Our Summer Road Trip Continues!

Holly Cullom • Jul 21, 2020

Cabin fever – we’ve all got it. Or maybe you have condo fever, cottage fever, or Craftsman fever, depending on where you rest your head at night. No matter what you call it, we are all tired of being stuck inside, looking at the same four walls for days on end. While our normal summer socializing might not be in the cards right now, outdoor excursions are a safe and fun way to enjoy these long summer days.


Continuing with our Road Trip Through Restoration series, we encourage you to check out the gorgeous locations below, snap some photos, post them on Instagram, and tag us: @arciform, @versatile.wp.

Summer Road Trip v2

THE DAY TRIPPER

Do you have a few hours to kill on a sunny summer afternoon? Explore a bit of Oregon’s history on this 2 ½ hour tour of three sites that ARCIFORM helped restore. (Click here for a map.)


Stop #1: Caples House

In 1870, Dr. Charles Green Caples built this two-story home from logs cut near Longview, Washington. On the banks of the beautiful Columbia River with a view of Mt. St. Helens, the Caples House site was originally settled by Dr. Caples’ father, John Caples, in 1846. The house was occupied by the Caples family until 1959 and functions today as a museum and historical site. Recently, ARCIFORM was chosen to replace the structure’s crumbling foundation with a modern concrete slab, preserving the structure.

Stop #2: Pioneer Mother’s Memorial Cabin


Built in 1931 to honor female pioneers and house artifacts from the Oregon Trail, the Pioneer Mother’s Memorial Cabin operates as a museum and living history exhibit visited by more than 2,000 school children annually. Due to erosion on the south bank of the Willamette River, the cabin needed to be relocated to higher ground. ARCIFORM hand marked each log before disassembly and rebuilt the cabin on the new site. New engineering insured proper fit and alignment of each log, creating a safer structure.



Stop #3: Gallon House Bridge

The Gallon House Bridge got its name from its history of being a drop location for moonshiners during the Prohibition Era. Built in 1916, this Oregon treasure is part of the National Register of Historic Places and is the state’s oldest covered bridge. In 2011, ARCIFORM was contracted to restore the Gallon House Bridge, which included a complete roof reconstruction, replacement of support structures, and detailed exterior refinishing.

Rest & Relaxation:

Grab a bite to eat in quaint, historic downtown Silverton on the banks of Silver Creek before heading home.


This longer excursion is an 8-hour round trip down beautiful Highway 101 and would probably be best cut in half, or even thirds, so you might want to spend a night or two resting along the way. Fortunately, two of the stops on this tour are great choices for an overnight stay! (Click here for a map.)



Stop #1: Fort Yamhill State Heritage Center


Built in 1856, Fort Yamhill had been left largely untouched for years, with only two of the original buildings still remaining on the property. ARCIFORM was selected to restore the Officers’ Quarters, which had been heavily affected by dry rot. Floors and walls were replaced, period appropriate interior finishes were applied, and wood doors and windows carefully restored to ensure that the historical integrity of this important monument was kept intact.



Stop #2: Salishan Coastal Lodge

Salishan Lodge, built by native Oregonian and businessman John Gray, was originally opened in 1965. Architect John Storrs and landscape architect Barbara Fealy created a beautiful modern resort that emphasizes locally sourced wood, natural light, and harmony with the Oregon landscape and seems to grow organically out of the coastal forest. The Spa at Salishan Lodge is a contemporary-style structure that was added to the resort in the 1990s. Versatile Wood Products built three large mahogany balanced-pivot doors, each four to five feet wide, to provide an architectural focal point for the design. Screens of architectural millwork were custom made to provide artful coverings for the aluminum windows.


Stop #3: Heceta Head Lighthouse

The Heceta Head Lighthouse, which was first lit in 1894, sits 200 feet above the Pacific Ocean. Visible for 21 miles, it has the strongest lighthouse beam on the Oregon coast. Versatile Wood Products restored the original wood exterior and interior doors, millwork, cabinetry, and flooring in the Heceta Head workhouse, replacing pieces as needed while retaining as much of the original wood as possible. One complex design for the exterior door specified a herringbone pattern on the interior and a four paneled exterior; this single door required over 187 wood pieces to construct.




Stop #4: Coquille River Lighthouse

One of eight lighthouses along the Oregon Coast, the Coquille River Lighthouse has had an interesting history. Originally built in 1896 on a rocky island, it was decommissioned and fell into disrepair. Versatile Wood Products was contracted to build ten new windows to match the original ones, using historic techniques and sustainable materials. Components were built in Versatile Wood Products’ custom workshop and shipped to Bandon, where they were assembled in place by ARCIFORM.


