SOOTHING SPACES IN THE HIGH DESERT plus: ALLURING MOSAIC ART
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SHOU SUGI BAN
CHARRED WOOD SIDING
Traditionally Inspired and American Made™, Pioneer Millworks Shou Sugi Ban exterior siding combines the classic with the contemporary.
Our sustainably sourced Shou Sugi Ban product is a dramatic take on the 18th century Japanese practice of Yakisugi but updated to reflect Pioneer Millworks 21st century design and performance standards.
Over 20 color options are available and responsibly made at our locations in New York and Oregon.
WHERE EXTRAORDINARY HAS BEEN THE NORM SINCE 1977.
WEST BEND’S NEWEST NEIGHBORHOOD
BUILT BY THE BEST
5 MIN
10 MIN
10 MIN
30 MIN
3 MIN to Shevlin Park to NW Crossing to Downtown to Old Mill District to Mt. Bachelor
Derived from the “tall line” of the Cascade Mountain Range, the Talline development was created as a neighborhood, not only for the family, but for the whole community to call home amongst the mountains. Talline will feature a 5 acre mixed commercial core anchoring the neighborhood with some diverse commercial tenants as well as an 8 acre park nestled into the heart of Talline to better accommodate your family needs. This vision for the Talline community is being shaped by a few of the best builders in Bend coming together as partners to develop this last remaining large parcel of land on Bend’s Westside, placing Homeowners in close proximity to many of the area’s best amenities.
DEVELOPING PARTNERS
Cameron Curtis Greg Welch Mike Arnett Dan Goodrich
Building extraordinary custom homes for over 40 years
A DEDICATED CUSTOM HOME BUILDER YOU CAN TRUST
We provide a hands-on and personalized approach to custom home building without sacrificing the core values of trust, relationship building and accountability. Over two hundred completed homes later, every west side neighborhood in Bend is home to the Leader Builders name.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Donec fringilla placerat nulla vitae lobortis. Sed fringilla tristique erat, maximus varius ex semper quis. Vestibulum purus quam, fermentum at sapien at, sodales hendrerit est. Nunc rutrum auctor ligula, at fringilla tortor finibus vel. In vestibulum egestas ligula, nec dignissim metus vulputate nec. Pellentesque habitant morbi tristique senectus et netus et malesuada fames ac turpis If you can dream it, We can build it. Ready to start a new project? (541) 480-3547
| (541) 410-3682
In Bend, Oregon since 1999
Designed by Tebbs Design Group
Photos by Blake Woolen
DEPARTMENTS
BROKEN TOP REMODEL
Art and contemporary design create a sophisticated space for family gatherings. 39 LOOKBOOKS
Explore a curated collection of home projects from builders and designers in Central Oregon.
ELEVATED DESIGN
Ben Hull uses natural forms found in the high desert to create designs for interior spaces. 92
TASTES OF THE HIGH DESERT
Chef Karl Holl brings foraged flavors to elevated cuisine at Brasada Ranch’s new restaurant, Wild Rye.
FALL CONTAINERS
Enjoy the season by planting vessels full of
PUBLISHERS
Heather Huston Johnson
Ross Johnson
EDITOR IN CHIEF
Cheryl Parton
MANAGING EDITOR
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STAFF WRITERS
Chloe Green, Siena Dorman
CUSTOM PUBLICATIONS EDITOR
Heidi Hausler
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Kelly Alexander
SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNERS
Cali Clement, Jeremiah Crisp
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Libby Marsden
SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES
Susan Crow, Ronnie Harrelson
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
Bootsie Boddington
SALES AND MARKETING COORDINATOR
Allie Field
CLIENT PERFORMANCE SPECIALIST
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MARKETING DIRECTOR
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WEB DEVELOPMENT
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Adventure Lives Here
From snowy adventures to sunlit trails, Caldera Springs is where every season brings its own brand of magic. Explore the beauty of winter with Mt. Bachelor as your playground, or savor the fun of Forest House after a day in the sun. Four seasons of family fun, one unforgettable lifestyle—discover your dream mountain home in the Pacific Northwest’s premier community.
EDITOR’S LETTER
home and design magazine should be full of homes, right? Inspiring ideas, expert tips and visually appealing spaces that spark creativity and help readers enhance their living environments. Since its debut in 2019, Bend Home + Design has remained true to these ideals, and in this issue, it showcases even more homes for your enjoyment. If something catches your eye, don’t hesitate to tear out a page or two for your inspiration board–it may be your turn next to remodel or build.
As a writer, I have the joy and privilege of exploring newly built or uniquely transformed homes that reflect their owners’ tastes and lifestyles. This issue’s featured home (page 28) drops readers into a remodeled sanctuary created in collaboration between the homeowners and an all-female team that led the design, engineering and construction. Check out the impressive 800-bottle wine cellar. Fall is a season of transition, so in my home, it means stowing away lawn
furniture, tidying up the remnants of my vegetable garden after a relentless vole invasion and clearing out the frost-killed petunias and other once-vibrant annuals from their pots. Sheila G. Miller writes about ways to incorporate ornamental, cold-hardy plants or repurpose found items to brighten pots and containers through winter (page 77).
Finally, Teresa Ristow brings us the uplifting story of two women, Noelle Teuber and Julie Tobias, who founded Inspire Bend, a new nonprofit dedicated to redesigning spaces used by nonprofit organizations and other public service groups (page 62).
As we step into this season of change, I hope this issue sparks your creativity and inspires your next home project. Until next time, happy designing!
Lee
Lewis Husk, Editor
From Your Local Experts
BEN HULL SPATIAL DESIGN
Ben Hull, founder of Connell Hull Company, creates unique spatial designs in larger spaces for business around Central Oregon and beyond. Page 66
ASHLEY JOYCE GARDEN & LANDSCAPE
Bend Urban Gardens’ Ashley Joyce offers tips to keep gardeners busy and productive in the off-season. Page 80
NOELLE TEUBER & JULIE TOBIAS INSPIRING INTERIORS
Driven by their love of design, the two founded the nonprofit Inspire Bend to beautify and enhance comfort in local public service and nonprofit group spaces. Page 62
KARL HOLL CULINARY SPACE
Executive Chef Karl Holl showcases an array of seasonal and local ingredients at Brasada’s Wild Rye restaurant, elevating dining in Central Oregon. Page 92
CONTRIBUTORS
CHRISTOPHER DIBBLE
PHOTOGRAPHER
As a thirdgeneration photographer, Chris Dibble specializes in capturing interiors and people with a blend of color, creativity and collaboration. His work, seen in publications such as Dwell and House Beautiful, ranges from editorial storytelling to crisp catalog shots. He worked with the homeowners of a Broken Top remodel to capture their artfilled home. Page 28
CHLOE GREEN
WRITER
Having dreamed of being a writer since she was a child, scribbling in journals and staying up past her bedtime reading, Chloe Green has penned stories about the art, people and landscapes that make her home in Central Oregon so special. Off-duty, you can find her teaching yoga, swimming in the river and hiking with her pup. For this issue, she explored the mosaic art of Rochelle Schueler. Page 88
CASEY HATFIELD-CHIOTTI
WRITER
The words of Bend’s Casey HatfieldChiotti can be found in Marin Living , The New York Times, Travel + Leisure and Forbes. As the daughter of an architect and designer, Hatfield-Chiotti’s appreciation for architecture makes her a natural to cover home design. Join her in this season’s issue as she dives into the worlds of interior design and fine dining. Pages 52, 66 and 92
ANNA JACOBS
PHOTOGRAPHER
Raised in Vermont, Anna Jacobs has spent a decade in Bend. She divides her time between projects that indulge her passion for photography, real estate and marketing, and has an eye for architectural detail and interior spaces. Beyond photography, she and her husband Damian Schmitt also operate Mountain Modern Airstream. Jacobs photographed the global influences in a Tetherow home for this issue. Page 52
JENN MONTOYA
PHOTOGRAPHER
Jenn Montoya is passionate about capturing wellplaced details and composing images to thoughtfully showcase the completed work of interior designers, architects and builders on the West Coast. She works with her clients to compose photographs that elevate their spaces, portfolios or brand presence. See her photos of a NWX kitchen remodel. Page 72
Award-Winning Central Oregon home builder designing + building quality, luxurious homes for clients to enjoy for generations to come. We turn your home dreams into reality. Contact us today to learn about our distinctive home building process.
