Check out our loft conversion portfolio page
Original Title: Loft remodel in Portland’s Marshall Wells showcases woodshop wizardry
Original Author: Zack Semke
Originally Posted on: February 19th, 2011
Loft remodel by Hammer & Hand at the Pearl District’s Marshall Wells features custom transoms.
Here was the challenge: divide the open 2nd floor of a loft space into separate rooms without sacrificing the flow of light and air throughout, and do so in a way that honors both the historic 1910 warehouse roots of the building as well as its 2001 modernist loft conversion.
Dave and Debbie purchased their two-story loft intending to divide the open, 600 SF second floor into a more useful set of rooms. But they were keen on preserving the beautiful natural light and air flow throughout the entire floor.
The Marshall Wells’ historic warehouse/factory vibe was a key selling point to the clients when they purchased the unit, and they wanted their contractor to honor that character in any design interventions they undertook. Dave and Debbie were drawn to the design vernacular of warehouse walls with operable transom windows above, so when they sketched out an initial plan and shared it with our team (M.A.C. Casares, Christopher “Coop” Cooper and Patrick Conrad in the field, and Master Jointer Dan Palmer in the shop) they were happy to discover how quickly our guys connected with their design concept.
“I was super impressed that they were thinking exactly like we were,” said Debbie. “M.A.C. came back to us with great sketches that really captured what we were after.”
There were three key design challenges to contend with in the project:
- To make the series of windows spanning two slightly angled walls look like one unified architectural gesture.
- To accommodate a pre-existing sprinkler pipe into the window configuration.
- To relate architecturally to the original warehouse/factory aesthetic with its incredible Timberline Lodge-like old growth post and beams, as well as the modern vocabulary of the recent loft conversion
Hammer & Hand was uniquely positioned to address these constraints cost effectively, quickly, and with integrity of craft by fabricating the windows in our own shop. Purchasing “custom” windows from a third-party manufacturer would have required an unacceptable compromise on cost, quality, time line or detailing.
So Dan set to work.
“The sprinkler pipe set the window layout for us,” said Dan. “It’s why we increased the number of windows from the originally envisioned five to the final eight – so that all reveals would be proper.”
What reads as an octet of transom windows is actually a trio and a quintet combined. To facilitate airflow, three of the windows are operable, with stainless steel friction stays that allow you to open the window past true 90 and to stop the window at any degree along the way.
With a nod to the building’s 1910 roots, Dan based the proportions of the windows on traditional casement sash dimensions – 2 ¼” stile and top rail and 3 ¼” bottom rail. He employed ogee cope and stick (with these traditional profiles cut with cope and stick knives in our shop) and mortise and tenon jointery in crafting the windows, and used high quality tight grain Douglas fir to stay true to the existing warehouse woodwork.
Tempered single-pane glass and traditional transom lock hardware round out the look. And the finish and stain of the windows match the woodwork of the loft remodel, making the design connection with the space’s modern gestures.
“The team had great attention to detail” said Dave. “I was wondering how they would deal with the sprinkler pipe. And I still wonder how they made it look so good. It looks like the windows were there first and the pipe second, not the other way around.”
Debbie added, “they brought unbelievable attention to detail to the job, which is exactly what we were looking for.”
But this attention to detail didn’t mean weeks and weeks of slow going work. Instead, the entire job, from contract signing to clean-up, was just 3 weeks long.
I asked M.A.C. how the team pulled this off. “Simple,” he said. “Our ability to keep everything in-house and control time lines and quality allows us to do this level of work in that kind of time frame. We had a direct connection between production and application.”
“If we hadn’t built those windows in our shop, we would have had either a huge wait, or had to use bigger windows for an imperfect connection”, Coop added. “Instead, we were nimble, able to adjust to conditions on the ground and meet the program.”
Dave said, “the workmanship was unbelievable. They just did a perfect job.”
Jobs in compact, upscale communities like the Marshall Wells are like surgical interventions, demanding the highest levels of tactical prowess, communications élan, and sensitivity, care and respect. It’s a skill set that we pride ourselves on and are known for among property managers. “Leave no trace!”
“The team worked really well with our building’s property management people,” said Dave. “The person on site said everyone was super nice and super easy to work with.”
Success on all fronts. Kudos to the team and thank you to Dave and Debbie for choosing Hammer & Hand!
-Zack
Original Title: Home Remodeling Contractor Hammer & Hand Transforms Historic Dance Hall Into Modern Loft
Original Author: Zack Semke
Originally Posted on: January 30th, 2013
Home remodeling project revitalizes historic Portland dance hall through collaboration by Pencil Work Studio and Portland and Seattle remodeler Hammer & Hand.
Portland and Seattle general contractor Hammer & Hand announced today the completion of a commercial-to-residential home remodeling project in Portland’s Brooklyn Neighborhood. Designed by architect Elizabeth Williams of Pencil Work Studio, the remodeling project gave new life to a historic Portland dance hall by transforming it into a modern, urban loft.
