Over many years, Arciform has teamed up with Carleton Hart Architecture of Portland, collaborating on historic preservation projects throughout Oregon. When one of the firm’s principal architects and his wife decided to remodel their elegant 1950s mid-century modern home in Portland’s SW Hills neighborhood, they turned to Arciform for interior design and contractor expertise.

As part of a phased whole house remodel, Arciform’s design team helped reimagine the main living spaces, bringing clarity and cohesion to the home’s layout.

On the lower level, Arciform built the front door and sidelight in our custom woodshop based on the client’s design. The goal was to bring more light into the entry and create a welcoming arrival experience. We also tiled the entry and office floor and built a small mudroom area tucked neatly below the main stairs.

Those stairs lead directly into the spacious living room on the upper level, where the design takes full advantage of the fantastic views and the west-facing balcony beyond. Throughout the main living areas, Arciform’s talented carpenters paneled the vaulted ceiling with tongue-and-groove vertical-grain fir, replaced the windows and doors, and framed them with simple, beautifully crafted vertical-grain fir jamb extensions.

The redesigned fireplace wall anchors the living space and features a blackened steel hearth, a plastered surround capped by a fir mantel shelf, and a stone veneer that clads the chimney. The plaster surround and fir mantel extend outward to form a half wall, subtly shielding the kitchen from view while creating a natural backdrop for a kitchen desk.

For the dining area, Arciform’s woodshop built a custom bar with open shelving above and storage below. A waterfall butcher block counter wraps around the bar and continues into the kitchen, visually connecting the spaces. 

In the kitchen, a blackened steel backsplash covering the entire range wall creates a dramatic backdrop for the open shelves on either side of the hood and the white solid-surface countertops. The white-laminated, exposed-edge shelving is double thick, creating a bold grid against the dark surface. Like the custom bar, the spacious center island is built of fir butcher block with a waterfall edge. This combination of steel, fir, and smooth white surfaces carry through from the surrounding spaces, creating a cohesive material palette.

Our clients love to cook and entertain, and the kitchen was designed to support both. Open storage options both above and below the counters provide easy access to cookware and serving dishes. While the hosts are cooking, guests can gather round the kitchen island, the nearby dining table, or the curvy breakfast table built into the custom corner bench.

The spaces remain open to one another yet are gently defined by functional architectural elements such as the back of the built-in bench, the bar’s projection between the dining area and refrigerator, and the half wall separating the kitchen from the living room.

Moving down the hall, Arciform remodeled the former main bath into a guest bathroom, keeping the scope and palette simple and elegant.

At the opposite end of the home, Arciform converted an extra bedroom adjacent to the primary bedroom into an en-suite bath and closet. A centrally located vanity wall divides the space into bathing and closet areas while allowing for easy circulation throughout. By paneling both the ceiling and the wall behind the custom floating vanity, and by limiting the number of finishes used, the vanity wall takes on a quiet, sculptural quality that adds a sense of luxury to the space.

In the shower, simple detailing and thoughtful use of materials help define each function of the room, resulting in a bathroom that feels both spacious and comfortable.

Throughout the home, the golden hues of fir millwork and oak flooring are balanced by simple white walls and natural stone tones. Together, these elements create a quiet, airy aesthetic that embraces the homeowners in comfort and light.