Name: Chris
Location: Pearl District — Downtown Portland, Oregon
The loft is on a block with other similar spaces that are used for restaurants, galleries and salons, but I like mine as a residential sanctuary in the midst of the city. Converting a rented industrial loft with nearly floor-to-ceiling windows that face a city street into a warm and comfortable home has been a fun challenge that has made me feel very fulfilled.
I love being home and enjoy entertaining friends here. I draw my inspiration from all around me. I grew up in the Virginia suburbs of DC, went to school in Utah, lived in Chile for a couple years and now reside in Portland where I am marketing director for an insurance company--there are inspirations from each of those chapters of my life in my home.
Locally, I love finding items that are used or reclaimed and mixing them with new or more modern pieces. New furniture of mine often comes from IKEA, but I like to mix it with items that are more vintage or used to give it a good shake. I'm a big DIY fan and made or adapted many of the pieces of furniture, features, etc. in my apartment. I love to create pieces or assemble small collections of things that inspire intrigue while not making the space loud or overwhelming. I am most comfortable when I am home, and I want my home to be welcoming and lived-in to my guests and 100% me.
Thanks, Chris!
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While the "bones" of this apartment are gorgeous, I would have decorated an industrial loft in a more minimalist way. It seems a little busy (like putting the picture frame wall, heavy furniture, and two rugs in the same room) for my aesthetic. However, I love the two wooden end tables and the chandelier!
i love the living room area & the bathroom wall graffiti - did you do it yourself?
and those 2 wooden lattice end tables in front of the white sofa - is that vintage ikea?
really cool apartment!
Wow. Great space. Glad you have curtains to shield you from passers by. I can't believe your landlord let you paint the walls and such. You have an amazing space.
j. choi,
I actually kinda like the juxtaposition of the industrial space given a warm/layered feel...
Love it! Really great and thoughtfully done.
Love, love, love it!!! All of it.. Awesome...
House tour please!
wow! truly memorable and distinct.
Great space, I love the cluster of globe pendants in the living area and the bathroom grafitti.
Do passer bys ever try to peek in thinking you're a really cool home decor store?
Love the bathroom graffiti!
do you pay for a retail space or a residential? or is it considered mixed use?
wow I love it!
love the color choices you made. I personally don't think you need to have a minimalist decor JUST because you live in an industrial loft and I think what you did here with the eclectic mix via furniture pairings and decor is fab. Keeps it interesting and a great insight into your personality.
would love to see a full house tour.
I'll say that while I don't care much for the decor -- it's not really my style -- I love the idea of using a space that is typically commercial as a residence.
What is the cost of a home like this compared to a similarly-sized townhouse in approximately the same area?
Love it! Would also love to see a full house tour.
Are those Pablo Neruda poetry/quotes (bathroom graffiti)?
Like it, would love to see more of it.
Love this. I appreciate that you didn't go the typical minimalist route for your loft, which to me is a bit too "expected." This feels completely unique and homey. Nicely done!
Lovely space, but that bathroom wallpaper is a bit too "The Shining" for my taste (are the words Spanish for "All work and no play...?")
Very interesting house! I would love to see the house tour.
wow- great use of a commercial space! I'm so glad you didn't go the minimalist route, this looks very inviting and warm. I'd love to see a house tour.
If this loft were a playlist it would start with Leadbelly and end with David Byrne. Very nice.
I love the space, and think Chris has great taste, but I think I would edit it back just a bit. I always try to exercise the "look at yourself in the mirror and take off one thing before leaving the house" rule. That said, I love the bathroom walls, and probably would've continued the orange and the writing right across the doors.
As someone temporarily living in a huge warehouse apartment, I totally get where you came from. I'm longing for cosy nooks in this place, but am faced with vast cold empty expanses. Looks great in a photo but there's no warmth or sense of enclosure to huddle into on a cold night. I long for the human scale and proportions of a 'home'. I think your loft is that and more. Well done!
I generally like this place but agree with jmsnyc about a little editing. I am not proposing a minimalist look at all, it's just that there's so much going on at every juncture that the rooms don't have the impact they could.
Love it. Love the use of clever lighting, Love that 'things' are kept to certain areas so they're contained - the books to the massive shelves, photos to the wall. The use of color. Spot on. I would live here in a heart beat.
So much details! House tour, please!
Needs a little editing, but the overall feel is nice...
Looks like a home!! Congratulations!! Wonder the story behind every detail!! House tour!!
Beautiful, House Tour please!
Also, I'd really like to know the name of the soft green paint - it would be perfect for a project I'm planning.
i cant figure out where in the house the brown couch sits?? i love the chandeleir and love not seeing a t.v. Really a house tour would do so much better for this space. also, curious the size/s.f. of this place?
two words: naaaaiillled iiiiiitttttt!!!!
and now, more words. literally. like why haven't i ever thought of that wall graffiti before? off to change my bathroom's life forever....
that bathroom is rad