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Building Trusting Relationships by Design

Building Trusting Relationships by Design 

Arciform has been a premier design-build renovation and remodeling company for older buildings and homes in the greater Portland Metro area since 1997. From the very beginning, we set out to be the designers and craftspeople you could trust to achieve your vision. We aim to create a smooth, transparent process that involves you from start to end, and to deliver zero surprises – except the delighted surprise you feel when you see your finished project. 

For decades we’ve partnered with hundreds of people in the Pacific Northwest to bring their dreams to life. We believe that it is the relationships we build in the process of designing for you that are the real foundation of our success. Over time we’ve found that our relationships with our clients are similar to successful relationships we have with partners, good friends and family. They rest on trust engendered by the integrity of open communication, doing what you say, following up, and quickly making good if anything goes awry. 


So we thought we’d write a little about the ingredients that we think go into creating great relationships that, like our designs and work, endure. 

We Love Stories, Partnerships, and Old Houses


Any home is a wealth of stories. There are the stories of the building itself; what were the design fashions of the time, which materials were used, which methods of construction led to buildings that are uniquely of their age? And then there are your life stories. How do you live, what are your days like, which rooms do you like to hang out in and what do you like to do there? What are your dreams? What do you want each room to evoke for you? 

We are experts at restoring and remodeling old houses, from the late 1800s through the 1960’s. But you are the experts in how you like to live. We listen to that. In one recent project, the wife wanted a clean Scandinavian look that appealed to her roots. While her husband was fine with that, he pined for the cozy atmosphere of old Irish pubs. So, while we designed the main house with a Nordic feel, his office design was reminiscent of the warm woodsy feeling he loved. 

Relationships between people usually begin with sharing stories; our approach to partnering with you is no different. Your stories, and the stories of your home, guide us towards the right decisions for you. From our first conversation to the final finishing touch, we’ve developed a process that informs and engages you in the creation of your new space. 

Carpenter Taurin Skinner-Maginnis creates a beautiful new, safe porch for the Caples House Museum

We Take Your Project and Best Interests To Heart 


We begin by putting ourselves in your shoes. We treat your house as though it was ours. We know that every brush stroke can have financial consequences, so we follow a process that ensures that all decisions, from major elements to the all-important details, are made before construction work starts. Our motto here is: make mistakes on paper; they’re quicker and simpler to correct. 

We start every project with a thorough consultation with you, listening to your stories, dreams, inspirations, and any concerns you might have. We align with you on goals and outline the steps to reach them; we will check in on those goals throughout the design- build process. Your design and build team will work with you to develop realistic plans based on your aesthetic, priorities, and a budget for you to approve before any construction begins.

A white house with a red wagon pulling it in front of it

You Get What You Want Because You’re Part of the Process 


We see our role as drawing on our skills and expertise to facilitate and achieve your goals. At the beginning, your designer will sit down with you to collaborate on concepts, ideas, fixtures and finishes that please you, co-creating an aesthetic concept that helps us transform your story into your beautiful new space. 

To make sure we’re adhering to your goals, your design and build teams will work together to develop or review a complete set of plans and detailed specifications for each part of the project. Based on these, we will create work orders for your review and approval. At each juncture, before the next phase starts, we will check in with you to make sure we’re on track. 

PM Joe McAlester checks a new bath’s progress before tile installation

Building Respectfully, Building Safely During Covid-19



Remodeling can be a disruptive process, inevitably involving noise and dust; we minimize that by sealing off and isolating the rooms we are working in. We protect all surfaces, including floors, with coverings and our build team wears shoe covers. All ducts are tightly sealed to prevent dust or fumes from entering. 

Ensuring your comfort, privacy, and safety during your renovation has always been our priority. During Covid-19 this has only become more important. The good news is that our longstanding practices of isolating the workspace ensure that remodeling during this period remains safe for your family. 


Site Lead Jamie Whittaker investigates existing conditions

The Binder that Binds Us Together 



In this age of high tech, we have a simple, time-proven device that glues the entire project together: our project binder. Including concepts, components, designs and build plans, the binder is the complete picture, accessible to the entire team at every step from dream to reality. 

Besides working with you and getting your approval each step of the way, all of our designs and plans go through multiple internal reviews as we progress. The binder makes these hand-off meetings easily accomplished. Working under the premise that many minds and eyes are better, we augment each other’s ideas and catch each other’s mistakes early on. Our designers also work closely with our Project Managers, as well as our experts in electrical, mechanical, plumbing, carpentry and cabinet making to ensure that all designs are feasible, efficient and adhere to budget. 

We believe that fast isn’t the best way to do things; correct is better. Working too fast can lead to expensive changes at the construction phase, incurring additional costs and marring the entire process. Avoiding change orders and down-the-line surprises is the bedrock of our practice. We have a very good record of smooth processes that are as pleasing as the results. 


