As recently featured in dwell, this MCM Forest Sanctuary is a private and restorative sanctuary to escape the chaos of the city or busy day at work. Unexpectedly close to downtown Portland and Beaverton, the home’s indoor-and-outdoor spaces flow seamlessly together creating a spacious yet intimate “Forest Bath” experience that surprises and delights throughout the four seasons. The home doubles in size in the summertime with five outdoor living spaces floating above, nestled against or jutting out into the forest. A warm home to invite friends into, we often set the lower patio as an outdoor theater to watch movies or listen to music underneath our magical ‘Totoro’ Tree.
Built in 1962, the Eichler-esqe modern, is striking and minimal in front and then drops down a story and opens up to unobstructed forest views in back, creating a “Forest Bath” living experience that blurs the lines between the in and outdoors, and is ever changing throughout the four seasons.
The custom renovations over the years, designed by its current owners & creatives, were inspired by the work of NW architect Tom Kundig and the simplistic sensibilities of traditional Japanese and Scandinavian design. Their work combines to create a fantastic and beautiful juxtaposition of traditional craft and a sensitive modern design aesthetic that harmoniously fosters peaceful living and amplifies the surrounding natural world.
THE ORIGINAL ARCHITECTURE
The home design incorporated many of the trademark characteristics that embodied the modern architecture movement that began a decade earlier in California by the work of developer Joseph Eichler and architects Quincy Jones, John Lautner and others.
To name a handful, the functional and efficient design elements used included a distinctive flat sloped roof line with tongue and groove wood decked ceilings and beams extending out to the eaves, covered patio and carport, a full cinder block facade with the exterior wall doubling as an interior wall and incorporating a decorative block element where it passes through to the patio atrium, only a few clerestory windows facing the street for privacy and many large windows fully opening to the private outdoor living spaces and forest in back, widely spaced post and beam construction and radiant heated floors. The open-concept – kitchen, dining, living room was well ahead of its time. Much of the original mid-century lighting remains in the home as well as built-in cabinetry in the upper bedrooms and kitchen. And the homes many inspired design elements continue on from there.
THE HOME AND RENOVATIONS
Over the last fifteen years, the owners have carefully built upon the architects original vision and created many specially designed spaces and intimate moments both in and outside the home. Their many custom design details include the addition of resawn cedar ceilings and walls, custom designed cedar cabinetry, desks and cubbies and numerous laser cut, black powder coated steel details – including cabinet hardware, shelves and finishings, window sills, and stairwell handrail. Most of the custom built-in woodwork is found in the lower level hallways, bedroom and bath, which you’ll get a small glimpse of in the pics.
The entry, dining room and kitchen have refinished fir floors and the rest of the home, except for the baths and laundry, have 100% wool, super plush, wall-to-wall carpeting. Lutron dimmers control the light quality and ambiance throughout the home.
The kitchen upgrades include the original clear fir cabinetry refitted with custom hardware, interior cabinet upgrades and under cabinet lights, stainless steel countertops with a built-in knife caddy that includes salt/pepper & olive oil services, cooking thermometer and cutting board, a dual stainless sink with dual Blanco faucets and filtered water, a Wolf gas stove with Ventahood and Sub Zero refrigerator.
The two main level baths were modernized this year and both include subway tile and Ann Sacks tile floors. The lower bath creates an experience reminiscent of a Kyoto spa with full Dorndracth rain shower, a Duravit heated bidet toilet, floor to ceiling partially frosted window with views to the woods, custom gridded teak floor and ceiling panels, custom cedar vanity with magnifying mirror and built-in towel & soap storage, antler towel rack and wifi speakers, and there’s even more to it than that.
Unexpectedly close to Washington Park, downtown Portland and Beaverton to the West, the owners call the property their “One Acre Wood” (.88 acres), and a restorative sanctuary to escape the stress of their workday. They say the home feels like it doubles in size in the summertime with the five outdoor living spaces floating above, nestled against or jutting out into the wood that they created.
