For owners Eve Porcello and Alex Banks, the attraction of the house that would become Kaleidoscope on the Hill was not the stark white walls or head-scratching layout, but the First on the Hill neighborhood, one of Bend’s oldest and most charming. Educators and psychedelic advocates who volunteer as “trip sitters” at events and festivals, the couple met doing comedy and, according to Porcello, are not inclined to take things too seriously. They wanted a home that exuded playfulness as well as calm.
Influences included Burning Man camps, McMenamins Old St. Francis School’s secret rooms, travel to Thailand and color, color, color. Using the chakra system as a guide, the couple envisioned a different chakra devoted to each room. It was an unconventional framework, says Porcello, one that Heylen Thienes of Tricorn Black Interior Design ran with to make her clients’ desires visible and livable.
A Colorful Bend Home Inspired by the Chakra System
“The initial inspiration and vision comes from the client,” said Thienes, and these particular clients had vision to spare. Their “more is more” attitude opened the gates to possibilities of color, pattern and texture.Thienes recognized the house’s proverbial good bones, but also that prior remodels lacked clear intention. From the imagery Porcello and Banks brought to the table, Thienes constructed the visual and emotional language to tell the story.
The key to making the home feel inviting, said Thienes, was to define the purpose of each of its distinct living spaces, so whether you’re looking for a Zen moment or to dig into some research, the designer said, “there’s a place for you to land.”
The library and TV room illustrate this intuitive living. Originally an elongated room bisected by a hallway, the space now functions as two rooms, but is decorated as one, with sofas and rugs mirrored on both sides. Upon entry, said Thienes, “it feels like one giant hug,” before purpose guides which room is entered.
How Color and Pattern Create a Cohesive Interior
In mixing elements, “rhythm becomes incredibly important,” said Thienes. In the living room, floral patterns in the wallpaper echo curvilinear shapes in the dining room rug, while the deep cerulean-toned walls repeat in the fabric of the sofas in the library. This echoing allows senses to recognize the kinship between components, even if, at first, they look nothing alike. Continuity, said Thienes, “takes the house from a series of white rooms to an intentionally designed home,” in which a lively composition of color and texture feels cozy, harmonious and inspiring.
Designing a Bend Home for Playfulness and Everyday Living
“Living in the space is fantastic,” said Porcello, who noted that Thienes ensured the house is as practical as it is fun, even accommodating the couple’s “two poorly behaved elderly cats” with a couch covered in unscratchable fabric.
Porcello and Banks wanted their home to communicate the playful, offbeat spirit of Oregon. They delight in watching guests react to the details that make Kaleidoscope on the Hill one-of-a-kind.
At the end of the day, however, “This is a home we actually live in,” said Porcello. “It’s comfortable and relaxing, exactly what we hoped for.”
