• ABOUT
  • PODCAST
  • BLOG
    • MINIMALISM
    • HOME DESIGN AND RENOVATION
    • DIY
    • SEW
    • EAT
    • TRAVEL
  • BOOK
  • CONTACT
  • SUMMER CAMP
  • CREATIVE CAMP
  • NOVIOS RETREAT
  • <iframe frameborder="0" src="https://playlist.megaphone.fm?p=CTL9280674595&light=true" width="100%" height="482"></iframe>
  • ABOUT
  • PODCAST
  • BLOG
    • MINIMALISM
    • HOME DESIGN AND RENOVATION
    • DIY
    • SEW
    • EAT
    • TRAVEL
  • BOOK
  • CONTACT
  • SUMMER CAMP
  • CREATIVE CAMP
  • NOVIOS RETREAT
Vintage Eclectic Home in Portland, Oregon
November 18, 2016

Last month Dave and I went to Portland, Oregon to visit my little brother Taylor and his girlfriend Meagan (and their two dogs, two cats, and five chickens). They bought their first home last summer and we were excited to get a chance to see the space and spend a few days as their houseguests while we explored a little bit around the town.

From the moment we walked in, I was enveloped in this amazing cozy feeling that lives inside a home that is filled will love and intention. These two have designed and collected, arranged and styled their eclectic, vintage-filled home beautifully. Every where I looked there was another little corner to admire and something special to see.

They kindly agreed to let me take a million photos of their awesome home and share them with you here.
vintage-eclectic-portland-bungalow-1 vintage-eclectic-portland-bungalow-3vintage-eclectic-portland-bungalow-35vintage-eclectic-portland-bungalow-41Something you should know about Taylor and Meagan is that they are the real deal. Portland is filled with millennial hipsters who want to #liveauthentic and whatever that really means, but these two walk the walk. They buy used and salvaged all of the time which adds to the incredible character in their home. They eat true food, some grown in their own garden. They are fiercely loyal to their friends, local business, and caring for the environment. They are some of the most genuine and kind-hearted people you may ever meet. And inside their home everything has a story. Layers and layers of stories.

Taylor gave all of the design praise to Meagan who, he says, is rearranging things all the time. I couldn’t get enough of the combinations of pretty brass, natural wood, cozy textiles, and of course lots of plants. She’s a more crazy plant lady than I am, I think! They shared the same sentiment that I’ve always felt, that homes are always a work in progress and how they have plans to take out a piece of one wall, add different flooring upstairs, change out some light fixtures when the right ones come along. And in the meantime, enjoy it all the way it is.

vintage-eclectic-portland-bungalow-4 vintage-eclectic-portland-bungalow-6There was some serendipity to the way they talked about thrifting. Like this amazing cream and read bookcase is actually two pieces that were found at different times. And clearly are part of the same original piece. They’ve filled it to the brim with interesting books about art and nature, politics and history. Also taxidermy and motorcycling, which fit the bill perfectly.
vintage-eclectic-portland-bungalow-7 vintage-eclectic-portland-bungalow-8 vintage-eclectic-portland-bungalow-10 vintage-eclectic-portland-bungalow-11 vintage-eclectic-portland-bungalow-12My theory that plants add life instantly to a space holds true in this cool home as well. Meagan has quite a collection all happy and healthy in classic terra cotta as well as some in amazing vintage tin cans and brass bowls. She also understands the power of thinking through the details. Putting things in a beautiful place and creating vignettes. There were so many interesting places to look and things to see.

And then I fell in love with the chickens.  vintage-eclectic-portland-bungalow-13 vintage-eclectic-portland-bungalow-15They’re usually not allowed inside the house, but tried to sneak on in a couple times during our stay. Each of the five ladies is named after a former CIA special investigation. I love that. Meet Monarch, Popeye, Northwoods, Paperclip, and Stargate. They have started laying in the last couple months (except for Monarch, whose eggs will supposedly be green!) and retrieving the eggs is a fun part of the daily routine.
vintage-eclectic-portland-bungalow-36vintage-eclectic-portland-bungalow-37That giant Great Pyrenees is Comet, who Meagan rescued this time last year. She is as big as a horse and as sweet as a teddy bear. We laughed so hard we cried watching her perch herself on the couch to look out the window as half of her back end hung in the air. Just too big to get cozy.

