The Simpler Life
A Buckman couple proves that life in less square footage is both sustainable and stylish.
By Anna Sachse
Asymmetrical shelves filled with books, records, and other beloved possessions lend color and texture to an otherwise minimalist background of white paint, tigerwood flooring, and vapor-proof light fixtures.
View Slideshow »Using touch latches and drawer-pulls instead of hardware on FSC-certified cabinets yielded a clean aesthetic and saved money. Bovee and Kirkpatrick then used the leftover cabinet wood to craft the coffee table, dining table, and a side table for the kitchen.
View Slideshow »The “window” in the railing around the eco-roof also creates a seamless flow between the indoors and outdoors.
View Slideshow »View Slideshow »
Kirkpatrick custom-designed shelves so that the couple’s CD and DVD collection would be both accessible and minimally intrusive.
View Slideshow »“We added the desk at the foot of the bed after a boatbuilder who attended our March open house told us it was a common space-maximizing configuration onboard ships,” says Bovee.
View Slideshow »With an average flush of just one gallon, dual-flush toilets reduce water consumption by 40 to 70 percent; toilet-sink combinations save even more, and because they automatically cycle clean water through the faucet after each flush, they encourage hand-washing.
RELAXING at his dining table and sipping green tea on a gray evening in late May, typically soft-spoken designer Matt Kirkpatrick notes—with more than a hint of incredulity—that the average size of a newly built single-family house in the United States in 2009 was 2,438 square feet. “In 1950,” he says, “it was less than a thousand.” Although Kirkpatrick, 31, was born on the cusp of the bigger-is-always-better 1980s, his own home, nicknamed the Harpoon House, appears to have taken a page from the Leave It to Beaver decade, if only in terms of size.
The first project of his solo company, Design for Occupancy, and a collaboration with his girlfriend, communications designer Katherine Bovee, 30, the Harpoon House has 704 square feet of living space and 448 square feet of unconditioned basement, with three tiers of eco-roof, one bedroom, and one bathroom—no garage. And to leave the smallest possible footprint on their half-size lot (2,500 square feet), the house was built 16 feet wide, 28 feet deep, and 28 feet tall.
For the two young creatives, this über-modern urban tower is a dream home. It’s also the product of both necessity and a desire for economy—of space, of budget, and of impact on the planet. With a budget of $192,700, a smaller home was cheaper to build, says Bovee, “but smaller homes also take less time and money to maintain and naturally require far less electricity and resources.”
To maximize space, the couple chose fixtures and furniture that frequently could serve dual purposes, and carefully curated possessions in which a high-design aesthetic allows them to easily double as art. Every square inch of the property was considered in the design process, always with an eye to usability, efficiency, and an uncluttered look.
Published: August 2010
Beautiful, creative house!
The house feels like part of the neighborhood, yet can serve as a personal retreat, too.
And I definitely agree with having a good sink for toothbrushing.
Congratulations Matt and Katherine!
Part of the hood? This thing is an abomination, likely why the writer declined to interview neighbors or community members in this historic neighborhood who get to stare at this thing every day.
This structure is not an abomination unless your mind is stuck thinking that a house must have a lots of wasted space, bad paint colors, and poor energy efficiency. Yes, I’ve seen this “historic” neighborhood for myself and the only thing worth looking at was the harpoon house. As this house ages it will begin to turn a silver gray and tone itself down, perhaps then it will more acceptable to the historic standards?
Hey everyone! Look at me! Looks like someone needed build an homage to his personal ego. What a narcissistic prick.
I think you proved my point exactly joshua. You clearly have no regard for the neighborhood. Take this box to Beaverton where it belongs.
We love this beautiful application of our FSC Certified Cedar Siding! Thanks to both the Buckmans and Portland Monthly for hi-lighting the value and aesthetic appeal of local, sustainable forest products! www.AltruWood.com
wow. neighborhood nazis…
I have lived in my home next door for 40 years and it doesn’t bother me a bit!
The Harpoon House is on the Build It Green! home tour on September 25th—right now you can buy a ticket to visit this and any of 19 other innovative houses and talk to the owners and contractors. The tour is a good way to see beyond the outside appearance, maybe you’ll find things to like if you visit and discuss. Here are profiles of the houses:
http://www.portlandonline.com/bps/index.cfm?c=50833&
What an inspiring project! It’s amazing to see all these innovative practices packing in to 700 SF. Congrats to the young homeowners for taking such a big leap, and encouraging that living comfortably & efficiently can be done in an affordable fashion.
This is awesome. I am going to contact this builder within the next couple of years. My husband and I are looking for something similar to this. Good job!
This house is amazing. I have always been into small modern living spaces, especially the houses ive seen in Tokyo, Japan. and this house reminds me a lot of that. i live just a few blocks down the road and i was riding my bicycle one day and looked up to this very sleek beautiful structure, could not believe my eyes. Learning of how much it cost for everything something like this, made me very excited, especially since its very close in SE Buckman neighborhood, where houses are very expensive!
this is how all cities in the US need to be… build up, and save room. the owner of this house is obviously is a very smart dood. thank you for building something worth looking at on my way to downtown.
I anticipate you accepted my point absolutely joshua. You acutely accept no attention for the neighborhood. Take this box to Beaverton area it belongs.
I guess a place like this is for people never planning to have kids. And if people really wanted eco friendly – new homes would be made of poured concrete….think about it.
I’ll take an eyesore of an innovative architecture over everpresent blue tarp all over our neighborhoods. This is a great house that offers so much for its residents in so little space. Good things do come in small packages. Exactly how I see my future home plus an extra bedroom. Well done.
Great idea! And attractive. I agree with the idiot that said move it to Beaverton!
Super elegant! I love the screened outdoor room. An abstract Alhambra.
Lew Oliver, Whole Town Solutions, Atlanta