Favorites

Risa Boyer Architecture guided the whole house remodel of this 1955 Portland home. Lillyvilla Gardens executed a new landscape plan for the property, including this updated entry sequence, while Boyer added more glass to suit the midcentury façade.

A midcentury-style walnut screen separates the entry from the living room, yet allows connection with its permeability.

Now, there are sightlines from the entry to the backyard. The dining table, surrounded by Wegner Wishbone chairs, is by Campagna, a Portland-based design studio.

The inoperable picture windows were replaced with large sliding glass doors that open to the new seating patio.

The fireplace is covered in Norman brick from Mutual Materials, in an era-appropriate stacked pattern.

The half-wall that divides the living room and dining room is walnut, and was a clever way to separate the living and dining zones, and wrap the structural posts, which were painted a dark grey. There’s a television lift inside the cabinet that allows the TV to be stowed when not in use. The couch is from Design Within Reach, and the flooring throughout is white oak.

The rear opens up 23 feet, and the glass doors pocket into the wall.

The roof was extended over an outdoor patio to give it cover and ensure that it’s a comfortable space on both hot, sunny days, and in the rainy spring, or fall.

Floor-to-ceiling glass now leads to the outdoors. The fireplace surround is blackened steel, and the upper cabinet hides the TV, its slatted details echoing the screens elsewhere in the house.

Boyer relocated the laundry room and installed this cozy seating nook for the family in the old space. Occupants can interact with people in the kitchen, or appreciate the views into the front yard and mature trees.

The homeowners loved the idea of bringing in warmth with wood details, so the team added a feature wall of clear cedar to anchor the utilitarian space. Hammer and Hand beautifully wrapped the pantry door in the same cedar for a uniform look. “They're such great craftspeople,” says Boyer of the contractor.

New custom walnut cabinetry syncs with the rest of the built-ins throughout the home, to create a pleasing rhythm in the open plan. The backsplash is Heath Ceramics tile, and the counter is Pental Quartz. Open shelves at the rear overlook a cozy den, and allow sightlines out the new windows at the front of the home.

Kevin and Katie enjoy happy hour on their new covered patio. The plantings were inspired by the garden in Mexico where they got married. During the pandemic, "We were like, I want to go on vacation, but we can't, so let's just make our backyard a vacation,

The kitchen was enlarged to meet the family's love of cooking.

Built by Fritz Tiny Homes and delivered by crane, the compact ADU brings new potential to a compact Silver Lake lot.