LOCALLY Found
Enhance your home with hand-picked vases and vessels
Walking into the recently opened Iris & Stout on Galveston Avenue delights the senses with Scandinavian charm and elegance. Owner Chelsey Graff embraces the store’s “travel lightly, live lively” philosophy through a curated inventory of products embodying sustainability, community and legacy. Iris & Stout has two namesakes, both from Graff’s family. “Iris,” her great-aunt, is the fleur-delis, symbolizing nobility. “Stout” is her mother-in-law’s surname and is a reminder of the hard work required to produce finely crafted items. The shop's mindful selection includes hand-woven Turkish shoes that improve with wear, durable Portland-made cast iron cookware, organic cotton Swedish blankets and single-sheet steel toolboxes from Japan. “Use the things you need and enjoy them,” Graff said.
IRIS & STOUT
631 NW Federal St., Bend irisandstout.com
MARBLED WOOD BOX , $186
MANGO WOOD VASE , $186
Merryweather Home Gift Design, Box Factory, 550 SW Industrial Way #180, Bend
Borgo Rosati, Box Factory, 550 SW Industrial Way #175, Bend
ORB VASE , $150
Austin Mercantile, 19570 Amber Meadow Drive #190, Bend
FACE PLANTER , $137
Lark Mountain Modern, 831 NW Wall St., Bend
NATURAL WOOD VASE, $25
Somewhere That's Green, 1017 NE 2nd St., Bend
TIRRENO VASE , $165
Iris & Stout, 631 NW Federal St., Bend
COMMUNITY Pulse
Interior Design COLLECTIVE IS LAUNCHED
Design Bar Collective was created this fall to help interior design firms thrive through collaboration, creativity and shared resources. “Opening Design Bar Collective has been a longtime goal of mine,” said Anne Mastalir, an industry veteran and owner of award-winning firm Design Bar Bend, who founded the shared workspace for interior designers. Design Bar Collective includes Domaine Design House, PJ Hurst Design and Musings Design. “This provides the kind of creative energy that allows designers to achieve more together than we ever could alone,” Mastalir said. See designbarbend.com/collective.
City of Bend
ADOPTS NEW TREE CODE
The Bend City Council adopted new tree regulations in response to community concerns about the need to preserve trees, while also recognizing needs for housing production. New language outlines four main options for developments greater than one acre: First, that developers preserve 20% of “priority trees,” defined as 20 inches in diameter at 4.5 feet high. Another option would save a larger percentage of smaller trees measuring 6 inches in diameter. If saving trees is not possible, there is an option to replant trees or in certain circumstances, pay into a fund that purchases, plants and maintains trees in the city. See bendoregon.gov.
Walls Up ON NEW SHELTERS FOR THE HOUSELESS IN “BLITZ BUILD”
Oasis Village in Redmond, a transitional shelter program for unhoused people, was the recipient of a “Blitz Build” this summer. In a single day, a team of builders added five new sleeping units to the village’s current inventory of 15 shelters, with five more planned for completion in spring 2025. The blitz was courtesy of Hayden Homes, First Story (an affordable home ownership nonprofit founded by Hayden Homes), Parr Lumber Company and Heart of Oregon Corps’ YouthBuild. See oasisvillageor.org
Empty Bowls
FUNDRAISER SUPPORTS NEIGHBORIMPACT
The 23rd Annual Empty Bowls event, October 27 at Central Oregon Community College, raises awareness about global food insecurity. Attendees receive handcrafted bowls, a meal prepared by Cascade Culinary Institute students and enjoy live local music. The international initiative supports NeighborImpact’s Regional Food Assistance program, which distributes nearly four million pounds of food annually, feeding around 70,000 residents monthly through 57 local partners. See neighborimpact.org.
Market TRENDS
Statistics represent combined closed transactions for residential homes in Bend, Redmond, Sisters and Sunriver for the 12-month period prior to publication.
$818,347 AVERAGE SALES PRICE
402 3.8 AVERAGE SOLD PRICE PER SQUARE FOOT MONTHS OF INVENTORY
+2.21%
100%
$9,500,00 HIGHEST SALES PRICE
Inventory Overview
INCREASE FROM THE SAME PERIOD IN 2023
AVERAGE LIST TO SALES PRICE
A Getaway Every Day
It’s a special place that can make you feel like you’re always on vacation. The Eight is that place.
Nestled in the Old Mill District and just steps from the Deschutes River, this exclusive collection of townhomes offers resort living in the heart of Bend. Three floors of luxurious living spaces welcome you with a perfect mix of industrial elements and natural materials. Expansive balconies invite you to entertain, relax, and enjoy the sweeping views. Venture out, and you’re just minutes from Central Oregon’s finest restaurants, shops, galleries, golf, skiing, hiking, and so much more.
The Eight is zoned for nightly rental, making it a fantastic investment opportunity. Then again, with everything it offers, we won’t blame you if you choose to keep it all for yourself.
Stephanie Ruiz Broker
541.948.5196
Jordan
Grandlund
HOME FEATURE
Artful Gathering Place
Creating a sophisticated space for family, entertaining and art
WRITTEN BY LEE LEWIS HUSK PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRISTOPHER DIBBLE
The remodel of a home in Broken Top began in 2020 with a straightforward need: a place to park the owners’ camper van. “It morphed from there,” said Michelle Wilson of Lightfoot Architecture & Design. She first met with the clients in the fall of 2020, and what began as a simple project quickly expanded into a major remodel. Three years later, the structure had undergone a highly customized metamorphosis, emerging as a sophisticated home tailored for comfort, entertaining family and friends while showcasing a life’s worth of collected art.
Builder Katie Pendleton, owner of The Fort construction company, said her team initially approached this project “thinking it would be putting lipstick on an already beautiful home in an established neighborhood. [But] we ended up taking out the entire center section of the house.” Over the gutted space, they erected a gable roof at a 90-degree turn from the original roof’s direction. This redesign flooded
the space with natural light, enhanced views of the golf course and Mount Bachelor, and established a new heart of the home.
The initial idea to build space for the camper van led to a complete teardown of the garage, which was reconstructed with space for the van, cars and a second story to replace space lost in the rebuilt central part of the home. In the end, nearly every surface of the 5,600-square-foot residence had been touched and improved, including installing new insulation and drywall, updated electrical and lighting controls, plumbing fixtures and a modern HVAC system.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS:
NAILING THE “WOW” FACTOR
The homeowners wanted to create a memorable first impression when guests entered the home, garnering advice from Wilson, Pendleton and interior designer Anne Mastalir, owner of Design Bar. Today, visitors are greeted by a dramatic three-sided fireplace between two vaulted rooms. “They wanted it to feel like Bend, so we
incorporated burnt wood, steel and lava rock materials commonly found in the area’s older homes,” Wilson noted.
