This 1910 Craftsman-Four Square is an excellent example of what a genuinely thoughtful remodel can achieve. Downstairs this home was dominated by open living spaces common to the popular Four-Square homes that can be seen all over Portland. It had a beautiful open living room and a rare “great room” space. It also had a huge dining room with beautiful built-ins and mahogany box beams.

The Problem: a cramped, outdated kitchen and convoluted spaces in the back of the home with no powder bathroom. The upstairs did not have a primary suite and an unusable sunroom. Needless to say, this 100+-year-old home in the heart of Laurelhurst needed a design overhaul!

The original floor plan was quite open, but the owners needed space for a powder bathroom, a large open kitchen with a breakfast nook, and office space. They also requested a back deck that appeared original. To accommodate, we needed to steal space from the oversized dining room. However, the incredible built-in hutch was in the way of the interior wall adjacent to the existing kitchen that needed expansion.

The Solution to these issues was to have the craftsmen at RR Chandler dismantle the existing hutch and the incredible box beams. Then, after the wall was moved, we reassembled the cabinet on the opposite side of the dining room and carefully cut the box beams to fit the new smaller but still highly functional dining room.

This created the space needed for the larger kitchen, breakfast nook, and powder bathroom.

Speaking of kitchens, this is one of our favorites. It includes satin off-white shaker-style doors in a classic flush-inset design, with Pental quartz countertops on perimeters in a classic L-Shape. We finished it with a light grey 3×6 subway tile giving a fresh take on the classic subway-style backsplash. The kitchen is anchored by a charcoal-painted island with a butcher block top featuring a live edge. With the island in the center, the kitchen takes full advantage of the additional square footage from removing the dining room wall, which allowed the wonderful breakfast nook with the same butcher block as the island countertop. We were also able to fit a small pantry storage and a powder bathroom. Jenn-Aire professional grade appliances, matching Chrome hardware from Rejuvenation, and Shaw’s Original farm sink allow for a modern yet Classic period kitchen that is perfect.

On the Second level, two smallish bedrooms in the front of the home were combined to create a perfectly proportioned primary suite, and a French door was added to allow access to an incredible second-story deck over the large covered porch that is the defining detail of the exterior of the home. A guest suite was created by stealing space from a hall closet, and a second-story laundry was added with just enough room for a stackable washer and dryer. We fully renovated the one existing full-sized bathroom giving the upstairs three full bathrooms as opposed to the original one full bath that this young family of four previously shared. The final piece upstairs was converting an old sun porch predominant in these turn-of-the-century Old Portland homes into a fully functional bedroom for their youngest daughter. Architect Aram Irwin designed a super cool, functional built-in bunk bed with attached storage. It is both beautiful and functional. We left the shiplap ceiling and the original siding on the walls to keep their original charm.

The home’s exterior footprint was left untouched except for a minor bump out in the back of the home to accommodate a small but efficient office/workspace. The chimney was tuck-pointed and rebuilt above the roofline. The existing balcony was given a water-proof membrane that could be walked on, and a new railing to match the original was added. New siding was installed throughout. Finally, we added an incredible back deck with all the same architectural features as the original home, but modern engineered decking was installed for durability. Please browse through the Gallery and see the pics of this home in black and white and its modern, restored state. This house still has the original character of its early 1900s build but all the modern conveniences of today’s contemporary homes.