Jessica Helgerson Interior Design (JHID) surprised us once again with this house renovation of a mid-century Portland home with more than a touch of charm. Elegant gold fabrics stand side by side with decadent purple and lavender velvets. Vintage chairs are reflected in the mirrors of the living room faceted as it is with panels of antique mirrors making the space appear to light up like the inside of a diamond.

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The 1885 house is listed on the National Register of Historic American Places and had its restrictions. There was no random pulling down of walls or taking out of windows, but that wasn’t high on Helgerson’s list anyway.

“The existing details were so exquisite and the proportions so lovely we felt that we needed to proceed with caution with everything we did. Our goal was to reflect our clients’ love of modern design while being absolutely respectful of the existing architecture,” said Helgerson.

The design team was delighted by everything that was original and meticulously preserved the classical structure of the home. The intention was to add to it by dusting off the vintage furniture collection, an Aladdin’s cave of mid-century modern chairs, belonging to the owners of the property, Greg and Sandra Cost. But it was Sandra’s love of glamour that inspired so many of the luxury finishes in the house.

The kitchen was where the most change happened. Previously refreshed in the 1980’s, the yellow cabinetry required a total going over. There were some intense structural changes needed to open it up, a new ceiling beam and footings in the basement. They were unable to remove the old fireplace in the breakfast nook, but as it turned out, it became one of the elements that Helgerson found most attractive about the room.