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Laura’s Mid–Century Melrose Place

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Leela Cyd
Leela Cyd
As a photographer, Leela is looking for the in-between moments, the details and the emotion of places, people or things. She spent over a decade as a stylist so her work is carefully constructed, layered with personality, but always has a feeling of freedom and joy. Growing up…read more
updated Dec 19, 2019
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Name: Laura Leon
Location: Kerns neighborhood — Portland, Oregon
Size: 1,010 square feet
Years lived in: 2 1/2 years — rented

Laura’s a color and materials consultant, trend forecaster and photographer. Another notch to her freelancing belt she should think of including? Interior designer! With her eye for quality vintage, simple colors and personal details, this woman is an artist with her home.

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Laura’s originally from Los Angeles but has lived in Portland, Oregon for about seven years. During this time, she’s lived in three apartments — this current abode is a dead–ringer for the Melrose Place complex. It’s funny that this LA gal wound up in the most California–looking two bedroom in all of Portland. It was a bittersweet morning while I toured her home, both of us Southern Cali natives living in the cloudy northern climes, pining away for sparkling sunshine and the sound of the ocean.

Laura’s place is calm, cohesive and personal. Her own cinematic photos dot the walls along with art made by friends, most of the furniture is vintage and sourced locally and her real piece–de–resistance is her wild, handmade disco–goth chandelier which hangs in her otherwise pristine, calm home office. Another major star of this apartment is the light. With plenty of windows in each room, the space is bathed in beautiful (if foggy!) light, illuminating all of her beautiful objects and arrangements. The major feat of this interior design, however, is in the editing. Laura has all the furniture that she carefully selected over the years, not too much of it and each piece well loved.

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Apartment Therapy Survey:

My Style: Mid-Century Melrose Place

Inspiration: Materials and texture. Currently, I’m obsessed with metallic gold and bronze, which explains the selection of coffee table objects.

Favorite Element: The windows. They frame every room beautifully.

Biggest Embarrassment: My dog, Sadie. Her destructive tendencies have prevented me from buying area rugs and really nice bed linens. She also sheds a lot, so I’m constantly sweeping and vacuuming. Thankfully, she makes up for all of it by being so cute and loveable.

What Friends Say: “Melrose Place!” when they enter the building’s courtyard.

Biggest Embarassment: All of the closets in my apartment. They’re stuffed full and potentially dangerous to anyone who opens them. The only organized closet is my shoe closet, which is probably the most embarrassing because yes, I have an entire closet devoted to my shoes.

Proudest DIY: The fringe chandelier, which hangs in my home office. My friend Amanda McCarty, who works as a visual merchandiser for Urban Outfitters, created it. I collected remnants from my wardrobe for the installation and added silver beads purchased from the holiday section at Ikea. I spend most of my time in this room working on client projects and working on my music project, Graffiti, with my friend, Tina. I think the fringe chandelier lends a nice “goth/disco” touch to the space and inspires the dark–dancey music that we make.

Biggest Indulgence: The Geoff McFetridge piece in my living room. Geoff is a friend from college and an amazing artist. This piece was purchased shortly after I relocated to Portland from LA. On rainy days I dream of California.

Best Advice: If you like it, buy it. It’ll fit in somewhere, somehow or someday. And you’ll regret it when you go back and it’s gone.

Dream Sources: I hope to one day own one of the pieces from the collaboration by my friends Esque Studio + No. 1 Son (hint, hint).

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Resources of Note:

PAINT & COLORS

    • Miller Paint: Lunar Moon

LIVING ROOM

    • Sofa: Hawthorne Vintage
    • Coffee Table: Noguchi
    • Coffee Table plants and accessories: from some of my favorite local shops — Hawthorne Vintage, Palace Vintage, Sword and Fern and Golden Rule
    • Loveseat: Vintage, reupholstered in Pendleton fabric.
    • Bookshelf: Sapien bookcase
    • Table Lamp: Flos Miss K table lamp
    • Vintage Floor Lamp: Hollywood Antique Mall
    • Artwork: Geoff McFetridge, Laura Leon photos

DINING ROOM

    • Table: Marble Saarinen dining table
    • Chairs: Vintage Bertoia
    • Artwork: the Cattacker, Evan Hecox and Raymond Pettibon
    • Bar Cart: Vintage Dinett
    • Bar Glasses: Vintage Georges Briard

BEDROOM

    • Chair: Vintage Rex Rocking
    • Bed Linens: West Elm, Ikea, thrift store throw
    • Bedside Lamps: Crate and Barrel
    • Vintage Bedframe and Dresser: Hollywood Antique Mall
    • Artwork: Godard Agnes B exhibition poster, Helmut Newton photo, Laura Leon photos

OFFICE

    • Desk: West Elm
    • Chairs: Vintage Gio Ponti
    • Shelving Unit: Ikea
    • Artwork: B&W Profile photo by Randall Garcia, photo of my mom from 1969

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Check out Laura’s photos online: Laura Leon Photo

Thanks, Laura!

Images: Leela Cyd Ross

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