Perkins Architectural - Exchange - Recognition

The Oregonian Home and Garden NW, October 30, 2008
Story by Ruth Mullen, Photos by Marv Bondarowicz
.pdf of the original article

THE OWNERS
John Thoma and Randi Weber

THE GOAL
Thoma and Weber found themselves a bit cramped
when they merged their two families (and dogs) under
one roof in tree-lined Northeast Portland's Hollywood
neighborhood.

The charming four-bedroom and two bath residence
th at had been home for Thoma and his two children
for more than a decade needed to stretch to
accommodale two more kids, another adult and
another dog.

So they hired architect John Perkins, their next-door
neighbor to design an expansion that would allow all
four children - MaryThoma, 12, Harrison Thoma, 10,
Austin Nelson, II and Jake Nelson, 8 - to have their
own bedrooms. And while they were busy ripping out
walls, they figured theymight as well create a master
suite with its own bath , update the kitchen and add
new windows and foam insulation in the walls.

CHALLENGES
The architectural plans called for adding three new
dormersupstairs to accommodate a fifth bedroom as
well as an expanded master suite with its own private
bath.

The hard part was making sure the changes didn't
detract from the historical nature of the house. In
other words, Thoma (who has three years of
architecture schoolunder his belt) and Weber wanted
the addition to look "invisible" - as if it had always
been there.

The home would go from a four-bed room, two-bath
home to a five-bedroom, three-bath house. They also
wanted a roomier kitchen and office/computer area
with a large central table where the kids could spread
out their homework while Thoma and Weber fixed
dinner.

THE PRO
Hollywood-based architect Perkins knows all about
tricking out older homes and making them fit
seamlessly into the neighborhood.

SOLUTIONS
Perkins added a front dormer to what was formerly
attic space to create a fifth kid's room, and he added
built-in dressers and shelves in two of the bedrooms,
taking care to match all the original woodwork.
Another side dormer expanded an existing bedroom
so the rooms would all be about
equal in size.

What's more, everybody got roomy new closets with
double doors for better access, and Perkins also
redesigned the kids' bath, adding double sinks. To
create an open, welcoming space at the top of the
stairs, he moved a wall to open up a narrow hallway.
Now the second floor boasts a true landing, complete
with an antique armoire and hand-knotted rug.

For the master suite, Perkins captured space under
the existing roofline and added another dormer out
back to borrow six more feet - just enough space for a
new, private bath.

By comparison, the kitchen was a relatively easy fix.
Perkins simply took out a hallway to expand the
space, and he hired a cabinetmaker, Eaton General
Construction, to design a couple of space-saving
built-ins, one a self-contained office and computer
area, and the other a stand alone built-in buffet
painted black and carefully "aged" to appear as
though it came with the house. Even the long, central
table was custom made.

"We made it one big room," says Thoma. "Now
we eat in here 95 percent of the time,"

DESIGN TOUCHES
Each kid got to pick - and design - his or her own
bedroom, including the paint color. Luckily, all got
thelr first choice except one, and she got her second
pick - plus a sparkling chandelier that sealed the deal.

THE BOTTOM LINE
"It doesn't feel different," says Thoma. "It still feels like
home."