CURB APPEAL
Renovating a 20th-century home when maintaining historic charm is vital
When modernizing a home in a neighborhood that takes pride in its historic charm,
how do you decide which iconic features to keep and which features need an upgrade?
In the historic Portland Rose City Park neighborhood, one-story and low-rising classic homes line the streets. Architect Chris Barlow of Barlow Architecture Studio said he wanted to keep the character-defining features of this 1920 cottage and preserve what worked well, while also enhancing aspects of the home that needed to be restored. “The end product was better than just starting from scratch or ignoring the historical features,” Chris said. “By incorporating them, we reached a more authentic product.”
WOOD’S THE WORD
The home’s mix of cedar lap siding and shingles is accented with decorative wood brackets, banding and dentils. Wood railings line the bungalow-style porch, which Chris says is the home’s most prominent feature. Although Chris kept and expanded the original brick chimney, wood is the predominant detailing element throughout the house.
BLENDING IN WITH THE NEIGHBORS
The surrounding houses, many of which are also historic homes, are smaller with lower profiles. So Chris maintained the single-story look, tucking bedrooms and bathrooms into the attic, which lowered roof lines and eaves to keep consistent with the neighborhood aesthetic. “We had to be careful not to overbuild, not to have a heavy, dominant, in-your-face front elevation because it would stick out,” he said. “It’s sort of a well-loved front elevation that fits the neighborhood.”