Shell house is currently available for purchase.

The house will be featured on the front page of the Oregonian newspaper’s Homes and Rentals section on Sunday December, 4th!

Here is a collection of pictures after the restoration was completed: 

August 25, 2011

I just met with Monica Setziol-Phillips, Leroy Setziol’s daughter and an accomplished artist in her own right.

Here is what she had to say about the incredible Redwood front door that came off the Shell house: “This door was probably done in the late 60’s, very early 70’s. That’s when he did a number of doors. All of the grids (carvings) are the most desirable of all his carvings… It’s in great shape, it really is.”

The door is available for purchase for: $15,000.

WOW!

This home really has transformed since I started the project.  The end result is truly amazing.  I wish I could claim all responsibility for how great the house feels inside, but it is Frank Shell, the architect and longtime resident of the home that created this modern masterpiece.  I am fortunate to have had the opportunity to keep his design alive.

A couple days after I finished working on the house I received an email from Nickie Shell, Mr. Shell’s oldest daughter. She wrote: “you did a great job of restoring this house.  why does it matter to me?  I am the oldest daughter of Frank Shell, and invested a lot of sweat equity there when my parents and my sister and I worked on this house.  I am so thankful that someone with integrity recognized the potential of this house and brought it back to life.”

I am truly honored that Nickie (and her daughter Kate) contacted me to let me know how they appreciate the quality of the restoration.  Here are some photos of the house while it was being built and in during the “Shell family years”.

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The Home:

The Frank Shell family home was originally built in 1960. The home features original teak woodwork throughout, three atriums, and dramatic “saw-tooth” roof-line. Primarily a public/educational project architect, Frank Shell created his home as a showcase of a unique form of “pinch and open” relationship between space and light, creating a naturalistic yet modern placement for a family burrow. Rooms are exposed to light through one or more complete glass walls, oversize windows, and numerous skylights which compliment nearby atrium rooms.

Located within walking distance to the warm and family friendly Multnomah Village, this home offers authentic mid-century living with the advantages of 20^th Century efficiency.

When I walked into the house it immediately spoke to me as a unique example of modern architecture. Even on a dreary winter day, it instantly transported me to the bright outdoor culture reminiscent of the Case Study Homes of Southern California (1945 -1966). Here in Portland, there are so many great examples of mid-century modern homes, but this one, more than others I’ve been into, really blurs the lines between inside and out. This is a one-of-a-kind opportunity for me, as it is a one of a kind property. My goal with this project is to update the functionality of the space while respecting Shell’s design aesthetic.

About Frank Lawrence Shell, Historic Register Architect

Frank Shell received his degree in architecture from Washington State College. He moved to Portland Oregon in 1949 and began to work with two partners, Jonathan Farnham and Charles Hoyt, creating the firm Farnham, Shell and Hoyt.

Frank Shell deceased in late 2006, at the age of 86.

Public Works of Frank Shell and Associates

American Institute of Architecture biography listings for 1962:

· Reed College Dorm Cross Canyon Residence, Architecture firm of Farnham, Shell & Hoyt

· National Register of Historic Places and recipients of the AIA Oregon Chapter Merit award.

· Crawford Office building 1961, worked in conjunction with landscape architect David E. Thompson

· Estacada High School, Estacada Oregon

· Oakridge High School, Oakridge Oregon

Public Works of Frank Shell

American Institute of Architecture biography listings for 1970:

· Camp Arrowhead Wind Mt Girl Scout Camp

Tabor Heights United Methodist Church, Portland Oregon

I was called in at the last minute to GC this small counter top and back splash job in SW Portland.

The owner had already decided on her granite slabs and slate tile back splash materials.  I came in to make it all happen in time for her to host family and friends for the holidays.  If all went perfectly well, I could get it done in time!

What we encountered while doing the tear-out of the old corian counters and back splash was unlike anything I’d seen before.  The last kitchen renovation occurred the 1980’s and the quality of work was awful.  The cabinets were not up to 1-1/2 inches out of level from front to back and not even close to square.  The corian counters and back splash were simply laid over an older tile and hadn’t ever been secured down.  The dishwasher was so out of whack, the top shelf would spill out into the room unless the door was closed.  The list went on.  My job was to get this done in an expedient manner and within the clients budget (meaning, no cabinet adjustments).

We leveled the counters, installed a new under-mount sink, installed a custom fabricated stainless steel back splash behind the cook-top, upgraded the old outlets, and added under cabinet lights to highlight the new surfaces.

As you can see in the pictures, it was quite a nice change!

This 1906 four square home in the Sullivans Gulch neighborhood of NE Portland sat vacant for 6 months prior to Building Blocks starting the restoration.  Code violations, a failing front porch, and a general need for a top to bottom remodel made this house a perfect project.

You can read all about it in the feature article in the June/July, 2010 issue of Northwest Renovation: A home improvement magazine!

The project is 100% complete and was sold to a lucky family in less than 4 months!

