Home Tour (text version)
Below is a list of areas in our home and the design ideas we have for those areas.
- Windows - For Comfort and Savings
- Bedroom - Personal Retreat
- Home Office - Balancing Needs
- Kitchen - Major Makeover
- Bathroom - Tropical Get-away
- Lighting - Function and Efficiency
- Closet - Maximum Storage
- Dining - Creating Space
- Media Area - Central but Hidden
- Storage - Key to Small Spaces
- Altar - A Place for Spirit
- Indoor Garden - Bringing the Outside In
- Entry - Compact Space, Many Needs
- Porch - Covered Outdoor Spaces
Windows - For Comfort and Savings
The decision to replace windows in an older building is a complex one. Bottom line, we opted to make the rather large financial investment and replace our problematic 100-year old windows with low-e, argon-filled, dual-glazed wooden windows that matched the detailing of the original windows. This made a dramatic difference keeping the heat in and, just as important on th west side, keeping the heat out in the summer. In addition, our place is less drafty, easier to ventilate, and much quieter. We received a tiny rebate from Energy Trust, since we did this in conjunction with adding ceiling insulation. The bigger savings will come from the reduction in our energy bill.
Bedroom - Personal Retreat
Bedrooms are primarily a place to rest, so we always avoid combining it with active uses and electronics like a TV, especially near the bed. Our bedroom is not large and our greatest need is for clothes storage. We found locally made bare wood nightstands and a dresser with lots of drawers and lightly stained them with Aglaia natural finishes. The light color and the simple lines of the furniture prevent them from over-whelming the space and we made sure their size didn't block the pathway around the bed.
We painted the room a calm green and hung yellow gauze curtains that make every morning a sunny morning. On the walls we have images that inspire us as we wake up and the shooting star of tiny string lights is earthquake-safe and perfect for romantic evenings.
Home Office - Balancing Needs
Since we work out of our home we wanted our office to be a space we really enjoy. The dining area with two big windows was the choice spot, so we created an alternative dining area.
To better fit our office in with the rest of our home, we selected furniture that did not telegraph "office". A tansu chest houses many of our office supplies while shelves under our custom-made desk/dining table hide cords and computers when they aren't in use. A bench beneath the window keeps our work area uncluttered. Bigger office equipment like file drawers are in the walk-in storage closet a few steps away.
Kitchen - Major Makeover
By slightly reconfiguring the kitchen with a smaller refrigerator (see "Dining") we were able to gain valuable counter space and storage. We kept much of the existing base cabinetry and donated the rest. The new cabinets and trim are made from salvaged wood and wheatboard and mimic the original architectural features. Solid door cabinets minimize visiable kitchen clutter as viewed from the office and living room.
The formica counters were tiled over as a durable, cost effective and relatively eco-friendly solution. We kept the sink, stove and dishwasher since they are still serviceable and can be replaced later.
We removed the vinyl flooring and refinished the original fir floors after repairing them with salvaged boards. Wood isn't the most durable flooring material in a kitchen, hence the washable area rug in front of the sink.
Bathroom - Tropical Get-away
Inspired by a palm tree studded shower curtain, we decided to create a tropical themed bathroom to warm our souls on gray mid-winter mornings. We painted the lower parts of the walls a warm orange and hung vintage posters of Hawaii. Good lighting, a place for reading material, and a system for drying things in the claw foot tub were other design goals for this smallest of our rooms. We also replaced the existing vinyl floor with linoleum. Towels and non-daily toiletries live in a closet right outside the bathroom.
Lighting - Function and Efficiency
Since we changed the shapes and uses of the rooms, we needed to change the lighting. We replaced the halogen track lighting with locally made period-style fixtures in the bathroom and kitchen. Since we wanted a ceiling fan, we used unobtrusive canned lights in the adjacent areas (see "Home Office"). We put most of the lights on separate switches so we can light up just those portions of the room we want.
We experimented with different bulbs before finding ones we liked that fit our needs. We have "warm" compact fluorescents (vs. "daylight") in the fixtures we leave on for extended periods.
After the electrical work was completed, we had insulation blown into the attic. This made a huge difference in comfort and was one of the easiest and least expensive weatherization steps to take.
Closet - Maximum Storage
The only bedroom closet for the two of us originally had a single clothes pole and a rough wooden shelf that didn't make good use of the closet's depth or height. We put a full set of adjustable wire shelves along the back of the closet with room for hanging full-length garments. In front of this we put two poles, high and low, for our daily clothes. Best of all, we added a light that means we can now see and use every nook and cranny. It's amazing how much we fit into this closet! The bedroom dresser and the hooks in the entry hall provide just the space we need for the rest of our clothes.
Dining - Creating Space
Since we planned to use the original dining area for our home office, we needed to create a new dining area. The hallway was dark and superfluous given we only have 769 sf, so we took down the walls between the kitchen, the hall and our "office" and made space for a 42 inch round dining table that can seat up to four people. The large, light-filled space that we created not only meets our daily needs, but it is easily adapted to larger social gatherings as well as bigger work projects.
In addition to removing walls, we pulled up the vinyl flooring in the kitchen and refinishing the original fir floors to match the floors elsewhere, and added new ceiling lights.
The walls in the kitchen, dining and living spaces are painted with a non-voc, light yellow paint that bounces light well and is a warm tone we enjoy.
Media Area - Central but Hidden
We love to watch movies at home, but we didn't want the television to be the center of the living room. We placed the electronic equipment into a bookshelf and created a custom TV cover with a nice piece of fabric and safety pins (!). This is one of the most commented on things in our place, so we thought we would mention it here.
Storage - Key to Small Spaces
Our place is blessed with a large central closet that we have used for different types of storage such as tools during remodeling, and now office supplies. We installed a flexible shelf system that can be easily adjusted to meet these needs. Lots of same-sized boxes help keep it looking somewhat neat.
We have additional storage in almost every other room as well, usually doing double duty as a seat, bed frame, etc. Relatively limited storage also means rather frequent clean outs!
Altar - A Place for Spirit
Altars can be anywhere that you place objects that are special to you. We have several small table top ones in different rooms, but the largest alter is opposite the entrance to our home. We have combined artifacts from different parts of the world and change it from time to time as we set out new intentions, hopes and dreams. Probably the most important factor in creating an alter is the quality of attention to bring to it.
Indoor Garden - Bringing the Outside In
Plants are great for enlivening a space, cleaning the air and adding natural beauty. We created a small garden of potted plants and a fountain on a slate table we made. It is near the entry and greets everyone who enters.
Entry - Compact Space, Many Needs
We are lucky that our place has such a well-defined entry area. However when we moved in it was full of hooks that made it feel threatening. We removed the hooks, installed some softer feeling antique doorknobs for hanging coats and a compact chest of drawers for hats, gloves, and keys. A picnic basket holds extra shoes and a bench provides a place to sit. The dark carpet helps catch dirt and further defines the space. We painted this room a deep gold and added a stained glassed window to create a rich welcoming space.
Porch - Covered Outdoor Spaces
A good outdoor space was one of the things we looked for in choosing a home. With Portland's showery weather we thought a covered area was a good idea. Our building has lovely wrap around porches on each level that encourage a pleasant degree of socializing while providing some private space. Like many of our neighbors, we have created a small outdoor room in front of our living room windows for outdoor eating and relaxing. We also use our porch to house our worm bin and as a work space for messier projects like refinishing furniture.
