Tour a Contemporary Townhouse on the Water

An exclusive beach, easy lakefront access and views of the river from each room make this Oregon home ideal for water fans Jill and Chris Hall. Living on the water has ever been a dream for them and their son, Scott. A large site in Lake Oswego’s historical district along the Willamette River match the bill. The couple worked with architect Curt Olson to construct two townhouses on the large property — one to lease out, and one for their dream home.

in a Glance
Who lives here: Jill and Chris Hall and their son, Scott
Location: Lake Oswego, Oregon
Size: 2 townhouses: 4,100 square feet and 3,800 square feet

Whitney Lyons

Interior designer Jenni Leasia hung rustic-style Restoration Hardware chandeliers over the kitchen island and additional contemporary bar stools from Duo Modern. The island features a handy prep sink, along with the range holds one of Jill’s favorite attributes — the mounted pot-filler.

The couple wanted an upgraded cottage look that could fall in line with their clean and modern style. Leasia had a customized dining room table from Design Furnishings designed in a very simple look with both the traditional and contemporary elements. Upholstered chairs from West Elm add that more modern touch which Jill and Chris love.

The Halls invest the majority of their time inside their living room, admiring the view through the large, panoramic windows. Floor-to-ceiling sliding doors produce a sleek indoor-outdoor transition.

The living room closets are made of a warm walnut wood. Both the fireplace in the living room and the one on the terrace were made by North West Masonry.

Sectional: Portland Furniture Store; cupboards: Mapleleaf Cabinets

This serene and cozy seating area is excellent for hosting barbecues. Outside furniture from Target provides a location to take in the view, enjoy the sunshine or take cover under the archway at a storm. A Restoration Hardware chandelier completes the look.

The first-floor guest bathroom has minimal plumbing for a kind of artwork. Carved limestone with a gorgeous leaf pattern from Artistic Tile outlines the wall. “We wanted to mention the river without having waves and fish everywhere,” says Jill.

An elevator, lined in walnut,supplies an extra lift from the darkened home.

Whitney Lyons

The master bathroom features a phenomenal view of the outside. Glass tile and marble in Ann Sacks is utilized across the room. “We used a lot of glass, thinking about the local water and outdoor components,” Leasia says.

Whitney Lyons

The spacious vanity has a sturdy quartz countertop. The tub — finish with a soothing outdoor view — is made by Joyful D by Duravit.

Whitney Lyons

The master bedroom echoes the clean lines of the remainder of the home and centers around a spectacular view of the river.

Bed: Crate & Barrel

This laundry room and crafting area is one of Jill’s favourite spaces in the home — a seasoned knitter, she has a place for all her knitting supplies. The handy room can be accessible through her walk-in closet.

This customized wine cellar, built by carpenter Bob Tucker, supplies lots of storage for your couple’s wine collection. The bare concrete room is constructed into the face of the hill to keep a consistent temperature.

The most important townhome has four and a half baths, each having a slightly different twist on tile layout. “I didn’t want anything that we’d get tired of,” says Jill. “We used classic substances in various ways in each of the baths.”

Bathroom tile: Oregon Tile and Marble, Pratt and Larson, Ann Sacks, Pental

The basement microkitchen and lounge creates a relaxing place in which the family can unwind. Chris commissioned the custom made ski seat from an artist in First Thursday at Portland’s Pearl District many years back — the main pair of skis belonged to Chris.

Art: Z Gallerie; pub counter: Glass Strategies

Whitney Lyons

Initially, the Halls wished to construct two single-family homes on the house. “We didn’t need to build as large a home as the house could match,” says Jill. It didn’t make sense to construct the only units because of zoning and height limitations, so that they constructed two townhouses. The Halls live at the townhouse on the right and are wanting to sell the other one.

The cabana had the first working bathroom on the property. The other half is dedicated to storage.

Jill saw a similar mirror at a magazine and thought it’d fit in well with their cabana bathroom. She bought a mirror and completed the DIY project with thick jute rope.

The garden has a gorgeous edible backyard where Jill grows new vegetables and herbs. This garden isn’t for the faint of heart, however — there are over 90 staircase to climb from the home to the backyard.

The family relishes their private beach on border of their property. Jill loves to deliver a cup of coffee down from the water and watch the wildlife and kayakers going by. Their next project? A new boathouse, directly on the ground.

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