Design from New Zealand to Seattle, GRAY Awards competition winner and finalists in the Residential Interior Design category.
WINNER
Osmose Design designed the interiors for a 6,000 square foot family home in Portland, Oregon. The clients are an adventurous, entrepreneurial couple, who started a natural deodorant company. The design aimed to create a series of intimate installations layered with bespoke furniture and lighting and artist collaborations.
Begging for a connection to the outdoor living space, the existing windows in the great room were replaced with french doors to allow the living room to transition comfortably from inside to out. The team designed and commissioned a large stained glass installation, fabricated by local stained glass artist Isaac Smith, on the upper windows to maximize the impact of the 20’ high vaulted ceiling.
As part of the renovation of the existing fireplace, the team designed a travertine slab surround and hearth as well as an upper tile feature. The tile motif was inspired by Carlo Scarpa’s tile relief designs.
The team worked with local sculptor Scott Foster to create a lightweight MDF and epoxy tile solution with a variable quality that is evocative of craftsman tile glaze but is an entirely innovative and different thing.
The built-in lounge, inspired by conversation pits of 1970s interiors, features an Osmose-designed velvet tiered and cascading custom lounge sofa and custom-designed Palisades green onyx coffee on a shag carpet platform, artwork by Leonard Ruder, and a light fixture coupe wall lamp designed by Joe Colombo in 1967.
In the power room, Osmose Design transformed the space into a traveling labyrinth experience with reflective mirrors that amplify the graphic interest and Prouve-inspired window screen. Inspired by the potential of Tom Dixon’s graphic tile design.
PROJECT DETAILS
Collaborators:
General Contractor : Grada Inc
Photographer : Dina Avila
Date of Completion: November 2019
Finalist: Albemarle Terrace House
This project began as a repositioning of a powder room and became a top-to-bottom remodel of a 1920s house in Portland, Oregon’s Northwest Hills. The firm relocated the kitchen to the sunnier side of the house and added a second canning and project kitchen to the basement.
"We strove to create a new character for the house that felt in keeping with the vintage, and to furnish it comfortably and welcomingly for our clients: a sweet young family of four," writes the team.
Since this was a whole-house remodel, the design team established a visual language for the house focusing on soft, approachable forms with considered, intricate details. They began drawing elevations and gathering materials that accomplished this aesthetic as well as the client’s practical needs for their family.
"We knew we wanted to have a soft tone-on-tone palette that felt peaceful and approachable with moments of contrast. We find the palette successful because all the colors—though mostly muted—are
complex with lots of different undertones."
The resulting home is elegant and refined and remains deeply approachable, cozy, and family-friendly.
PROJECT DETAILS
Design Team:
Jessica Helgerson
Alisha Borden
Andra Padilla
Collaborators:
Brad Lackey, Lackey Construction
Photographer: Aaron Leitz
Date of Completion: January 2019
Finalist: Beach Ryōsha
Lucas
A pair of homes designed to function as one. Throughout this unexpected family beach retreat, a strong sense of contrast prevails—between concrete pavers and crisp, clean walls; solid oak flooring and stained hemlock screens; cozy shelter and wild ocean waves.
The clients split their time between Newport Beach, California, and Auckland, New Zealand. They purchased this small beachfront cottage (property) in Del Mar, California over 20 years ago because it reminded them of the surfing beaches in New Zealand. With five grown children and a growing number of grandchildren, the couple wanted a weekend home that could accommodate their expanding family. As they began to plan the redesign in 2012, they acquired an old house directly across the street. Having worked with them on multiple projects over the years (including a private yacht and Auckland residence), the couple relied on the design team to refine the interior and exterior architectural style and overall aesthetic, starting from scratch on both homes. The team set out to design two homes that could function both separately and as one. Designed to be casual with a strong Japanese influence, all materials have rugged durability and it was important for the clients that natural materials be used when possible. Unlike most beach houses, the design is complex, the materials are bold and the custom details and furniture offer an intriguing, intense experience.
The project team didn’t look at the house in terms of formal spaces; rather they prioritized function and flexibility in usage. The resulting design accommodates parties of many sizes – from an intimate
weekend for the couple to nearly two dozen family members gathering for eating, resting, conversation, games, and socializing. The architect was instrumental in blurring the line between interior and exterior and programming the exterior spaces to function in conjunction with — and as an extension of — the interior.