The entry introduces visitors to the first of many commissioned and collected pieces of art thoughtfully placed throughout the home, including a life-size black and white drawing of the owner’s grandfather’s saddle hanging in the entry. To accommodate lighting for art throughout the house, the clients brought in a lighting designer, Chris Ferguson, founder of Part & Process LLC.
The cohesive design theme continues as the charred wood (also called shou sugi ban) on the dwelling’s outside siding extends into the interior along a wall that conceals a powder room only discovered by pulling a discreet door handle. The wood then wraps around a corner to the wet bar and a wine cellar designed by Vieng Oudom of Sommi Wine Cellars in Portland, with a custom racking system to create the illusion that the 800 bottles are floating in the temperature- and humidity-controlled room. The charred wood continues into the kitchen where Harvest Moon Woodworks built and installed black, handleless cabinets for a sleek, complementary look.
“The best design is when you go through the process and create something new and unique.”
Revolving around the homeowners’ love of cooking, the kitchen layout includes a large island made of two different stones that visually mark areas: one for sitting and chatting and another for food prep and cooking. It merges with the large, open living room, facilitating conversation and camaraderie among people hanging out, gathered around the fireplace or having a cup of coffee.
The extensive use of exposed steel in the remodel–replacing traditional wood beams and supporting the fireplace, island stones, staircase and railings—imbues the home with a distinctive industrial aesthetic. This steel framework contrasts with the walls of glass in the open area. Sliding glass doors lead to a patio with an outdoor kitchen where the owner enjoys making breakfast for guests who appreciate the seamless blend of indoor and outdoor living.
From the patio, it’s possible to reach an in-ground hot tub and private entrance to the primary bedroom suite. The indoor shower opens via a glass door to an outside shower in a unique design. The owners said figuring out how to blend the two and provide privacy challenged the entire design and construction team.
“One of the only projects I’ve done that looked even better after the owners moved in. They have spectacular taste.”
CREATIVE SOLUTIONS: MAXIMIZE SPACE AND COMFORT UPSTAIRS
Over the staircase, five Foscarini Spokes pendant lights guide the way to the second level. An open-railing catwalk offers views of the great room below, keeping residents connected to activity downstairs. The catwalk also leads to a small office with direct views of Mount Bachelor and, in the other direction, to the garage wing.
One notable architectural challenge was maximizing guest sleeping areas upstairs. The corner where two nonmatching roof lines converge and the central house angles toward the garage wing presented both a
challenge and an opportunity. To address this, a collaborative effort among the homeowners and the design and build team resulted in two small rooms on either side of the corner, each featuring full-size bunk beds. “The best design is when you go through the process and create something new and unique,” said Mastalir.
A long hallway greets guests as they approach the space affectionately dubbed “The Big Ass Fun Room.” It is lined with family photos, an unexpected sauna on one side and a series of windows overlooking the driveway on the other. The room is a vibrant blend
of sports and travel memorabilia, entertainment platforms and a cleverly concealed gear storage area, making it a quintessential family gathering spot. In collaboration with a rare, all-female core team, the owners crafted a home that “facilitates connection, love and warmth,” said Mastalir. She noted that the interior space planning led to “one of the only projects I’ve done that looked even better after the clients moved in. They have spectacular taste.” It is a one-ofa-kind space that’s both new and distinctively tailored to the owners, honoring the Broken Top neighborhood and Central Oregon while serving as a welcoming gathering place for all.
Architect: Lightfoot Architecture & Design | Builder: The Fort LLC | Interior design: Design Bar Bend | Structural engineering: Walker Structural Engineering | Wine cellar design: Sommi Cellars | Lighting design: Part & Process LLC | Landscaping: SZABO Landscape Architecture
The Power of Design
The Expertise of Process
The Science of Performance
The Beauties of Wood
Our large indoor slab yard and tile showroom features not only a collection of unique and exotic slabs but also the highest quality tile manufacturers from around the globe. Architects, builders, designers and homeowners are sure to find the perfect surface from 1000’s of natural stone and tile products.
Come in and shop our slab yard, consult with one of our expert team members and find the perfect products to complete the FORMATION of your dream.
Kirsti Wolfe, PrincipalDesigner
Angela Newell-Mozingo, LeadDesigner
The following pages feature a collection of inspired projects highlighting architects, builders and designers leading the way in Central Oregon.
40
MID-CENTURY MODERN
Crafting an iconic style with a modern twist, this abode combines homeowner choice and builder practicalities for award-winning design.
44
REFRESHING REMODEL
A near-total teardown of a former alpaca farm and subsequent rebuild creates a modern sanctuary for a multigenerational family.
LOOKBOOKS
48
SHOWTIME AT HOME
With a bit of nostalgia, a Sisters remodel brings movie nights featuring theater-like comfort and amenities under the starry sky.
Mid-Century Modern
Curtis Homes, founded by Cameron Curtis, prides itself on being a quality home construction company with a focus on client collaboration and innovative design. Its recent build, located at the entrance of the new Talline development on the westside of Bend, is a striking Mid-Century Modern home that won Best Architectural Design and Best Interior Finish, among other awards, at the 2024 Central Oregon Builders Association (COBA) Tour of Homes. This personalized residence is the first completed home in the Talline community and showcases Curtis Homes’ approach to inviting customers into the construction process, allowing for a highly customized home-building experience.
CURTIS HOMES
Q&A
Your Talline Lot 5 home won several COBA awards. Can you share insights into its design process and standout features?
The architectural design was done by Muddy River Design, then guided by our in-house interior design team. We started with a MidCentury Modern design to offer something architecturally significant and unique for the neighborhood. The angles, roof lines, exposed beams, vaults and fireplace with stone stand out among this home’s features. The kitchen with white oak cabinetry is beautiful, and we also designed a really fun built-in coffee bar with handmade tile on the back for the homeowners, who are coffee connoisseurs and collect coffee from all over the world.
How did Talline Lot 5 come together?
It started as a spec home, but we pre-sold it early in the process. We allowed the homeowners to customize finishes, adding their own personal touch. It was really fun for our team to work with them. The home backs up to Shevlin Park, so we strategically designed it to buffer sound and capitalize on the outdoor living space. It’s been a blast to welcome our customers as the first to live in the new neighborhood.
How do you incorporate Central Oregon’s landscape into your designs?
We love Central Oregon’s natural landscape. We often look for ways to bring the outdoors inside. We use a lot of natural materials like wood, stone and natural colors. We also use plenty of windows to enjoy the outdoors, even when inside.
Can you tell us about the origins of Curtis Homes and your approach to home construction?
I got started building when I was 20 years old. I spent time down in New
Orleans after Hurricane Katrina and have always had a passion for serving people and helping them find the best things for their homes. We’ve built a company that’s been passionate about serving people. We’ve had the opportunity to build in some of the most beautiful places in Bend and Hood River, and now we’re getting to develop communities and neighborhoods. We’ve always loved being able to marry our customers’ dreams with the reality of their budget and working to find the best quality product that meets their needs. We love inviting customers to put their personal touch on their homes. Getting to work with customers, understanding their needs and customizing a home to accommodate them—that is what we’re all about.
