Houzz Tour: Newlywed Couple Find Their Style
A Portland, Oregon, ranch house goes from dark bachelor pad to married couple’s chic sanctuary
Becky Harris
June 5, 2015
Houzz Contributor. Hi there! I live in a 1940s cottage in Atlanta that I'll describe as "collected."
I got into design via Landscape Architecture, which I studied at the University of Virginia.
Houzz Contributor. Hi there! I live in a 1940s cottage in Atlanta that I'll describe... More
Contractor Erik Byron Broms had been on his own in this contemporary ranch house before his bride, Chris, moved in. Though the place was in fantastic shape, the couple wanted to transform it from his bachelor pad into a home that includes her preferences too. Interior designer Julie Nordby helped them find a style that combines the industrial, farmhouse and vintage touches they are both drawn to. The result is a home that reflects them as a couple.
Photos by David Papazian Photography
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Erik and Chris Broms, who had the home renovated as newlyweds
Location: Portland, Oregon
Size: 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms; 2,000 square feet (186 square meters)
Designer: Julie Nordby of Nordby Design Studio, Architecture & Interiors
Erik had completed the remodeling himself years ago. While some of the home was dark or certain things had become a bit dated, he had created a home with great bones, and plenty of the elements were keepers. In the living room, the lively mosaic tile fireplace surround stayed. Nordby had the existing wood around it stained darker for contrast, emphasizing the fireplace as a focal point.
She also added hardwood floors throughout the entire home, ripping up wall-to-wall carpeting in some of the rooms. She then gave the existing and new oak boards a matching updated gray stain. Lighter walls, plantation blinds, an interior transom and frosted glass interior doors used throughout the house have brought much more brightness into the home.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Erik and Chris Broms, who had the home renovated as newlyweds
Location: Portland, Oregon
Size: 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms; 2,000 square feet (186 square meters)
Designer: Julie Nordby of Nordby Design Studio, Architecture & Interiors
Erik had completed the remodeling himself years ago. While some of the home was dark or certain things had become a bit dated, he had created a home with great bones, and plenty of the elements were keepers. In the living room, the lively mosaic tile fireplace surround stayed. Nordby had the existing wood around it stained darker for contrast, emphasizing the fireplace as a focal point.
She also added hardwood floors throughout the entire home, ripping up wall-to-wall carpeting in some of the rooms. She then gave the existing and new oak boards a matching updated gray stain. Lighter walls, plantation blinds, an interior transom and frosted glass interior doors used throughout the house have brought much more brightness into the home.
The furnishings are a mix of industrial and vintage pieces, with some hints of simple farmhouse style. The couple already had the sofa and chairs; new accessories and color transformed the room’s style. The couple fell in love with the cow painting, by then-local artist Leah Anderson, at Nordby’s shop, Piper Louie. “This painting really started the inspiration of industrial-meets-farmhouse going,” the designer says.
She helped them track down and curate unique vintage items, like the railroad lantern seen on the zinc-topped coffee table here and the motorcycle bag in the previous photo, which they use to store magazines. Fiddle leaf fig trees add life to the room. Nordby helped the couple find unique planters; the galvanized bucket is a Turkish olive basket.
Floor lamp: Pottery Barn; most accessories: Piper Louie
She helped them track down and curate unique vintage items, like the railroad lantern seen on the zinc-topped coffee table here and the motorcycle bag in the previous photo, which they use to store magazines. Fiddle leaf fig trees add life to the room. Nordby helped the couple find unique planters; the galvanized bucket is a Turkish olive basket.
Floor lamp: Pottery Barn; most accessories: Piper Louie
The homeowners had admired a concrete-like wall in a local store and tracked down Robert McAnulty, the artist who made it. He created this concrete-limestone accent wall in the dining room.
Nordby added this transom window over the console; it lets the area share the natural light with a dark hallway.
Nordby added this transom window over the console; it lets the area share the natural light with a dark hallway.
Many of the items in the dining room are salvaged or vintage. The crisp, contemporary light fixture was already here and did not need replacing. The dining tabletop was crafted from hundred-year-old wood from a dismantled dock. The French-regency-style sconces were salvaged in Egypt. They still have their original old, unsafe wiring, so they are not used as electric sconces, but they do function by reflecting the light. Nordby used shimmer throughout the remodel.
To the left you can catch a glimpse through to the comfortable family room, which is the main TV-watching space. Nordby stuck with solids and large-scale patterns on most of the fabrics, for a consistent, unfussy look.
Table: custom, via Piper Louie; end chairs: 4 Hands, via Piper Louie; side chairs: Cost Plus World Market
To the left you can catch a glimpse through to the comfortable family room, which is the main TV-watching space. Nordby stuck with solids and large-scale patterns on most of the fabrics, for a consistent, unfussy look.
Table: custom, via Piper Louie; end chairs: 4 Hands, via Piper Louie; side chairs: Cost Plus World Market
The couple’s existing solid concrete coffee table clued Nordby in to their love for industrial design.
