A 1920s Portland Rental Bungalow’s Palette Was Inspired by Matisse

published Jun 19, 2023

A 1920s Portland Rental Bungalow’s Palette Was Inspired by Matisse

published Jun 19, 2023
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Bedrooms
Square feet
1626
Sq ft
1626

Anna and her partner, Sean, moved from Denver to Portland in October 2022, landing in this roomy, beautiful 1920s rental bungalow in the Alberta Arts District. “The house had a lot of natural character when we first saw it, featuring large picture windows, crown molding, and original hardwood floors.,” Anna begins. “We looked at a lot of homes when we made the decision to move to Portland, but fell in love with this house instantly. It was the second house we saw and nothing else really matched up to it after that. Since we’ve moved in, we have completely reimagined the space and infused it with our maximalist modern aesthetic, which makes the space feels warm, cozy, and just like home.”

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Credit: Anna Cirenza

Anna continues sharing about their home: “The identity in the home is very much a mix of mine and my partner’s aesthetic. One of our favorite weekend activities is going thrifting and antiquing together. We love to incorporate the treasures we find into our home, which is probably why we have so many little trinkets all over the house. My partner, Sean, is an artist, graphic designer, and musician. I’m an aspiring interior designer and will be attending Heritage School of Interior Design here in Portland to receive my certification in the fall. We both love bold colors, mid-century design, eclectic pieces, and thrift finds. All if not most of our furniture is mid-century modern, although the house came partially furnished, so we’ve really done our best to blend some pieces together and made it work for us. I think we’ve made this space feel really special in such a short time; we haven’t even been in this space a year yet, and I love what we’ve done so far.”

Credit: Anna Cirenza
We recently found this vintage 1960’s barbie mug that we’ve put some cactus in and it makes me smile whenever I see it.

My advice to anyone out there, whether you rent or own your home, is infuse it with the things that you LOVE and you’ll never be wrong. What you love is a huge part of your personality and identity. If you make your home filled with things that spark joy, you’ll never just be carbon copying someone else’s style or feel uninspired in your space. I’m also a big proponent of saving money wherever you can, as decorating a home can be expensive. Splurging on important pieces like your sofa and getting as much secondhand is key, as those are often one-of-a-kind items that you can’t buy in a store. Lastly, decorating your space is something that will never be done; you’ll always want to change and evolve your space as you change and it’s what keeps your home feeling fresh, in my opinion. Don’t overthink it; just have fun and play around with home decor until it feels right… and then do it again!” 

Resources

Credit: Anna Cirenza

ENTRY

  • Lava lamp — Amazon
  • Glitter lava lamp — Amazon
  • Chilewich pop stripe mat — Chilewich
  • Fluance record player — Fluance
  • Klipsch bookshelf Bluetooth speakers — Klipsch
  • Modular shelving unit — Purchased Facebook Marketplace, Vaca Vintage
  • Succulent stained glass on front door — Amazon
Credit: Anna Cirenza

LIVING ROOM

  • Sven Charme tan leather sofa — Article
  • Eames lounge chair replica — Amazon
  • McCurley coffee table with storage — Wayfair
  • Walker checkered burnt orange/cream shag area rug — Wayfair
  • Amithis nesting end tables — Wayfair
  • Vintage bar cart — Thrifted from Brass Armadillo in Denver, Colorado
  • Gold record display — Urban Outfitters (no longer available)
  • Vintage walnut dresser — Bought off Instagram from Spinsters Vintage
  • Matisse Cut Out print — Bought off Instagram from Zarella Vintage
  • Large Asian fan — Thrifted from Mile High Flea Market
  • Lotus Atelier orange mushroom lamp — Amazon
  • White mushroom lamp — Amazon
  • Brass planter — Target
  • Black speckled planter with legs — Amazon
  • Plants — Hammer + Vine, Portland, Oregon
Credit: Anna Cirenza

BREAKFAST NOOK 

  • Vintage teak kitchen table — ReRun 2, Portland, Oregon
  • Vintage 1970s fabric tablecloth — Antique store
  • FJÄLLBO bookshelf — IKEA
  • Elvis velvet painting — Purchased on the sidewalk in Brooklyn, NY
  • 1920s female wall vase — Antique store in Yachats, Oregon
  • Brass hanging planter — TJMaxx
Credit: Anna Cirenza

KITCHEN

Credit: Anna Cirenza

BEDROOM

  • Zinus bamboo and metal bed frame — Amazon
  • Iverson Performance black and beige Moroccan rug — Wayfair
  • Williams 7 Dresser — AllModern
  • Mid-century modern wood lamps — Mimo, Denver, Colorado
  • Nathan James nightstands (feet removed so they’re lower) — Amazon
  • Trahome asymmetrical wall mirror — Amazon
Credit: Anna Cirenza

BATHROOM

Credit: Anna Cirenza

OFFICE

  • Union Rustic Harless desk — Wayfair
  • Maddalena mushroom stool — Target
  • Leather Chesterfield loveseat — Community Warehouse (estate store)
  • Vintage pink oriental rug — Greenvillage Used Furniture and Clothing in Brooklyn, NY
  • EKET cabinets with chrome legs — IKEA
  • Chrome lamp — Tip Top Vintage, Portland, OR
  • Green glass lamp — Urban Outfitters (no longer on site)

Thanks, Anna and Sean!

This tour’s responses and photos were edited for length/size and clarity.
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