CURTIS HOMES
62660 NW Skyline Ranch Road, Bend curtishomesllc.com
An interview with Cameron Curtis, founder of Curtis Homes
Refreshing Remodel
In 2020, a Tacoma, Washington, family purchased a 1999 alpaca farm in Tumalo. The sprawling 5,481-squarefoot home, set on 40 acres, seemed ideal for their multigenerational family retreats and holidays. However, the ranch home was dark, outdated and showing its age.
The family hit the refresh button, hiring Neil Kelly of Bend to modernize, brighten and realign the floorplan. Over the next two years, Neil Kelly’s team tore the existing interior spaces to the drywall or studs, reconfigured the great room and added a second primary suite for another 500 square feet. The last project, a wine cellar, was finished in 2023.
Today, the home is a light-filled sanctuary that bears little resemblance to its former self. The transformation into a modern retreat includes new finishes throughout the dwelling, soaring windows and expanded open areas that blend past and future to meet the needs of this multigenerational family.
NEIL KELLY OF BEND
Q&A
An
interview with Amy Hekker, design consultant, Neil Kelly of Bend
What was the family’s vision for this property when they bought it in 2020?
The buyers loved Central Oregon’s outdoor access to golf, fly-fishing and mountain activities and sought a retreat from their routine in Tacoma. It would be a place for the family to gather and enjoy quality time together. They turned to Neil Kelly to design and remodel the existing residence, aiming to create a space that comfortably accommodated their three adult children and their parents.
A big part of the project involved building a new private space for the client. How did you accomplish that?
Our team converted a spacious covered patio into a second primary bedroom ensuite, cohesive with the main house. The design was tricky, involving the
addition of a mudroom and vestibule to connect the new suite to the home. We built over a concrete slab and had to be smart about configuring water and plumbing lines. The finished space was large enough to accommodate a doubleking-size bed for sleeping with pets and a freestanding bathroom tub with a large window to enjoy the mountain view while soaking. The ensuite added 500 square feet to the home, raising the total square footage to 5,600.
In addition to the couple’s new suite, you also upgraded the original primary suite for the clients’ parents. What changes did you make?
We anticipated the possibility that the elder parents’ needs may change as they age. Their suite includes a curbless shower, easy-to-slide barn doors to an outside entrance with access to the room if a wheelchair is ever needed, and safety features to prevent falls.
You tore out most of the main home’s ceilings and floors, reframed and squared off some interior curved walls and reconfigured windows to maximize the view. How did this change the residence?
The great room, while remaining the same size, was reconfigured to facilitate
mingling, conversation and relaxation. The clients didn’t want a separate dining room or dining table space, so we built a 14-foot-long island in the kitchen with seating for six. The kitchen got a total upgrade. The knotty walnut doors were refurbished and tinted a dark brown along with the formerly orange-tinted fireplace mantle and exposed beams.
A temperature-controlled, glassed-in storage space showcases the family’s collection of wine. The big open room’s centerpiece is a double-sided stone fireplace that opens to an adjacent den. Other first-floor improvements included updating two bathrooms and a powder room, as well as windows and floors.
The original residence had a second level. What changes were made to that space?
An office was in the attic space, with high windows that obscured its incredible views. We removed the office desk and replaced it with a wet bar and built a balcony. It’s more like a family room now, with a sliding door to the balcony where family members can sit with a cup of coffee or a good book.
190 NE Irving Ave., Bend neilkelly.com
NEIL KELLY BEND
mission to combine ultimate comfort with stylish designs. That’s why we handcraft each piece using only the best materials and meticulous attention to detail. With furniture and decor for every room in the house, La-Z-Boy can create a seamlessly beautiful home.
NORMAN BUILDING & DESIGN
Showtime at Home
When Norman Building & Design’s client needs an escape from the stress of his high-tech job, he retreats to his custom home theater. With the press of a button, the lights dim, a comfortable chair awaits and one of his favorite movies springs to life on the 120-inch screen. It’s showtime!
The theater, designed by Norman Building & Design (NBD), is part of an award-winning residence near Whychus Creek in Sisters. The room captures the essence of large traditional and classic drive-in theaters with a “starry night” ceiling that evokes a nostalgic, cinematic experience in an intimate setting.
Founded in 1977, NBD is an enduring presence in the Central Oregon home-building market. The theater is part of a 4,875-square-foot home designed and constructed by NBD. It won Central Oregon Builders Association’s 2019 Tour of Homes Best of Show and Best Feature awards in the $2.4 million-plus category.
Q&A
You said that people who saw this theater on the 2019 Tour of Homes often mention it to you as a memorable feature. How did the specific design of this theater come about?
When we met with the client in the early design phase, the husband focused on his desire for a true theater room. He had a collection of 2,000 to 3,000 DVDs that he wanted to display–showcasing the covers. He loves all movies, from classic to current releases, but is especially fond of classics such as Casablanca. He wanted to be wholly enveloped in the movie experience, so we designed the space to be relatively small—5 by 16 feet. To make movie selection easy, one wall is lined with glass storage for DVD covers, plus we built additional “hidden” storage in a nodule accessed by a door from the theater. To enhance sound quality, we blunted the corners by creating an octagonal shape, eliminating dead space.
Besides this “extraordinarily comfortable room” as you’ve described, what other amenities are near the theater?
Just outside the theater is a wet bar equipped with a sink, refrigerator, separate wine, beer and cold drinks cooler and other conveniences. Across the hallway is a media room, perfect for entertaining friends and family or simply relaxing on the couch to watch football and favorite shows on the built-in TV. The media room is connected to the outdoor living area and a covered patio for extended enjoyment. Two guest ensuite bedrooms complete this entertainment-focused wing of the home.
How unique is this theater room compared to other theaters you’ve built in new or remodeled homes?
Norman Building & Design has designed and built other theaters before, but none that are dedicated solely to movies. This theater is its own immersive world. During tours, I often let it run on a continuous film loop. Unlike the overwhelming intensity
of an IMAX, this theater offers a more enveloping and experiential atmosphere. People would peek in and say, “Wow! I want to go in and watch.” It’s about the experience of being in there, sitting down and being enveloped by the darkness. It makes the viewing all the more powerful.
How did the process of designing the theater mimic how Norman Building & Design works with clients?
Every Norman home begins with notepads, sketchbooks and meetings. With the client often away from Central Oregon for his job in San Jose, we’d literally meet him halfway in Mount Shasta at Bistro No. 107. We’d review plans, make observations and I’d carry his input back to our designers. We go the extra mile for our clients.
NORMAN BUILDING & DESIGN
1016 SW Emkay Drive, Bend normanbuilding.com
An interview with Greg Garrick of Norman Building & Design
HOME SPOTLIGHT: TETHEROW
Where Desert Meets Mountains
A collaborative renovation brings international influences to a modern home
WRITTEN
BY
CASEY HATFIELD-CHIOTTI PHOTOGRAPHY
BY
ANNA JACOBS
Homeowners looking for peace, solitude and natural beauty are often drawn to Tetherow for its mountain views and high desert landscape in shades of sage green, pale yellow and dusty pink.
When Kurt Parker and Liz Weldon saw images of a modern home on the golf course, they knew almost instantly they’d found the vacation home they had been looking for. Built by Sun Forest Construction in 2018, it had an open floor plan and views of nature from every room.
Parker, a graphic designer, and Weldon, who works for Nike, wanted a true retreat from their busy lives in Portland. After buying the house in 2020 and spending more time there, they realized changes were needed to make it their own and create the Scandinavian-meets-Japanese look they were craving. They sought the help of House of Milo Founder Sarah Westhusing.
