PDX, OR 2025

Design Notes:

Our clients had lived in their 1920’s North Portland bungalow for several years before relocating their family to Finland for a multi-year international adventure. Upon their return, they wanted their home to reflect more of the Scandinavian lifestyle they had adopted while away, and we were delighted to provide it for them!

The home’s front door opens into a large space where you first see a beautiful, yet awkwardly-located fireplace that didn’t have a natural way to enjoy it and the dining table was just beyond it, situated in the back of the room. Around the corner from the front door was a narrow corridor with a tiny closet where shoes and coats where being stuffed. Through a gorgeous archway off the main room, another space between the kitchen was being utilized as a living room. The home had heavily textured ceilings, not enough light, lots of dark furnishings, and was in need of better flow.

Our first step was to swap the dining and living rooms, which made more functional sense. Then we gave them a cozy seating area around the fireplace defined by layers rugs and strategically-placed chairs. We created an intentional entryway defined by a hanging room divider, a bench, and custom storage solutions. The living room was given a versatile seating arrangement to maximize connection, and the new dining room got a built-in banquette to anchor the sleek birch table and chairs. We capitalized on some of the great pieces our clients already owned like cork lamp shades and fur pelts that melded perfectly with their desired MCM Scandinavian vibe, and added more. A gallery wall of photos was hung above the dining room buffet to showcase their family adventures, and we found a selection of traditional Scandinavian Rya rugs for them to choose from as a living room wall hanging to add texture. The kitchen also got a wallpapered feature wall with a playful Scandinavian design.

Aside from the reclaimed wood entry wall and the L-shaped banquette around the dining table, the custom project we were the most proud of was upcycling their former live-edge dining table into 3 new stunning elements: an entry bench, a coffee table, and 2 leather-strapped floating shelves to give our clients the home of their dreams and the true Overall experience!