Houzz Tour: Personality Drives a Modern Addition in Portland
Artistry goes hand in hand with increased light and space in this playful home filled with eclectic and cheeky details
Vanessa Brunner
February 28, 2013
Houzz Contributor
From the front this home in Portland, Oregon, might not seem that different from its neighbors. But a quick jaunt past the neon address numbers, into the hall of mirrors, past the pig on the bathroom door and out the modern back addition might give you a different impression.
Homeowner Daniel Thomas, co-owner of Hammer & Hand, had a vision for this house from the get-go. His team along with bright designlab designed a whimsical home that reflects Thomas' artistic personality. "We definitely like playful materials," says Alissa Pulcrano, a designer at bright designlab. "Everything is designed to make you think."
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Daniel Thomas
Location: Southeast Portland, Oregon
Size: 2,300 square feet, including a small basement apartment
Budget: At least $250 per square foot (estimate)
Homeowner Daniel Thomas, co-owner of Hammer & Hand, had a vision for this house from the get-go. His team along with bright designlab designed a whimsical home that reflects Thomas' artistic personality. "We definitely like playful materials," says Alissa Pulcrano, a designer at bright designlab. "Everything is designed to make you think."
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Daniel Thomas
Location: Southeast Portland, Oregon
Size: 2,300 square feet, including a small basement apartment
Budget: At least $250 per square foot (estimate)
The modern addition sits at the back of the house; the bold contrast between old and new is invisible from the street. Reclaimed wood, salvaged from an old barn in Southern Oregon, warms up the bright white Hardie board and ties in with the lush Portland landscape. Rows of horizontal windows draw the eye to the top of the addition. The very top opening is a railing for a small roof deck, a tribute to the original home's widow's walk.
The front of the house stays in line with its original shingled style. But Thomas gave it a modern twist with his own door frame design and custom neon door numbers from bright designlab.
The front of the house stays in line with its original shingled style. But Thomas gave it a modern twist with his own door frame design and custom neon door numbers from bright designlab.
The 100-square-foot addition expands Thomas' indoor-outdoor entertainment space and brings more light and visual space into the home. "This is a supercommon request these days — expanding living space to outdoors instead of buying a bigger house," says Pulcrano.
Hammer & Hand custom designed and built the addition's sliding back door, which opens to the concrete-paver patio. White pedestals from Pedrali double as lighting and seating.
Exterior sconces: Prisma Architectural Lighting; stools: Wow, Pedrali
Hammer & Hand custom designed and built the addition's sliding back door, which opens to the concrete-paver patio. White pedestals from Pedrali double as lighting and seating.
Exterior sconces: Prisma Architectural Lighting; stools: Wow, Pedrali
A custom ladder provides access the roof deck. A large loft space to the left of the ladder currently serves as storage. The loft opens out above the kitchen and shares the kitchen and dining space's outdoor view.
Chandelier: Taraxacum 88 by Achille Castiglioni
Chandelier: Taraxacum 88 by Achille Castiglioni
Removing portions of the ceiling opened up the once-cramped kitchen. The kitchen and dining area also has clear access to the outdoors through the addition's folding doors. The space was designed so that the table can be pushed straight outside for al fresco dining.
Thomas designed the dining table and benches, made of reclaimed wood.
Thomas designed the dining table and benches, made of reclaimed wood.
Imbue, a collaboration between bright designlab and Hammer & Hand, custom designed the cabinetry for the kitchen with steel, Apple-Ply and contrasting red Abet Laminati laminate. Mockett hardware emphasizes the industrial edge.
Carrara marble counters extend up onto the backsplash.
Carrara marble counters extend up onto the backsplash.
Twelve-foot lengths of reclaimed wood flooring draw the eye from the end of the dining room to the addition's folding doors. On the left wall of the dining room, vintage steel lab cabinets hold dishes and glasses.
"I think all and all, what we love is surprise, art and juxtaposition of materials, and the homeowner gave us carte blanche to play around — and he joined in on the fun," says Pulcrano.
Fireplace tile: custom, Pratt & Larson
"I think all and all, what we love is surprise, art and juxtaposition of materials, and the homeowner gave us carte blanche to play around — and he joined in on the fun," says Pulcrano.
Fireplace tile: custom, Pratt & Larson
A hall of mirrors greets visitors inside the front door — the result of fiddling with 500 thrifted mirrors (not all of which were used) for more than a hundred hours.
Mirror wall: Daniel Thomas and Ariel Arrow of Duchess Clothier; pendant: Artemide Castore, small; cabinet: homeowner's
Mirror wall: Daniel Thomas and Ariel Arrow of Duchess Clothier; pendant: Artemide Castore, small; cabinet: homeowner's
Some of the home's original beams remain exposed overhead, along with their original knob and tube electrical fixtures.
Pendant: Artemide Castore, large
Pendant: Artemide Castore, large
Thomas left the beams over the bathroom as well. A glass ceiling there allows for extra light and a peek at the beams.
A bright yellow staircase behind the mirrored hallway leads up to a small attic space.
A bright yellow staircase behind the mirrored hallway leads up to a small attic space.
The angled roofline makes this space feel cozy, even with minimal furniture. Softline cushions can be used as tables to play games on or taken apart for seating.
The two bedrooms on the main floor still have the home's original hardwood floors. Vintage bed frames powder coated in a wild turquoise tie in with the home's whimsical undertones.
Ceiling light: Artemide Edge; nightstand: vintage locker baskets; task lamps: Artemide Tolomeo; wallpaper: Timorous Beasties
Ceiling light: Artemide Edge; nightstand: vintage locker baskets; task lamps: Artemide Tolomeo; wallpaper: Timorous Beasties
This nook was once part of an extra-long closet that just wasn't necessary. The team cut the closet down in size and used the extra space with a window to create this cozy reading area.
Light: Artemide
Light: Artemide
A reclaimed door leads into the home's main bathroom. Thomas painted the pig freehand — its eye is a peephole.
"We laughed, because the towel racks look like meathooks and the tile like steel, so it's a bit like going into a butcher shop," says Pulcrano.
This bathroom just has a sink and shower — there's a separate toilet and sink across the hall.
Shower tile: Pental Cor-ten; vanity: custom, bright designlab; sconces: Artemide
This bathroom just has a sink and shower — there's a separate toilet and sink across the hall.
Shower tile: Pental Cor-ten; vanity: custom, bright designlab; sconces: Artemide
The once-dilapidated basement has been fully renovated into an incredible space, with a spa, sauna and small apartment that Thomas occasionally rents out.
Flooring: Pental Parc, Ash Gray; tile walls: Pental Absolute Cream, matte
Flooring: Pental Parc, Ash Gray; tile walls: Pental Absolute Cream, matte
Cedar wall paneling complements the Finlandia sauna inside. Hammer & Hand made this large Japanese ofuro tub out of Port Orford cedar. The incredibly fragrant wood often fills the whole house with its distinct perfume.
A bright blue bathroom downstairs can be accessed from the spa. Pulcrano randomly found the pink skull drawer pulls online. "A little punk rock never hurt anyone," she says.
Wall paint: Palm Coast Teal, Benjamin Moore; cabinetry: custom; flooring: polished existing concrete.
Wall paint: Palm Coast Teal, Benjamin Moore; cabinetry: custom; flooring: polished existing concrete.
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I would happily live next door to such an interesting house, and while if I were to do something like this to my own home I'd probably do it a little differently, I have to compliment the home owner for the execution.
Now if only my next door neighbor would perform basic maintenance on his house...
Otherwise, I really like this house!