About Us

Hello!

We are two young professionals who made the leap in 2010 to buy an old house in Portland Oregon and spend our time making it into our home. Together we have tried to stay true to the character and age of the house while putting our own personality on the space. The blog was an attempt to keep track of all of our progress and to serve as a reminder of how far we have come.

 

Who

Taylor
 

Born in Virginia, I spent my entire life building models, drawing houses, and watching home improvement shows. When it came time to go to college I already knew that I wanted to be an architect. In 2003, I went to Syracuse University to get my BARCH. After a semester in Florence and another in London, I graduated in 2008. Unfortunately, the economy had other ideas about jobs and in particular architecture. After moving to Portland Oregon I got a job as a construction manager. I soon learned that I was well adept at working in the field and enjoyed the freedom of not being at a desk all day. Using my new skills and interest in all things house I have thrown myself into this house and to each project. When not working on the house you can find me, trolling pinterest and real estate listings thinking about my next 'big project.'

Josh

Born in Wyoming, Josh spent his whole childhood playing with legos and wanting to shape his environment. When he graduated high school he headed to the University of Wyoming to study Architectural Engineering. After completing his degree he still felt the pull to architecture and found himself traveling to Syracuse New York to get his Masters in Architecture. He graduated in 2008 and together we moved to Portland Oregon. Always versatile, Josh found himself: teaching, working as a construction project manager and volunteering around town. In 2012, after long hours he returned to the architecture field. He loves using the house as a creative outlet for his designs and enjoys pushing himself to the limit trying to complete our crazy projects.

Gus

In 2009, Gus found himself wandering the streets of a small rural Washington town, this quickly put him on the wrong side of the law. After waiting for someone to claim him he spent a few weeks in foster care until a second chance shelter in Portland Oregon was willing to take him on. Taylor found his picture and knew he was their soul mate. Together with Josh they left a volunteer Depave event to bring him home. Since then Gus has been doing his best to break hearts and turn everyone into a dog lover. At first this reserved mister didn't know about cuddling, belly rubs, barks, or car rides. Within a year he had mastered most of these techniques, he is now a full time cuddle monster who spends his days napping, visiting neighbors, and waiting around for treats. He is not a huge fan of all our banging, digging, and painting but he is always willing to try to get a rub even when we are mid-project.