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Sarah Westhusing’s Bend Home: A Blend of Design and Inspiration

When guests enter interior designer Sarah Westhusing’s West Bend home, they instantly feel at ease and, at the same time, transported.

While the clean lines and natural materials of Northwest regional style are present inside and out, there are also touches of Copenhagen coziness and playful accents—an abstract painting by Australian artist Shannon Heath and a cheetah print umbrella with tassels—that evoke the breeziness of a beach bungalow in Australia’s Byron Bay.

Visitors may also notice the lack of clutter, abundant glass, warm glow of flickering candles and earthy scent of palo santo sticks. The special touches and spaces are as thoughtfully considered as a boutique hotel, and that is by design.

“I want to create a life and a space I don’t need a vacation from,” said Westhusing. 

Bedroom of home feature

Creative Calling

The daughter of a meticulous craftsman and contractor, Westhusing grew up in Anchorage, Alaska, where she learned the importance of good design early on. She embarked on a career in product creation and global merchandising, working for companies such as KEEN and Nike.

In 2016, she moved to Bend with her husband and young daughter, Milo, namesake of her company House of Milo. Central Oregon’s entrepreneurial spirit inspired her to launch her full-service interior design studio in 2019.

House of Milo works with clients, often creatives with a unique point of view, to create functional interiors inspired by nature and the art of living well. 

Hotels as Inspiration

Westhusing’s own home showcases her aesthetic and experiences. The great room, which includes the living room, kitchen with a marble island and dining, functions as the home’s “lobby” with a 15-foot-tall vaulted wood ceiling, a combination of Douglas fir and hemlock, a 1960s-inspired sectional made in Belgium and a warm gray and taupe brick fireplace flanked by window seats. Items collected during Westhusing’s travels and sourced from other countries, such as intricately patterned Moroccan rugs and decorative Oaxacan clay bowls, add personality to the room and the rest of the house. Oversized windows in the living room and full-pane glass French doors off the dining area amplify the views and connect the space to the outdoors.

Living room of home feature

Hotels are an endless source of inspiration for Westhusing. “There’s such a strong narrative that goes from the hotel room to the lobby, to the bathroom to the gym, and the story is multisensory: you smell the scent as soon as you walk in; you can feel the sheepskin rugs under your feet. It’s an experience. It’s not just about the look,” said Westhusing.

She believes hotels are the ultimate hosts, making guests feel welcome from the moment they arrive. They offer conveniences not typically found but possible in residences, such as the ability to operate multiple lights without leaving the bed and discreetly placed charging stations. They also have a distinct story to tell. Knowing someone’s favorite hotel really says alot about them. 

Never afraid to challenge conventional thinking, Westhusing says builders cautioned her not to create such large windows because the home wouldn’t be private enough. She believes privacy can be overrated–she wants neighbors to feel like they can stop by–and would always opt to maximize the warmth of natural south—and west-facing light. 

“I would rather see the entire height of a tree,” said Westhusing. “I think there’s something wonderful about a floor-to-ceiling window that allows you to see nature in its full scale,” she added.

Personality Over Conformity

Westhusing’s husband, PJ Jasienski, grew up in Southern California, so nods to surf and skateboard culture are an important theme. Two skateboards from his collection hang on the wall in the dining area, an intriguing contrast in shape and style with the Noguchi paper lantern light. In addition to family photos and art, the hallway gallery wall includes a mounted balsa wood handplane used to ride waves. There’s also a skate ramp in the yard. 

Kitchen of home feature

 From the main living space, a white slatted barn-style door leads to the rest of the single-story home on a third of an acre, which includes 8-year-old daughter Milo’s bedroom with handpainted wallpaper, a music room that doubles as a guest bedroom with a built-in Murphy bed and the primary bedroom. Westhusing’s sanctuary has woven rattan pendant light fixtures, a Mid-Century Modern sideboard, a speckled ceramic chain art piece by Portland-based Space Design, and a king-size bed with soft bamboo sheets and a patchwork comforter.

Exterior of home feature and family

Like a luxury hotel room, glass doors lead to an elevated patio with a braided leather swing from Australia, a rectangular metal firepit and hot tub, and a standalone cold plunge.