“It was industrial and cold and all black and white,” said Westhusing. “They really wanted to soften it and add more interesting details.”
ANCHORING A GREAT ROOM
One of the things Parker and Weldon loved most about the house was also the biggest challenge. The main living space, which includes the kitchen, was one big, open loft-like room with double-height windows.
“It was very undefined. We wanted to try to create a little bit of separation: What’s the entrance? What’s the living room?” said Parker.
Westhusing pitched the idea of a Japanese-inspired vertical-slat screen wall in the entryway. It gives Parker and Weldon a place to greet guests and provides visitors an obvious spot to put shoes and coats.
More interesting than an average screen wall, the piece, in gray-washed white oak to match the house’s interior beams, has a graphic checkerboard pattern and seems to levitate off the ground with just two small legs below.
“With this open-space trend, we started taking down all the walls in the homes and we lost the intention of the rooms,” said Westhusing.
To counter this, while keeping the openness, she created a defined living room space around an eye-catching fireplace.
“It’s so cozy. It feels like it’s giving you a hug.”
The room’s original fireplace wasn’t much of a focal point. Westhusing and the homeowners decided to clad it in shou sugi ban from Pioneer Millworks and black powder-coated steel—a nod to the high desert’s lava rock.
Francois Schneyder of Coalesce Concrete created a floating concrete hearth extending to the window, creating a window seat. With views of the golf course and covered in abstract pillows, the window seat has become Weldon’s favorite place to curl up and witness the golf course when blanketed with snow in the winter and manicured and green in summer.
“They love design as much as I do.”
BLENDING STYLES
The project was more collaborative than the typical home renovation. “They love design as much as I do,” said Westhusing of the homeowners.
Parker and Weldon would buy pieces on their travels and get advice from Westhusing on whether it would work with the overall aesthetic. Together they filled the house with a collection of fiber art, ceramics, distressed Moroccan rugs and fine furniture that showcase Weldon and Parker’s complementary but contrasting styles. Parker loves linear structure, while Weldon is a free spirit who looks for the energy in a room.
Standout pieces include a handmade MQuan Studio curtain dripping with black and white ceramic discs that sat in a box for years because Parker and Weldon didn’t have the right place for it at their home in Lake Oswego. In their Bend home, the artwork adds interest at the end of a hallway. Other notables are the low-slung Roche Bobois sectional and a Carl Hansen Plico lounge chair with leather straps that Westhusing says reminds her of “a fancy camp chair.”
The dining room showcases the layered, natural look the homeowners love with an angular Ethnicraft sideboard, a Noguchi paper pendant lamp and leather and wood dining chairs draped in sheepskin blankets
Since its founding in 2002, Baxter Builders has become a premier name in custom home construction in Central Oregon. With a focus on quality and innovation, their homes have won numerous awards including Best Kitchen, Best Value, Best Master Suite, Best of Show, and Best Design. Baxter Builders’ commitment to excellence is evident in every detail, making them a standout choice for discerning homeowners. Whether you're dreaming of a cozy mountain retreat or a modern family home, Baxter Builders can turn your vision into reality. Contact Baxter Builders today and start your journey to a beautiful, custom-built home.
from New Zealand. In the main bedroom, the shades of Parachute bedding match the colors of the surrounding landscape. The Citizenry Lomas Wall Hanging was handmade with natural fibers and sustainable wood in Mexico, while the hand-knotted rug adds texture.
The home also has an upstairs den with mountain views and an art room where Weldon does pottery and painting. One of her favorite pieces is the soft boucle chair next to the fireplace that engulfs visitors like a cocoon. “It’s so cozy. It feels like it’s giving you a hug,” she said. The same could be said about the entire home, which emanates warmth and comfort in every room.
Interior design: Sarah Westhusing, House of Milo | Builder: Sun Forest | Contractor: Ryan Carroll Construction, Inc.
MASON GREY TABLE LAMP
17” grey with linen shade
UPC: 692059
Light up a space for both style and functionality
PHOTOGRAPHY ALYSON BROWN
HIGH TABLE LAMP IN FLAT BLACK & BRASS
28” Flat black and brass
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CAGE TABLE LAMP
20” Black metal and burlap
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WELLINGTON DESK LAMP
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BLACK WATER TABLE LAMP
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WASHBOARD COLUMN
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Saving Grace
Inspiring Interiors
Nonprofit Inspire Bend redesigns spaces for community organizations
WRITTEN BY TERESA RISTOW
When Noelle Teuber and Julie Tobias first crossed paths, they were both looking for ways to incorporate their love of design into a project that gave back to the Central Oregon community. Tobias enjoyed volunteering with nonprofits in town but wanted to do something that allowed her to be more creative, and Teuber, the owner of Bend furniture store Furnish, was interested in supporting organizations in the social services realm, which she previously worked in. “Together, we wanted to work our love of design into helping others,” Teuber said. The two started talking about their ideas in 2020, and by 2022, they’d taken on their first project as Inspire Bend, a new nonprofit dedicated to redesigning spaces used by nonprofit organizations and other public-service oriented groups. “We wanted to do something unique and different that wasn’t already being done, and there is just so much community need here,” Teuber said.
For social service nonprofits and schools, funding is often earmarked to go directly toward client-facing or studentfacing initiatives, leaving the spaces where these employees work feeling out-of-date, cold or cluttered. “Their money has to go to the end user, so they don’t get to go in and fix their paneled walls or update their furniture,” Tobias said. Since launching, Inspire Bend has taken on three projects—redesigning intake rooms at the KIDS Center, the teacher’s lounge at Bear Creek Elementary and a central gathering space at the Saving Grace emergency shelter. The projects are funded through in-kind donations from Furnish, limited fundraising, some support from the beneficiary organizations, and funds and sweat equity from Teuber, Tobias and some helpers. Artist Paige Barnes has donated custom artwork for each project, which has helped tie designs together. “Inspire Bend came in and transformed our office into a cohesive and functional space full of healing energy,”
Julie Tobias and Noelle Teuber bring empty spaces to life with their combined design expertise.
said Taryn Amens Ramos, shelter manager at Saving Grace, who explained that nonprofit offices tend to be filled with mismatched and donated furniture that organizations just make do with.
“They saw a vision for a space and got to work, and made sure to check in about our needs and how we used the office to really prioritize our wants and goals. We are very grateful to have worked with and been beneficiaries of Inspire Bend.”
Each project costs an estimated $15,000 to $20,000—more than the duo initially expected—in part because of higher costs associated with commercial and public spaces versus residential spaces.
Currently, Inspire Bend is doing one project per year, but the team envisions growing with the right support, potentially through grants, local donors or in-kind donations. “There’s really no shortage of need,” Teuber said. This summer, the women were planning for their next project, which they expect to be for the Deschutes Children’s Foundation. In the future, they’d also love to redesign a residential space for an employee working with a community organization.
