I am a big fan of modern architecture that takes subtle, and often not so subtle, hints from the past. The Faherty’s modern farmhouse in Portland, Oregon is a perfect example. Brian Faherty is the owner of Schoolhouse Electric & Supply Co., where his wife, Jill, is a Product Developer. Schoolhouse Electric & Supply Co. is an amazing company which started out as a source for great period hardware and lighting – a website I often visited during our restoration of Church Street. Today, Schoolhouse still offers hardware and lighting, but has grown to include furniture, bed/bath products, and even jewelry. The Faherty’s recently scaled down to this single level ranch-style home in Portland because they realized that in their larger home, the whole family would “end up in the 150-square-foot TV room to be together.” After a five month long renovation, today the Faherty’s are loving their smaller home, which acts as a test site for most of the Schoolhouse product line. The renovation of the c. 1958 house was inspired by Swedish courtyard farmhouses, and accents such as the knotty oak flooring and ship lap walls create the laid back family friendly feeling the Faherty’s were aiming for. A favorite detail of mine? The douglas fir beams from a  decommissioned wood mill used to frame the entry way. For more photos and information visit Nothing Fancy at NYTimes.com.

Images via NYTimes.com