Asmund Tweto
asmund@twetoarch.com
503.953.0742
Portland, OR
NE 23rd Kitchen
Tweto Architecture was asked to redesign the kitchen and add a bathroom to the second floor of this classic NE Portland Home. The bathroom will be completed at a later phase, and the kitchen was completed in early 2024. The clients wanted a serene, simple, and light palette to contrast and complement the dark-stained woodwork of the rest of the house.
Most of this wonderfully detailed craftsman home is well-preserved, with original windows and trim throughout. In contrast, the kitchen had been changed over the years with disjointed finishes and a poor layout. A wall and doorway separated the kitchen sink and counter from the rest of the kitchen. The low sills on the two north facing windows and the back door location left almost no space for counters and the range was left floating in the space. A poorly integrated refrigerator stood alone along the south wall.
The kitchen was remodeled to improve flow, functionality and maximize light. The wall separating the sink area from the kitchen was removed and the door to the exterior was moved around the corner to allow for a functional U-shaped kitchen and improve flow to the dining room. The new door enters towards the dining room with a new built-in bench with storage and countertop with storage is well situated on the path to the dining room. A deep wall of full-height cabinets provides ample storage and includes a panel-ready refrigerator and integrated coffee station. Shallow, built-in, recessed shelves fill the wall of the hallway between the entry and kitchen. New windows sized to allow for the sink and counter maintain light and views at the new sink location.
The trim in the kitchen matches the rest of the house in detailing but is painted, to transition to the kitchen space. White-washed white oak slab cabinets with push latches reinforce the minimalist but warm look. The Off-white quartz countertop material forms the backsplash over the range and blends with the lime plaster backsplash in the rest of the kitchen. Floating white-oak shelves on each side of the built-in hood complete the composition.
Contractor: Phillip Manley Construction
Photography: 22 Pages Photography
Cabinetry: George Ramos Woodworking