Editor’s Note: Welcome to Portland Monthly’s “Property Watch” column, where we’ll take regular looks at interesting homes on the market in Portland’s super-competitive real estate market (with periodic ventures to the burbs and points beyond, for good measure). This week: A sleek, light-filled home in the Northwest Portland hills. Have a property you’d like to suggest for this feature? Get in touch at [email protected].

There’s no such thing as a gray day in this modern light box perched in the King’s Heights neighborhood, just above bustling NW 23rd Avenue. We count over 20 windows on the rear façade alone, spread generously across the three levels. Inside, white walls, high ceilings, and wood floors produce an airy effect, like an art gallery in which the city skyline and the views beyond make for the best artwork of all.

The entry level is up top, with garage access and an elevated walkway leading to the front door. Inside, a central atrium with skylights sends sunlight cascading down the stairs, all the better to spread it everywhere. There’s an en-suite up here, complete with skylight, framed views, a walk-in closet, and marble-clad bath. And don’t worry about carrying the groceries downstairs to the kitchen—there’s an elevator for that.

Down the staircase—its open tread and bent metal railing adding to the sense of spaciousness—is the main living level, which exemplifies the design theorem of prospect and refuge. That’s the theory that posits humans just like being in places where they feel protected, yet can maintain unobstructed views outward. Like our ancestors in caves assessing potential threats, we like to see without being seen.

To that end, a cozy living room occupies one side of this level, and a combination kitchen and dining room balances out the other, yet all the tall windows and the double-height space in the middle ensure plenty of sight-lines. Downstairs is also nice and quiet, with two more bedrooms, another en-suite, and a media room.

It’s not all white walls and windows—we love the luxe unexpected details, like the pressed metal entry doors, and colorful wall coverings in the dining room and powder bath. Two levels of decks take care of the outdoor space, and a cedar-lined sauna is the cherry on top, perfect for relaxing after a long day. From this vantage point, the city is really your backyard.  

Listing Fast Facts

Address: 424 NW Macleay Blvd

Size: 3,287 square feet, 4 bedroom/3.5 bath

List Date: 8/2/2021

List Price: $2,600,000

Listing Agents: Patrick Clark, Inhabit Real Estate

Melissa Dalton is a freelance writer who has focused on Pacific Northwest design and lifestyle since 2008. She is based in Portland, Oregon. Contact Dalton here.