Where Art Meets Home: A Weekend of Inspiration from Portland to the Puget Sound
This weekend, I took a step out of my daily rhythm and into a journey that reminded me why I love calling the Pacific Northwest home. It was a few days filled with creativity, repurposed beauty, and the kind of thoughtful design that tells a story of people, of place, and of what’s possible when we allow inspiration to guide us.
Staying on my parents' floating home just outside Portland, gently bobbing in unison with the river. It's a space unlike any other, equal parts serene and inventive. Living on the water brings its own perspective, and every detail of their home reflects the care and creativity that went into making it their own. We took an evening boat ride down the Willamette Slew with the sounds of nature and the excitement of seeing our concert venue for Sunday via the water.
From there, we ventured out to Dundee for some wine tasting (always a favorite), but it was Artist Block that truly captured my imagination. A natural wine bar and gallery space where the lines between wine, art, and connection blur beautifully. I joined their wine club because when you find a place where natural wine meets natural conversation, you stay awhile. There’s something about sipping a pét-nat next to a wall of beautifully sculptured doughnuts that makes you want to dream bigger. Adding they were safe for a celiac like me :)
This weekend also included a stop in Tualatin for lunch with my favorite new family member at a restaurant that will soon be a host to the pumpkin regatta. Another curious example of using space in creative ways to create connection and community. What is usually just a simple pond surrounded by apartments, hotels and restaurants brings a crowd that watches people race in giant hollowed pumpkins. Which made me think that good design doesn’t always mean new; this pond has been around since I was little. Somewhere along the way someone thought lets start a pumpkin regatta and bring our community together. It’s about what we can reimagine with what spaces we have.
Which brings me to one of the most inspiring stops of the weekend: the Linnton School. We explored two open houses, just outside of Portland. This historic schoolhouse has been thoughtfully converted into condo’s, each one a true original. I toured two available homes, one of them the former boiler room. Now it’s a dramatic canvas with soaring ceilings and a view of the river, just waiting for the right artist or dreamer to make it their own.
There’s something deeply meaningful about turning an old school into a place to live and create. In a world that so often throws things away, repurposing materials and honoring the bones of a space feels radical and right. These walls once held chalkboards and children’s laughter, and now they invite light, creativity, and reflection.
And then, the evening crescendo: a concert on Sauvie’s Island, Topaz Farm. If you’ve never been, picture beautiful summer wild flowers, delicious food offerings and refreshing open air. This gathering on an island again moments away from the city, music dancing through the trees, people barefoot on the grass, community at its finest. It’s the kind of gathering that strips away pretense and lets art and nature do the talking.
Returning home to Beach Drive in Seattle, the tide was out and the golden hour stretched long. Neighbors were lowering crab pots from kayaks off Weather Watch Park, savoring every bit of summer’s light. I stood there for a moment, watching the scene unfold, and realized what I’d brought back with me: a renewed appreciation for the way a space can reflect the soul of the people who live in it. Whether it floats on water, is wrapped in ivy, or moonlights as an art gallery, when a place is lived in with care and intention, it shows. And it matters.
Takeaways:
🌿 Get out of your own way: Creativity and connection show up when we loosen control and stay curious.
🏡 Unique properties have soul: A home isn’t just walls and a roof it’s energy, intention, and sometimes a view of ducks swimming past your window.
♻️ Repurposing is powerful: The most beautiful spaces are often the ones with history in their bones schools turned homes, boiler rooms turned blank canvases.
🎨 Design is personal: Whether it’s a floating home or a wine bar that doubles as a gallery, design should reflect your values, your vibe, and your sense of wonder.
🤝 Connection is the point: Through art, music, wine, or conversation spaces should bring us together.
If you’re dreaming about a creative space to call your own, floating home, converted warehouse, tiny studio with massive light, let's talk. The Pacific Northwest is full of hidden gems waiting to be loved. Let's seek them out together!
Rachel Jarvis
503-998-6406