home garden travel and lifestyle magazine portrait · cowhide. a tufted chesterfield sofa in rich,...
TRANSCRIPT
WEEKEND TRAVEL WOODINVILLE WINE COUNTRY
Steen dining cabinet, $2399; Corbett dining table, $2699; Lira chairs, $699 each.380 Northwest 13th Avenue, Portland
roomandboard.com
WEEKEND TRAVEL WOODINVILLE WINE COUNTRY
NEW LOOKS FOR
YOUR HOME
MARIONBERRIESOREGON HARVEST
DESIGNER HESTER CAPRIOTTI AT HOMEDESIGNER HESTER CAPRIOTTI AT HOME
MODERN BARN CONVERSION
BY ARCHITECT JAMES DIXON
MODERN BARN CONVERSION
BY ARCHITECT JAMES DIXON
94
FRESH IDEAS FROM TOP ARCHITECTS+DESIGNERS
FRESH IDEAS FROM TOP ARCHITECTS+DESIGNERS
PortraitTM
MAGAZINE
Po
rtrait ™ OF P
OR
TLA
ND
Volu
me 38
HOM
E GARDEN TRAVEL + LIFESTYLE
H O M E G A R D E N T R A V E L A N D L I F E S T Y L E M A G A Z I N E
PortraitMagazine.com
$5.95 US
H O M E G A R D E N T R A V E L A N D L I F E S T Y L E M A G A Z I N E
PORTRAIT TM
OF PORTLAND
DISPLAY UNTIL 12/05/17
000 38PDX Cover James Dixon Kitchen.indd 1 9/8/17 11:39 AM
written by MARGARETT WATERBURY photography by DAVID PAPAZIAN
IN A NEW LIGHT
096-101 38PDX Nifelle.indd 96 9/17/17 6:35 AM
PortraitMagazine.com 97
EVERYBODY FANTASIZES ABOUT MAKING A BIG CHANGE SOMETIMES, but the Fleming family really did it. Not long ago, they
moved out of their traditional single family home, gave all their furniture
to charity, and picked up the keys to their brand-new condominium on
the 22nd floor of the Cosmopolitan building in downtown Portland.
Completed in 2016, the Cosmopolitan building is the tallest residential
tower in Portland. It’s located in the heart of the Pearl, sandwiched be-
tween the Fields Park and Tanner Springs Park, and walking distance
from virtually anything a person might need, want, or simply have a
nagging curiosity about. “The Pearl is a remarkable area to live, and you
only realize that when you live here,” says Ian Fleming. “There’s always
something happening.”
While the Flemings were thrilled to be in a new setting, they weren’t will-
ing to sacrifice one of their favorite pleasures: entertaining. Figuring out
how to configure a 1,668 square foot unit to play host to regular par-
ties and gatherings wasn’t easy, so the Flemings partnered with Jennifer
Leonard, principal designer of Portland-based Nifelle Design | Fine Inte-
riors, to help them create a space that felt spacious, welcoming, and true
to their international family heritage.
“The building hadn’t even broken ground when they hired us,” says Jen-
nifer, although that didn’t stop Nifelle Design from getting started right
away. After making some slight alterations to the construction plan,
like turning a planned coat closet into a desk niche where the Fleming’s
14-year-old son could do his homework, Jennifer began to develop a plan
for furniture and layout.
Perhaps the most major factor to consider was the view. The Fleming’s
corner unit features floor-to-ceiling windows on both sides, with sweep-
ing vistas of the Willamette River, Mt. Hood, Mt. St. Helens, and Mt. Ad-
ams. “Everything has to be built around the view,” says Ian. “You have to
take the view into account with everything you do.” So all of the seating
in the condo was placed to take maximum advantage of the spectacular
views, and many of the chairs and stools rotate to face more than one
vista. None of the seating has high backs, which could block sightlines.
Monthly poker nights, regular dinner parties, and even the occasional
hosted karaoke night are a regular part of the Flemings’ life, so design-
ing a space that could comfortably host a large gathering in a relatively
modestly sized space was essential. The living room has several different
distinct areas for groups to spend time: the sofa and chairs, the island
bar, the dining room table, and the zebra wood bar in the corner of the
space. By creating distinct zones within the great room, groups can gather
without crowding one another. “The great room can easily take 25 people
without feeling cramped,” says Ian.
096-101 38PDX Nifelle.indd 97 9/17/17 6:35 AM
98 PortraitMagazine.com
096-101 38PDX Nifelle.indd 98 9/17/17 6:35 AM
PortraitMagazine.com 99
Designing the zebra wood bar was a particularly fun—and challenging—component of the project.