Boyo, Taylor’s black lab mix is around four years old. He’s wired with energy and is the biggest sweetheart.

The cats are Pancho and OJ, they roam and do what they will, as cats do.vintage-eclectic-portland-bungalow-16I was inspired all over again by the giant garden grow boxes that Taylor had, all overflowing with produce. We picked tomatoes, peppers, and chilies the first day in town, then added fresh carrots from the garden to a meal later in our trip. My own little herb garden is a good start, and this visit made me really excited to plant more next year. There’s just something about growing your own.vintage-eclectic-portland-bungalow-17 vintage-eclectic-portland-bungalow-18 vintage-eclectic-portland-bungalow-19This sweet guest bathroom is upstairs where we stayed, and Meagan thought of every detail to make it comfortable for us. In several places around the house she had used old produce boxes as shelves on the walls and they are so good looking. Such a cool way to create some extra storage and add beautiful details to a smaller space.

She also has the most incredible collection of handmade pottery, milk glass, and jadeite. I have been buying reproduction pieces for the last year or two and really love them. Meagan’s is all original. I mean, it’s so awesome.
vintage-eclectic-portland-bungalow-20 vintage-eclectic-portland-bungalow-21 vintage-eclectic-portland-bungalow-22 vintage-eclectic-portland-bungalow-23I laughed after a little tour of the house when we arrived because I told them I had for some reason thought that they were more minimalists. But they’re quite the opposite. They’re collectors! Meagan’s dressing room is a vintage fashion paradise. She’s treasure hunted really beautiful clothing, boots, shoes, bags, luggage, and such pretty curiosities. You can tell she loves these clothes and is thoughtful about what she chooses to wear and how. vintage-eclectic-portland-bungalow-24 vintage-eclectic-portland-bungalow-25 vintage-eclectic-portland-bungalow-26I got a little lost in the lineup of polaroids along the wall. More stories, more memories. More love.
vintage-eclectic-portland-bungalow-27 vintage-eclectic-portland-bungalow-28vintage-eclectic-portland-bungalow-33 vintage-eclectic-portland-bungalow-29 vintage-eclectic-portland-bungalow-30vintage-eclectic-portland-bungalow-34Taylor’s collections are amazing as well. His study is packed with vintage camera equipment (one of his favorite hobbies is film photography and you can see a lot of his gallery on his website). 

His furniture is more masculine and hearty. Metal desks and drawers. (I love the juxtaposition of his black leather arm chair with Meagan’s black leather chaise.)

And where Meagan collects velvet dresses and beautiful vintage florals, Taylor’s closet is filled with hearty flannels, long johns, work jackets, and piles of white tee shirts to dye, draw on, and sell.
vintage-eclectic-portland-bungalow-31Quite fascinating was that with so many cool collections, and a lot of stuff, everything felt intentional and arranged. These belongings have a home and are well cared for. We went to grab a tripod to take a group photo and Taylor looked through his four or five vintage tripods, one dating back to World War II, and chose the best for the situation (right height, wet grass, etc.) 
vintage-eclectic-portland-bungalow-32
Industrial arm lamps, mid century furniture, metal tool boxes, and global blankets. These are all things I see trending in the design world, and all things I found in their original state in my brother’s home. They are the real deal.

More than the incredible treasures, intentional styling and obviously amazing design aesthetic that Taylor and Meagan have, I felt so at home in their home. They love each other, love their animals, love their garden, and made every effort for us to feel comfortable and welcome. They are wonderful people with good hearts and we felt so lucky to spend some time with them.

I hope you can feel the cosiness of this eclectic abode as well. 
vintage-eclectic-portland-bungalow-40

Share

Uncategorized

  • ABOUT

    Welcome! I’m Miranda, the maker mama behind Live Free Creative Company.

