The Inspiration for This Oregon Home? The Seven Dwarfs’ Cottage in Snow White
The 1920s Arts and Crafts cottage has a storybook design.
Kara Mercer
The secret to living a fairytale life might just be designing your home to look like it’s straight out of one. For this 1920s Arts and Crafts cottage in Lake Oswego, Oregon, the design inspiration came from an animated film: the Seven Dwarfs’ home in Snow White.
Kara Mercer
Named the Hofer House, the five-bedroom, four-bathroom home already had its own lore with designated landmark status. It was originally built by Laurence and Edna Hofer after their honeymoon in the British Isles. The cottage has so many interesting architectural features and whimsical details—it’s said that the original owner, who was an inventor, put in a cowbell as the home’s doorbell.
Kara Mercer
When a new family with two sons and menagerie of pets moved in, they wanted to update the home to better serve modern-day needs, while also bringing back some of its historic details.
Kara Mercer
It was a full-home renovation, with updates to the bedrooms, bathrooms, media room, and library. In particular, the biggest transformations happened in the kitchen, breakfast nook, and cramped primary bathroom.
Kara Mercer
“The house had undergone some early 2000s updates that leaned heavily into a faux Tuscan aesthetic, featuring an abundance of travertine and highly textured walls,” explains interior designer Casey Keasler of Casework Interior Design. “The kitchen had a problematic layout, including a tiered island, and the range, located in the island, lacked a proper hood. According to our client, the kitchen was highly impractical—despite its large size, there was hardly any functional space for cooking or food storage.”
Kara Mercer
The new kitchen design features a custom-tiled alcove, cabinetry adorned with floral cutouts, a butcher’s block island, quartzite countertops, hand-glazed ceramic tiles, and unlacquered brass plumbing fixtures.
Kara Mercer
In the media room, a U-shaped sofa was built into the space for family movie nights. Next door, the library showcases the children’s collection of books.
Kara Mercer
The cramped and compact primary bathroom was completely reconfigured. Casey and team removed the large corner soaking tub, small shower, and double vanity, swapping in a single sink, a bigger walk-in shower, and a soaking tub.
Kara Mercer
“Given the limited size of the space and the likelihood of not using it simultaneously, they decided a second sink was unnecessary to have a beautiful soaking tub and spacious shower,” Casey explains.
Kara Mercer
Additionally, the home’s five fireplaces were restored, with the one in the dining room getting extra special personalization. “Our client has a collection of Blue Willow dishware, a striking blue and white chinoiserie pattern featured on tableware, which would be showcased in the original dining room hutch. When selecting tile for the fireplace surround in the dining room, she referenced this pattern, and we felt Delft tile would be a perfect complement,” Casey says.
Kara Mercer
The finished design preserves and restores the home’s fairytale character without looking too kitschy. For anyone charmed by the property, you could have a chance to make it your own since it was recently put on the market.
Kara Mercer
“I would hope that a new owner of this home would be an avid gardener who entertains on the back patio overlooking the lake,” the current owner says. “The kitchen is a fabulous gathering place and makes any get together easy and fun to cook and entertain simultaneously. This home is made to last and to enjoy. I am grateful to have been a steward of this historical place.”