“We are inspired by the organizations we’re working with and hope we’re inspiring them to continue doing their important work,” Tobias said. “These really are our local heroes.” Learn more at inspirebend.org
HOPE REDEUX
While Inspire Bend redesigns spaces for local nonprofits and public service organizations, another nonprofit is tackling furnishings for individuals and families who lack basic furniture and household essentials. Formed as a nonprofit in 2019, Furnish Hope collects and disperses home furnishings for Central Oregonians who are moving into empty spaces and are in need of furniture. The nonprofit furnishes around 40 homes each month, partnering with more than 60 referring nonprofit organizations and social service agencies to identify those in need. In 2024, the organization celebrates five years of service to the community, having furnished more than 1,500 homes, and is now supported by more than 100 volunteers.
furnishhope.com
KIDS Center
ELEVATED DESIGN
Spatial Language
Designer Ben Hull references nature and uses common materials to elevate indoor spaces
WRITTEN BY CASEY HATFIELD-CHIOTTI
BY
PHOTO
ALAN BRANDT
Some of Bend’s best-designed spaces—interiors that are beautiful, innovative and easygoing—have involved Ben Hull. The founder of Connell Hull Company, a Bend-based craft design studio, Hull helps create experiential and intentional commercial and residential spaces. His expertise lies in creating large-scale combinations of metal, woodwork and other materials that are both pleasing to look at and functional—from partition walls made of ropes to staircases that double as storage with sets of modular drawers nested artfully below.
Hull, who has an art degree from Portland State University and considers himself an artist, designer, welder and fabricator, grew up in Bend but lived in Portland for nearly two decades before returning to Central Oregon with his wife in 2007. His projects often begin the same way—by understanding the needs of the client and coming up with creative, thoughtful and unique solutions to solve problems. The outdoors is a constant source of inspiration.
“I really find a lot of solutions by looking at nature, the way that rocks are buried in soil, the way that trees tend to group together and the textures,” said Hull.
It was a simple walk through a grass field that inspired his work at Patagonia Bend, his first major retail project in 2012. He noticed how ponderosa pine trees were spaced perfectly in the landscape like little “islands.” The inside of Patagonia’s historic 30-foot tall space on the corner of NW Wall Street and NW Oregon Avenue felt cavernous. Hull used pieces of rough-cut lumber, extending from floor to ceiling and grouped in threes to break up the space without putting up walls. Leaning away from each other at casual angles, these simple planks recall towering pine trees.
At Sparrow Bakery in NorthWest Crossing, he created a rough-sawn wood accent wall and a 12-foot wide and seven-foot tall chandelier that resembles the roots of a tree.
Electrical conduit comes down one slender tube but then spreads out in different directions. Low-voltage bulbs at the end of each piece of conduit give the space a warm glow.
“I love to use a common material and do something different with it. ‘How do we use this in a way that hasn’t been used before?’ is something I’m always asking myself,” said Hull.
More recent projects include the Harmon West executive coworking suites, where he created a soundcloud ceiling of
cross-hatched plywood to diffuse noise and make the space warm and inviting, and the Barre3 Bend lobby redesign. At Barre3, Hull designed a new beverage cart, a retail display wall and an eye-pleasing shoe rack out of vertical grain fir. He pitched the idea after a site visit where he noticed shoes scattered about. “It changes the flow and visual organization in the space,” he said. Hull also collaborated with Blue Forty architect Alex Collins on the restaurant The Hook & Plow to create a unique entryway with a swooshy partition wall made of two-inch wide shipping rope and baltic birch plywood light fixtures. The pieces are the right amount of nautical without being beach kitschy.
Hull is currently working with Blue Forty on several new Bonta Gelato stores, including the soon-to-open Redmond location, featuring clean lines and timeless cool-toned colors. From his studio in a converted shipping container, he never stops dreaming up ideas inspired by functionality and the beauty of Central Oregon, such as a rustic and elegant bench inspired by the simplicity of a fallen tree trunk.
“That’s the pursuit. You want to take it a little bit further and leave your style on it without disrupting the essence of what it is,” said Hull. Learn more at connellhullcompany.com
THIS PAGE Harmon West executive coworking suites
HOME SPOTLIGHT: NORTHWEST CROSSING
A Timeless Kitchen Transformation
East Coast farmhouse meets West Coast Craftsman
WRITTEN BY SIENA DORMAN | PHOTOGRAPHY BY JENN MONTOYA
The kitchen from a 2006 Craftsman-style home has undergone a thoughtful renovation in NorthWest Crossing. The homeowners and East Coast natives, Tiffany and Andrew,* collaborated with interior designer Nichole Fish of Fishhouse Design Studio to create a kitchen that combines colonial style with the existing Craftsman architecture. Melding the vision of East Coast and Central Oregon design directed Fish’s goals. “It was a really fun project to blend that Craftsman style with their traditional style, which you don't often see in Bend,” Fish said.
The original room’s speckled brown granite and dated fixtures closed off the space. “It just looked dark and small and sad,” Tiffany said. The renovation breathed new life into the space while celebrating its existing features.
The mindfully selected countertops embody the home's East-meets-West theme. Soapstone counters line the kitchen’s perimeter while the butcher block island anchors the space as the kitchen’s centerpiece—a nod to Andrew's roots. “In my grandparents' house, there was a big, long stretch of butcher block that we always used to make sandwiches on,” he said.
Balance is found in the cabinetry. Fish steered the couple away from an all-open design and instead incorporated a mix of modern, exposed shelving with practical, traditional closed storage.
Meanwhile, handcrafted elements animate the space. The backsplash is crafted with handmade tile from Fireclay Tile, while fresh tongue-and-groove ceiling details speak to the space’s classic throughline.
“We focused on really high-quality materials,” Fish said. This meticulous composition is also expressed in the unlacquered brass hardware. “We joked because we'd call this the wine project. It's going to age beautifully over time,” Fish said, speaking to the finishes, such as brass and soapstone, that will develop complexity and patina as they age.
An inherited collection of East Coast rugs passed down by Andrew's mother from Upstate New York exemplifies the kitchen’s timeless, quality appointments.
“The rugs are something that go back to my childhood,” Andrew said. Even the contractor was inspired to incorporate considerate details, such as salvaging a cutting board from the island’s original butcher block slab when it was removed for a new stovetop, and gifting it to the couple as a special memento.
Beauty and usability in this renovation offer a practical workspace and a hosting haven. “When we're entertaining folks, we tend to hover around the kitchen,” Tiffany said. “It's so lovely to have this larger gathering space where we can serve apps and finish up dinner while we're hanging out with people.” Tiffany and Andrew’s dog, Juno, the home’s “permanent fixture,” can often be found lounging in the kitchen as well, gracing the heirloom rugs and sniffing the air.
Designed with evolution in mind, the project develops maturity and interest the more it's lived in. The homeowners
“It was a really fun project to blend that Craftsman style with their traditional style, which you don't often see in Bend.”
have enjoyed living with their new kitchen for more than a year. “There's really nothing that we would change about it,” Tiffany said.
*Last names withheld by request
Builder: Sierra James Construction; Project Manager, Jason Smith | Interior design: Fishhouse Design Studio, Nichole Fish
GARDEN & LANDSCAPE
Seasonal Splendor
Welcome autumn with containers full of fall colors
WRITTEN BY SHEILA G. MILLER
PHOTOGRAPHY BY TAMBI LANE
There’s a lot to love about the crisp, clean air of fall in Central Oregon. But the slow demise of the brightly colored plants and flowers in decorative pots can sting a bit. Instead of dwelling on the loss, rejoice in the changing season and replant those big pots and containers with something seasonally appropriate. The orange, green and brown colors of pumpkins and squash are synonymous with fall, so you can incorporate those colors with seasonal plant selections. For starters, there’s the tried-and-true potted mum. This will add a burst of fall color, and the hardy plant blooms throughout the fall in Central Oregon. Or fill a pot with ornamental cabbage, kale or ornamental grasses. These pretty plants add a pop of deep purple and dark green and can typically survive the high desert's cool fall days.