Rest & Relaxation:

Up for an exciting summer adventure? Stay at the Heceta Lighthouse B&B and spend the night in the lightkeeper’s cottage, right on the edge of the Pacific Ocean. If you’re looking for a more upscale resort experience, the Salishan Coastal Lodge offers luxury accommodations overlooking the picturesque Oregon Coast.



*With the pandemic’s continued disruption of normal operations, we recommend checking individual websites for current open times, available services, travel restrictions and important Pandemic related announcements before you go.


Portland's Architecture

A Century of Style: Portland’s Architecture from the 1850s to Today

By Anne De Wolf • 15 Sep, 2023
Since the easiest way to know the different styles is to understand the art, fashion, science, and industry of the times when they were built, you’ll also understand how Portland’s diverse architecture has told, and continues to tell, our collective story. History deepens experience. You’ll never see Portland through the same eyes again!
The Walter

The Walter: A Labor of Love

By Marty Hegg • 01 Sep, 2023
The next time you’re in the Mt Tabor neighborhood, hiking in the park , picking up plants at Portland Nursery , or ordering take out from Ya Hala , make a detour and drive up SE Belmont Street between 55 th Avenue and 58 th . Better yet, park the car and take a stroll. In the middle of the long block proudly sits the Jacob H. and Etna M. Cook House , built in 1892-93 and looking as handsome as ever. This historic home has journeyed through thick and thin, and current owner Lyrin Murphy is the reason it’s so beautiful today. Originally built as a Victorian in 1892 for Alexander and Maria Warner, it was one of several Victorians with small farms and orchards at the base of Mt. Tabor. They sold the home in 1904 to Jacob H. Cook, a local businessman and lumberman, and his wife, Etna. In 1909, the Cooks completed a major renovation of the home, transforming it into the Neoclassical style we see today. This was a trend amongst socially elite Portlanders, drawn to less-fussy, more open Colonial Revival, Neoclassical, and Craftsman designs, perhaps inspired by travels and exhibits at the 1905 World’s Fair in Portland . They often entertained in their home, hosting dance parties, luncheons, club events, and out-of-town guests. Their large-scale remodel helped push the area into upper-class status in Portland. Some prominent exterior changes were adding the main façade’s massive portico with Tuscan columns, a full-width porch and 2 nd floor balcony, and a smaller balcony at the 3 rd floor.
The Harlow Hotel

The Harlow Hotel: From High Hopes to Hard Times to a New Heyday

By Marty Hegg and Peter Herring • 05 May, 2023
The Italianate brick building – NW Portland’s second oldest remaining commercial structure – has had its share of ups and downs. Captain John Harlow, a Maine sea captain and co-founder of the City of Troutdale, built it as the Grand Hotel in 1882, hoping to cash in on the coming transcontinental railroad station, just blocks away. High hopes were soon lowered, as Grand Central Station (now Union Station) was delayed for fourteen years.
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Portland's Architecture

A Century of Style: Portland’s Architecture from the 1850s to Today

By Anne De Wolf • 15 Sep, 2023
Since the easiest way to know the different styles is to understand the art, fashion, science, and industry of the times when they were built, you’ll also understand how Portland’s diverse architecture has told, and continues to tell, our collective story. History deepens experience. You’ll never see Portland through the same eyes again!
The Walter

The Walter: A Labor of Love

By Marty Hegg • 01 Sep, 2023
The next time you’re in the Mt Tabor neighborhood, hiking in the park , picking up plants at Portland Nursery , or ordering take out from Ya Hala , make a detour and drive up SE Belmont Street between 55 th Avenue and 58 th . Better yet, park the car and take a stroll. In the middle of the long block proudly sits the Jacob H. and Etna M. Cook House , built in 1892-93 and looking as handsome as ever. This historic home has journeyed through thick and thin, and current owner Lyrin Murphy is the reason it’s so beautiful today. Originally built as a Victorian in 1892 for Alexander and Maria Warner, it was one of several Victorians with small farms and orchards at the base of Mt. Tabor. They sold the home in 1904 to Jacob H. Cook, a local businessman and lumberman, and his wife, Etna. In 1909, the Cooks completed a major renovation of the home, transforming it into the Neoclassical style we see today. This was a trend amongst socially elite Portlanders, drawn to less-fussy, more open Colonial Revival, Neoclassical, and Craftsman designs, perhaps inspired by travels and exhibits at the 1905 World’s Fair in Portland . They often entertained in their home, hosting dance parties, luncheons, club events, and out-of-town guests. Their large-scale remodel helped push the area into upper-class status in Portland. Some prominent exterior changes were adding the main façade’s massive portico with Tuscan columns, a full-width porch and 2 nd floor balcony, and a smaller balcony at the 3 rd floor.
The Harlow Hotel

The Harlow Hotel: From High Hopes to Hard Times to a New Heyday

By Marty Hegg and Peter Herring • 05 May, 2023
The Italianate brick building – NW Portland’s second oldest remaining commercial structure – has had its share of ups and downs. Captain John Harlow, a Maine sea captain and co-founder of the City of Troutdale, built it as the Grand Hotel in 1882, hoping to cash in on the coming transcontinental railroad station, just blocks away. High hopes were soon lowered, as Grand Central Station (now Union Station) was delayed for fourteen years.

