letter from the editor

Challenges Foster Creativity: Three Stories about Pitfalls, Possibilities, and Paradise

The median age for new homebuyers in Portland is 33. And while some of the homes they’re buying are newer homes, many late-20s through mid-40s professionals are buying older homes to raise families in. These homes are charming and well-built; but can come with their share of problems, as well as loads of possibilities that reward the diligent remodeler and determined homeowner. In this issue of Iconic, we present three stories that explore the challenges and creative solutions of updating older buildings to modern standards of efficiency and convenience.

To write “Love & Logistics: Modernizing Your Older Home,” we interviewed Anne De Wolf, Principal Designer and Owner of ARCIFORM. With her wealth of experience, Anne details the pitfalls of remodeling and the creative solutions that can achieve beautiful results while improving on original ideas.

The article ends with a relevant question for younger homeowners on limited budgets: to DIY or not to DIY? The answer provides a quick quideline for deciding what you can do yourself and when it’s best to call in a professional!

When designer and Instagram influencer Emily Henderson found a vintage farmhouse on three secluded acres 15 minutes from downtown Portland, she knew it was the place for her, and her husband and their two kids. She also knew she would need help tackling the renovation. In “Emily Henderson and ARCIFORM Turn Potential Into Paradise”, feast your eyes on a photo diary as the team transforms this small farm into a rural paradise.

It was the very picture of a Skid Row hotel. Boarded up, covered with graffiti, and slated for demolition. That is, until ARCIFORM and Versatile Wood Products came into the picture. “The Harlow Hotel: From High Hopes to Hard Times to a New Heyday” chronicles the challenges and meticulous solutions that transformed this classic, rundown hotel into a traditional beauty with modern conveniences. The Harlow Hotel won a 2023 2023 DeMuro award.

Continuing Iconic’s newest tradition, the ArciFiles, we bring you the story of Melanie Nead, founder of Lonesome Pictopia. As lead designer, Melanie heads a “design collective in the spirit of the Arts and Crafts movement” that creates wallpapers, murals, and hand-painted objects, that draw their inspiration from archetypal patterns that humans love.

Lastly, we continue and expand our Iconic Community Directory of vendors, partners, and organizations that ARCIFORM is proud to work with. Discover the talented professionals who help us do our very best.

We hope this issue inspires some creative ideas of your own. Happy reading and viewing!

Snow Blackwood snow@snowbdesigns.com snowbdesigns.com