“It was an interesting challenge to convert this 8,000 square-foot commercial space into a livable urban loft,” said Hammer & Hand project manager Kevin Guinn. “We remodeled the upstairs as a residential loft and created a music and rehearsal space down below.”
Throughout the course of its life, the early 20th century building has seen a myriad of different uses, serving as a nickelodeon, school, place of worship, and dance hall. Although the building has a history as rich as the neighborhood that surrounds it, before the home remodeling project began it stood dank, dark and abandoned.
“We started with a cold 100 year-old masonry commercial building that had several different incarnations in its lifetime,” said Kevin. “But once we removed the patchwork of interior walls, the building became wide open.”
As the remodeling project progressed, the design introduced clean and modern lines to the building yet honored the aesthetics of the original 1900’s construction with the preservation of the openings and sightlines that the structure had to offer.
Deconstruction rather than demolition of the original structure allowed the Portland remodeling team to salvage and upcycle framing lumber, doors, and interior windows, paying homage to the dance hall’s historic heritage.
“Even though it’s open and large and really a generous space, we were able to make the building warm and livable,” said Kevin. “Not just industrial.”
Learn more about the commercial-to-residential remodel in this video walkthrough and interview. More about Portland home remodeling services by Hammer & Hand is available at https://hammerandhand.com/residential-remodel.
Original Title: Before & After Photos: Loft Conversion
Original Author: Laura Grange
Originally Posted on: April 7th, 2014
Before and after photos illustrate Portland commercial building’s transformation.
Before it was a serene, modern home for a young family, this abandoned commercial building had a long life as nickelodeon, place of worship, dance hall, and alternative school for boys. The 4,000 SF upstairs floor was broken up into a warren of twelve rooms and a kitchen. Makeshift drop ceilings hid the original high ceilings while maple floors were obscured by linoleum and carpet.
After a remodel by home builder Hammer & Hand and architect Elizabeth Williams, the space is almost unrecognizable. The team transformed the cramped space into the open and airy loft the homeowners always dreamed of. Check out the before and after:
See more after photos of this loft conversion in our photo gallery here.
(Visit our condo and loft remodeling page for more loft project examples, videos, and articles.)
Original Title: Modern Loft Remodel Converts Worn Building into Homey Fusion of Space and Warmth
Originally Author: Zack Semke
Originally Posted on: May 19th, 2014
This loft conversion took some vision.
For their dream home, artists and educators Traci and Wynn were inspired by the spacious loft apartments that they admired while living in Manhattan – but without the NYC price tag. Their ideal space would be airy and warm, spacious yet efficient, with simple lines free of clutter or excess ornamentation. A Japanese ofuro tub would grace one of two bathrooms. Three bedrooms would provide plenty of space for their growing family. Extra room in an open living area would allow the practice of traditional folk dance.
(Visit our home remodeling page for more about our approach, including project examples, videos, and articles.)
All they had to do was find the right building – and the right architect and builder – to make their loft remodel dream real.
They started with the architect, choosing Liz Williams of Pencil Work Studio for the job. (See Portland Architecture’s article about Liz and her work.) Traci and Wynn were drawn to Liz’s aesthetic and also appreciated her experience living in Japan.
“She really understood what I meant when I talked about what we wanted for the bathroom and ofuro,” Traci explained.
Liz’s first task was to help with the big challenge: finding a building that could accommodate Traci and Wynn’s vision. It wasn’t easy.
“Portland has lots of really weird-shaped buildings, we discovered,” said Traci.
Trapezoidal buildings with strange, wasted empty spaces. Bathrooms placed willy-nilly. Buildings of questionable structural integrity.
“One building we saw seriously felt like it had been put together with duct tape,” Traci said.
But their persistence paid off when, after months of searching, Traci and Wynn found the right building-with-potential in an urban southeast Portland neighborhood: a 2-story, 8000 square foot building built 100 years ago.
Over the course of its lifespan the building had served as nickelodeon, place of worship, dance hall, and most recently, an alternative school for adolescent boys. The ground floor contained offices and a multipurpose space. The 4,000 SF upstairs was cut up into a warren of twelve rooms and a kitchen. Floors were a messy accretion of linoleum layers and carpet. Original ceilings were hidden by a makeshift dropped ceiling, installed in an attempt to warm up what felt like a medieval castle in terms of thermal comfort.
Liz designed a remodel that employed a clean, modern approach and restrained material palette to open up the second floor and celebrate both light and wood. The ground floor could remain virtually untouched and serve as a space for music rehearsals.
Traci and Wynn selected H&H to build the project, largely thanks to our approach to sustainable construction.
“We were happy with how Hammer & Hand is involved in green construction, both energy efficiency and reuse of materials,” Traci told me. “Trying to throw away as little as possible really appealed to me.”
To reduce waste and preserve the embodied energy of the existing structure we deconstructed the entire interior of the upstairs floor, sparing the existing kitchen. We salvaged and reused framing timber on site, as well as existing interior windows and doors. After stripping away layers of floor coverings we unearthed an existing maple floor, which we refinished and returned to its former glory.
