reflect portland culture in your home

Photo: Stuart Seeger

Roses that grow like weeds, fiercely loyal sports fans, microbreweries around every corner. Not to mention the gorgeous evergreens and the ever-present Mt. Hood marking our skyline on clear days. There’s no doubt about it, we Portlanders have it pretty good.

If you love the Rose City as much as I do, there’s no reason your home design can’t reflect it. This post will give you some tips for showing your Portlandia pride in your interior design and decor.

But first, let’s see why matching your home’s style to your location is such a good idea in the first place.

Homes Reflect Culture

There’s a reason people don’t usually build cozy log cabins in the middle of downtown Los Angeles or airy beach houses in Fairbanks, Alaska. The best homes embrace their location. Why?

Your location is part of your culture. If you’re like most people, your culture helps define who you are and what you care about. When you showcase the things you love in your home, you’re surrounding yourself with things that make you happy. It’s not just that, though. You’re also telling friends and other guests an important story about who you are and what you stand for.

There are many ways to pay homage to Portland culture in your home. Here are just a few ideas to get you started.

Sports

trail blazers cup bobbleheadPortland sure loves its sports. TV rooms, rec rooms, and remodeled basements are all ideal places for your Trail Blazers shrine.

If you’re a Rip City fan, the possibilities are endless. Get the team’s logo painted on your TV room or rec room wall. Or take this opportunity to remodel the basement and make it into a sports room. Frame your old jerseys from seasons past.

Do you have some of those bobbleheads or official Trail Blazer water glasses they sell at games? Put them to good use by showcasing them near the TV or as decorations on bookcase shelves. Want a little inspiration? Take a look at how incorporated a local family’s love of the Trail Blazers into their basement remodel. 

Prefer soccer to basketball? Tack your Timbers scarves up on the wall or drape them over the sofa in your TV room. Frame that autograph you got from your favorite player. Or make a table out of a log slice, like the ones they give to players who score goals or get clean sheets at the end of the game.

Rain Patterns

Don’t walk around downtown with an umbrella unless you want people to think you’re from out of town. Portlanders aren’t afraid of a little rain. In fact, we welcome it after long, hot summers like this one.

Why not incorporate rain into your home next time you do a kitchen or bathroom remodel?

Small mosaic tile patterns — sometimes called “rain patterns” — are popular in backsplash and shower designs. They look great, and they’re a subtle way to show your fondness for Portland’s weather.

rain patterned tile bathroom shower

Photo: Brandon Barré Architectural Interior Photographer

Another option is rain-themed wallpaper — great for kids’ rooms and reading nooks. It’ll make you want to grab some slippers and hot chocolate before you curl up with your favorite book and cup of tea.

rain patterned wallpaper

Photo: Abigail Edwards

Roses

Portland is the Rose City after all. Celebrate our most famous flower with a bouquet of roses on the dinner table whenever they’re in season.

Different roses bloom at different times throughout mid spring to fall. Many roses bloom only once in the spring, while others bloom twice a year: once in the spring, and then again in the fall.

roses living room

Photo: Tres McKinney Design

Sadly, roses only last so long once they’ve been cut. You can make long-stem roses last longer by hanging them upside down to dry them as soon as they start to whither. Here’s an easy-to-follow tutorial.

Rose-patterned throw pillows are another alternative to fresh bouquets. They’re guaranteed to stay in bloom all year round.

Recycled Elements

Recycling is a big deal in Portland because so many of the city’s residents care about the environment. If eco-friendliness is important to you, you can do your part by using recycled or reclaimed materials. Reclaimed wood offers a rustic look that’s perfect for the Pacific Northwest. It’s great for flooring, kitchen cabinets, and furniture.

For a fun and easy DIY project, grab some reclaimed wood boards of varying lengths and put together a unique headboard for your bed.

rustic reclaimed wood headboard

Photo: Buckets of Burlap

Creative Bike Racks

If you’re one of more than 17,000 people who bike to and from work every day, you need a place to keep your bike. Don’t feel like you have to stow it in the garage or shed where it’s hard to get to.

Your bike is an important part of your daily routine. You may have spent quite a bit of money on it. Maybe you even love you bike the way some people love their cars. Why not let it be part of your home’s decor? Try a creative and functional bike rack like this one:

indoor bike rack home

Photo: Matthew Williams

Homebrew in the Basement

This one is a bit of a larger project, but it’s more than worth it for true craft beer lovers. Wouldn’t it be great to take your guests down to your newly remodeled basement and serve them your own homebrewed beer?

If you have enough space, you could even include a bar, like this basement:

basement brewery bar

Photo: Kal Wallner

Live With What You Love

If you’re a true Portlander at heart, chances are there are other things you love about Stumptown too. Are you a coffee expert? Invest in a fancy coffee machine for your kitchen. Are you an expert on Bridge City? Get some Portland bridge art from Etsy to hang on the wall.

The goal is to bring more of what you love into your home and, of course, show off your Portland pride.

Did I miss anything? What other famous Portland things would you love to have in your house?

 

Other photo sources: William Beutler, eric molina