Everyone knows what a midcentury modern or ranch-style house looks like, but in which era? In the 1960s, the low-pitched homes populated tract developments, making them seem more cookie-cutter than customizable. As the kids occupying most of the bedrooms moved away, people who didn’t sell their home relished living on one main level open to a big, grassy backyard.
Some midcentury homes became time capsules of the 1970s, with heavy drapes concealing large windows, hardwood floors covered in wall-to-wall carpet and chunky cushioned couches facing white-painted brick fireplaces.
In the post-modern 1980s, architecture snobs sneered at the “granny ranch.”
The enduring elements of a single-story, split-level or daylight modern house, however, remained popular: the use of simple building materials such as wood, stone and concrete paired with windows and layouts that draw in natural light and the outdoors.
With renewed interest in midcentury modern, owners of vintage homes have stripped away decades of adornments to create sleek dwellings with “Mad Men”-swank. Redesigns have been guided by the era’s original intention to have inviting, flowing spaces connecting to nature.
Here’s a handsome midcentury modern that just hit the market: Awkward interior remodels of a 1960 house at 6323 N.W. Manor Drive in Portland’s Forest Park neighborhood have been replaced by thoughtful renovations conceived by the owners and executed by Epic Construction.
The 0.33-acre property is for sale at $1,585,000.
The residence now has slatted accent siding of Meranti hardwood, full-height windows framing panoramic territorial views and an entryway with a view corridor to the backyard.
On the main level are the living room, kitchen, dining area and three bedroom suites with easy access to decks and flagstone patios overlooking evergreen trees, native plants and pathways through landscaping by LANDLine Design.
The original dual-sided fireplace wall shared by the living room and dining area is clad in reclaimed Alder slatting. The same slatting is repeated throughout the house with 2,658 square feet of living space. Natural stone Quartz Carpet flooring was installed in three of the five updated bathrooms.
A bonus room on the main level is now the primary bedroom suite with a Japanese soaking tub in the spa-like bathroom.
A 1960 modern house in Portland’s Forest Park neighborhood is for sale by Jeff Weithman of (w)here real estate.(w)here real estate
The main level is elevated over a reconfigured garage and added family room, bathroom and storage. A Meranti hardwood deck, accessed through the primary suite, sits above the new garage.
“The home would be perfect for anyone who appreciates tasteful modern design, community and seclusion, and the solitude of the forest” in adjacent Forest Park, said broker Jeff Weithman of (w)here real estate, who listed the residential property on Sept. 13.
Weithman refers to the house as a “Royal Highlands Modern” in a secluded pocket of Northwest Portland’s Skyline neighborhood that “boasts a collection of other significant architectural modern gems.” He added that the location offers the best of both worlds: “The seemingly endless miles of the Forest Park trail system is just around the corner and the energy of the city, shops of Northwest, Nike and tech corridor are only a short drive away.”
Home shoppers seeking single-level living will find it here, he said, using upslope parking. Three outdoor living spaces and a flat backyard “should appeal to those who love to restore, relax or entertain in nature,” Weithman told The Oregonian/OregonLive.
All-electric home
Energy-efficient heating and cooling systems, double-pane windows and sustainable materials earning green-construction certification have updated this original “Gold Medallion Electric Home,” one of thousands of all-electric single-family dwellings erected during the post-World War II-era housing boom.
The successful nationwide “Live Better Electrically” program was sponsored by General Electric (GE) and Westinghouse corporations to promote electric power, heating and appliances. A brass medallion near the front door or an emblem embedded in concrete steps noted that the house was solely sourced with electricity.
“Medallion Homes” had cutting-edge built-in illumination, an electric range, oven or surface units, electric water heater, and add ons such as a dishwasher, food waste disposer, electric clothes dryer or air conditioner.
— Janet Eastman
jeastman@oregonian.com | @janeteastman
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