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Featured Custom Homes

Perched on the edge of the Pacific Ocean, the form for this custom home is secondary to the setting. The space was designed by JHL all the way down to the small details for wonderful, long-time clients. Warm, earthy interiors balance the expansive view of the ocean. An origami-like roofline ascends and descends, simulating the outline of the nearby Northern Oregon Coast Range.

Shelter House

JHL Design was tapped to design two large structures on the grounds of this historic home in southwest Portland. In partnership with the landscaping team, JHL mapped out areas to facilitate relaxing and entertaining. The resulting pool house doubles as a guest house and the multipurpose pavilion is equipped for year-round outdoor use. The JHL team was also responsible for an interior renovation of the existing house on the property which was built in 1915. See a full tour of the estate in our Interiors section.

Gretchen Pool House and Pavilion

This project is set on the hem of the forest in a southwest Portland neighborhood. The JHL Design team meticulously designed an ancillary entertaining area that can be fully enclosed in the winter months and entirely open when the weather is conducive to outdoor living. The team also redesigned the home's pool house. Both of these spaces feature modern amenities, but match the vernacular of the property’s original 100-year-old home.

Hem House

In Progress

This home was designed by JHL’s Principals Holly Freres and David Horning for their family of six. They came across a derelict house on a beautiful site nestled in the trees in a southwest Portland neighborhood. They took the original house down to the foundation, but kept the original footprint of the lower level. The new house was designed with expansive windows to let in natural light and forest views. Concrete floors ground the space and plywood walls provide warmth throughout.

Idea House

This ground up custom home was developed through an effort to capture the property’s stunning views of the Willamette Valley to the west and north. The JHL team prioritized the diffused natural light that comes from the north throughout the day with special attention to the early east light into the kitchen to suit the clients’ morning rituals. The plan, layout and elevations organically emerged once these priorities were established. The rich red earth, natural grasses and other native surroundings greatly influenced the interior color palette and material selections.

Hillside House

In Progress

This thoughtfully designed pool house and pavilion in southwest Portland gives a nod to the original architecture of the home on the property, but leans on more modern forms. JHL Design intentionally evoked a sense of contrast and dialogue between the subtly juxtaposed elements. These ancillary spaces can be fully open air or completely enclosed depending on the time of year. They are designed to serve our clients through all four seasons.

Dialogue House

In Progress

Located in Central Oregon’s Black Butte Ranch, this house is a refined take on lodge-style architecture and was designed by JHL from the ground up. The heart of the home is a beautiful stone fireplace which reaches up to the wood-covered ceiling. Large windows look into the surrounding forest. The JHL team balanced the home’s soaring scale with cozier elements, like built-in window seats flanking the hearth, handmade rugs and warm lighting.

Hawks Beard House

The JHL team is honored to have the opportunity to build a vacation home for long time clients in Hood River, Oregon. This wonderful family has a contagious joy for the outdoors. We have designed a home that offers a thoughtful range of amenities, from windows with breathtaking views to solutions for dirty mountain bikes.

Sanford Spring

In Progress

Set along the scenic banks of the Columbia River in Washington state, this expansive retreat is a masterclass in indoor-outdoor living. Framed by a central courtyard, the home opens up to river views while creating a sense of privacy from neighboring properties. Gabled rooflines, natural stone walls, and a palette inspired by the Pacific Northwest lend timelessness to the design. Outside, a serene pool, spa, golf green, bocce court, sports zone, and intimate fire pit lounge areas are perfectly tailored for both relaxation and recreation.

Modern Oasis

In Progress

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