Turning A Midcentury Portland Abode Into A Forever Home

Initially, husband-and-wife Jeff and Jenny Guggenheim’s clients thought that the Southwest Portland abode they purchased needed only a small amount of work. That thinking changed after the architect-and-designer duo’s first site visit. “We had a heart-to-heart with them about what it would take to make this a forever home,” Jenny explains. “And what started as a kitchen update turned into a full remodel and addition.”

The owners, who have two children, sought a sense of connection, both inside and outside. In its previous iteration, the midcentury daylight ranch had an inefficient, compartmentalized layout and didn’t engage with the outdoors. “We had to figure out how to turn the interior and backyard-facing façade into something extraordinary,” Jenny says.

Rather than planning a large addition and blowing open the interior, the Guggenheims and their colleague, project manager Reid Leslie, thought strategically. “It’s not always about having more space; it’s about using the space you have meaningfully,” Jenny notes. With that in mind, the team, including general contractor Hamish Murray, thoughtfully prioritized the residence’s primary areas. Instead of a large, lofty foyer that would eat into square footage, for example, they opted for a more compact entry zone through the walnut-and-steel front door.

To the right of the entry, what the team calls a “thickened wall” clad in white oak both screens and connects the dwelling. “When you’re moving through the house, you don’t see everything all at once,” Jeff explains. “It lends a feeling of enclosure, comfort and general warmth.” The wall conceals the kitchen on the right and leads into the open dining area, which connects to the living room. “This is a function of not having excess square footage: Some of the circulation zone is also a room,” Jenny says.

The living area is the heart of the home and where the family’s love of books becomes apparent—they save every novel they read, so having plenty of shelving was a top priority. There are also multiple reading zones, including a generous sectional and a pair of window seats—one by the fireplace and another cantilevered over the backyard. Along with the clerestory windows integrated into the shelves, the move offers the outdoor engagement the clients craved.

“We appreciate modern detail and clean lines,” Jeff explains, “but we like to layer on the warmth of natural wood and textiles.” The visual temperature is enhanced with a rich walnut island and white oak used not only on the floors throughout but also on the living room ceiling, in the built-ins and for the stair rail. All the wood surfaces are finished in a clear stain to honor the material’s essential character.

The tile choices also reflect an honesty with materials. “You see the irregularity in them,” Jenny says, referencing the kitchen tiles. Upholstery textiles selected for their inviting hand and understated hues as well as leather on the kitchen and dining seating further emphasize a natural approach. Brass accents provide a polished counterpoint.

Some of the biggest moves happened on the rear façade. “We needed to create the large, covered outdoor spaces that all Pacific Northwest families need and want,” Jenny explains. On the upper level, the dining area opens to an expansive deck, sheltered from the elements by a generous overhang pierced by a pair of skylights. In turn, the deck and living room addition shelter a lower-level hot tub and outdoor shower on one side and a fireplace and gathering spot on the other. There, says landscape designer Lauren Hall-Behrens, “We designed a raised steel planting bed to delineate space between the hot tub and main patio, which also gives a feeling of being surrounded by plants.”

This is a family for whom the concept of home has a deep meaning, so much so that the husband has three tattoos of special dwellings on his person—a cabin where his wife spent much of her youth, the fishing hut where he proposed to her, and his parents’ house (a residence also designed by the Guggenheims). Their recently completed abode has a special place in the family’s collective heart. “I love the sense of connectivity and autonomy it has, allowing us to gather but also to be ‘alone together,’ ” he notes. “We wanted a forever home that would carry us through the time when our sons are with us and then to live out our years here, and we are so grateful that that is what we got.”