After a full home energy audit of the loft we set to work shoring up the loft’s envelope to control for temperature, air quality and moisture. Extensive air sealing combined with a continuous supply of fresh air from a heat recovery ventilator (HRV) ensure superior indoor air quality and energy efficiency. Balanced ventilation that brings fresh air into bedrooms and exhausts stale air from the kitchen and two bathrooms and has the dual benefit of supporting indoor air quality and managing moisture. High-density cellulose insulation blown into the floor of the loft provides a “foundation” of warmth and airtightness and provides a sound barrier from rehearsals below. Water-blown, low-density polyurethane insulation on exterior walls and under the roof completes the thermal envelope of the home.
The result is a spacious, modern living space that feels cozy and operates efficiently – a great place to raise a family in the city.
“It doesn’t feel cold, either in temperature or atmosphere,” said Traci. “Even though it’s big and open, it feels nice, like a home.”
And heating the space hasn’t cost a fortune.
“The largest space I had lived in before this was 800 square feet, so moving into this was daunting,” said Traci. “But when I talk with people with normal sized homes, our bill is actually lower than theirs. That’s great.”
“We’re very happy with our home and the work you guys did,” said Traci.
Check out the portfolio to see more photos of this loft conversion.
Original Title: Minimalism Meets Modern Materials in Portland Loft Remodel
Originally Author: Laura Grange
Originally Posted on: April 29th, 2015
The new owner of a loft in Portland’s hip Pearl District approached Hammer & Hand to do some updates but needed a designer. After connecting him with Andee Hess of Osmose Design we were ready to get moving.
The loft hadn’t been updated since the building was built in 2004. It had a simple industrial format with exposed concrete ceilings, concrete columns, and non-integrated elements. The new owner of the loft wanted to upgrade the appliances while updating the look of the space with gray and wood accents.
“We looked at the opportunity to enhance the functional, industrial look but warm up the space a little bit more by adding elements that look more integrated into the architecture,” said Andee.
(Visit our condo and loft remodeling page for more loft project examples, videos, and articles.)
Before photography compliments of Andee Hess, after photography by Jeff Amram.
The team replaced the floor in the condo with oak flooring from DuChateau’s Vernal Collection. Wider boards with pronounced wood grain give the illusion of a larger space. A linear LED light reinforces the integrated design and provides accent lighting in the hallway.
The team gave the bathroom, once an outdated space with a combination tub and shower, a modern makeover. After removing the tub, H&H installed a large shower with a varied Bianco Arrabescato tile from Opustone that Andee sourced in Miami.
“The shower ‘box’ looks like an inserted element that is made out of gorgeous white terrazzo tile,” said Andee. “It’s a pop of crisp white with a lot of depth in the material.”
The shower serves as a statement piece in the bathroom against a simple backdrop of neutral Plaza Nova floor and wall tile from Daltile.
An LED light within the shower provides accent lighting while reinforcing the architectural elements of the design. Running parallel to the light is a built-in trough that extends on the other side of the shower wall over the vanity. In addition to being an interesting visual element, the trough is deep enough to hold a large quantity of products while keeping them out of site.
A linear floor drain at the edge of the shower serves its function while keeping the shower floor clear.
The original kitchen had minimal counterspace and storage options, so one major focus was to update the kitchen to make it more functional for cooking and light entertaining. The team added new appliances, cabinetry, and quartz countertops. The extended cabinetry provides much more storage space than the previous design.
H&H’s James Fox wrapped the bedroom (on the left side, behind the frosted glass doors) in wood paneling to help connect it to the space and provide a little more privacy from the rest of the loft. The duct pipe, originally exposed, became built into the cabinetry with an outlet for heat.
Lighting the space proved to be tricky. “We were limited by the concrete ceiling – we couldn’t add recessed fixtures and electrical was limited,” said Andee. “We decided to run three Flos Smithfield pendant lights over the island and worked the exposed conduit so it looks like part of the fixture.”
Three slabs of Silver Fox granite run the length of the wall for visual interest and met the client’s desire for gray accents. The accent wall ties in with the concrete ceiling and neutral color palette while the veining in the material adds pops of white for contrast.
The team added a kitchen island for additional counterspace and to bring an architectural element to the middle of the area. The island is wrapped in the same material as the flooring to give the impression that it is coming up out of the floor. A powder-coated steel table rests on the island and extends to the right to be used as a breakfast counter.
“We wanted to keep the color palette really simple but to allow the somewhat complex materials to stand on their own,” said Andee. “There’s not a lot of contrast and that creates this really uniform, serene feeling.”
Andee looked for ways to tie the space together while making use of the materials on-hand.
“I went out to the fabricator’s shop and searched through the remnants to find pieces we could make use of for a coffee table,” said Andee. “We did the same thing with the shower tile – we made a nightstand out of some of the tile remnants.”
Flos String Lights (smart lights controlled from an app on the client’s phone) hang swagged from the ceiling over the couch for reading light.
For more photos of this project, visit our Minimalist Pearl Loft project page.
Check out our loft conversion portfolio page
