Property Watch: An Elegantly Remodeled Montavilla Ranch
Image: Courtesy Spin Photography
Editor’s Note: Welcome to Portland Monthly’s “Property Watch” column, where we 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: An elegantly remodeled Montavilla ranch with a standout kitchen. Have a property you’d like to suggest for this feature? Get in touch at [email protected].
The first word that comes to mind upon stepping inside this 1951 home is well-appointed, defined as “attractively equipped for comfort and convenience.” Indeed, since purchasing the house for themselves in 2016, the sellers, a creative couple who called the project their “love child,” gave it a thorough front-to-back, years-long remodel, with no detail left unconsidered, and it all comes together beautifully.
Image: Courtesy Spin Photography
Located on a quiet stretch of SE 76th Avenue just a short walk from the Montavilla commercial district, the home has a warm and welcoming open plan. A large picture window in the cozy living room overlooks the front yard, while nearby, a Norwegian Jotul wood stove occupies an eye-catching marble tiled nook. There, an elegant flooring change from hardwood to Brazilian black slate marks the transition into the dining area.
Image: Courtesy Spin Photography
The standout is the kitchen, which was recently completed this year. It’s wreathed in custom white oak cabinetry, quartz counters, and a backsplash of handmade zellige tiles, their finish rippling in the sunlight. The smart layout, complete with a dishware display hutch, eat-in bar/prep counter, and built-in appliances, makes it a dream space for cooking and entertaining, or just a beautiful backdrop for takeout. The adjacent laundry and mud room are fitted with the same cabinetry and storage solutions, as well as a dash of patterned tile at the door. You know a home is special when the hardest working areas just feel lovely.
Image: Courtesy Spin Photography
The private half of the home is equally gracious, with two bedrooms and a bath, the latter remodeled in 2017, wrapped in white penny tile, and sporting a large mirror to bounce the sunlight pouring down from the skylight. A family room enjoys more sun and views of the backyard through a set of glass doors, and its floating media cabinet and white oak cabinetry conceals components of the new mini-split heating and cooling system.
Image: Courtesy Spin Photography
The 1,200-square-foot home sits on a larger corner lot—it’s 7,000-square-feet—and the backyard feels quite generous as a result, especially with its built-in firepit and sleek Ipe deck. It’s so easy to picture life here: whether that’s firing up the barbeque, relaxing on a Sunday morning in front of the wood-burning stove, or strolling to Montavilla’s Academy Theater for a movie and a slice from Flying Pie Pizzeria, both beloved neighborhood faves. After all, the hard work’s all been done.
Listing Fast Facts
Address: 1826 SE 76th Avenue
Size: 1,212 square feet, 2 bedroom/1 bath
List Date: 8/17/2021
List Price: $650,000
Listing Agents: Virginia Barden, Living Room Realty
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.
