Laura + Paul's Home Remodel
Laura + Paul's Home Remodel
Whole Home Renovation in Portland, OR
Laura + Paul looked long and hard for a not-too-big, 1-story no-basement "blank slate" house, with potential to become a beautifully appointed "last" home, appropriate to aging in place. A 1954 Portland Heights home with great bones met all the requirements.
Overlooking downtown Portland, the home's spectacular views are maximized throughout the new plan. Last remodeled in the 1980s, the house received a full gut renovation. This allowed us to customize the layout for optimal functionality and gave the owners an opportunity to make the home their own, from the inside out.
No room was left untouched during this remodel. Big moves include making living/dining/and kitchen into one, with ample daylighting from beautiful new windows. The primary suite's existing fireplace and media wall were completely redesigned. The main bathroom allows for a generous shower and tub arrangement. Guest rooms were converted into 2 home offices with flexible Murphy bed design for guest accommodation.
Warm, refined finishes express Laura + Paul's considered tastes, while punches of color in the guest baths + media room keep things lively. Taking inspiration from the couple's collection of Heath Ceramics crockery, we upholstered both the living room + primary bedroom fireplaces in Heath tile, as well as the kitchen/servery backsplashes + all bathrooms. Laura + Paul also engaged our services for furnishings, with classic modern pieces mixing easily with their pottery and artwork, including paintings by Laura from her college years.
We feel so fortunate to have engaged with Michael Howells for our whole house remodel. The beginning of the project took a few months as Michael and his team crafted fully realized architectural plans. This investment of time ended up paying off handsomely as the project proceeded very smoothly as a result. Michael was a true project partner in every sense. He helped to manage the general contractor, ensuring that the construction was top-notch. He anticipated scheduling pinch-points during the global logistics crisis and helped us to press ahead on material orders, which kept the project on schedule. The detailed architectural building plans his team created were noted by installers to be “the best I’ve ever seen.” This level of detail and attention kept the project running smoothly. Michael was generous with his time and fully committed to our project. Further, he helped us to select furnishings for our home and helped with the hanging of artwork. This resulted in a beautiful, cohesive home. Michael found some hidden treasures amongst our artwork, placing them in pride-of-place positions which resulted in beautiful aesthetics that hold deep meaning for us. Michael encourages his clients to bring their own personalities to the project and made room for our sentimental objects in a way that a rigid design afficionado would not. We are so happy with our beautifully reimagined, rebuilt home and treasured the experience of working with Michael every step of the way.
Views for breakfast
A new breakfast nook takes advantage of the views of downtown Portland and beyond.
Perched above
Easily accessed from the kitchen, living room + primary bedroom, the remodeled patio makes the most of the home's exceptional orientation.
Personal pieces
Two paintings by Laura anchor the great room.
Room for color
We took guest bathrooms as an invitation to color, in an otherwise more neutral palette.
Tone on tone
A coral guest bathroom adds a colorful counterpoint to the neutrals in the main spaces.
Bespoke details
As with all Howells projects, we designed all cabinetry in the home, including this oak media wall in the primary bedroom. A Howells + Millinger wool rug from our collaboration with Christiane Millinger anchors the room (and inspires the current TV screen image choice).