Rug: Pottery Barn
Rug: Pottery Barn
The kitchen had great bones and needed only some cosmetic changes. Nordby darkened the beam and the posts for contrast, lightened up the cabinetry, put in quartz countertops and added new hardware. She also brought in new glass pendant lights, new accessories and Tolix counter stools, which add an industrial touch.
The existing mosaic backsplash already brought the shimmer to the kitchen. The simple Shaker-style cabinets bring in some farmhouse style.
“The master bedroom is a mix of luxe and rustic,” Nordby says. She balanced a rougher wood finish on the nightstands with the shimmer of capiz shell lamps. The headboard wall is adorned in metallic grass cloth, while the headboard is upholstered in a simple linen.
Wallpaper: Golf Shore T41120 in Grey, Thibaut; bedding: Restoration Hardware; mirrors, headboard and nightstands: Piper Louie
Wallpaper: Golf Shore T41120 in Grey, Thibaut; bedding: Restoration Hardware; mirrors, headboard and nightstands: Piper Louie
The linen headboard’s antique bronze nailheads pick up on the trio of hammered metal mirror frames overhead.
While the home now truly feels more like theirs, the couple opted for separate bathrooms. Nordby swapped the laundry room with the hall bathroom, because the laundry room had a window and the drab bathroom did not. She outfitted the modestly sized room to serve as Chris’ bathroom.
She gave it a hotel-like feel by adding a Carrara marble backsplash, quartz countertops that resemble limestone, and brushed-nickel faucets and hardware. She then surrounded the sink with symmetrical towers for lots of extra storage.
The former bachelor pad is now lighter, brighter and feels like home to Erik and Chris as a couple. “Now the home reflects both of them together,” Nordby says.
Browse more homes by style:
Small Homes | Colorful Homes | Eclectic Homes | Modern Homes | Contemporary Homes | Midcentury Homes | Ranch Homes | Traditional Homes | Barn Homes | Townhouses | Apartments | Lofts | Vacation Homes
She gave it a hotel-like feel by adding a Carrara marble backsplash, quartz countertops that resemble limestone, and brushed-nickel faucets and hardware. She then surrounded the sink with symmetrical towers for lots of extra storage.
The former bachelor pad is now lighter, brighter and feels like home to Erik and Chris as a couple. “Now the home reflects both of them together,” Nordby says.
Browse more homes by style:
Small Homes | Colorful Homes | Eclectic Homes | Modern Homes | Contemporary Homes | Midcentury Homes | Ranch Homes | Traditional Homes | Barn Homes | Townhouses | Apartments | Lofts | Vacation Homes
Related Stories
Houzz Tours
Houzz Tour: Boston Pied-à-Terre Designed for Evenings
By Becky Harris
A designer found on Houzz infuses a condo with a sultry vibe inspired by supper clubs and luxe boutique hotels
Full Story
Houzz Tours
Houzz Tour: Colorado Forever Home Is a Family Affair
By Becky Harris
The mountain home was designed for gatherings and to make the most of views of Pikes Peak and surroundings
Full Story
Small Homes
Thoughtful ADU Expands a Small Lot’s Potential
By Becky Harris
An architect makes the most of local ordinances allowing two homes and owners on one property in Princeton, New Jersey
Full Story
Houzz Tours
Houzz Tour: Open and Inviting Mountain Home Near Lake Tahoe
By Becky Harris
A designer creates a warmly minimalist California getaway that can stand up to snow and mud
Full Story
Houzz Tours
Houzz Tour: Museum-Inspired Moments in a Beachfront High-Rise
By Becky Harris
A couple’s love of art guides these designers toward a warm neutral color palette and rich textures
Full Story
Houzz Tours
Houzz Tour: Two Small New York Apartments Become One
By Becky Harris
An architect combines a one-bedroom and an adjacent studio apartment to create a colorful and functional home
Full Story
Outbuildings
Houzz Tour: Birdhouse-Like ADU Built Around a Tree
In Austin, Texas, a playful 900-square-foot accessory dwelling unit maximizes a small budget and footprint
Full Story
Houzz Tours
Houzz Tour: Victorian Vibes Return to a Chicago Graystone
By Becky Harris
A designer restores period details in a fresh way while infusing the 1900 home with the homeowners’ styles
Full Story
Houzz Tours
Houzz Tour: Historic on the Outside, Contemporary on the Inside
By Becky Harris
Architects design a new home that fits seamlessly into Provincetown, Massachusetts’ historic East End
Full Story
Homes Around the World
Houzz Tour: Spanish Penthouse Opens Up to City Views
By Isabel Núñez
A renovation brings in light and connects an apartment to its expansive balcony and sweeping views of Barcelona
Full Story
If I saw a sample of that mosaic, I wouldn't give it second glance, but in this setting, it is absolutely PERFECT! Adds another dimension, so impressed!
Becky Harris... LOVE your gracious way and comment about pet peeves n commenting above! Not to mention all your coverage on Houzz! Thanks for understanding our 'issues' and keep up the good articles...