Oregon Home | 35 Home Is Where the Party Is Hullinger and Jones have been together for more than 30 years. In that time, they’ve renovated a dozen older homes together, including in Portland and San Francisco. They’ve also been throwing singular gatherings for friends, family and neighbors along the way. Their current home needed more than a little love when they bought it a decade ago. They left the original trim, the marble hearth and the coved ceilings in the living room and dining room but otherwise freshened it up. For Hullinger that meant lots of colors, patterns, wallpaper and artwork the couple has collected on their travels over the years. They also moved a few doors around, which helped with the flow and circulation of the home, which Hullinger says can feel a bit compartmentalized. With entertaining in mind, they went with 12-by-24-inch porcelain tiles that are easy to care for and all kinds of seating, including garden stools and small side tables that double as seats, to encourage close-up conversations. Additionally, most surfaces are meant for accommodating food, drinks — and easy cleanups. “We are not shoes-off, don’t-put-your-drinks-there kind of hosts,” Hullinger says. “We are more about having fun than fussing.” Hullinger and Jones have focused much of their attention on the backyard, which some folks have likened to an amphitheater when they first see it, as it slopes down gently toward a treed ravine. The space includes multiple areas where guests can gather, including a fire pit ringed by eight Adirondack chairs; a covered area with drop curtains and heaters; and a small, raised deck with a simple table and a pair of chairs. There’s also a sunny seating area and a shaded courtyard that, with the addition of some string lights, becomes host to late-night dance parties. An original sleeping porch on the home was also converted into a catering pantry, where Hullinger and Jones store dishes, glassware, water coolers and other accoutrements.
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