master bath remodel I designed and am very impressed. The key to modern designs is in the details--and they furthermore need to be carried through when being built so having a contractor who recognizes this is very important.
The counter is a limestone top and we found a wonderful porcelain tile that really looks a lot like concrete. We cut it down on the walls to make a unique module.
The design concept was to open up the space more (there was a huge soaking tub that really made the room feel small) and create a "spa" like setting through the use of layout and materials such as warm woods and warm hues.

I couldn't resist taking a photo of this squirrel running along our railing. Even without the wood cap they didn't hesitate to climb right up and run along it to our roof. And who said steel isn't a natural material!?