A 1907 Foursquare Craftsman house designed by esteemed architect Emil Schacht in Portland Heights was updated and expanded 110 years later by historic home designer Aram Irwin and luxury builder Randy Chandler.
And now, the residence, known as the L.S. Carter House, is for sale. The asking price: $3,495,000.
The four-level house on a 0.22-acre lot at 2023 S.W. Montgomery Drive is a modern interpretation of the handsome Craftsman style, which promoted handcrafted woodwork and a front porch to connect to the outdoors, and the popular Foursquare, with four large rooms on the bottom and top floors.
The 8,039-square-foot mansion has classic columns, beamed ceilings, built-in cabinets and stained glass. Wide doors open to patios and English gardens. There are also splurges for today’s aspirational lifestyle like a soundproof arcade room. The lower level has a home theater, Old English-style bar and a sauna.
The house, rebuilt in 2017, will interest enthusiasts of Portland’s rich history and people “with a penchant for luxury living will appreciate the state-of-the-art amenities,” listing broker Macey Laurick of Windermere Realty Trust told The Oregonian/OregonLive.
The entry has a quarter-sawn oak paneled ceiling and white oak floors. The oak stairs were configured in a square spiral on all four levels and outlined in Arts and Crafts-influenced balustrades designed by Steve Bock.
The living room has quarter-sawn oak wainscoting and a wood-burning fireplace with a hand-crafted Motawi Tileworks tile surround.
The 21-foot-long dining room is crowned with a white oak, V-groove barrel-vaulted ceiling. A built-in hutch has stained glass doors, and the kitchen has boxed-beam ceiling with beadboard inlay, antique granite countertops, a subway tile backsplash a and cooking island.
There are six bedrooms, five full bathrooms, two powder rooms plus guest quarters in the accessory dwelling unit (ADU) on the garden level.
The pitched roof provides 14-foot-high ceilings in the finished attic.
Laurick said the home has grandeur and functionality, timeless elegance and architectural integrity, comfort and artistic craftsmanship.
“It’s an ideal sanctuary for hosting guests or simply indulging in a refined lifestyle,” she said.
Recent enhancements include high-end lighting and custom décor.
“With a private back patio, gated yard, exquisite finishes and unparalleled attention to detail, this home offers a rare opportunity to own a piece of Portland’s architectural heritage while enjoying the finest in modern living.” Laurick wrote in the description.
History of the house
The house before it was renovated.Redfin
Early Portland developers trying to sell vacant lots during the 1905 Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition needed to promote a dramatically new way to live to fairgoers passing by on the streetcar.
They hired architect Schacht to design a modern spec house that was radically different than ornate Victorian-era dwellings. He famously introduced Portland residents and visitors to the then cutting-edge Craftsman house with an interior dressed in polished local lumber.
The public’s positive reaction to the Craftsman and the housing boom and population explosion triggered by the fair forever cemented the demand for what has become Portland’s signature home style.
Schacht is recognized as one of Oregon’s most influential designers and a founding member of the Portland Association of Architects.
Schacht admired Gustav Stickley’s American Arts and Crafts movement philosophy of spotlighting craftsmanship, harmonizing homes with their natural environment, and fostering a spiritual connection with nature while prioritizing natural light.
Over his 42-year career, Schacht and his firm Emil Schacht and Son, designed residences as well as warehouses, theaters and office and public buildings. He also helped to introduce the East Coast idea of luxury multifamily living to Portland with upscale “apartment houses.”
— Janet Eastman covers design and trends. Reach her at 503-294-4072, [email protected] and follow her on X @janeteastman.
link