If you’re looking to step away from planting this fall, access your artistic side by collecting found objects from the garden or hiking trail and arranging them in your pots—whether curly willow branches, mosscovered sticks, dried flowers, lavender or the corn stalks that didn’t thrive in this year’s garden. Whatever you choose, embracing the changing of the seasons will give a fresh look to your front porch or entryway.
Find many of these plants and containers at
Schilling's Garden Market.
PICK A CONTAINER
Select a container to reflect or complement your design aesthetic.
COMBINE FALL FOLIAGE
Ninebark, hens and chicks, and sedum (page 77)
Tall grasses, pansy, aster and yarrow (page 78)
Feathery grass and macedonica (below)
TIP: Move plants away from wind to protect them from drying out.
Seasonal Checklist
Ashley Joyce runs Bend Urban Gardens from her home on NE 12th Street. Step through the gate, and you’ll find an unexpected oasis in the backyard, with rows and rows of raised beds and container gardens. In the summer, these are filled with ripening food. But as fall arrives, she has a few tricks and tips to keep gardeners busy and make the off-season a productive one.
1. Plant nter Vegetables
Preferably before the November cold hits, get those cold-hardy plants in the ground so you can eat fresh produce into spring. Try spinach, mash, kale, chard, claytonia (more commonly known as miner’s lettuce) and purple sprouting broccoli. Cover them with mulch to help them last through the winter.
2. How to Compost
Joyce recommends spreading a shallow layer of compost in the areas of your garden that aren’t planted to overwinter. Then, when you’re ready to plant in the spring, use your garden fork to aerate the soil and some of that compost will mix in.
3. Plant A Cover Crop
Got some space? Plant a cover crop in October. Joyce recommends using a cover-crop seed mix and laying it down in large areas that won’t be planted over the winter. The crop will add nutrients to the soil, keep roots in the soil through the long winter and nourish the soil even as your garden lies dormant.
Bulbs to Plant Now
Snowdrops Lily
Gary Ernest Smith “Pronghorn Country”
ART + EXHIBITS
WRITTEN BY CHLOE GREEN
MOCKINGBIRD GALLERY
GARY ERNEST SMITH
Gary Ernest Smith’s paintings capture the heart and soul of rural America, bringing the forgotten corners of the country to life on canvas. His work is a time capsule of rural life, blending historical and contemporary scenes with equal reverence. His muse? Vast, colorful landscapes that speak volumes about America’s agricultural heritage. Whether it’s a sun-drenched field, a weathered barn or hard-working farmers, Smith’s brush transforms the everyday into art. Now based in Utah, Smith invites viewers to rediscover the quiet grandeur of the American countryside.
HIB SABIN
Hib Sabin, a New Mexico sculptor in his 80s, brings myths and dreams to life in wooden carvings and bronzes. His art studio is a menagerie of masks, spirit sticks and mysterious vessels, with each piece telling a story drawn from world cultures and Sabin’s own rich imagination. Sabin’s creations, inspired by his world travels and deep dives into legends and psychology, speak to the ancient side of humanity. From a mask that seems to change expression to a spirit bowl that looks as if it might contain magic, each piece asks viewers to explore their own inner worlds.
KEVIN COURTER
Kevin Courter paints the American West as you might remember it from a beautiful dream–in vignettes penned with oils and bathed in the golden light of nostalgia. Born in Palo Alto, California, Courter has made it his life’s work to capture the landscapes of his home state and beyond. His canvases illuminate the misty mountains of the Sierra Nevada, the vast wetlands of the Sacramento Valley and the dramatic coastlines of California. His style, influenced by both modern and historical artists, gives his landscapes a dreamy quality. Whether it’s a quiet forest at dusk or a sun-scorched desert vista, Courter’s work allows viewers to step into a world of natural beauty.
MOCKINGBIRD GALLERY
869 NW Wall St., Suite 100 Bend
mockingbird-gallery.com
Hib Sabin “Three Graces”
Kevin Courter “Williamson River Gold”
TORIIZAKA ART
HENRIETTE HEINY
In a world where control often reigns supreme, Henriette Heiny dares to let go. Her abstract expressionist works testify to the beauty of unleashed creativity. Heiny’s process begins with a careful selection of paints, each hue chosen for its emotional impact. Then comes the moment of truth: She tips her first cup of paint onto the canvas, unleashing a flood of color that seems to come alive. Like a choreographer directing dancers, Heiny guides this liquid artwork, tilting the canvas and layering colors to create mesmerizing patterns. With a keen eye for detail, Heiny meticulously refines each piece, coaxing order from chaos to achieve perfect balance and symmetry.
KAREN EHART
In the scorching realm of her kiln, Karen Ehart transforms the mundane into the extraordinary. From tiny bacteria to vast galaxies, Ehart finds inspiration in the surrounding world. She starts with sculpting a mold before she gets to the fun part—cutting, firing, torching and even smashing pieces of glass to create intricate interior designs. In her kiln, where temperatures soar to a blistering 1,500 degrees, these glass fragments melt together into a single, flat piece. Ehart adds delicate gold details and fires the piece again at a lower temperature. The result is sparkling, multilayered glass artwork that showcases nature’s many forms through the transformative medium of glass.
TORIIZAKA ART
222 West Hood Ave., Sisters toriizakaart.com
Karen Ehart “Mind’s Eye Sapphire”
Henriette Heiny “Rain Forest”
TUMALO ART COMPANY
DEE MCBRIEN-LEE
Inspired by her travels through the American Southwest, Dee McBrien-Lee’s art is a celebration of color and emotion. Her work, which blends acrylics with oil pastels, pencil and fiber, captures the essence of landscapes and the feeling of places. Moving away from literal representation, McBrienLee’s pieces are daring explorations of inner abstraction, using
upbeat, cheerful tones to bring positivity into a struggling world. Her journey began by spending summers painting in upstate New York and evolved through workshops with artists such as Robert Burridge. Now based in Central Oregon, she focuses on her art full time, drawing inspiration from the Pacific Northwest’s wilderness.
TUMALO ART COMPANY
450 SW Powerhouse Drive, Unit 407, Bend tumaloartco.com
Dee McBrien-Lee
“I’m Your Huckleberry”
ARTIST PROFILE
Organic Mosaic
Crafting contemporary curves with tile
WRITTEN BY CHLOE GREEN
Straight lines and right angles dominate contemporary design and architecture. It’s a rigidness that artist Rochelle Schueler rebutts with her sinuous, organic mosaics. Self-taught and informed by her diverse background, Schueler invites curiosity with works highlighting natural themes, motifs and eye-catching colors.
Schueler’s journey to mosaic artistry was anything but linear. Beginning her studies in mechanical engineering with dreams of solar architecture, she eventually pivoted to a degree in forestry and hydrology. This academic zigzag wasn’t a misstep but a foundation, filling her mind with the patterns and processes of nature that now flow through her work.
After she and her husband raised three daughters in Bend, she yearned to try something new and rekindled her creative
spark. First, she took up metalwork, enrolling in welding and metal art classes at Central Oregon Community College. This foray into metalwork led Schueler to explore stained glass and, eventually, mosaics.
A decisive moment in her artistic journey came when she attended a seven-day intensive mosaic mural-making class taught by Laurel True, founder of the Institute of Mosaic Art in Berkeley, California. True became more than an instructor; she became a mentor and catalyst for Schueler’s burgeoning career. “She made me who I am. She gave me the ability to do this,” Schueler reflected. This mentorship provided more than technical skill; it gave her hands-on work experience and confidence to pursue mosaic art professionally.
Rochelle Schueler and her latest installation at the Discovery Corner Plaza.