  • More Than Enough Book


    Have you ever felt like you were running a race you couldn’t win in life? Like there was always something more to buy or to achieve in order for you to feel like you had “made it”?In this book, I share how my heart changed and I began to find real, lasting peace, abundance, and joy through focusing on what matters most and disregarding the rest.

    Find out more here.

  • ConvertKit Form

    Five Days to Freedom: Tips for Choosing Less Stuff and More Adventure in your Daily Life

    Five lessons with practical tips and exercises to help you feel more in control of your life!

    Success!

    There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again.

    We won't send you spam. Unsubscribe at any time. Powered by ConvertKit
  • Recent on Instagram

    livefreemiranda

    The final episode this year of Live Free Creative The final episode this year of Live Free Creative Podcast dropped this morning: a look back at 2022 and an invitation to reflect. 

Often, it is in the remembering and retelling of our own stories where meaning is made. With a little distance, we can usually see more clearly how our experiences have changed us. This self-awareness is a beautiful place from where we can step into the future with added clarity and hopefully a measure of compassion and peace. 

Tune in on your favorite podcast app. 💛 #livefreecreativepodcast
    This last week of the year is talked about like a This last week of the year is talked about like a Bermuda Triangle of time warp— I think it is the *perfect* time for reflection. Not hustle, goal-setting, or even planning (though I love a good plan😉). 

This is the time to look back with clear and honest eyes on the challenges, joys, disappointments, and fulfillments of the last year and make some meaning of it all. Accepting who and where we are now with grace and love can help us proceed into the next right step with compassion and clarity. 

2022 was one of my personal toughest. It was simultaneously filled with light and laughter. A beautiful mess. 💛

What was one of your favorite moments of the last year? Feel free to share below. I’d love to hear!
    I’ve spent a long time curious about optimism- w I’ve spent a long time curious about optimism- what it really looks like and how it is evidenced in real life. 

Learning about explanatory styles helped clarify some of the nuances of optimistic people acknowledging and accepting negative events and emotions without being taken down by them. 

Optimism is not toxic positivity, it is the perspective that although negative things occur, they are usually temporary, impersonal and specific. 

These illustrations can help you clarify the difference between how an optimist and a pessimist may describe positive and negative events— and listening to episode 217 of Live Free Creative Podcast can help with some practical ideas for building your optimism muscle. 💪😃

#livefreecreativepodcast
    One semester down of the Master of Applied Positiv One semester down of the Master of Applied Positive Psychology program at @uofpenn 🙌. 

After over two decades of interest in and self-study of the ideas of happiness, progress, and what makes life worth living, it has been a dream come true to dive even deeper with the guidance of great professors, guest lecturers, and classmates. It is a ton of work, and also reminds me that most truly worthwhile things are. ❤️

Cheers to lifelong learning, growing, and flourishing! 🌱🌲 

(These are a small sample of the hundreds of pages of books, journal articles, and essays I’ve dug into this semester. All of these are easily accessible, and fun to read. Highly recommend!)

#positivepsychology #selfdevelopmentbooks
#pennpov
    Let’s talk about OPTIMISM! 😊 Many people (fa Let’s talk about OPTIMISM! 😊

Many people (falsely) assume that optimism means ignoring negative events or emotions. Instead, optimism is the perspective with which one views negative emotions and events: as temporary, changeable, and impersonal. 

For (very simple) example, when an optimistic person stubs her toe, she might think “Ouch! That hurts! That step came out of nowhere… I’ll look out for it next time.” 

In contrast, a pessimist might stub her toe and think “Ouch! That hurts! Why do I always get hurt? I’m such a klutz.”

Optimistic people tend to see negative events as occasional, and positive events as the norm. They tune their attention to things that do or could go right, rather than giving all the weight to things that do or could go wrong. 

Additionally, optimism can be LEARNED and PRACTICED, with amazing and beneficial outcomes on life satisfaction, relationships, and overall well-being. 

Do you consider yourself more of an optimist or a pessimist?