Developed with the client’s love of modern architecture in combination with a nod to traditional Japanese architecture, the home has a strong connection to the environment and to the unique family structure. With seven bedrooms and ten bathrooms total, the homes were conceived as “fraternal twins,” inspired by the client’s two sets of fraternal twins. The result is two spaces with strong “family resemblance” yet distinctive, individual personalities. One example of this is the use of board form concrete both on the oceanside home and repurposed as the shou sugi ban wall lining in the adjacent home. In this way, the homes are unified through material use and set on axis to each other.
Many of the natural materials used throughout the home will weather over time, giving the home an earthy and organic feeling, unlike neighboring homes. Warm tones and floating ceiling planes in the great room ground the interior and offer a sense of protection against the sand and big beach experience. This tension between the outside and inside is really what makes the property unique – When you are in the cozy burned-wood lined kitchen of the back house, the beach feels very far away, even though it’s not.
As two of six children, the Lucases enjoyed designing a home that revolves around a big family and bringing insight into how a large family dynamic affects each design decision. The clients wanted to build a home that would allow the family to gather, relax, and unwind by the beach. The house(s) couldn’t be fussy or precious and needed to withstand the test of time.
The clients, who are avid collectors of Maori artifacts and contemporary New Zealand art, saw this home as an opportunity to showcase sculpture rather than more traditional wall-hung paintings. The use of art is minimal throughout the home due to the location and required durability. Each house was conceived sculpturally and the furniture within seen as usable sculpture. Everything is minimal and curated. Nothing is pretentious. The Lucases worked with several local craftsmen to produce custom furnishings and rugs for the home including a Hiroko Takeda handwoven throw blanket and custom
headboard in the main bedroom and a custom-designed sculptural table lamp in the great room. The design mixes in unique moments, such as the burned Japanese shou sugi ban, into a fresh and beachy
color palette.
PROJECT DETAILS
Design Team:
Interior architecture and design: Suzie Lucas and David Lucas
Collaborators:
Architect: Chris Light, CJ Light Associates
Builder: Sweig General Contracting Inc.
Photographer: Douglas Friedman
Date of Completion: January 2020
A family home holds many stories, and this 1905 manse had collected memories and recorded a way of life for the client’s family. Reimagining the stately—almost academic—environment for a modern and sophisticated young family presented a sensitive challenge and required artful exploration. While the clients would have been thrilled at the opportunity to live in a glass box with a white interior, they knew and conveyed to the design team that any change to the interior architecture could cause family grief. The charge, therefore, was to contemporize and brighten the environment, while leaving the original woodwork unpainted throughout. A sensitive, surgical remapping was in order.
For interior inspiration, she favored pops of color with an Italian sensibility; he was drawn to a futuristic, Northern European slant and a constricted, clean palette. The dark oak beams and paneling weighed in every consideration. The home’s main living space needed connectivity and an open lounge feel. The clients wanted rooms that lived together with inviting purpose, entertainment, comfort, and intimacy all key to the plan. The overarching design inspiration was based on an open and inviting boutique hotel lobby, with dining and club rooms adjoining.
The interior operations began with lightened hardwoods, the removal of excessive oak pediments, light-painted plaster, and a fully reimagined focal fireplace, a custom Mondrian-inspired marble and bronze configuration. Many of the custom furnishings—from the bronze handrail to the dining and coffee tables and vintage chairs—echo the curve of the home’s original Gothic arches. The entry hall holds a monumental Lindsey Adelman light fixture above an HPdesigned bronze handrail and delicate brass and slump glass console. A striking oil painting by Johnny Abrahams creates another entry focal point. The living room has a custom room-size Minotti sectional and marble coffee table. Mohaircovered Edward Wormley chairs and an Hoedemaker Pfeiffer-designed metal cube table. A B&B Italia glass bar cabinet and Louise Nevelson lithograph help anchor the space. Subtly patterned silk and wool custom carpets were added to all spaces in the suite of rooms.
The dining room walls and ceiling were clad in patterned rice cloth, while the den received a geometric-print cork wallcovering. Throughout, geometric and circular shapes appealed to the clients. An ebonized Belgian brutalist credenza with Carrera top provides the backdrop for a custom Hoedemaker Pfeiffer-designed walnut and brass dining table with gentle curves. The slab was handpicked with the client in Portland and fabricated in Seattle. Italian and Spanish midcentury chairs were reupholstered in leather and linen to complete the setting. A wall-sized oil painting by Jordan Kasey adds depth and impact to the room. The sultry mood of the den suggests a modern English clubroom. Vintage Swedish club chairs remade in oxblood leather contrast with a large-format photograph by Isaac Layman hung above a teal Chesterfield. Golden shearling and Italian printed velvet pillows accent the seating. A Tom Dixon brass and glass side table adds another modern layer. The covered terrace became an adjacent alfresco bar and cocktail lounge. The kitchen received a built-in banquette. A new integrated-marble powder room was added to the entry. A stairwell vestibule was newly paneled and painted, opening the main floor to the previously-unused lower level now containing a guest apartment, playrooms, and wine cellar.