Westhusing became interested in spa culture and wellness during a visit to Norway. People spend an estimated 87% of their lives inside buildings, and she believes well-designed spaces provide psychological benefits and happiness.

“I love this quote from designer Ilse Crawford, ‘Design is a tool to enhance our humanity. It is a frame for life.’ Design really affects how we feel and behave,” said Westhusing.

Westhusing enjoys creating human-centered spaces that are unpretentious, welcoming, meaningful and fun, just as she has done in her own residence.

“Your home should tell a story of who you are and be a collection of what you love.” 

Hear from Sarah Westhusing on The Circling Podcast with Adam Short. Listen at BendMagazine.com/podcast

Home feature skate ramp

Renovations Turn a Bed and Breakfast into an Inviting Family Abode

Running an ultra-marathon or competing in a triathlon takes mental grit and determination. The same could be said for renovating a house. Trever Long regularly runs races up to 100 miles, and his wife, Cherie, who competed in an Ironman in 2022, met after Cherie graduated from the University of Texas. Their love of nature drew them to Portland where Cherie, an anesthesiologist, was accepted to a residency program. They yearned for an even greater connection to the outdoors and eventually moved to Central Oregon.

Long family remodel of their family abode

After living on Bend’s westside for several years, the Longs came across a listing for a Tudor-style eight-bedroom, seven-bathroom home on six acres in Tumalo, a marked departure from the contemporary house the family of six—including the Long’s 14-year-old daughter, 11-year-old twin boys and five-year-old son—lived in at the time. Perched above Tumalo State Park with views of the Deschutes River and multiple snow-capped peaks, the Tudor home was initially built as a bed and breakfast in 1986. It came with an approved permit to be a guest lodge, a vision that never materialized. 

remodel bend kitchen

Visioning from Abroad

The Longs bought the house in March 2020 but moved five months later to New Zealand where Cherie had a yearlong work contract. In addition to adventuring and exploring, they spent the time abroad honing ideas with their contractor, Nate Connolly of Ridgeline Custom Homes and designer, Lisa Arballo of Bend-based Legum Design. The time to think through their goals brought the home-planning process into focus. “I think we fell in love with it even more,” said Cherie.

In the process of turning the dark home into a sleek family-friendly residence, the couple decided to retain the original staircase and the oversized brick fireplace—learning from a previous owner that the bricks were salvaged from one of Bend’s original mills. The contractor removed the Tudor-motif cross-hatching on the exterior and instead added dark cladding to contrast with brick to create European style. An iron and glass front door gave the facade a modern appeal.

living room of inviting family abode

Creating a Family Home

Designing a home that could accommodate the family’s active lives and interests was a priority for the Longs. The kitchen is an example of their desire for both beauty and functionality. Trever thought through the design “drawer by drawer.” The large kitchen island is concrete, a natural material that’s easy to repair. The kids can grab cups and dishes from the open cabinetry and the matte Italian kitchen cabinets have no handles so they can easily be wiped clean. “We did research into how to make everything sort of disappear—including the refrigerator and dishwasher,” said Trever.

But certain things were selected to stand out, such as the Brazilian Matarazzo marble backsplash and cantilever shelf behind the Thermador range and the Argentinian-style Grillworks grill in the back of the fireplace. Details mattered, too, as evidenced in the sparkling water on tap.

The long family room

The Long children enjoy a suite of rooms on the basement level that was originally created as a space to host bed and breakfast guests. Walls were removed so a large picture window could flood the area with natural light. Today, the “Kid Zone” includes three bedrooms and three bathrooms; the children all had input in the design. Daughter Rowan, for example, chose the floral wallpaper and marble mosaic floor for her bathroom.

Cozy reading nook

There’s also a family room with a reading nook and a vintage chaise lounge recovered in a colorful textile, surrounded by photos representing the family’s adventures. The home also boasts a gym and a laundry room that doubles as an art space.