Listen to #livefreecreativepodcast this week for a deep dive into Optimism! 🌤️
    Paper Person for LIFE ✌️ I write plans, lists Paper Person for LIFE ✌️

I write plans, lists, to-do’s, outlines, notes, dreams, memories, and stories on good old fashioned paper (preferably 80# cotton mohawk paper with a .3 muji pen 😉).

Did you know research shows that writing by hand (versus typing) activates different parts of the brain and can increase understanding, perception, memory, motor skills, and even creativity? While typing and tech definitely have their benefits, writing by hand, on paper, is still an important, valid, and (in my personal experience) cathartic experience.

If you’ve been around a while, you know @golden.coil is my favorite, (sister-owned) customizable planner and notebook company. 📒

Who else has a paper brain like me? 🙋🏻‍♀️
    What expectations do you have for the holidays? Or What expectations do you have for the holidays? Or for the New Year?

I’d love to hear about them. And invite you to consider how developing appreciate (instead of/alongside) expectation can build your well-being and positive emotions. 

Listen to Episode 216 of #livefreecreativepodcast for a more in-depth discussion. 💚
    Expectations are normal— but are they helpful? Expectations are normal— but are they helpful?

Unmet expectations lead to disappointment on the one end of the spectrum and resentment or even anger on the other. 

In contrast, appreciation increases positivity, motivation, and resilience. 

Neither expectations nor appreciation cost us anything… so which do we want to intentionally invite into our lives? 💛

Listen to Episode 216 for more insights. #livefreecreativepodcast
    One wall, one quart of green paint, three hours of One wall, one quart of green paint, three hours of procrastinating folding laundry: a gorgeous new office space. 💚💁🏻‍♀️

Sometimes we need to JUST GO FOR IT when the urge to improve strikes, even if it doesn’t make sense. Pausing a hundred small to-do’s so you can accomplish one with long-lasting impact feels amazing. 

(I think picking up this incredible @thicketdesign serpent and butterfly painting from @frameofmindrva was the push I needed to make it happen. 😍) 

What small home project would make the biggest positive impact for you right now?

#livefreeabode
    The halls are decked, there’s a log on the fire, The halls are decked, there’s a log on the fire, and a cozy holiday playlist of podcast favorites for the season on the speaker. 🔥👉

Swipe for a list of Holiday Season episodes that will invite some intention, creativity, joy, and magic into your life this season. 🎙️🎁

Find a link to the full Spotify Playlist in the story highlight (after the last couple weeks I KNOW how many of you love Spotify 🤭)

What holiday-themed episode do you want to hear next? Drop ideas in the comments! 

#livefreecreativepodcast #livefreeabode
    Connection builds resilience, reduces stress, and Connection builds resilience, reduces stress, and makes us happier! ✨

While this last year (um…2-3 years? 🫠) has been difficult on many levels, it has also felt very connective. Weird how challenges can do that: build meaning and strengthen relationships. 

Our family has leaned on simple habits routines to deepen our connection: nightly family dinner, walking to school together, weekly dates for Dave and me, family vacation and weekend getaways to leave it all behind and simply have fun together! 

What are you doing to intentionally build/maintain your connection to those who matter most to you? 

(Thank you @mollyhunterphotography for capturing our family so beautifully!)
    Inviting the hygge of the season into this new hom Inviting the hygge of the season into this new home. 🎄

In a lot of ways, 2022 has been one of the toughest years we’ve experienced. From health challenges, family tragedies, and heartbreak to difficult personal growth, we have been just barely keeping our heads above water.

This Christmastime, I am grateful for the hope and peace of accepting and integrating what is, exercising non-judgement and optimism in the face of obstacles, and the power of close friendships and relationships to ease the load. 💛

Sending love and light to you this season, whether hope-filled or heart-wrenching or a little of both. ✨

#livefreeabode
    Load More... Follow @livefreemiranda on Instagram
  • FAVORITE CATEGORIES

    • DIY
    • SEW
    • DECORATE
    • EAT
    • LIFE
    • TRAVEL



© Copyright 2021 Live Free Creative Co | View our Privacy Policy