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A private world of wood, glass & water

3062 SW Fairmount Blvd, Portland

Photos: Pablo Enriquez

Staging & Styling: Karie Higgins, Vetiver Street, Destiny & Josh


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Today in the Studio

Built in 1966 for a local Forest Service pioneer, this Thomas Vadnais-designed Pacific Northwest Contemporary home takes its cues from the landscape around it. Two-thirds of an acre of forest and trails surrounds the property, with light filtering through the tree canopy and into the home through expansive windows and sliding glass doors. A striking glass-enclosed indoor pool continues that connection, looking directly out to the woods. Inside and out, the Pacific Northwest shows up in the materials: rare cedar paneling, hemlock ceilings, walnut cabinetry, end-grain Douglas Fir floors and original wood gutters. The vaulted great room feels at once grand and intimate, opening to an Ipe wraparound deck suspended among the trees. Three fireplaces bring warmth throughout, while downstairs, the incredible indoor saltwater pool room’s exposed beams and walls of glass make swimming a year-round affair. More than 60 years later, Vadnais’ vision still holds: a private world of wood, glass and water, enveloped by nature.

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The home has had a way of finding its people. They weren’t looking for another house. Then they found 3062 SW Fairmount Blvd. We asked the current owners about this special property that changed their plans.

Q: You shared that you weren’t seriously looking when you first toured the house. What made you think “we have to buy this?"

A: When we moved to Portland in 2016, we left a beautiful, light drenched, supremely private home we designed ourselves. Hovering above a cliff, eye level with the tree canopy, there were no sight lines into the house despite its location in a dense urban neighborhood. When we stumbled across this property in 2019, we had already renovated a home we loved in the Nob Hill neighborhood. We were truly not looking for another move. But this property! In this location! The design integrity, the intimate spaciousness, the sensual quality of the light, the treetop views, and the serene retreat-like vibes. It has everything we aimed for in the house we left behind, but it’s even more private, with more trees, and has a saltwater pool. How could we not?

Q: The home is so incredibly private and obviously surrounded by such beautiful trees. What do you love most about the setting?

A: We love being at the end of the lane, almost fully obscured, and no visibility into the private living spaces. We love the variety of mature plantings in the foreground and the acres of forested parkland beyond. Spring is especially vibrant when the rhododendrons outside the pool area and bedrooms burst into bloom and the trilliums pop up along the trail behind the property. We love hearing the owls at night and the sound of the seasonal creek audible from our bedroom after heavy rains. We love the proximity to the extensive network of Marquam Park trails just minutes away on foot.

Q: Favorite spot in the house for a cup of coffee in the morning?

A: We have several favorite spots. Recently it’s been the stairs outside the kitchen overlooking the hillside wildflowers. When it gets cold, coffee in bed watching the sun rise is the best.

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Q: Day swimming or night swimming? Summer or winter?

A: All of it! Earlier this week we could see the full moon from the pool. We had all the doors around the pool open and music playing. Can’t beat that! Fall mornings are special, too, because sunlight filters in through the trees as the sun rises. Winter is also dreamy, especially if we’re lucky enough to get snow. A perfect winter weekend starts with a big fire next to the pool. We can spend a full day swimming and lounging by the fire.

Q: The home is rooted in a history of art and music. What is it about this house that makes it such a natural backdrop for both?

A: Good design, I suppose. The balance of windows and walls means lots of natural light and space enough still to hang a modest art collection. The vaulted hemlock ceiling and end-grain Doug Fir flooring in the great room create warm, round acoustics perfect for music, live or recorded. It feels grand like a cathedral but sounds intimate and soft like a cabin. The house was just made for art and music.

We would like to thank Destiny and Josh for helping us tell the story of their property so beautifully.

Built In

1966

Floor Plan

Designed by architect Thomas Vadnais (1919–2007)

A Portland native and descendant of Oregon pioneers, Thomas Vadnais studied architecture at the University of Oregon after serving as a Navy pilot during World War II. He returned home to establish a Portland practice with his wife, artist Dorianne Engelbart Vadnais, designing residences in the Northwest style alongside commercial buildings throughout Oregon and Washington. Art and music remained central to his life: Vadnais played blues, ragtime and classical piano, while he and Dorianne passed their love of art and design on to their family. That sensibility feels especially present at 3062 SW Fairmount, a house conceived around material, landscape and spaces made for living with art and music.

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