The design and build teams check a kitchen, pre-sheetrock.

New paragraph

The Heart of Trust 


Trust is a heartfelt thing, but earning it relies on a series of consistent, reliable actions. Since 1997, we’ve enjoyed the multitudinous stories of our clients and their houses. These stories, amalgamated, now tell the story of us. At Arciform, we earn the trust of our clients by listening well, communicating clearly, keeping in touch at all steps of the project, and doing what we say we’ll do when we say we’ll do it. Yet there’s a subtler ingredient at work, too – the warmth, kindness, enthusiasm, and plain old sense of fun that we bring to each project. 

Even the end of our project is not the end of our relationship. We’ll stay in touch, checking in to make sure you’re happy with your new space. We always look forward to hearing our clients’ feedback. 


As one client recently commented: “We appreciate your professionalism, kindness and thoughtfulness and will look forward to continuing on this journey together.”


We couldn’t have said it better. Now we look forward to the opportunity to earn your trust as well, so we’ll both have great stories to tell. 


A man and woman sitting at a table with a dog

A Dreamer, a Problem Solver and a Shared Vision

By Courtney O'Leary • May 16, 2024
Time is a funny thing when discussing the Bay House, a curved roof waterfront dream house that was inspired by both a medieval fortress and a dilapidated barn.
Portland's Architecture

A Century of Style: Portland’s Architecture from the 1850s to Today

By Anne De Wolf • September 15, 2023
Since the easiest way to know the different styles is to understand the art, fashion, science, and industry of the times when they were built, you’ll also understand how Portland’s diverse architecture has told, and continues to tell, our collective story. History deepens experience. You’ll never see Portland through the same eyes again!
The Walter

The Walter: A Labor of Love

By Marty Hegg • September 1, 2023
The next time you’re in the Mt Tabor neighborhood, hiking in the park , picking up plants at Portland Nursery , or ordering take out from Ya Hala , make a detour and drive up SE Belmont Street between 55 th Avenue and 58 th . Better yet, park the car and take a stroll. In the middle of the long block proudly sits the Jacob H. and Etna M. Cook House , built in 1892-93 and looking as handsome as ever. This historic home has journeyed through thick and thin, and current owner Lyrin Murphy is the reason it’s so beautiful today. Originally built as a Victorian in 1892 for Alexander and Maria Warner, it was one of several Victorians with small farms and orchards at the base of Mt. Tabor. They sold the home in 1904 to Jacob H. Cook, a local businessman and lumberman, and his wife, Etna. In 1909, the Cooks completed a major renovation of the home, transforming it into the Neoclassical style we see today. This was a trend amongst socially elite Portlanders, drawn to less-fussy, more open Colonial Revival, Neoclassical, and Craftsman designs, perhaps inspired by travels and exhibits at the 1905 World’s Fair in Portland . They often entertained in their home, hosting dance parties, luncheons, club events, and out-of-town guests. Their large-scale remodel helped push the area into upper-class status in Portland. Some prominent exterior changes were adding the main façade’s massive portico with Tuscan columns, a full-width porch and 2 nd floor balcony, and a smaller balcony at the 3 rd floor.
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A man and woman sitting at a table with a dog

A Dreamer, a Problem Solver and a Shared Vision

By Courtney O'Leary • May 16, 2024
Time is a funny thing when discussing the Bay House, a curved roof waterfront dream house that was inspired by both a medieval fortress and a dilapidated barn.
Portland's Architecture

A Century of Style: Portland’s Architecture from the 1850s to Today

By Anne De Wolf • September 15, 2023
Since the easiest way to know the different styles is to understand the art, fashion, science, and industry of the times when they were built, you’ll also understand how Portland’s diverse architecture has told, and continues to tell, our collective story. History deepens experience. You’ll never see Portland through the same eyes again!
The Walter

The Walter: A Labor of Love

By Marty Hegg • September 1, 2023
The next time you’re in the Mt Tabor neighborhood, hiking in the park , picking up plants at Portland Nursery , or ordering take out from Ya Hala , make a detour and drive up SE Belmont Street between 55 th Avenue and 58 th . Better yet, park the car and take a stroll. In the middle of the long block proudly sits the Jacob H. and Etna M. Cook House , built in 1892-93 and looking as handsome as ever. This historic home has journeyed through thick and thin, and current owner Lyrin Murphy is the reason it’s so beautiful today. Originally built as a Victorian in 1892 for Alexander and Maria Warner, it was one of several Victorians with small farms and orchards at the base of Mt. Tabor. They sold the home in 1904 to Jacob H. Cook, a local businessman and lumberman, and his wife, Etna. In 1909, the Cooks completed a major renovation of the home, transforming it into the Neoclassical style we see today. This was a trend amongst socially elite Portlanders, drawn to less-fussy, more open Colonial Revival, Neoclassical, and Craftsman designs, perhaps inspired by travels and exhibits at the 1905 World’s Fair in Portland . They often entertained in their home, hosting dance parties, luncheons, club events, and out-of-town guests. Their large-scale remodel helped push the area into upper-class status in Portland. Some prominent exterior changes were adding the main façade’s massive portico with Tuscan columns, a full-width porch and 2 nd floor balcony, and a smaller balcony at the 3 rd floor.
The Harlow Hotel

