An Oregon Home Becomes One With The High Desert

It’s just a 40-minute flight from Seattle to Bend, Oregon, and interior designer Nancy Burfiend and her partner, Joey Reiter, a retired financial consultant, are regular weekend commuters. The short jaunt takes them to their high desert retreat, a contemporary home designed in collaboration with architect John DeForest to hover on the rugged landscape.

Despite having worked on numerous projects, Burfiend admits, “It’s difficult to do this for yourself and decide where to pare down.” DeForest aided the process with assignments requiring the women to think about how they wanted to live and feel in their home. For example, an inquiry about what was important to Nancy when she woke up in the morning was met with, “I want fresh air.” That simple response led to a conversation about windows and everything related to them.

Similar discourses led to defining materials like the cedar siding, stained warm charcoal gray, that flows indoors where it meets imperfect slices of reclaimed oak floors. The basic materials outside lead to decidedly unfussy interiors so upon returning from hikes, the owners don’t have to take off their boots.

Among the finishing touches are covered sofas and chairs with durable tweeds and leathers that provide the requisite durability, while artwork depicting outdoor themes complements the natural habitat.