Site Measures – Part 2: Documenting Home Systems: Mechanical, Electrical & Plumbing

By Sarah Crouse • 03 May, 2023
Measuring a home is more than sizing and locating walls, windows, and doors. There are many more complex parts of a home that need to be captured in order to set our design team up for success during the design process. With remodeling comes moving openings, walls and fixtures, which inevitably means moving systems. Mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems are typically hidden within walls and between floors, requiring a bit of know-how and experience to properly document, which is crucial for helping our design team to determine the feasibility and cost implications of our choices. Mechanical Systems:

Site Measures - part 1

By Sarah Crouse • 04 Oct, 2022
Remodeling is an art that requires many talents – of course craftsmanship and technical knowledge – but also creativity AND organizational skills. No other step in the process taps into all of those trades quite like as-built documentation. When we pull out a tape measure, we do not only document distances, but how pieces are put together. Knowing why a post is in a particular location, or noting that a duct bisects a space helps the team document the as-built properly and makes communication during all phases of construction clearer and more concise. While measuring a house might sound simple and straightforward, it takes a seasoned crew to be efficient! Our team has a well-vetted checklist of things to measure and note, in addition to an order of operations that helps ensure nothing is missed and our client’s time is well-spent. Here is a peek into how we go about collecting this data: HOT TIP: Make sure to take breaks and have plenty of snacks and drinks on hand. Making mistakes during site measures can waste a lot of time, so making sure everyone is energized is key!

Return to Romance

By Snow Blackwood • 09 Jul, 2022
As I walk to the door of Gretchen Newmark and Jim Gerber’s 1910 Craftsman Bungalow, painted in a pale yellow with cream and periwinkle trim, I notice I’m feeling a little nervous, but I’m not sure why. Jim is a nutritionist who spent 40 years as a professor, teaching nutrition and supervising interns. Gretchen was a dietitian in private practice, collaborating with other health professionals to help people recover from eating disorders. Now she focuses on her passion—spiritual direction. They’ve spent many years helping people find healthy paths in life. I decide my nervousness is just an artifact of this long pandemic as I notice their garden, full of vivid blooms that settle my nerves. My photographer Christine and I mask up as I knock on their door. When Gretchen opens the door, she immediately puts us at ease. “No masks, unless you prefer; we’re fully vaccinated,” she says. We are, too, so we gratefully remove the cloths. I remark on the lovely garden, and how nicely it complements their home.

In Good Hands: Project Manager JOE HOFFMAN

By Marty Hegg & Sarah Crouse • 09 Jul, 2022
Quiz time: which ARCIFORM employee was raised in Detroit, Michigan, has held jobs as a fine woodworker, a stay-at-home-Dad and sailing instructor before his current job at ARCIFORM?  The one and only dependable, often-goofy and incredibly patient Joe Hoffman! As one of two Joes and one of two Hoffmans at ARCIFORM, Joe definitely knows how to set himself apart and make a lasting impression on staff and clients alike.

Building Trusting Relationships by Design

By ARCIFORM • 09 Jul, 2022
Building Trusting Relationships by Design Arciform has been a premier design-build renovation and remodeling company for older buildings and homes in the greater Portland Metro area since 1997. From the very beginning, we set out to be the designers and craftspeople you could trust to achieve your vision. We aim to create a smooth, transparent process that involves you from start to end, and to deliver zero surprises – except the delighted surprise you feel when you see your finished project. For decades we’ve partnered with hundreds of people in the Pacific Northwest to bring their dreams to life. We believe that it is the relationships we build in the process of designing for you that are the real foundation of our success. Over time we’ve found that our relationships with our clients are similar to successful relationships we have with partners, good friends and family. They rest on trust engendered by the integrity of open communication, doing what you say, following up, and quickly making good if anything goes awry. So we thought we’d write a little about the ingredients that we think go into creating great relationships that, like our designs and work, endure. 
Fried Durkheimer House

By Saving “One of the Last of Its Kind,” ARCIFORM Preserves Portland’s History

By Holly Cullom • 09 Jul, 2022
The ARCIFORM team has been hard at work restoring the historic Fried-Durkheimer House , also known locally as the first Morris Marks House, and the extensive renovations are nearing completion. Recently, we were able to take a look at the progress and talk to project manager Joe McAlester and the ARCIFORM crew about this impressive Italianate structure.
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