What’s it really like to work with us?  Will we keep your home clean and orderly?  Will we do what we say we will?  There’s no better way to have these natural questions answered than to talk to one of our current or past clients!  Recently, a prospective client toured one of our active jobsites and chatted with the homeowner.  We all had a good time, and afterward she emailed us this thoughtful note about the tour:  ”The bathroom is beautiful.  I think the style, craftsmanship, and materials are in line with our “vision.”  Your careful work ethic, attention to detail, and customer-centered design really came through.”  We have now completed a design for her and her husband and are scheduled to start work on their bathroom this spring.

We recently remodeled a condominium master bathroom.  The room had no exterior walls, so there was no opportunity for conventional exterior windows, but we liked the light transmittance and feeling of openness that windows provide.  So, we decided to install three interior windows between the shower and the vanity area.  They’re bronze anodized aluminum with frosted glass for a fresh, contemporary look, as well as privacy.  Something else to note about this picture:  We were careful to lay out the glass tile band, the middle window, and the lower towel bar so that they came together in a nice “planned” manner.  Getting those alignment details right can go a long way towards making a room “POP”!  By the way, the clients found that great teak bench at a Newport shop.

This could be your shower...!

Joel has been certified as a lead paint renovator, meeting the requirements of the new EPA lead paint rule.  Under the rule, beginning in April 2010, contractors performing renovation, repair and painting projects that disturb lead-based paint in homes, child care facilities, and schools built before 1978 must be certified and must follow specific work practices to prevent lead contamination.  Kirk Design and Construction is now certified to perform lead-safe kitchen, bathroom, and other remodeling work in older homes.  When you talk to remodelers about working on your home, be sure to ask them if they are compliant with this new law.

Joel has completed the lead paint training required for older homes.

This is another installment of our series showing how we incorporate our clients’ favorite travel experiences into their homes.  In this example our clients were struck by the Native American cave dwellings they had seen in the Southwest. (Click here to read more from Encyclopedia Britannica.) They like the spatial effect of small openings up high in a wall.  We were able to incorporate a stylized version of this above their entry.  The design complements their modern, geometrical home design, while creating architecture with personal meaning to the clients.  

Yes, this kitchen’s for the dog (partly!)  We recently completed this compact, but full-featured kitchen.  It features solid Maple slab-front cabinets, a new connection to the living/dining room and a modern aesthetic… but one of the most unique features may be the custom dog dining area.   This kitchen is in a small house, and the clients were tired of having the dog bowls out where they could be kicked, so the dog now has his own private eating alcove.  

As part of a job we recently finished, we reinvented this home’s entrance, interior and out.  This is a good example of what can be done with only cosmetic upgrades– no structural or layout changes were made.  Outside, we added a nice Trex front stoop and a cool stainless steel awning.  The clients love bright, warm colors and I think they made a great choice when they selected the new red doors.  

Inside, we installed bamboo tambour on the walls, and that new slate and travertine tile covers what used to be an exposed cinderblock wall.  

The overall effect is that what used to be an unpleasant space is now a fun and welcoming front entrance.  

Exterior, after

Interior, after

The November issue of Fine Homebuilding magazine includes a screw-painting tip I submitted 5 or 6 years ago.  I’d figured long ago that they must have decided not to publish it, so it was a fun surprise to see it in print!  I believe at the time I was building a custom side board for Joel’s sister and needed the screws to match the unique finish I was using.  You can click on the thumbnail to see a blown-up, readable version of the tip page.

You may recognize this property from previous posts.  We completed an award-winning whole-house remodel here about a year ago, and the client recently asked us to come back and create this statue shaped like a large Japanese lantern to display the house numbers.  One of the things I like so much about architecture is that you’re creating functional art, and I think this project fits the bill.  A home improvement like this is a fun and relatively inexpensive way to personalize the public face of your home.  If you think your home could use a more welcoming entry or some curb appeal pop, give us a call… we can make the design and implementation a reality.  

…which is a supplement to the November Oregon Home magazine.  This magazine is co-produced by the Oregon Remodelers Association and Oregon Home magazine, and we’re featured twice because of the two ORA awards we won this year.  You may click a thumbnail below to see a blown-up version of that page.  

Motoya Nakamura/The Oregonian

One of our projects is featured in the Oregonian newspaper today in the Home and Garden section.  The reporter, Bridget Otto and photographer, Motoya Nakamure did a lovely job of capturing the essence of this whole-house remodel.  In fact, they tell the story much better than I, so I’ll stop my synopsis, and you may click here to read the story.  The photo at left shows the homeowners, John Falk and Lynn Dierking in the image used on the cover of the print version.