Our Cottage Communities
Mahonia Northwest was founded in 2024 by a group of seasoned professionals who envision a better approach to providing attainable housing. We remember growing up in walkable, social neighborhoods with strong bonds between neighbors and a sense of community and shared purpose. Today’s merchant builders prioritize efficiency over social fabric, affordability over quality design, and the result are neighborhoods that lack the social vibrancy and cohesion that sustain value and strengthen community connections. Our cottage communities provide welcome relief from modern homebuilding trends.
Design Philosophy
Our team believes in creating attainable housing for our families without sacrificing quality, design, or a sense of community. We have been inspired by the work of Ross Chapin, a cottage community designer working in the Pacific Northwest for over 40 years. From his successful communities, and based on our own experience in neighborhood-building, we established a design philosophy that guides our cottage communities.
Our approach does not exclusively center on the buildings, but rather on the landscape. We work with the land to create clusters of 8-14 residences centered around a common open space. These “shared commons” are an important element of the neighborhood, providing space for relaxation and interaction. A lushly planted landscape helps further define these spaces, provides privacy between units, and further enriches the overall visual character.
Each of the cottages features a “room-sized porch” that expands the interior living space outdoors and provide transition from public spaces to the private, cozy interiors. Careful orientation of each cottage helps create private and semi-private outdoor spaces, connected via landscaped walkways to covered parking areas.
Taken as a whole, the result is a vibrant, well-designed neighborhood, integral to and timeless within the landscape.
Cottage Design
Familiar. Welcoming. Cozy.
Approaching one of our cottages provides an instantly recognizable and comforting sense of “home,” embodied in design elements such as the gabled roof, overhangs, front porch, trellises, and abundant and proportionate windows and doors. Set within a rich and varied landscape that creates both private spaces and public connections, there is an immediate sense of community and connection created through careful building placement and site design.
On the interior, the living room, kitchen, and dining areas share a single space, subtly separated and defined to reinforce the cozy nature of the cottage. Exterior decks extend the living space into the landscape and provide private and semi-private outdoor spaces with a wrap-around porch on the front of the house and a partially covered back porch.
We have developed both two and three bedroom floor plans, incorporating generously sized bedrooms and closets, second floor washer/dryer, and abundant storage spaces. Our three bedroom cottage features a ground floor primary bedroom suite including a private bathroom. The vaulted ceiling on the upper floor provides volume and spaciousness, contrasting with the efficiently designed floor plans.
The final product delivers a thoroughly modern living experience featuring quality finishes and amenities wrapped in a familiar, welcoming, cozy package. Welcome home!
Floor Plans
-
![]()
3 Bedroom + Garage - 1408 SF
-
![]()
3 Bedroom + Garage - Upstairs
-
![]()
3 Bedroom - 1308 SF
-
![]()
3 Bedroom Duplex
-
![]()
Typical Upstairs
-
![]()
2 Bedroom - 1110 SF
Ready to explore what's possible?
Whether you're a landowner, community leader, or future resident, our experienced team is here to help bring thoughtful development to the Willamette Valley.