Houzz

Inside Houzz: Setting a Midcentury Mood in Portland

Eight years ago Robert and Amanda Nathan added 900 square feet to their 1950s home in Portland, Oregon, reorienting the living room and adding a couple of bedrooms and a bathroom. “We generated ideas old-school, from magazines and books, and simply clipped them out,” says Robert. It was hard collecting ideas that way, he notes, and not easy to share them once they did.

When the couple began brainstorming for their kitchen remodel last year, a neighbor introduced them to Houzz. “Originally we signed up just to collect ideas in preparation for the remodel,” says Robert. Then they saw Risa’s work. “We were looking for an architect that was easy to work with, had good ideas and appreciated midcentury architecture.”

The Nathans liked Portland architect Risa Boyer’s portfolio and valued the positive reviews past clients had left on her Houzz profile. “The fact that her own house had some midcentury furniture was a great sign as well,” says Robert. “Once we made the decision to go for it, [it] took about one month to decide Risa was the best fit for us.”

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