Alberta Arts Craftsman
The Story:
This property has a big story for such a short existence. The home was built in 1998 as a rental property with an unfinished basement and 2nd story earmarked for future use. Over the years, the house changed hands a few times until it became subject to one of Portland’s most notorious predatory lenders of the 2000s. The property was foreclosed during the Great Recession and subsequently sat empty and neglected for years under bank ownership. The bank sprayed everything flat beige from floor to ceiling (literally), and finished the basement and 2nd story with cheap carpet, leftover fixtures, and no permits. That’s where OUR story with the property began…
BEFORE
The driveway was in bad shape, but there was a lot of good concrete and many places on the property in need of retaining walls
So, the driveway was repurposed for the front and side hardscape
Original house plans called for stairs straight up from the sidewalk, but they abandoned this approach in favor of access from the driveway. To honor this original vision, we relocated the steps.
Brick from a house previously on the land was discovered when excavating the backyard. This was reused as a wall topper along with supplemental brick salvaged from another property
We achieved the look of the original plans with a winding staircase connecting to the rebuilt porch. The board and batten siding from up top was mirrored under the porch to create covered storage.
This back bedroom was wedged into the original floorplan to maximize rental income. As a homeowner occupied property, we had to reimagine this space.
The room was so small, we had to break down a wall to get a good photo of it 😂
With no load-bearing elements within this wall, the whole room can be opened up and seamlessly tied into the kitchen.
This creates an auxiliary space adjacent to the new kitchen and outdoor lounge, becoming a hub for entertaining.
BEFORE
Dubbed a "party bathroom," we took the extra space in the water closet to install linen storage with room for a hidden amplifier to supply the in-shower speakers (next to the dual rainheads)
Given the abundant storage space elsewhere in this master bathroom, the trough sink was a place to make a statement.
BEFORE: Builder grade appliances, granite and dated Brazilian cherry cabinets.
![Peek-a-boo! I see the back of the range from the [carpeted] dining room](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/600f36a08401c222fd363200/1612991102558-WJN5WQ6RHM303696Y6LF/K2.jpg)
Peek-a-boo! I see the back of the range from the [carpeted] dining room
There is nothing aesthetically pleasing about this kitchen, and the appliances don't even fit right
An early generation of floating laminate flooring and all that beige
Tearing out the kitchen and pushing it to the back of the house in a position more likely found in the age/style this house is emulating
As the kitchen was moved into a previous informal dining area, we worked with the original window placement by incorporating low storage and bench seats into the plan. This reduces overall costs by limiting exterior alterations.
Lighting placement is important in big spaces because it helps define areas. Pendant lights over the island and a row of can lights delineating the walkway
The island bar was finished with a solid butcher block top. Cutting boards were a favorite plating option for the clients' cheese course, so we gave them an extra cooking/service option that would age well with use.
Typically, we would precast a concrete countertop before setting it much like a stone slab. But, for a thicker 4" profile, we cast this one in place by creating forms directly on top of the new cabinets.
The Alberta Arts neighborhood is known for its restaurants, nightlife and art scene. It was perfectly fitting to finish the most intense portion of this remodel with a local art find which was literally bought off the walls of a bar down the street after a long night working on this very kitchen.
The industrial theme of the kitchen was completed with nautical-style exterior light fixtures under the cabinets in lieu of the traditional, hidden undercabinet option.
The island pendants were crafted from antique miners lights (see the handles?). A bit pricier than the undercabinet lights, but the perfect style pairing.
Clients are big entertainers and cooks, so the bench seats provides a unique gathering space. The concrete countertops were stained, ground and polished.
Cookbook storage abounds for these avid collectors, and a chalkboard endcap for the nieces and nephews.
BEFORE: see the dining room in there?
With the kitchen being moved to the back of the house, this space is opened up to become a proper dining room
In the middle of turning a small, carpeted dining room into something that can hold a 10 foot table
If the fixture you need doesn't exist, make it. We procured 2 of these and mounted them end-to-end getting the length we wanted
Flow from the kitchen to the dining room is important for entertainers. There is buffer space, but clear sight-lines.
FINISHED
Pro Tips: Revere Pewter by Benjamin Moore is the perfect background for reclaimed wood, and when you don't have built-ins, match the table to your storage (wood species, metal finish, style, etc.)
BEFORE: the guest bedrooms were complete blank slates.
When you have multiple rooms with the same use, it's a great opportunity to distinguish them with a focal point. This is the map room.
This painting is what happens when you tell your spouse that you think acid-etched metal photo processing is cool, but forget to tell them you don't actually like the look. However, it ties together some important decor elements in the bedroom and hallway.
Welcome to the green room. No, it's not where our musical acts wait backstage, it's where we decided to use a sage green mistint batch of Revere Pewter which was too pretty to waste.
This massive basement bedroom was on the polar opposite edge of the home from the master suite. We turned it into a guest suite with mini-fridge and reconditioned cabinets from the original kitchen.
Vinyl flooring is making a comeback, but good sheet vinyl is still mostly an oxymoron. We replaced it here in favor of traditional penny tiles reflecting the historic homes of the neighborhood.
Tour the finished product!