“Every house we ever lived in, my parents had a bar,” says Ian. “When you have a bar in your home,
it’s a natural magnet for visitors. It’s amazing how it works.” One external consideration was the
structural support column that passes through the corner of the living room. So Nifelle Design’s
senior designer, Kristina Bonadurer, created a plan for a custom bar that would partially camouflage
the support column while creating plenty of space for friends and family to enjoy one another’s
company. The resulting bar has two levels of counter space, and incorporates rich textures and col-
ors from natural materials like zebrawood, marble, glass, and brass. A tapered shape gives it a light,
elegant feel, and the column provides a visual anchor. Underneath, there’s space for wine storage,
glass storage, and a small refrigerator.
Turning to the furniture, Jennifer worked closely with the Flemings to choose items with natural
texture and warm colors that acknowledged their roots in South Africa. “We wanted a little bit of
our heritage to come through,” says Ian, “so we wanted nature, but we didn’t want to turn it into the
Portland zoo, either.” The Flemings found a rug featuring African animals like lions and elephants,
which served as a major source of design cues for the rest of the décor. “It gave us a lot of warm colors
to work with,” says Jennifer.
Instead of attempting to source furniture through ready-to-buy channels, Jennifer and the Flemings
commissioned custom work for many of the pieces in the home. “The dining room chairs were
made, the living room chairs and couch were made, fabric was chosen, leather was chosen, studs
were chosen,” says Ian. “That’s a pretty unique thing to go through.”
096-101 38PDX Nifelle.indd 99 9/17/17 6:35 AM
100 PortraitMagazine.com
NOW SELLING • VISIT OUR SHOWROOM • OPEN DAILY
C O N D O M I N I U M S
VISTA: CL AIM YOUR PIECE OF THE PEARL.New, next-level luxury condominium living awaits. Beautifully appointed, thoughtfully designed.
Modern aesthetics for luxurious lifestyle | Convenient dog-washing room
Urban green spaces | Private verandas overlooking stunning skyline
1130 NW 10th at Northrup
VISIT OUR SHOWROOM AND IMAGINE YOUR VISTA
503.227.2000 Hours: 10-5 M-F, 11-5 S-S
VISTANORTHPEARL.COM
In reference to the family’s African heritage, organic materials in warm colors are
used extensively throughout the home. The dining room chairs feature Brazilian
cowhide. A tufted Chesterfield sofa in rich, buttery leather provides a textural
counterpoint to the thickly tweeded swivel lounge chairs flanking it on either
side, which Jennifer describes as “almost grassy in texture.” Even the desk niche
features accessories and finishes that reference the colors, shapes, and patterns
of Africa. Spotted wallpaper evokes animal hides, and whimsical bookends are
shaped like antelope.
The end result is a comfortable, modern space that stays true to its residents’ her-
itage while graciously accommodating a jovial crowd. “It feels warm, happy, rich,
and full of heritage,” says Jennifer. “It feels like them, and that’s always my goal.”
And, one year in, how are the Flemings adjusting to urban life? “I would describe
it as easy living,” says Ian Fleming. “You don’t have to worry about the gutters.
If you’re going away, you just lock the front door and off you go. There are no
maintenance issues. You wake up on a Saturday, and you wonder what you’re
going to be doing this weekend. Which, in today’s crazy world, is very welcome.
PROJECT SOURCESDEVELOPER Hoyt Street Properties (The Cosmopolitan) www.liveinthepearl.comINTERIOR DESIGN Nifelle Design / Fine Interiors www.nifelledesign.comAV/HOME ELECTRONICS Quadrant Systems www.quadrantsystems.net
096-101 38PDX Nifelle.indd 100 8/20/19 3:45 PM
NOW SELLING • VISIT OUR SHOWROOM • OPEN DAILY
C O N D O M I N I U M S
VISTA: CL AIM YOUR PIECE OF THE PEARL.New, next-level luxury condominium living awaits. Beautifully appointed, thoughtfully designed.
Modern aesthetics for luxurious lifestyle | Convenient dog-washing room
Urban green spaces | Private verandas overlooking stunning skyline
1130 NW 10th at Northrup
VISIT OUR SHOWROOM AND IMAGINE YOUR VISTA
503.227.2000 Hours: 10-5 M-F, 11-5 S-S
VISTANORTHPEARL.COM
096-101 38PDX Nifelle.indd 101 9/17/17 6:35 AM