May 28th, 2010 in Portland
Since the idea of prefab homes became a reality in the first half of the 20th century, the public has had a love/hate relationship with these factory built, ready to assemble homes. But for couples like the Murray’s, who are waiting for just the right moment to build their dream home on an already-purchased plot of land in Portland, Oregon, prefab seemed like the most inexpensive way to keep a roof over their head in the meantime.
After looking at hundreds of options, ranging from the not-so-nice $49,995 models to over-the-top fancy $250-per-square-foot models, the couple settled somewhere in the middle with the Ideabox. It lacks the customizable features of high-end models, but the smart design and reasonable price tag certainly made it the best idea for the pair.
For $85,000, they received 840 square feet of space with two bedrooms, two baths, living area and kitchen. Large sliding glass doors were also added to open to a deck, although this piece is sold separately.
...read full post →
May 11th, 2010 in Portland
When Tim and Sue Butler decided to upgrade from their condo to a custom-built home in Southeast Portland, they had one thing in mind: their bicycles. With both work and play revolving around the sport, the couple needed a design that was as serious as they are. Luckily, they found like-minded bicyclists-turned-architects to do the dirty work.
They settled on Path Architecture after meeting Ben Kaiser and Corey Martin, the heads of the firm, at a bike race in Canada. The first obstacle these two masterminds faced? Making do with a lot that was only 44 feet wide – that's five feet smaller than the normal size. So instead of building out, they built up to three stories, the highest the city would permit.
...read full post →
May 11th, 2010 in Portland
When Jason and Laura Steur Alvarez purchased their Northwest Portland home in 2000, they thought they would make do with just one bathroom. But after adding a child and a multitude of houseguests to the mix, they realized some reconfiguring was in order. The couple hired expert Paul McKean for the job.
McKean’s vision for the space is a bit hard to understand. Essentially, he imagined a giant modernist cube inserted into the master bedroom – suspended, actually, from the ceiling. If you look closely at the picture above, the bathroom is itself a six-foot-by-eight-foot walnut cube raised an inch or so above the floor. It doesn’t require the support of any walls.
...read full post →
May 3rd, 2010 in Portland
Taking her clients to see this Southwest Portland home, Janelle Isaacson knew that they’d have to look beyond appearances. The midcentury modern home hadn't seen a remodel in nearly 30 years, and the outdated materials made that clear enough. But she knew there was something great under the surface, so when her clients politely said no to the property, she came up with another solution:
She and her husband, Zolton Dubrawsky, would buy it and fix it up themselves.
...read full post →
