If we had to answer, what is the ONE question that we get asked all the time, the answer is easy: "What do I do with my shoes, coats & bags in the entry?" And boy, do we get it. Especially as we live in an environment that can be rainy, muddy, sometimes very icy, sometimes a little dusty, sometimes we're back from the beach & we're a little sandy. Some clients garden, have dogs, sports-playing kids, babies with strollers, etc etc etc. The point is that we all have a lot of ST

Wise Design was approached to assist with a recently constructed retail location in Portland's South Waterfront. Our client wished to transform the empty 1600 sqft space into a combination pet and plant store, offering thoughtfully selected food, treats, toys, supplies, enrichment, wellness products, and pet-safe plants for dogs & cats. Our client had a clear vision and beautiful branding to match: classic PNW with some industrial elements and lots of woods and greens. Wise D

Just like hanging a print on the wall, a rug can radically change the style of your room. It's a small yet impactful addition to a room that can instantly change the way a space feels, sounds and functions. NW Hillside House project Unlike some other areas of the home (how to deal with shoes will be in an upcoming post!), we tend to follow a fairly simple rule with rug sizing: bigger often equals better. A bigger rug helps a space feel larger. A bigger rug is cozier. A bigger

If anyone else grew up watching, The Great Muppet Caper, I'm sure you're familiar with this scene: And much like Kermit, Fozzie and Gonzo, I wasn't a fan of Murphy beds for a long time. The practicality, on which the Murphy bed seems to base its existence, just didn't add up. So you have a large empty room...why not furnish it with an actual bed? Or are you planning on moving all the furniture out of the room to then put the bed down? Where does everything go? For years, we w

Tucked into a private neighborhood in the west hills, Wise Design was called to help with a partially finished basement space. The previous owners used the space to display model trains - the tracks for the trains were still visible on the floor!- but our clients had other wants/needs for the large, tall basement. They needed a spot to not only entertain family and friends but also an area for guests to comfortably visit. A place for exercise equipment as well as a place to s

Our office took an amazing trip to Palm Springs for Modernism Week (see Part One here) and honestly, we can't wait to go back. Should we go back every year? Wise Design Palm Springs satellite office? As we happened to be there over Valentine's Day weekend, Annie took us all out for a very lovely rooftop dinner at Azucar. So much fun to get all dressed up & out on the town! The following day we visited the Architecture & Design Center and Art Museum. An special exhibit of Bob

With a growing team, our office could no longer physically fit in our previous suite! Being long time tenants at The Ford Building, we were thrilled when a larger, airier suite became available, just down the hall. We added new walls to create a storage room, phone room and a dedicated conference room, designed around our wall of materials and favorite rolling ladder (of course it moved with us!) An existing kitchenette received a new backsplash from Statements, coordinating

It’s been two months since our office took a trip to Palm Springs (or as we like to say, Palm Spraaaangs) and it’s taken us that entire time to digest, absorb and recover! We had the absolute best time! Palm Springs offers an annual Modernism Week each February, celebrating the area’s midcentury architecture and design. It’s long been on our bucket list to visit and we finally decided to take a well deserved break and book it. Fortunately we had a local guide in Bonney as sh

When the homeowners set out to renovate their charming 1917 Portland Heights home, their vision was clear: to craft a kitchen that honored the home’s rich history while elevating its function and flow. The existing space, a product of a disjointed prior renovation, lacked cohesion, offered little prep space, circulation and virtually no connection to the rest of the house. Wise Design was called in to help with the transformation- one that would bring beauty, utility, and p

Undergoing a renovation is an exciting milestone, but can feel extremely overwhelming. At Wise Design, we understand! To help our clients understand what it is like working with us, we created a blog series dedicated to exploring each phase of the design process and why each one is so important. Successful design begins with a strong foundation. During the first stage of your project, the Project Preparation Phase, we take time to understand how you live and what you love. We

Boring basement to Funky Flex Space with a murphy bed, custom record storage and built-in workspace.

Why We Love Perch Furniture As all of our furnishing clients know, we only like to source sofas from one place: Perch Furniture . They offer fantastically made sofas right here in the US! With custom options like sizing, style, upholstery, height, fill, and legs, all at incredibly accessible pricing, we’re all in! Every single sofa we create with Perch becomes our new favorite (until the next one!). It’s a delightful journey of design and comfort! Let’s dive into a roundup of

Nothing makes a space feel more like a home than art on the walls. For the next in our FAQ series (see how to hang curtains and how to...

Wise Design was brought on to help with this single family home, transforming a blast-from-the-past cabin into a modern home....

Wise Design has been nominated for Willamette Week's Best of Portland 2025 and today is the last day to vote! If you agree and would like...

It can be daunting to look at an empty shelf and try to style it in a way that feels both effortless and sophisticated. Of all the...

Wise Design has been nominated for Willamette Week's Best of Portland 2025! We are so excited! If you agree and would like to vote for...

In addition to our Full Service projects, we offer a variety of additional services including our popular 90 Minute Consult . They are...

West Hills Residence Living Room We're so delighted to introduce a new project, the West Hills Residence. This interior design project...

It's hard to believe the holidays are almost here! If you're looking for a last minute gift for someone wanting/needing design services...