Editor’s Note: Welcome to Portland Monthly’s "Property Watch” column, in which 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: a serene new build in Hillsdale that flew off the market in three days flat. Got a home you think would work for this column? Get in touch at [email protected].

Despite being built in 2019 and surrounded by several 1950s-era homes, this house doesn’t stick out. Designed by local firm Fieldwork Design & Architecture and named Tripod House, it was kept to one story, with its 2,680 square feet arranged over three volumes that surround a private courtyard.At a quarter acre, the lot is big by Portland standards but typical for this neighborhood, sandwiched between the bottom of Council Crest and top of Hillsdale, where all of the houses have a lot of breathing room.

This house is set back from the street a little and on first glance presents two simple gable forms, each wrapped in black-stained tongue-and-groove wood siding, which seamlessly meets the metal roof at a hidden gutter. To the left is the carport; to the right, the entry inserted into a protected niche.

The front door feeds into a short hall, passing a laundry/pantry on the left, to quickly meet the main living spaces, which have radiant-heat concrete floors, white walls, floor-to-ceiling windows and sliding glass doors.

The key here, and throughout the house, is how there’s greenery at every glass aperture, whether it’s in a bathroom, a bedroom, or the living room. That’s because each has been carefully considered so the view is primarily of the surrounding landscaping, much of it made up of evergreens. This gives the home a downright secluded feel, despite its fairly close-in location.

There are two halls off the main living spaces, the threshold of each denoted with a glass vestibule; look up for a weather check. The vestibules mark the transition into the more private areas of the home, which has a total of four bedrooms and three baths, including a guest suite and primary suite.

Each hallway overlooks the courtyard, with its giant, sprawling, 30-year-old pine tree, and every bedroom has a double glass door to the outside. Bathrooms are all finished consistently, with marble slabs, rain showers, Vola fixtures, and hidden medicine cabinet storage.

Custom, seamless cabinetry throughout ensures plenty of storage without cluttering the view, and every internal door pockets neatly into the wall, creating an overall sense of connection. From the frameless windows to the flat fronts of the cabinetry to the integrated curtain systems, there’s no extraneous detail here, and the sale even includes several custom-designed furniture pieces. It’s no wonder the house was snapped up after only three days on the market, which might just be a Property Watch record (the Emily Henderson house was four days).

Listing Fast Facts 

Address: 4120 SW Altadena Ave, Portland, OR 97239

Size: 2,680 square feet/4 bedroom/3 bath 

List Date: 4/13/2022 
List Price: $1,995,000 
Listing Agent: Tracey Henkels, 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.