- Name:
- Libby
- Location:
- Portland, OR
- Division:
- United States
- What do you love about your bedroom?:
- What I love about my bedroom is that it has followed me around piece-by-piece for over ten years and between ten homes, and still feels cohesive and "me." My favorite piece in my bedroom is the bed. I painted it black, and because the project turned out to be quite a task, I appreciate it all the more. The mattress was made locally and delivered to my home by bike! (If that doesn't sound like an episode of Portlandia, I don't know what does!) Aside from my bed, the thing I love most about my bedroom is the window. It's common to hear that what people love most about their home is the "light" or the "windows," but since I live in a basement apartment, the one large window in the bedroom is even more precious. I don't have much of a view and I've never made a fuss about getting curtains, but the wide sill is home to my collection of plants and is the only place I can grow anything. I love waking up to the sun-glow behind green leaves and giant amaryllis blooms.
- What are your tips for creating a beautiful, healthy and organized bedroom?
- Basement living has taught me to make the most of my low-light situation. I love being able to plug in a few well-placed lamps and voila! super cozy space! Another key for me in creating a beautiful space is keeping it tidy. I gradually built the habit of making my bed each morning. I may have a few dishes in the sink at the end of the day, but knowing that I can retreat to my calm and clean bedroom by night is a great stress reliever. I love to organize by color. As a visual artist, I make sense of the world with a palette in front of me, and getting dressed with a color coordinated closet makes me happy. Most of my furnishings and decor are secondhand and have been with me for many years. A huge part of what makes my bedroom retreat beautiful to me is how each piece of furniture, each photo, each book, each blanket has a story that is meaningful. By curating these objects in a lovely way, I get to live into these stories every day.
- In modern homes, bedrooms have become more than just a place to sleep; they can be a retreat, a home office, a library, a relaxation zone. What are some ways you make the most of your bedroom?
- Even though my bedroom could accommodate a small desk or reading chair, I am happy to maintain its function as a relaxation, dressing, and sleeping space, and I love the openness I feel in my bedroom (especially with the low, basement ceilings). I like not having to wake up or go to sleep seeing a desk full of "work" staring back. One of my favorite things is that moment each night when I pull up the lofty down comforter around my face and let out a contented sigh. I am glad to make this room my bedroom retreat!
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My Bedroom Retreat
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I'm normally not a fan of carpet, but this space just wouldn't look the same without it. It's so cheerful and warm - especially considering it's a basement apartment!
Just lovely.
It's so....Portland! I love it, especially that its a basement room that doesn't look like a basement room. Very well done in making the most of whats there. I especially like the bit about the bed being delivered on a bike!
This is charming and lovely. I like the calm, soothing colors on the wall. What are the paint colors?
I am so glad I stumbled upon this post, I'm moving into a similar ground floor flat and I was worried about light and having to carpet the floors. It is a beautiful and inspiring space!
Nice
Yummy, I'm ready for a nap or painting!
This room just makes me happy! There's a little too much going on with the top half of that bookcase for my taste but everything else is so perfect I'm hitting favourite.
You did such a good job that I didn't even realize it was a basement room until I read the interview!
Also did not know it was a basement apartment. Love its simplicity. The black head/foot board and other furniture pieces give a cohesive look. Like placement of the area rug in front of the dresser.
You've inspired me to consider placing my dresser next to my bed instead of across from it.
Oh dear, I wish I could tell you the color, but it was already painted blue when I moved in. At first I thought it would be horrible! A cool color in a basement? Ick. BUT, it turned out to be a great neutral backdrop for all my furnishings and decor, and just pulled everything together! Thank you for your kind words :)
@catspyjamas510 Thank you! It makes me happy too! I totally hear you with the bookcase. I've thought about redistributing my book collection so that it fills it up more evenly... what do you think of that? Should I give it a go? It's fun to play around with things you already have, isn't it!
I love hearing all your kind comments about the room being surprisingly un-basement-like. Thanks! I've lived in basement apartments for three years and sometimes it takes a little extra work to make it less like a lair, and more like a retreat.
I'd also love to give a little shout-out to my photographer friend, Kurt Simonson, whose photo is framed next to the bookcase. You should check out his work, he's fantastic!
Lovely, a total relaxing sigh of a room :)
What a pleasure to look at!
I worry about your shelves however, it looks top heavy at the moment...
Relaxing, unpretentious retreat. I really like the furniture placement and the simplicity of your bed (no silly pillows). The plants in the window bring the garden into your room. One caveat - the color coding of your books in the bookcase.