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The Italianate brick building – NW Portland’s second oldest remaining commercial structure – has had its share of ups and downs. Captain John Harlow, a Maine sea captain and co-founder of the City of Troutdale, built it as the Grand Hotel in 1882, hoping to cash in on the coming transcontinental railroad station, just blocks away. High hopes were soon lowered, as Grand Central Station (now Union Station) was delayed for fourteen years.

Site Measures – Part 2: Documenting Home Systems: Mechanical, Electrical & Plumbing

By Sarah Crouse • May 3, 2023
Measuring a home is more than sizing and locating walls, windows, and doors. There are many more complex parts of a home that need to be captured in order to set our design team up for success during the design process. With remodeling comes moving openings, walls and fixtures, which inevitably means moving systems. Mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems are typically hidden within walls and between floors, requiring a bit of know-how and experience to properly document, which is crucial for helping our design team to determine the feasibility and cost implications of our choices. Mechanical Systems:

Site Measures - part 1

By Sarah Crouse • October 4, 2022
Remodeling is an art that requires many talents – of course craftsmanship and technical knowledge – but also creativity AND organizational skills. No other step in the process taps into all of those trades quite like as-built documentation. When we pull out a tape measure, we do not only document distances, but how pieces are put together. Knowing why a post is in a particular location, or noting that a duct bisects a space helps the team document the as-built properly and makes communication during all phases of construction clearer and more concise. While measuring a house might sound simple and straightforward, it takes a seasoned crew to be efficient! Our team has a well-vetted checklist of things to measure and note, in addition to an order of operations that helps ensure nothing is missed and our client’s time is well-spent. Here is a peek into how we go about collecting this data: HOT TIP: Make sure to take breaks and have plenty of snacks and drinks on hand. Making mistakes during site measures can waste a lot of time, so making sure everyone is energized is key!

Return to Romance

By Snow Blackwood • July 9, 2022
As I walk to the door of Gretchen Newmark and Jim Gerber’s 1910 Craftsman Bungalow, painted in a pale yellow with cream and periwinkle trim, I notice I’m feeling a little nervous, but I’m not sure why. Jim is a nutritionist who spent 40 years as a professor, teaching nutrition and supervising interns. Gretchen was a dietitian in private practice, collaborating with other health professionals to help people recover from eating disorders. Now she focuses on her passion—spiritual direction. They’ve spent many years helping people find healthy paths in life. I decide my nervousness is just an artifact of this long pandemic as I notice their garden, full of vivid blooms that settle my nerves. My photographer Christine and I mask up as I knock on their door. When Gretchen opens the door, she immediately puts us at ease. “No masks, unless you prefer; we’re fully vaccinated,” she says. We are, too, so we gratefully remove the cloths. I remark on the lovely garden, and how nicely it complements their home.
A man wearing a green jacket and a black shirt is standing in front of a wooden wall.

In Good Hands: Project Manager JOE HOFFMAN

By Marty Hegg & Sarah Crouse • July 9, 2022
Quiz time: which ARCIFORM employee was raised in Detroit, Michigan, has held jobs as a fine woodworker, a stay-at-home-Dad and sailing instructor before his current job at ARCIFORM?  The one and only dependable, often-goofy and incredibly patient Joe Hoffman! As one of two Joes and one of two Hoffmans at ARCIFORM, Joe definitely knows how to set himself apart and make a lasting impression on staff and clients alike.
A woman and child are standing in a kitchen with the word smile above them

Building Trusting Relationships by Design

By ARCIFORM • July 9, 2022
Building Trusting Relationships by Design Arciform has been a premier design-build renovation and remodeling company for older buildings and homes in the greater Portland Metro area since 1997. From the very beginning, we set out to be the designers and craftspeople you could trust to achieve your vision. We aim to create a smooth, transparent process that involves you from start to end, and to deliver zero surprises – except the delighted surprise you feel when you see your finished project. For decades we’ve partnered with hundreds of people in the Pacific Northwest to bring their dreams to life. We believe that it is the relationships we build in the process of designing for you that are the real foundation of our success. Over time we’ve found that our relationships with our clients are similar to successful relationships we have with partners, good friends and family. They rest on trust engendered by the integrity of open communication, doing what you say, following up, and quickly making good if anything goes awry. So we thought we’d write a little about the ingredients that we think go into creating great relationships that, like our designs and work, endure. 
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