A Portland Couple Decides to Make a Classic Midcentury Property Their Own

A Portland couple found a charming home in an enclave of brick midcentury properties that seemed to have it all. The only problem? Everything was in the wrong place. The living room was separated from the kitchen and dining area, and the bedroom and bathroom stood in between. The layout needed a complete overhaul, so the couple called on architect Risa Boyer to improve the flow. "We wanted to keep the original character of the house, but make it more user-friendly," Boyer noted. The plan called to remove one wall of the bedroom, which provided space for an open kitchen and dining area. Then, the team made the living room's brick fireplace double-sided, connecting the common spaces and allowing for cozy meals by a crackling hearth. In the rear of the house, Boyer transformed the former dining room into a guest bedroom, and the former kitchen became a den and mudroom. And finally, the team carved out a narrow but functional master bathroom upstairs. It was a project that required some nimble thinking, but in reimagining this midcentury beauty for a modern pair, the renovation brought this home's functionality into the present.