The backyard living room under the magical tree is a beautiful juxtaposition of the untamed forest with a manicured modern playground – including landscaping integrated with Japanese maples, ferns and vinca, decks and walkways, Cor-ten steel planters, synthetic engineered all-season turf, an 8′ x 20′ custom built climbing wall and numerous meditative floating step pathways heading off into the forest and around the home. A warm home to invite friends into, the owners often set up the lower patio as an outdoor theater to watch movies in or listen to music underneath the stars and magical tree. It doesn’t take much to settle into this home.
This is a truly special home in a truly special neighborhood, which many have come to love. Your heart rate will immediately lower as you walk through the front doors and feel the architecture, the crafted details, and serenity and beauty provided by the forest. If you love nature and peace and quiet are what you’re looking for, you may have just found your place to rest.
DETAILS
Neighborhood: Highlands Cres
County: Multnomah
2021 Taxes: $11,822.57
HOA: Burton Dr. HOA
MLS: 21082507
HOME FEATURES
Year Built: 1962
Square Footage: 2305 with 339 unfinished potential (as per Healthy Habitat Floor Plan)
Lot Size: .88 Acres
Bedrooms: 4, or they can flex into extra living room space
Baths: 2.5
Living Rooms: 1+
Carport: 1
Wood Stove: 1
SCHOOLS
Elementary: Bridlemile
Middle: West Sylvan
Highschool: Lincoln
SELLER’S NOTES
One Acre Wood (.88 acres), a private restorative sanctuary to escape the chaos of the city or busy day at work. Unexpectedly close to downtown Portland and Beaverton, the home’s indoor-and-outdoor spaces flow seamlessly together creating a spacious yet intimate “Forest Bath” experience that surprises and delights throughout the four seasons. The home doubles in size in the summertime with five outdoor living spaces floating above, nestled against or jutting out into the forest. A warm home to invite friends into, we often set the lower patio as an outdoor theater to watch movies or listen to music underneath our magical ‘Totoro’ Tree.
We draw from the architecture’s flat sloped roof with wood ceilings, extended beams, wall of glass and long clean lines, that the architecture may have been influenced by the work of California’s renown Joseph Eichler and others and their modern post and beam homes.
As designers and innovators ourselves, our careful updates over the years, both in and out, have been inspired by the simplicity & sensibilities of Japanese and Scandinavian design and the work of Northwest architect Tom Kundig. The many custom design details include the use of clear cedar ceilings, walls, cabinetry & cubbies with custom black powder coated steel details and hardware. Rich teak wood is used on custom benches on the upper and lower decks outside and on the extensive finish detailing in the primary bath.The backyard landscaping integrates hardscaping with planted beds, Cor-ten steel planters, synthetic engineered all-season turf and numerous meditative floating step trails that lead out into nature – all creating a fantastic juxtaposition of a sensitive modern aesthetic with the natural world.
