Architecture Wednesday: Portland Storybook Home

This home—listed at $1.9M—was originally designed by renowned architect Wade Pipes and has recently been enhanced with over $500K in high-end upgrades; perched high on a hillside, and  flooded with natural light, it offers breathtaking views of four volcanoes—Mount Tabor, Mount Scott, Mount Bullard, and Mount Pitt—and Portland’s iconic bridges and is within walking distance of Forest Park.

The living room with its cozy wood-burning fireplace & bookshelves is the perfect gathering space for memorable parties and is accented by new matching French doors that open to the outdoor space and the views. The kitchen is a showpiece, boasting locally sourced handmade walnut cabinets & countertops & complemented by 200-year-old reclaimed terracotta flooring from France; the adjacent butler’s pantry with a refrigerator and freezer drawers is the ultimate smoothie and coffee bar. The main level also includes a striking new half bath with House of Hackney wallpaper. The sunroom was re-envisioned with all-new heated Moroccan tile floors, French doors & built-in shelving.

Upstairs are four bedrooms, two full bathrooms, and a laundry room with access to the third floor flax space, perfect for another bedroom, family room, office, or play area. The remodeled lower-level apartment—ideal for an au pair or extended family—features an exterior entrance, new concrete floors, a fully stocked kitchen, bedroom, its own laundry area, bathroom, living room and wine cellar!

Meticulously landscaped outdoor spaces include all-new limestone pavers and a 700-yr old fountain from Andalusia! Additional upgrades include a new electrical panel, 220V wiring on Summit for EV charger.

One quibble? The kitchen feels disjointed with part of it being walnut counters and deep green tile backsplash—which I love—and then stone tops on the kitchen counter and white appliances; half the room is dark, and half bright. Another quibble? That garage, down the hill, behind the house, with an apparent tunnel staircase that leads up to the basement level, feels a little escape from Alcatraz to me. But the garage is wired for EV and has ample storage for bikes & strollers.

One thing I like, though I know some of you don’t, is a wallpapered ceiling; shoot me.

As always click to emBIGGERate…

Dwell

Architecture Wednesday: Cain-Wong Residence

In 1966 Portland architect Richard Campbell designed this two-story residence as his primary home on a sloping, wooded lot in Portland’s Highland Crest neighborhood. The house was renovated in two phases, from 2011 to 2013, and in 2018 to 2019, by Paul McKean Architecture.

The Campbell Residence—now known as the Cain Wong Residence, as it is currently owned by Aaron Cain and Annie Wong—is a blend of Japanese-influenced, beam-and-purlin vaulted roof systems and an elegant, exposed-concrete pier structural system; there are custom-milled windows and built-in furniture throughout.

Vaulted cedar ceilings, Douglas fir beams and a red oak floor make up the Great Room—living, dining and kitchen—on the main, upper level of the home. During the first phase of renovations the kitchen was fully updated with quartz countertops, 14-gauge stainless-steel backsplash, and new cabinetry designed to match the original millwork. Two under-counter KitchenAid refrigerators were added along with a new dishwasher, induction cooktop, and electric oven and a custom steel fireplace enclosure created a separation between kitchen and living area.

Downstairs is the primary suite with soaking tub, sauna, massive walk-in closet and private deck. There are three additional bedrooms and a full bathroom  on the lower level as well.

This is literally everything I want: midcentury, Portland, woods, moder … and just sold for a shade under $2M. This was only the second time since 1965 that the house has been on the market so I may have missed my chance!

Damn!

Dwell