Colorful Foursquare
Whole-Home
Refresh in Irvington

ARCHITECTURE | Foursquare

LOCATION | Irvington, NE Portland

This historic Irvington foursquare was already thoughtfully updated when the family moved in, but it still felt a little stark and unfinished. They loved the crisp white walls and wanted to keep the existing white paint throughout, so we focused on a whole-home refresh that added warmth, color, and personality through furnishings, lighting, and layered details while honoring the home’s classic architecture.

DESIGN & STYLING: WENDY COMBS STUDIO
PHOTOGRAPHY: HANNA VARGAS

Empty room with hardwood floors, white walls, a window with a bench underneath, and a gray table in the center. There are shopping bags, a guitar, and a box on the bench, with a balloon hanging from the ceiling.
Living room with a white fireplace, built-in bookshelves filled with books, a leather armchair, a potted plant, and a plush area rug. Clutter is on the rug, including crumpled paper and clothing.

before

Living room with a beige couch and colorful throw pillows, a round pouf, a white built-in bookshelf, a fireplace with a marble surround, a window with plants and decorative items, and framed abstract art on the wall.
Living room with beige sofa, pillows, bookshelf, lamp, and large windows showing outdoor greenery.
Books stacked on a windowsill with a glass cake stand on top, overlooking a tree outside.
A foyer corner with a wooden dresser, a large mirror, a white vase with greenery, a white table lamp, and a window seat with pillows.

THE ASK

Like a lot of historic homes in NE Portland, this foursquare has great bones, beautiful natural light, and strong original proportions. The house was move in ready, but the interiors felt more like a blank canvas than a finished home. The goal was a cohesive interior design plan across multiple rooms, with better function day to day and more character overall. They wanted it to feel like a vacation home, where everything felt in place but comfortable.

DESIGN APPROACH

Instead of changing the architecture, we used a full service interior design approach focused on furniture selection, space planning, lighting design, and decorative styling. Color, texture, and pattern came in through textiles, art, rugs, and curated accessories, with materials chosen to feel collected and personal.

We also refined furniture layouts to improve flow and comfort, then layered lighting and fixtures to soften the home and create depth from room to room. Keeping the white paint allowed the furnishings and artwork to do more of the work, and it kept the home feeling calm and bright.

THE RESULT

The finished home feels warm, playful, and lived in, while still calm and grounded. This Portland interior design project is a good example of how a whole home refresh in an Irvington home can feel transformative without remodeling, especially when the design focuses on furnishings, lighting, and thoughtful styling.

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