Learn about the benefits and drawbacks of induction cooking, a modern kitchen technology that offers efficiency and precision in culinary tasks.

Garages in Portland’s vintage homes carry a special blend of character and complexity. Whether you aim to breathe new life into a weathered structure, enhance it for today’s needs, or craft a fresh addition that honors your home’s historic roots, the process demands imagination and care. At Arciform, we draw on years of hands-on experience to guide homeowners through every step—design and construction—delivering results that feel both personal and enduring. Whether your Portland home is a Craftsman bungalow, Tudor, Four Square, or another timeless style, we get the quirks of older properties and the pride you feel in their unique stories. Here is what you need to know to begin with confidence.

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It’s an old story with a modern twist. You fall in love with a classic beauty. You can hardly see for the stars in your eyes. Hardly hear anything but your pounding heart. You can’t believe she’s all yours! And then you move in together. And the romance ends. Which is where this story begins. We Portlanders love our heritage homes, and we should! They’re charming, well-built, exhibit fine craftsmanship, have lots of stories to tell, and they’re...old. Meaning that they often come with problems, and they don’t have many of the modern conveniences that we’ve come to expect. So how do you update your aging beauty without sacrificing its classic charm? As principal designer at Arciform (a design build firm specializing in vintage homes) for over 25 years, I’ve seen it all – the joys, occasional frustrations, and creative challenges of bringing an older home up to contemporary standards of comfort and efficiency. The Chain Reaction Challenge Although this article is divided into neat headings about electrical, plumbing, and other categories, your old house is proof positive that we live in an interconnected world. Remodeling can often be like a game of Whack-a -Mole, where upgrading one thing involves several other things in a chain reaction. Adding a dormer may first necessitate a new foundation or structural work. Installing new ceiling lighting and fans in your bath may reveal asbestos insulation (asbestos wasn’t banned until 1989) in the attic. Even adding that just-one-more electric appliance may demand a new electrical panel. The trick is to plan the proper succession of remodels (see: Whole House Remodels, Parts 1 - 3) and group projects together. For instance, if you’re going to open a wall to replace a window, that’s the time to modernize wiring, add outlets or lighting, insulate, and address plumbing issues.