BLENDING SCIENCE AND NATURE IN MOSAICS
Schueler’s home studio is a vibrant space filled with jars of colorful tiles and works in progress. She begins with exhaustive research, mining the confluence of science and nature for inspiration. After establishing a vision, she gets down to the physical labor of creation.
Everything is mapped out in pencil before tracing over it with a fine-point pen. Then, she reaches for tile, working primarily with quarter-inch-thick pieces sourced from around the world. Her tools range from hand nippers to a contractor’s wet saw, which she uses for cutting as well as grinding and shaping her signature curves.
Beyond finding inspiration from nature, Schueler has several artistic muses who influence her approach and technique. From Zaha Hadid, the “Queen of the Curve,” she draws a softness of form; from Frank Lloyd Wright, an integration with nature; and from Charles Rennie Mackintosh, an attention to minute detail.
DISCOVERY WEST PROJECT
Her latest large-scale project, an installation at Discovery Corner Plaza in the Discovery West development, exemplifies her ability to synthesize art, science and public engagement. The piece, born from months of conceptual development, depicts a triad of mechanical waves—sound, water and seismic activity—rendered in Schueler’s signature undulating style. It’s a visual lecture on physics, delivered through the medium of mosaic, inviting passersby to contemplate the unseen forces that shape our world. Andamento linear, or straight-line flow, focuses the eye and pays homage to Italian mosaic heritage. She uses color to guide viewers, employing a duality of dark and light palettes that converge in a central chromatic crescendo.
To echo and honor the theme of discovery in the development’s name, QR codes are nestled within the design, transforming passive viewing into active discovery. These digital gateways offer deeper insights into the science behind the mechanical waves depicted in the art.
MOSAICS IN THE HOME
While Schueler’s public works command attention, her domestic pieces offer a more intimate communion between her art and a homeowner’s personal spaces. The mosaics can transform any space, creating focal points in living rooms, kitchens and outdoor spaces.
Looking ahead, Schueler is excited about the potential for new projects and collaborations. She is intrigued by the idea of integrating more metal into her mosaics and further exploring large-scale public art installations. In a world increasingly defined by digital flatness and physical rigidity, Schueler’s art offers a connection to the physical existence of the flowing and complex nature of Earth. Her mosaics remind viewers that life is rarely straightforward or simple, but rather a beautiful tangle of connections much like the intricate patterns she creates, one carefully placed tile at a time.
CULINARY SPACE
Tastes of the High Desert
Chef Karl Holl and Brasada Ranch's Wild Rye showcase regional flavors
WRITTEN BY CASEY HATFIELD-CHIOTTI
With guests’ high expectations and the intensity of working in a restaurant kitchen, an executive chef’s job can be a high-stress endeavor. Karl Holl, executive chef at Brasada Ranch, a luxury ranch retreat east of Bend in Powell Butte, says he has often turned to nature to decompress.
“My curiosity led me from the kitchen to the woods. I have always used foraging [ingredients] as an escape,” he said. The chef recalls the days he spent foraging mushrooms for a restaurant in Napa Valley, which highlighted mushrooms in its menus year-round. After working his way through restaurants in Napa, Vail, San Francisco and Portland, Holl moved to Bend with his family in 2022 in search of a new challenge and familyfriendly lifestyle.
Holl’s foraging expertise is displayed at Brasada’s new high desert-inspired showpiece, Wild Rye. The former Range Restaurant and Bar has an industrial and rustic aesthetic with wooden ceilings and garage doors that open onto a patio with views of the Cascade Range. While the landscape can appear arid and rough, Holl says Central Oregonians have an abundance of incredible ingredients at their fingertips, including western juniper, wild mushrooms, sagebrush, rye, fiddleheads, spruce tips, ramps, wild strawberries and huckleberries as well as meats like elk, venison, rabbit and buffalo. The result is a cuisine that is bold, bright and intensely flavorful.
“High desert cuisine is both rugged and beautiful, all tied into one,” said Holl, who also describes himself as a farmer and a butcher. His past culinary endeavors have included a stint with the roving pop-up restaurant Outstanding in the Field—where he cooked at more than 90 farms across the country—and a position as the culinary director for Portland-based Smith Teamaker. Tea continues to be among Holl’s favorite ingredients.
At Wild Rye, one of the dishes he’s most proud of is the Juniper-Braised Lamb Shank, which tells a story about Brasada Ranch and highlights ingredients found on the property, the site of an old sheep farm. “I like to think that the sheep used to escape the afternoon heat by taking shade under the juniper trees after a morning of foraging the wild rye grass throughout the high desert pastures,” Holl said. Braised with earthy juniper, the lamb is served with summer vegetables and rye berry risotto and topped with sour pickled huckleberries.
Most dishes feature the flavor of fire, whether smoked, grilled, spit-roasted or torched, such as the Brûléed Brie served with crostini, speck and marionberry jam. The menu also nods to cowboy culture (a ranch-cut Tomahawk steak) and the Pacific Northwest. Holl showcases fresh seafood in the Alaskan Halibut with buttermilk, coconut, curried almond and garden herb oil and the Beef Tenderloin ‘Oscar’ with Dungeness crab, asparagus, potatoes and hollandaise sauce. The Fifty Dollar Burger with foie gras and truffle aioli is Central Oregon’s most decadent hamburger.
Basque Cheesecake topped with cherry compote is the perfect cap to a memorable meal.
Great care has been taken with the cocktail offerings, courtesy of cocktail creator Scott Baird who founded the award-winning San Francisco watering hole Trick Dog. Baird and Holl became friends when they lived in San Francisco, and Baird often visits Central Oregon. Like the cuisine, local ingredients are featured along with Oregon-distilled vodkas, gins and whiskeys from the West. Cocktails include the complex Oregon Trail Mix Old Fashioned, paying tribute to the famed wagon route, made with rye whiskey, cherry, hazelnut, cacao and bitters, and the magenta-hued
Huckleberry Fix, a refreshing concoction of local vodka, lime, huckleberry and a huckleberry candy sphere.
Chef Holl’s innovative culinary program at Brasada Ranch extends beyond Wild Rye and includes multiple concepts, including Ranch House (a kid-friendly tavernmeets-pizzeria), picnic basket breakfasts delivered to guests of the adults-only Cascade Bungalows, as well as Cascade by the Sea, a play on an East Coast fish shack at the adults-only pool.
At his home in northwest Bend, Holl looks forward to simple meals at home with his wife and 3-year-old daughter, such as burger nights and steak with grilled vegetables. At the resort, rather than being tied to the kitchen, he can be found exploring the property’s 1,800 acres or grilling teriyaki-lacquered mushrooms on the outdoor asado. High desert cuisine, he says, is not defined just by ingredients; it’s a lifestyle. At Wild Rye, diners take in views of strawberry-hued sunsets over the Three Sisters from the patio. Lingering in Adirondack chairs around the campfire after their meal for stargazing, s’mores and a digestif, they experience the high desert at its best.
Scott Baird and Karl Holl at Wild Rye
“There is no place more delightful than one’s own fireside.”
-MARCUS TULLIUS CICERO
Architect: Mt. Bachelor Design Studio
Builder: Sunrise Construction of Oregon
Design: Domaine Design House
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LE FLEUR DE LA RIVIÉRE
Marquis coastal French-inspired custom home on Awbrey Butte. Open concept Great Room with an 18-foot wall of windows and opulent grand fireplace. Five balconies complement an all-en suite design offering commanding territorial views.
