Oregon Home | 27 Updating to modern cabinetry also gave them much more storage space. Unused space on an empty wall became a pantry and appliance cabinet. A small shelf atop a cabinet is perfectly placed for the coffee bar. The dining room, now visible from the kitchen, was hidden behind a door-size opening. “We opened that up so someone in the kitchen could talk to someone at the table,” says Bush. “It created a nicer flow but still kept the feel of an older home, which doesn’t usually have a particularly open concept.” The team found push-button light switches typical for the age of the home to add a vintage touch. An original archway now separates the kitchen from the mudroom, with two French doors that let in an abundance of natural light. A room just off the kitchen wasn’t useful for much other than holding the kids’ art supplies. “We opened that up and turned it into a pantry and extra storage,” Bush says. A wooden shelf added against the window opposite the pantry storage lets the kids work on homework while keeping an eye on their dogs in the backyard and be near the kitchen. Creating new character for older homes is easy for Montalvo, who grew up in Ecuador. His family had multiple homes throughout the country, and he was inspired by the different types of architecture and styles. Later, he owned a remodeling company and worked on home inspections in Florida, then became the general manager of a design-build company in Boston, where vintage homes abound. Montalvo had previously lived in Oregon,
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