Cover The living area in this Portland house features the reupholstered Milo Baughman sofa, Studio SORS lounge chair covered in New Zealand sheepskin, and Pablo chandelier above the concrete floors with metal veining
The living area in this Portland house features the reupholstered Milo Baughman sofa, Studio SORS lounge chair covered in New Zealand sheepskin, and Pablo chandelier above the concrete floors with metal veining
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Interior designer Jeanne Feldkamp spent six years creating her Portland house, a glass-wrapped residence that celebrates imperfect materials and authentic connection through thoughtful design.
Jeanne Feldkamp’s relationship with her Portland house began with a sense of timing. In 2016, she encountered a trapezoid-shaped house by Waechter Architecture during a family visit, a building she admired but could not purchase, as she was still living in San Francisco with her partner, Dan Diephouse.
“I instantly felt a strong connection to the building,” Feldkamp says. “The thoughtfully angled wall planes maximised light and openness while protecting privacy in an urban neighbourhood."
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Above Jeanne Feldkamp, founder of interior design firm Heirloom Modern
Above A large sculptural woven installation hangs in the main living space with floor-to-ceiling glass walls and natural landscaping beyond
Jeanne Feldkamp, founder of interior design firm Heirloom Modern
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The home sits elevated above street level with concrete retaining walls, native landscaping by Lilyvilla Gardens, and a wood garage door
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Rather than dismiss the encounter, Feldkamp, founder of interior design firm Heirloom Modern, contacted architect Ben Waechter to discuss Portland’s building processes. The conversation planted seeds for a collaboration that would not begin until 2018, when the couple relocated north and purchased a lot in northeast Portland.
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The backyard features a custom steel fire feature by Boy Boy, Bend Goods patio chairs, and a pergola with disco ball that casts light into the kitchen
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The resulting 4,400-sq-ft Portland house, completed this year, reflects the designer’s conviction that materials should age visibly rather than resist the passage of time. The exterior’s thermally modified southern pine will shift from its current caramel tone to a silver-brown over the decades. Interior brass fixtures remain unlacquered, developing patina through use. Concrete floors incorporate metal veining inspired by kintsugi, the Japanese practice of repairing ceramics with gold.
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The living area in this Portland house features the reupholstered Milo Baughman sofa, Studio SORS lounge chair covered in New Zealand sheepskin, and Pablo chandelier above the concrete floors with metal veining
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“I didn’t want to hide any of the materials’ natural character,” Feldkamp explains. “This house celebrates the beauty of imperfection.”
This philosophy stems partly from her previous career designing custom clothing. “Years ago, I had a clothing design business making couture garments,” she says. “My drive to make every material in this home sumptuous and touchable comes from my experience in fashion.”
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The kitchen includes walnut cabinetry by Earthbound Industries, Pablo pendants, and floor-to-ceiling glass walls opening to the garden
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Above The powder room shows the complete botanical wallpaper by Makelike surrounding the custom onyx vessel sink on live-edge walnut counter with brass fittings
Above The wine bar includes custom lighted shelving by Jordan Hufnagel, built into walnut millwork, storing the couple’s collection from their Corollary Wines business
The powder room shows the complete botanical wallpaper by Makelike surrounding the custom onyx vessel sink on live-edge walnut counter with brass fittings
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The Portland house accommodates the couple’s work as founders of Corollary Wines, which produces sparkling wines from Oregon’s Willamette Valley. Their main level centres on a 12-seat dining table—their first joint purchase 15 years ago— within an open-plan design intended for wine tastings and dinner parties.
“Since we met in San Francisco and became a couple nearly 15 years ago, our life together has centred on gatherings with friends, anchored by food and drink,” Feldkamp says.
Above The dining area includes the couple’s 12-seat table by Costantini Design with Vondom chairs and a Larose Guyon chandelier suspended from the exposed beam ceiling
The dining area includes the couple’s 12-seat table by Costantini Design with Vondom chairs and a Larose Guyon chandelier suspended from the exposed beam ceiling
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The designer spent construction hours observing how light moved through the site’s trees before selecting colours and textures for her Portland house. The main level employs reflective surfaces strategically: Brazilian quartzite tops the kitchen island, smoked mirrors line the bar area, and a disco ball in the garden pergola casts moving patterns into the kitchen during late afternoons.
The upper level reverses this approach. Walnut cladding absorbs light rather than reflecting it, creating what Feldkamp calls a “cocoon-like feeling.” The progression from reflective to absorptive surfaces was deliberate.
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The walnut-clad upper level hallway serves as a top-lit gallery connecting bedrooms, studio, and office spaces
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Japanese influences are evident throughout, although Feldkamp’s approach avoids overt appropriation. Origami rain chains, handmade ceramics, and textured rugs reference her travels without mimicking specific forms. “The time I spent in Japan left a strong imprint on the project,” she says.
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The primary bedroom features vintage 1970s nightstands from Chairish, Stark wallpaper, and a Pablo table lamp
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Designing her Portland house presented unexpected difficulties. “The biggest creative challenge, without a doubt, was designing for myself,” Feldkamp admits. “I found myself endlessly analysing every tiny detail and second-guessing everything, which I never do on client projects.”
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Above The primary closet features a Prudential oculus light, custom walnut millwork, and a Kush rug with cowhide pattern on the concrete floors with kintsugi-inspired metal veining
Above The primary bathroom includes sculptural pendant lighting, dark stone surfaces, walnut cabinetry with unlacquered brass hardware, and a vintage runner from Benisouk
The primary closet features a Prudential oculus light, custom walnut millwork, and a Kush rug with cowhide pattern on the concrete floors with kintsugi-inspired metal veining
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Her unconscious occasionally solved problems her analytical mind could not. The guest bedroom’s design was inspired by a 1980s Italian marquetry chest featuring underwater turtles in mustard, terra cotta, and chartreuse.
She painted the walls in mauve limewash and dressed the bed in desert-toned velvets. “Only after the room was completed did I realise that this palette is exactly the one from my childhood bedroom,” she says.
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The guest bedroom centres on the 1980s Italian marquetry chest with plum marble top and ornate gold legs that inspired the room’s desert-toned palette in mauve limewash paint
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The Portland house requires maintenance that many homeowners would find burdensome. The unlacquered brass will need periodic attention. The wood exterior will change colour unpredictably. The concrete floors will develop new patterns as the metal veining oxidises differently across the surface.
Above The reading nook features a Tiago Curioni chair sourced from 1stdibs, a Souda Brooklyn side table, and motorised shades that filter light while maintaining views of the garden.
Above A Luke Lamp chandelier illuminates the primary bathroom’s double vanity with walnut cabinetry and brass hardware
The reading nook features a Tiago Curioni chair sourced from 1stdibs, a Souda Brooklyn side table, and motorised shades that filter light while maintaining views of the garden.
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Feldkamp considers this maintenance part of the design rather than a flaw. The house will age alongside its inhabitants, accumulating marks and patina that record use rather than resist it. In a culture that prizes the appearance of newness, her approach argues for the value of visible time.
“This home is about creating a space where people can connect authentically with each other, with the garden and the neighbourhood that surrounds the living space, and with the structure itself,” she concludes.
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Credits
Photography: Pablo Enriquez
Topics
Jennifer Choo is Regional Managing Editor of Tatler Homes, covering architecture, interior design, and art across Asia. Based in Malaysia, she oversees regional content on luxury residential design and contemporary art collections. Legally trained but choosing to pursue her passion for design, she previously led notable design publications and worked as an interior stylist and art consultant for property developers, design firms, and private clients.
