Houzz Tour: Midcentury Gem in Oregon Gets a Contemporary Update
A historically sensitive remodel of a 1971 Rummer-designed home includes updated finishes and a sleek white kitchen
Marissa Hermanson
December 5, 2017
Houzz Contributor. As a freelance writer who spends most of my time working from home, I have a deep appreciation for the household and the time and effort people put into personalizing their spaces. I write about home and decor, food and drink, culture and travel. My stories have been featured in Cosmopolitan, Forbes Travel Guide, The Knot, Southern Living, among other publications.
Houzz Contributor. As a freelance writer who spends most of my time working from... More
Photos by Blackstone Edge Studios
House at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple
Location: Beaverton, Oregon
Size: 1,741 square feet (161.7 square meters)
Designer: Garrison Hullinger of Garrison Hullinger Interior Design
With their low-pitch roofs and atriums that embrace the great outdoors, the midcentury modern homes of real estate developer Robert Rummer are all the rage in Portland, Oregon, these days. Rummer, who created residential neighborhoods throughout the area in the 1960s and ’70s, drew his inspiration from Joseph Eichler’s homes in California.
When a 1971 three-bedroom, two-bath Rummer home just outside Portland in Beaverton was due for a face-lift, designer Garrison Hullinger came to the rescue. The homeowners wanted to embrace the house’s original midcentury architectural characteristics, but the home was in need of updated finishes, better lighting and more thoughtful storage. “I wanted to elevate the finishes and use materials and surfaces that didn’t need a lot of maintenance,” Hullinger says.
Above, the interior of the front door is painted a vibrant green and the concrete aggregate walkway runs from the exterior to inside the home.
House at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple
Location: Beaverton, Oregon
Size: 1,741 square feet (161.7 square meters)
Designer: Garrison Hullinger of Garrison Hullinger Interior Design
With their low-pitch roofs and atriums that embrace the great outdoors, the midcentury modern homes of real estate developer Robert Rummer are all the rage in Portland, Oregon, these days. Rummer, who created residential neighborhoods throughout the area in the 1960s and ’70s, drew his inspiration from Joseph Eichler’s homes in California.
When a 1971 three-bedroom, two-bath Rummer home just outside Portland in Beaverton was due for a face-lift, designer Garrison Hullinger came to the rescue. The homeowners wanted to embrace the house’s original midcentury architectural characteristics, but the home was in need of updated finishes, better lighting and more thoughtful storage. “I wanted to elevate the finishes and use materials and surfaces that didn’t need a lot of maintenance,” Hullinger says.
Above, the interior of the front door is painted a vibrant green and the concrete aggregate walkway runs from the exterior to inside the home.
The home’s entryway features a new door and windows, and the neighboring atrium includes new rock borders and teak planks.
Also in the atrium, new geometric concrete Ann Sacks tile adds a contemporary and artful point of visual interest, and the skylight and its new release timer allow airflow into the home. New triple-pane windows and doors throughout increase the home’s energy efficiency.
In the living room, the original clinker brick facade and firebox remain. Hullinger furnished the home with a mix of high and low pieces, keeping items such as the couple’s leather sofa and adding other pieces such as the royal blue club chairs from Room & Board. He also paired warm and cool tones throughout the space to play up the teak, concrete and other materials.
Roots of Style: Midcentury Styles Respond to Modern Life
Roots of Style: Midcentury Styles Respond to Modern Life
In the dining room, sleek new walnut touch-release built-ins with Caesarstone counter and backsplash double as a bar and storage area, and play off the warm teak of the atrium deck.
The dining room features restored original pendant lights that were realigned to increase the ambient lighting.
The formerly dark kitchen is now illuminated by a cable lighting system and a new soffit over the workspace. Reflective surfaces — such as the glossy white tile backsplash — also bounce light around. A new cozy bar area provides a dining spot for the couple, and a large open island area makes for easy entertaining.
Durable glossy white Thermofoil cabinets feature minimalist brushed chrome finger pulls and quartz Caesarstone countertops.
Browse chrome bar pulls
Browse chrome bar pulls
The dishwasher and refrigerator are tucked behind cabinet doors to give the kitchen a clean and streamlined appearance.
Cabinets 101: How to Get the Storage You Want
Cabinets 101: How to Get the Storage You Want
The master suite includes a reconfigured doorway and relocated bed to create more thoughtful storage in the space.
The master bathroom features new cabinetry, plumbing and contemporary stiletto lights, along with a sliding barn door with a full-length mirror.
In the laundry area, new Thermofoil slab-front cabinets conceal the washer and dryer.
Slab-Style Cabinets Offer Flexibility and Value
Slab-Style Cabinets Offer Flexibility and Value
The laundry area is dressed up with a marble and mirror tiled backsplash arranged in an eye-catching chevron pattern.
More guides to midcentury style
More home tours: Apartments | Small Homes | Colorful Homes | Contemporary Homes | Eclectic Homes | Farmhouses | Midcentury Homes | Modern Homes | Ranch Homes | Traditional Homes | Transitional Homes | All
More guides to midcentury style
More home tours: Apartments | Small Homes | Colorful Homes | Contemporary Homes | Eclectic Homes | Farmhouses | Midcentury Homes | Modern Homes | Ranch Homes | Traditional Homes | Transitional Homes | All
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well done, love the kitchen dining area
what a stunning remodel and redesign. If only a floorplan was included in the article!
It’s lovely! I really love what they did, but I would have kept more of the mid-century vibe. Perhaps a great addition would be an Eames lounge chair in the living room.