ORIGINAL DRAWINGS
ROOM BY ROOM DESIGN DETAILS
FRONT OF HOME
- Long and low, striking cinder block facade
- Decorative concrete block privacy wall with mounted planter boxes
- Sculpted “Magical” coastal pines set in natural moss
- Dimensional timber front walk decking
- Covered patio / carport
- Patio terrarium between living room and carport patio
- Ornamental maples
- Additional end of street parking
ENTRY
- Double-wide entry door
- Formal front entry with clerestory windows
- Custom switch panel with key caddy in entry
- Original red granite entry slab
MAIN LEVEL DETAILS
- Sloped box beam pickled fir tongue and groove ceilings throughout
- Wall-to-wall 100% wool carpeting
- Fir floors
- Lutron dimmer system
LIVING ROOM
- Beautiful E / SE light
- Pass through in-to-outside cinder block / decorative block wall
- Post & beam construction
- Interior beams extending through from interior to exterior
- Floor to ceiling windows
- Morso wood stove
- 100% wool carpeting
DINING ROOM
- Fir floors
KITCHEN (2010)
- Refinished fir floors
- Original built in cabinetry with custom interior upgrades and hardware
- Under cabinet lighting
- Stainless appliances
- Sub Zero refrigerator
- Wolf Gas Stove
- Vent Hood
- Bosch dishwasher
- Stainless steel counter tops
- Custom built-in knife caddy with salt/pepper, olive oil, cutting board, thermometer
- Double Stainless Steel Sink
- Water Filtration System
- Dual Blanco faucets
- Insinkerator
MAIN BATH (2022)
- Ann Sacks floor tile
- Subway tile
BEDROOM 1
- Cedar built-in closet & dresser
- Tongue-and-groove cedar paneling
- Vintage lighting
- Custom steel window sills (2022)
- Wall-to-wall 100% wool carpeting
BEDROOM 2
- Vintage lighting
- Built-in closets & dressers
- Custom steel window sills (2022)
- Wall-to-wall 100% wool carpeting
BEDROOM 2 1/2 BATH (2022)
- Custom steel window sill (2022)
- Resawn cedar paneling
STAIRWELL
- Custom steel handrailing
- Resawn cedar paneling
LOWER LEVEL DETAILS (2013 & 2022)
- Resawn cedar ceilings
- Wall-to-wall 100% wool carpeting
- Floor heating
- Lutron switches
HALLWAY
- Resawn cedar panelling & ceilings in hallways
- Custom cedar & steel built-in desk with shelves & drawers
- Custom cedar & steel built-in linen cabinet in hallway
- Built-in hallway bookshelves
- Wall-to-wall 100% wool carpeting
LAUNDRY ROOM
- Commercial heavy-duty Speed Queen washer & dryer
- Extensive built-in storage
- Additional storage nook
- Ann Sacks floor tile
- Patio access door
- Can lighting
BEDROOM 3 / DEN
- Floor-to-ceiling window
- Full wall built-in shelving system
- Patio door
- Can lighting
- Dual closets
- Wall-to-wall 100% wool carpeting
LOWER BATH (2013)
- Floor-to-ceiling, half frosted window with views
- Custom cedar & steel built-in sink vanity with drawers and towel cubbies
- Illuminated vanity mirror
- Magnifiying mirror
- Floor to ceiling mirror
- Duravit heated bidet toilet
SHOWER
- Custom teak grid ceiling
- Tiled floor with floating custom teak grate
- Custom built-in towel and soap storage
- Large rain shower head with side heads
- Antler towel rack
- Built-in wifi speakers
BEDROOM 4
- Resawn cedar ceilings with integrated spot lighting
- Cedar sleeping cubby with integrated lighting & sound
- Floor-to-ceiling window with beautiful views
- Custom cedar & steel built-in dresser’s, closets & interior shelving
- Custom cedar & steel desk on mobile Krown-Lab hardware rail system
- Custom cedar & steel book shelves
- Additional custom cabinetry available for north wall_ Wall-to-wall 100% wool carpeting
- Patio access door
- Built-in wired speakers
STORAGE ROOM
- Approx 276 sqft storage room with conversion possibilities
BACK OF HOME & GROUNDS
- Unobstructed forest views
- Giant magical “Totoro” tree / Douglas fir
- Beautiful juxtoposition of natural forest and modern landscaping, hardscaping, decks & synthetic engineered all-season turf
- 5 Independent outdoor deck/patio spaces, 2 up / 3 down
- Custom built-in 8’ x 20’ climbing wall
- Numerous floating step pathways through the landscaping into the forest and around the home
- Built-in teak benches up and down, one with custom Car-ten planters built in
- Built-in cor-ten steel planters
- Built-in planting areas
- North patio with umbrellas and built-in repositionable post slots
- Wifi Speaker
- Flood Lights
- Manicured forest grounds
- Japanese maples
- Vinca ground cover & ferns
- Deer, elk, owls, coyotes, racoon, possums & birds of many species have been spotted
SYSTEMS
- Membrane roof with EMF protection (2018)
- Decommissioned oil tank
- Main level – radiant heat floors
- Lower level – electric floor heat, with radiant from ceiling above
- Lutron lighting dimmer systems