TRANSITIONAL TUDOR
A UNIQUE MIX OF TUDOR REVIVAL AND ARTS & CRAFTS DESIGN, THIS 1912 HOUSE IN PORTLAND, OREGON, REMAINED REMARKABLY INTACT.
comfortable enough in a bungalow they’d restored themselves, Hannah Callaghan and Bob Weaver had lived in Portland’s historic Irvington neighborhood for over a decade. Still, they looked out for grander homes going on the market: these are rarely for sale, and usually quite expensive. One summer afternoon in 1990, they heard about the so-called Nun’s House, just listed. A family named Brady, the original owners, had left the house and all its contents to the Sisters of the Holy Name, and now the Sisters were selling.
Designed by prominent Portland architect Joseph Jacobberger,
the exterior boasts a unique mix of Tudor Revival with Arts & Crafts details. Unusual and imposing, the stucco and brick façade has great curb appeal, with gables and bays, decorative bargeboards, Gothic tracery, and a deep porch. Built for Michael Brady, a railroad-equipment salesman, the fine house has its original chandeliers and wall sconces, glowing stained-glass windows, built-in bookcases with leaded glass, and even the carved-wood drapery cornices in the living room. A valuable, Birge & Sons simulated-leather wallpaper in the library had never been removed.
The Sisters had kept the house tidy, but there was work to be done. The exterior sorely needed new paint and fresh landscaping; aluminum storm windows and doors would have to go. Wiring, plumbing, and heating needed to be updated. Walls had been painted a drab, institutional green; the kitchen and baths, never updated, were in need of attention. Water had leaked into many rooms and ceilings needed replastering. Oak floors required refinishing. The striking art window—6 ½ ' by 7 ½ '—was intact on the upper landing, but it had been obscured under layers of dark-color glass, making the second-floor hallway dim and uninviting.
In the library, the M.H. Birge & Sons simulated-leather wall covering and the leaded glass-front bookcases have never been altered. The fireplace tiles and green-gold color scheme suggest Arts & Crafts inspiration.
The original blueprints were included in the sale, and they confirmed that nothing substantial had been altered in over a century. Hannah and Bob rolled up their sleeves, sensitively restoring the home. Knob-and-tube wiring was brought up to code; an energy-efficient oil furnace installed; and plumbing updated. It took two tries at reroofing to plug all the leaks, and then copper gutters were added as an elegant accent.
Original lighting fixtures, including leaded-glass ceiling pendants and handsome brass wall sconces, were restored and rewired. An early photograph of the living room, from the Oregon Historical Society, showed that there had originally been a pair of sconces above the fireplace, so period-appropriate replacements were found at Old Portland Hardware, with the assistance of consultant Bo Sullivan.