Custom bleached-white oak flooring covers the floors, including on the staircase to the property’s second floor. Juno five-inch LED recessed wall lighting illuminates the steps at night.
The first floor contains the living room and kitchen, which opens out onto a petite back garden and an avocado tree. The kitchen is slightly sunken and has a polished concrete floor, which subtly demarcates it from the rest of the space. Materials in the kitchen set the home's material palette, with vertical Douglas fir cabinets and the same 3” x 6” subway tiles that appear in the bathroom for the backsplash. The Fisher & Paykel dishwasher is hidden inside the island: “I wanted the island to look more like a credenza or piece of furniture,” says Storey.
The wood floor boards in the living room are white pine, a soft wood Storey chose for its knotty look. “The wood dries a lot over time, so small gaps have opened up between them. Because it’s such a simple white space, it’s nice to have that rough warmth and character in the floors.”
The caged staircase was designed by architect Patrick Ousey, with whom Flournoy collaborated in the home’s design. Although initially unconvinced by the staircase detail, “it is a great example of how collaboration brings in different perspectives,” says Flournoy.
The modern staircase was built with the same salvaged wall planks that are used as flooring throughout.
A striking stair defines the entry to the house; it features minimalist floating timber stair treads wrapped around a woven steel mesh blade wall.
Robinson built an airy wood stairway to bring more light up onto the second and third floors. The new third floor looks out to views of Portland’s West Hills.