Often, distance and a fresh perspective on heritage reveal a hidden youthfulness waiting to appear. This team of good stewards cultivated a sophisticated, comforting, and respectful new gathering place—creating the home the clients had dreamed of, while preserving memories intact.
PROJECT DETAILS
Design Team:
Partner Interior Designer: Tim Pfeiffer, Hoedemaker Pfeiffer
Designer: Holland Stephens
Collaborators:
Interior Design: Hoedemaker Pfeiffer
Contractor: McKinney Group, Inc.
Custom Metal Work: Decorative Metal Arts
Custom Rugs: Driscoll Robbins
Custom Sectional: Minotti
Custom Pillows: LaFabrique
Custom Dining Table: Meyer Wells
Photography: Haris Kenjar
Date of Completion: July 2018
Finalist: Pries
This house was originally designed and built by Lionel Pries in 1930. He was an innovative designer and architect with an appreciation for design movements of the past, particularly in Mexico. His affinity for
the Spanish/Mexican influence can be clearly seen in this house from the clay tile roof to the Mexican themed cast stone lintel over the front door.
"Our clients came to us with a desire to improve the inherent aesthetic qualities of the house while also imparting a modern aesthetic. Additionally, the house was in significant need of floor plan rework to
improve circulation and spatial connections for modern living," writes Hoedemaker Pfeiffer. Several remodels over the years created a mishmash of stylistic choices and a maze of rooms which diminished the home's original character.
Drawing from the historical influence imparted by Pries, Hoedemaker Pfeiffer drew from their favorite elements of Spanish and European design to create a unique aesthetic that felt true to the original house while also being fresh and modern. A large addition was added at the back of the house to make space for the larger kitchen, new sunroom, and butler pantry along with an additional bedroom suite on the second floor. Additional tweaks were made throughout the rest of the house to create a modern floor plan all the while paying special attention to blur the lines between the old and new. New materials such as steel windows and brick and clay roof tile were carefully selected to blend in with the existing material of the house.
Though the house is in a historic, traditional neighborhood in Seattle, the client wanted the interiors of the house to be anything but. Each room is sprinkled with midcentury standouts such as Guillerme et Chambron, Charles Dudouyt, Arne Norell, and others. Sitting among colorful artworks from a variety of time periods and genres, the vibe of the home is far from conventional.
PROJECT DETAILS
Design Team:
Steve Hoedemaker – Partner (Architecture)
Kelly Jimenez – Principal Architect
Tim Pfeiffer – Partner (Interiors)
Peak Petersen – Senior Interior Designer
Collaborators:
Contractor: Lockhart Suver
Landscape: Cambium Landscape
Interior Designer: Hoedemaker Pfeiffer
Structural Engineer: Malsam Tsang
Lighting Designer: Brian Hood Lighting Design
Photographer: Haris Kenjar
Date of Completion: June 2019
After waiting to address the kitchen of their 1903 farmhouse until multiple bathrooms and an attic remodel were completed, the clients passed an image of verdant wallcovering across the table to the design team during their initial meeting. It was so magical, the team decided to let the wallcovering drive the design. Perched into the hillside of Northwest Portland and surrounded by Forest Park, it made perfect sense to bring that greenery inside the house.
The team carefully evaluated the space and decided to remove an awkward wall between the sunroom and kitchen, expanding the visual feel of the kitchen. A small area to the east of the kitchen became a workstation, allowing for additional storage without detracting from the beauty of the new design. Inset cabinet doors with traditional cup pulls and brass accents offer a nod to the original architecture and long walnut shelves spanning the window add a modern touch and privacy. The theme continues with the choice of tile and stone. The traditional hex-shaped floor tile, modern application of the linear tile splash and wall treatments are striking examples of old meets new.
PROJECT DETAILS
Design Team:
Donna DuFresne
Megan Kearns
Collaborators:
Petrina Construction
Cutting Edge Custom Cabinets
Milan Stoneworks
Basco
Photographer: Christopher Dibble
Date of Completion: August 2019
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