In the same way that gardeners brighten the dark, rainy days of winter by poring over brightly colored seed catalogs, homeowners use this dreary time to plot their summer remodeling projects. When the rain starts tapering off in late spring, contractors in Portland get busy, so now is the time to get on the builders’ calendars.

You live in Portland, Oregon, a beautiful city in a beautiful setting. Your home already incorporates features that bring the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest inside, but now you’re thinking about building an outdoor kitchen that would allow you to enjoy the out of doors in Portland year-round.

At COOPER Design Build, we have made many Portland homeowners happy with whole-house remodels that include adding a second story. But before you decide on such a major project, you should think long and hard about all the issues involved, because building a second story isn’t always the best option.

Sometimes a house needs to be more than it is. In that case, a whole house remodel might be the best choice. The original layout of this Portland home was boxy. Lots of smaller rooms and cabinetry made the spaces feel cramped and cluttered. With a remodel of the entire interior space, the results are striking. Each space feels fresh and open. Featured on the 2020 Tour of Remodeled Homes.

In certain areas of the house, who doesn’t want more storage? The kitchen is a major gathering point in the homes, so you may need a lot of variety in storage options here. As you get ready to remodel your kitchen, plan to maximize every inch, limited only by your budget and your square footage. Take a look at these options.

If you have the means to undertake a high-end remodel of your Portland, Oregon, home, take plenty of time to dream about the luxuries you might include. And then start prioritizing your list of features to determine which ones will be essential to your remodel. Of course, everyone’s list will be different, based on lifestyle, family situation, interests, and budget. Here are some features that will appear on most lists, and some more extreme choices that won’t be for everyone.

COOPER Design Builders took advantage of an acre of level, undeveloped land behind this home in the green Portland suburb of Lake Oswego to create an outdoor playground for all ages last year. Now the family is ready for a summer outdoors.

If you’ve spent any time on Houzz.com, you’ll know how great Houzz ideabooks are for gathering up photos and ideas for your next remodel. You also can use ideabooks to help you stay organized during the renovation of your Portland, Oregon, home.

As every Portlander knows, this city has its own style. But that doesn’t mean that its new and remodeled kitchens won’t borrow some ideas from designers in other parts of the world. Here are some kitchen design trends that have been showing up in 2019.