Risa & Nick’s Modern Architectural Rehab

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Name: Risa Boyer Leritz, Nick Leritz, their 3-year-old daughter Harper, and two cats
Location: Alameda — Portland, Oregon
Size: 1720 square feet
Years lived in: 2.5 — owned

The process of buying a house is already tough on the nerves, let alone going into escrow on a serious fixer-upper — sight unseen — in a city almost 1,000 miles away from home. But the serene, modern house in Portland that architect Risa Boyer Leritz, her husband, Nick, and their 3-year-old daughter, Harper, now call home looks so effortless, it hardly reveals the hours and hours of work (much of it DIY) that went in to making it so beautifully livable.

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)

Two and a half years ago, with plans to relocate from their home in Los Angeles to Portland and an infant daughter, Risa and Nick relied on their family and a single visit for inspections before taking the leap of buying the house. The previous owner had lived there for 30 years and not only was a ton of cleanup necessary, many of the house’s previous fixes hadn’t been done as well as they should have been (check out for some ‘before’ images).

The couple knew they had their work cut out for them, but they were more than up to the task, completing most of the renovations — which included a 220-square-foot, 2-story addition — themselves. Risa also refurbished many of the vintage pieces of furniture she found at thrift stores in LA and Portland. Though they still have plenty of details to work out before they consider the house truly done, their living space is absolutely lovely, not to mention functional. The pair’s well-honed eye for architecture and design surely has much to do with the impressive result of their effort and their determination and hard work should serve as inspiration to novice and experienced DIY-ers alike.

Visit Risa’s website to see more of her architecture projects.

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)

Apartment Therapy Survey:

Our Style: Modern Eclectic

Inspiration: 1950s and 60s modern architecture and design — it was a time when modern design started to move away from the hard-edged international style and began to get more organic and relate to its environment. I (Risa) am really inspired by Oscar Niemeyer and John Lautner’s work during this period.

Favorite Element: Our very functional kitchen. It is the center of our daily life and where I spend most of my time — cooking, eating, entertaining, working and coloring with my daughter.

Biggest Challenge: Finding the time to work on the house. It was a complete disaster when we bought it so every room and every surface needed work. Nick built an addition off the back of the house when we first moved in which converted the old kitchen into the powder room, added a new kitchen and a master bathroom on the second floor. Once that work was complete everything else slowed way down. We still have stripped and unpainted doors and molding through out the house that I have to look at every day, constantly reminding me of all the work left to do.

What Friends Say: After seeing the master bathroom they usually say that they want to take a bath in our giant bathtub. And people often comment on the paint color in the living room (which is Benjamin Moore Rockport Grey HC-105).

Biggest Embarrassment: The original bathroom (not shown in the tour) which hasn’t been touched since a very bad remodel in the 80s. It’s quite a sight.

Proudest DIY: The 220-square-foot, 2-story addition that Nick built off the back of house. I am also proud of my first wallpaper job in the powder room which was a total pain because it was unbacked and untrimmed and I had no idea what I was undertaking.

Biggest Indulgence: We don’t spend a lot of money furnishing our home. Our biggest indulgence is probably the finishes. The marble countertops and the high-end plumbing fittings are where we indulged. I think, being an architect, I focus on the quality of the built-in elements because those are harder to change out down the road. We very slowly invest in the furniture.

Best Advice: Hire excellent professionals to help you with your home, contractors, landscape designers, architects, etc. Ask friends to recommend people they liked and try not to hire the cheapest guy/gal you can find, you will pay for it in the long run. And of course do what construction projects you can yourself because you will not only save money but will be fulfilled by the experience.

Dream Sources: For inspiration on interiors I always look at British Elle Decor.

Other Inspiration: Art, music, film, and my very resourceful and eco-minded husband

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)

Resources of Note:

LIVING ROOM

DINING ROOM

KITCHEN

POWDER BATHROOM

Michelle

HARPER’S BEDROOM

MASTER BEDROOM

MASTER BATH

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)

Thanks, Risa & Nick!

Images: Sarah Rainwater

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