Tucked away in the foothills of Mt. Hood just 30 minutes from Portland, Oregon, Stargazer Farm offers a charming setting with plenty of character and history. We headed out to the property for our fall 2016 catalog shoot, looking to make the most of the farm’s unique heritage.
The Farm’s History
In the mid-1800s, the farm property was originally settled by a Dutch family who traveled along the Oregon Trail. Later on in the early 1900s, it was bought by a 10th generation Dutch botanist by the name of Jan de Graaff. He turned the property into a commercial lily farm, which over the years patented more than 150 varieties and processed $50 million in bulbs each year. With this background, it’s no surprise the farm was named after a popular variety of lily flower, the Stargazer.
A Story of Revival
Today, Stargazer Farm sits on 60 acres of historical conservation land along the Sandy River. Owned by chef Isabel Cruz of several notable Portland restaurants, the property came back to life as an organic farm in 2011. The farm now produces high-quality vegetables for some of Portland’s top restaurants, including Ava Gene’s, Nostrana, and Roman Candle.
From the produce crops to the expansive greenhouse, Stargazer Farm is a thriving place at the heart of the farm-to-table movement. But with such an intriguing history, it also has several other features of note, including an air field for small planes, a historic carriage house you can rent on Air BnB, and a beautiful main house that has been lovingly maintained.
An Authentic Setting
From our Art Deco-inspired pendant lights to reinvented bentwood furniture, we knew that Stargazer Farm would provide an inspiring setting for our catalog shoot. An airy living area in the main house provided an ideal space for us to shoot our Art Deco dining scene—an expansive wall of windows looked out to views of the forest, while light wood floors offered a clean backdrop. Plus, beautiful wainscoting below the windows added the perfect hint of traditional style.
The stunning windows throughout the home also made a great setting for our retro-inspired Astron bedroom. The natural light showcased our Astron Pendant’s versatile finish options, while the airy ambiance created a graceful and serene bedroom space.
Shop our newest items to see the results of our Stargazer Farm shoot, and discover lighting, furniture, and home goods with unrivaled quality and craftsmanship.