Remake an entrance

This boxy, nondescript house in Lake Oswego, Oregon, needed a revamp (see “before” image, below).

It had little character, felt closed off from its setting, and lacked a graceful approach to the front door.

As fans of the work of Frank Lloyd Wright, Rob and Susan Gagnon asked architect David Giulietti to give their home a Wrightian ― that is to say, a more sculptural ― appearance.

“The house had basically good lines, so I thought a modest facelift would do the trick,” Giulietti says.

He added steps and low walls, as well as new stone textures and a natural color palette, to define the entry and tie the house to its sloping, wooded site.

An L-shaped entry path broadens into terraces as it steps up to the front door, which is sheltered from the rain by an elegant cantilevered roof.

The lower level of the house becomes a pedestal for the top level and an extension of the entry path.

The upper part of the house continues the horizontal theme with siding set in long linear strips.

An enlarged chimney ties together the entire composition by linking the horizontal roof planes to the entry walk. New double entry doors complete the inviting welcome.

Design:  Giulietti/Schouten Architects , Portland (503/223-0325)

More: 17 amazing Before and Afters