Sill Design takes a phased approach to refresh a historic Laurelhurst home.
Designer: Sill Design
General Contractor: CODA Construction
Engineering Architect: a/A architecture
Custom Cabinetry: Jim Cardinale
Photographer: Eric Masters
Photoshoot Stylist: Jorie Garcia
Lighting Specialist: ProTech
Nestled in Portland’s historic Laurelhurst neighborhood, this 1928 Tudor Revival home was ready for a fresh chapter. The homeowners, a busy, modern family, wanted to revive the charm of their home while making it more functional and inviting for everyday life.
Enter the team at Sill Design, who took a phased approach to the project, starting in the basement with a custom-built media cabinet that set the tone for elevated comfort and utility. On the upper floors, upgraded finishes and a curated full-home furniture package brought warmth, softness, and timeless style to each space, while a reimagined kitchen layout and new mudroom addition helped streamline the flow of the family’s daily routines without compromising character.
The heart of the project was about balance—honoring the home’s original architecture while introducing smart, modern updates. From thoughtful storage solutions to lightening up dark, heavy tones, every detail was considered to help the homeowners feel more at home in a space that now truly reflects them.
For the living room refresh, the goal was to preserve the fireplace’s original charm while adding brightness and functionality. The existing wood mantle remained the anchor, its warm tone grounding a lighter palette. “Cream trim, initially debated, lifted the room and added the softness our clients wanted,” says interior designer Taura-Vivian Deacon of Sill Design. Wood elements were reintroduced in the fireplace surround, custom media center, and entry portal to keep the space connected to its historic warmth. New sculptural sconces bring a modern touch without overshadowing the architecture. The result is a room that honors its past while feeling brighter, more functional, and ready for everything from slow mornings by the fire to family movie nights.
“The kitchen was the most significant transformation, redesigned to respect the home’s historic character while introducing the modern elements the homeowners loved,” Deacon says. “We matched the original wood floors for continuity, then reworked the entire layout to improve storage, counter space and circulation.” Load-bearing walls between the kitchen and dining room were replaced with concealed ceiling beams, allowing walls to be open and shifted to unify what had been a fragmented space. The result is a bright, functional kitchen featuring full-height storage, a sculptural brass hood, a soapstone island with a statement pendant above, and a dedicated beverage station—all coming together as the true heart of the home.
In collaboration with a/A architecture, the Sill team designed a light-filled mudroom just off the kitchen—an inviting transition space that adds function, brightness, and a touch of daily delight. To ease the renovation process, the foundation was excavated and poured before the homeowners moved out, reducing disruption and accelerating the most intensive phase of construction. Inside, a sweeping skylight washes the space in natural light, transforming a traditionally utilitarian zone into a bright, uplifting moment in the home. Durable finishes stand up beautifully to Portland’s muddy winters, while custom storage brings order to the daily comings and goings. A warm, cohesive palette bridges the new addition with the adjacent kitchen, creating a space that feels both fresh and seamlessly rooted in the home’s design story.
Functionality meets artful wall decor with three adjoining tall Eaton walnut hook racks from Rejuvenation. Natural slate Clé tiles in a herringbone pattern add depth to the small space.
A custom built-in with a solid walnut top was designed to complement an existing niche in the dining room, where simplicity and cohesion were the guiding principles. “We wanted the space to feel connected to the rest of the home—brightened and updated, yet still grounded in its historic bones,” Deacon says. Framed by a pair of charming sconces by Cedar & Moss, the piece creates a subtle focal point that elevates the space without overwhelming it, perfectly balancing old and new.
