Portland Butterfly House Design

Words cannot describe how fun this was!!

Years ago, just before we moved aboard svKarma and started teaching ourselves to sail - we were wrapping up a couple architectural design projects on land as our first business, zenbox design

This tiny home/ADU we called the “butterfly house” was among the projects I was most excited about… it seemed the culmination of our efforts and the pinnacle of our small business helping neighbors that we started out of the simple act of doing what was right for us and then having others ask for help with very similar/shared goals (and eventually offer us money as well).

It was THE project that we would be proud of enough to publish and we had already had multiple conversations with the owners/clients about scheduling a photo shoot with Dwell magazine and others to promote the project and our business - but as the best laid plans often seem to go - there were hiccups and delays, and those combined with our nomadic lifestyle combined and we somehow never actually got to see the project completed.

Contractors we had hired for detailed projects like bespoke cabinets flaked and/or didn't show up, the client became ill and was focused (as she should have been) on getting healthy and making a full recovery, and we had paused all the other design projects to see what direction the exposure from this project steered us toward... and as a result everything seemed to simply grind to a halt as we waited on that photography session that never happened.

By the time the project was finished we had decided to move onto a boat and teach ourselves to sail (meaning we've been PLENTY busy) and we haven't returned to Portland until... now.

While we were back in town to see friends and technically for ZENVANZ (our other business) projects - our clients were kind enough to invite us over to see the finished product… now a fully lived in HOME.

The design process will never cease to fill me…

To begin with simply a concept/sketch developed around the needs and dreams of the user, working that through an intensely complex set of problem solving to navigate personal wants/needs, building/zoning codes, natural/environmental impacts, construction details, etc - and then to eventually watch it take shape and be able to step inside that same vision that once only existed in your head - there’s simply nothing else like it!!

This beautiful home is a place we could easily live ourselves! Tons of natural light, open plan and merged indoor/outdoor spaces that makes its space (less than 800sqft) feel and live much larger than it is and focused on the things they love (clearly outdoor/nature lovers and avid bikers)… and all tucked in the back yard of a house that is now able to to rented for income/freedom.

Literally all the things we set out for in our home and then tried to help others achieve.

My soul and my creativity are absolutely soaring!!
So honored and so very grateful to have had the opportunity to work with these clients and turn this dream into reality!

And... just because it's fun - here were some of the original design sketches we created for the clients as zenbox design.