“We had begun working with the client…on a new-build project, but they ultimately decided they did not want to proceed with a new-construction home,” Alisha Borden, senior designer at Jessica Helgerson Interior Design, recalls of an early interaction with one Portland, Oregon, couple. “Instead, they purchased this home, and we…were thrilled when they reached out to [us again].” The house in question is located in the historic northwest Portland neighborhood of Kings Heights. It’s also a short walk from charming small shops and popular restaurants—making it an ideal city-set spot.
But for the couple, who have two young daughters, finding this hilltop property required months of searching. “We got a notification that the house had just gone on the market and we went to see it that same afternoon,” one of the homeowners explains. “When we saw the huge flat yard surrounded by mature laurel hedges, we fell in love.… Usable outdoor space is difficult to find.”