Heritage and Travel Inspiration

Cherie’s mother, who lives in Europe and is an expert in French and Swedish antiques, offered her expertise. The home is a treasure trove of beautiful art and heirlooms used in unexpected ways, such as a secretary found in the dining room, the mid-century Tom Dixon fixtures in the powder room complementing limewash walls by Bend artist Juanita Perdomo, and the crystal chandelier, a wedding present from Cherie’s parents that dangles near the bathtub in the primary suite.

bathroom chandelier

Heritage pieces are coupled with accents collected from around the world. One of their most prized possessions is the antique rattan furniture from Indonesia in the sunroom that belonged to Cherie’s grandmother. The Longs pair the furnishings with items such as blankets handpicked from a market in Mexico and a ceramic goat sculpture purchased at a pottery shop in New Zealand. It’s an elegant yet approachable home where the family can curl up together to watch a movie; a home layered with meaning in every corner. “I think that is what our house is made of: small little trips and memories,” said Cherie.

The Long Family

See more home-related articles with us or read more from the current Bend Home + Design Magazine.

The Art of Scent with Bend Oregon Perfume Company Hikishémé

Kristine Ambrose shares her passion for blending natural perfumes.

The parts of the human brain that process emotions and memory are also responsible for the sense of smell, so it’s no wonder that scents such as soup bubbling on a stovetop or a fresh-cut rose can instantly conjure vivid memories. For Bend-based perfumer Kristine Ambrose, the power of scent has been life-altering.

Bend-based perfumer Kristine Ambrose Five years ago, Ambrose was living in Los Angeles when she entered a deep depression, something she soon realized had been impacting her throughout her life. She had recently begun gardening as a hobby, and a friend suggested she take a class on natural perfumes. Ambrose recalled how the friend suggested taking the herbs from her garden and turning them into something therapeutic so the coping skills for dealing with depression would be with her every step of the way. “It helped,” said Ambrose.

Ambrose began to understand the healing power of nature. She and her husband made a move to Bend three years ago, where she knew easy access to hiking and paddle boarding on the river would be beneficial. What had been just a hobby began to flourish into something more.

“Here was this whole new world of herbs and flowers and trees that I could work with: pine needles, Russian sage and lavender,” Ambrose said about Bend’s natural surroundings.

making scents with natural perfume company Hikishémé

A year after moving to Bend, she established her natural perfume company Hikishémé, a new word she coined by blending the Japanese and French languages, representing two cultures she reveres. To her it means “inspiration of cultures.” She began selling her perfumes, such as Amber Rose and Woodland, on her website and at local farmers markets, then expanded her business with a perfume lab
in 2022.

Hīkishémé Perfume Lab

In the home studio in her garage, Ambrose welcomes guests by appointment to make perfumes and shop. She also hosts natural perfume workshops, including perfume blending and hand-rolling incense cones. The space, inspired by the bohemian vibe of Venice, California 30 years ago, can be described as “modern photography studio meets apothecary,” and is adorned with vintage lamps and rugs. An artist at heart, Ambrose said blending scent notes together is an art form and she likens it to making fine wine. Her workshops bring together groups looking for a sense of community, and the methodical process allows people to be in the moment.

Hikishémé perfume lab

The Art of Scent

To make a natural scent, perfumers typically blend essential oils and dilute them with alcohol. Ambrose takes this a step further, creating her own tinctures by soaking herbs and flowers in grain alcohol and continually adding new ones to the tincture for up to a year and a half. “I’ve learned the more you go into the process, the more of an artist you become. I know I’m doing art when my mind is free of thought,” Ambrose said. Before using the oils, she burns off the last remnants of the alcohol in a reduction process similar to reducing balsamic vinegar. The scents become intensely aromatic and layered. “The lavender tincture smells like a deep dark lavender cotton candy,” she explained.

Hikishémé tinctures soaking herbs and flowers in grain alcohol

These tinctures, which Ambrose calls “vintages,” date back to 2019 and include jasmine, mint, oregano, citrus, anise, lavender, pine needle, sage and more. They serve as the base of Ambrose’s perfumes which are then blended with high-quality essential oils that are diluted so they don’t burn the skin. In her workshops, guests craft luxurious, custom blends that could never be mass-produced. “They are truly made right from the garden, right from my trees, just for you,” Ambrose shared.

Her favorite scent, white jasmine, blooms in Southern California in the spring and reminds her of how far she has come. She sees it as her mission to share the mental health benefits of natural scents with a wider audience. “These coping skills are right at the tips of our fingers,” Ambrose said. “Open the door, walk outside and get into nature; take a deep breath, smell something different.” See hikisheme.com.


Read more about our vibrant Central Oregon businesses here.

Kristine Ambrose making tinctures

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