Located in the Sullivans Gulch neighborhood walking distance to all the Irvington shops and restaurants on Broadway.
Every surface has been restored. All original character intact, with modern updates.
Period appropriate lighting and plumbing fixtures.
South facing, corner lot - LIGHT AND BRIGHT.
Stained glass windows in Living room, entry, stairwell, and Master bedroom.
Original wavy glass windows throughout house.
Eco-friendly. 95% efficient gas furnace, efficient 80 gallon hot water heater, new plumbing throughout, upgraded electrical throughout, non toxic finishes throughout, Super efficient spray in foam insulation in ceiling of 3rd floor and basement (this alone makes the house 30% more efficient!), everything that could be recycled, or re-purposed was.

Main Floor:
All original woodwork intact and unpainted - very rare, very beautiful.
Oak floors
Living room, formal dining room, kitchen, mudroom, 1/2 bath, and large entry room.
highlights: two pair of matching columns, pocket doors, huge windows with bays in both living and dining rooms, incredible new modern gourmet kitchen with pro jenn-air dual fuel range and cabinet faced efficient fridge and dishwasher.
Kitchen island cabinets and entry bench crafted from original butler staircase lumber.
Second Floor:
Three bedrooms. One is a master suite with an oversize walk-in shower with glass walls.
Hall bath - full period restoration. Fir wainscot, deep clawfoot tub, hex tile floor
Fir flooring throughout

Third Floor:
extra wide stairs with landing lead up to a huge newly finished bonus room. Great for kids, yoga, anything!

Lower floor: Full, dry, unfinished basement with lots of natural light.

The house sits above the street and has a stately presence.
Private fenced back and side yards.
Two car garage.
Outdoor living room with patio that opens into one side of the garage (ping pong anyone?)

Approximate total SF: 2825
lot size: 5000SF
Bedrooms: 3+
Bathrooms: 2 full, 1 partial

BEFORE PICTURES:

When the owners of this 100 year old 4-plex had a store built in their front yard, the builders built the roof too high affecting the whole entrance to the home.
We extended the covering over the entrance, and swapped the locations of the door and the window and rebuilt the interior step.

The original window was salvaged and we built a column to match the existing ones.  Cedar tongue and groove siding was used instead of the stucco to visually differentiate this area from the rest of the home.  We later added a custom designed covered seating area on the rooftop deck.

What a great project!  This started as a small modern home, built in 1947 - about 15 years ahead of it’s time.  We worked with John Cooley architect to design and build a 1400sf addition and 75% remodel after a couple of big trees fell on the house and did a bit of damage to the walls and roof.

Upstairs, the single bath was remodeled and a new bathroom/master closet was added to the master bedroom.  The kitchen and dining room were expanded.    Cabinets were all custom designed and built using black walnut.  A new open staircase was put in with a custom built railing.  All new electrical systems, plumbing, and heating systems were installed.  Large windows, skylights, and glass doors were used throughout the home to bring in natural light and allow for garden views from every room.

Green attributes: Whenever possible, FSC certified lumber was used for the framing of the house.  The entire home was insulated with no-formaldahyde blown in insulation.  Sustainably grown and harvested bamboo was used for the new flooring.  Countertops were locally made using recycled glass and concrete.  Low VOC paint.  All stains were water based.  Solar powered hot water system.  95% efficient furnace. All appliances are energy star rated highly efficient.

We took a cold partially finished attic space and made it into a bedroom suite complete with library, large bathroom, and office space.  We built in a large closet, hand made the period doors and put in four large skylights and two new windows to brighten the space up.  Taking out the old brick chimney really opened up the middle of the room.  The old steep stairs were replaced with a new longer staircase.  The stair treads and floating shelves in the library were milled from local old warehouse beams and the shower door is made of broken car windshields.

In the process of recreating this space, we reroofed, insulated, and put in both a high efficiency furnace and hot water supply.

The homes original deck was beginning to fail and it was time for something new.  Before the decking went back on, there was a lot of rot to take care of.  One of the fun challenges on this project was making sure the end product would match the feel of the mid-century modern house.  We accomoplished this by using broad horizontal lines for the railings, and matching the facia with the lines of the house’s new belly band.  The material on this deck is sustainably harvested mahogany and will last for a long, long time with minimal maintenance.  The covered deck, now feels more like an outdoor room than a deck.  The wood is very substantial and actually has the feel of an interior floor.

This house was a traditional four square with great bones, but had seen a lot of abuse over the years.  Layers of linoleum covered the floors, the kitchen was not usable, nor was the bathroom upstairs.There was a very tight budget for the project, as the goal was to rehab enough for the house to sell easily.

All of the floors were brought back to their original wood condition.  The kitchen was gutted and expanded into the old mudroom and a 1/2 bath was added.  New alder cabinets and granite tile counters were installed.  A wall was taken out between the kitchen and dining room to allow for a nice open breakfast bar/buffet.  The upstairs bath was revamped with a new tile tub surround, new sink, and a vent fan.  New paint was applied inside and out.   A large cedar deck was built off the kitchen in the back yard and picket fence was installed to define the large lot.

The house sold quickly!