When a home has a lot of historic and classical details, it can feel intimidating to add modern elements. Not for designer Megan Millie, however, as proven in this beautiful Portland home. The clients, a busy professional couple with two small children, had lived together abroad and throughout the Pacific Northwest before purchasing this Washington Park property.

Megan had first met the couple when she designed the husband’s office in downtown Portland. “Several years after that project, upon buying this house they contacted me,” she says. “They wanted to make their classical home feel as modern as possible while still being accessible and comfortable for a growing family.”

Megan had six months to bring their vision to life. The first order of business was removing quite a bit of old wallpaper, followed by painting all of the walls and ceilings white with charcoal and black accents to highlight the architecture. Plumbing was updated, a powder bath was refreshed, and new furniture, accessories, décor and art were quickly brought in.

The designer felt confident with her work, but admits there was one risk. “Other than the boldness of the dark walls and accents, I’d say changing ALL the light fixtures to such modern designs was a little gamble in such historical classical home.” Unsurprisingly, the clients were quite pleased. “They were pretty stunned when they arrived after the first furniture install. They said it was exactly what they wanted,” Megan concludes with a smile.