Quirky and Collected Portland Apartment
Miles Mayberry says that he never wants to leave his apartment. “If there was an atom bomb and I could not develop for 20 years, I would probably be OK,” he states. The Portland, Oregon, resident lives in the northeast region of the city with his boyfriend of four years along with a roommate. By frequenting estate sales and thrift stores each weekend, Mayberry has succeeded in creating an eclectic oasis within his early-1900s apartment.
at a Glance
Who lives here: Miles Mayberry, boyfriend Mattzilla Duron and roommate Andy McAlister
Location: Portland, Oregon
Size: 1,200 square feet; 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom
That’s interesting: Nearly All of the furniture and decor are secondhand.
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The hallway and entryway into the apartment are lined with plenty of images collected from thrift stores and estate sales as well as original artwork from friends and loved ones. A mixture of vintage event posters, landscapes and paint-by-numbers projects makes this collection up. The mannequin at the top of the stairs is sporting a fur outfit which once served as a Halloween decoration.
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Mayberry’s record collection and record player sit under an impressive assortment of vintage Ken dolls. The framed photographs in addition to the record cabinet are from real estate sales.
Mayberry’s mother is a music professor, so that he grew up listening to lots of classical and opera music. “Matters other children my age were likely not listening to,” he states. His diverse collection has been gathered from his years of working in record stores and includes jazz,’80s rock, classical and electronica.
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The assortment of Ken dolls lining the dining room is the first thing visitors tend to comment on. The collection began with just six or seven dolls, then grew as buddies gifted him more dolls. Mayberry lets his buddies pick which Ken they need to represent them and then labels the chosen ones with Post-Its. His roommate, Andy, picked the 1960s Ken dressed in a red plaid shirt. Down the line is a skeleton. “Among our very, very skinny friends chose you to represent him,” he states.
“It is strange little things like this, out the typical and anticipated design criteria, I actually believe give a house its character,” says Mayberry.
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This vintage 1960s cigarette counter is from Craigslist. On its back side facing the walls are slots for placards tagging brands of cigarettes. Mayberry says the cupboard was dirty when he bought it. “It was very dreadful. Just covered in dirt and likely hadn’t been washed in 40 or 50 years. I scrubbed the garbage from it” He utilizes the shelves to keep vintage cake trays, cookbooks, timers, a salt and pepper shaker collection along with other kitchen accessories.
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Across in the smoke cabinet is a wooden chest for preserving vintage dishware, including these colorful cups. Mayberry also collects vintage paper coasters. He retains these smaller things long-term and frequently resells the larger furniture pieces. “I am continually recycling my items. If I love them, I will finally get sick of them and need something different,” he states.
While many of his vintage pieces are from the 1960s, Mayberry collects items from the turn of this century through the 1970s. He isn’t actually a fan of anything beyond the 1970s.
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This early 1900s table was acquired by Duron, who exchanged some manual labour work because of this. The collection of green 1960s chairs came from a thrift store and cost just $10 for the entire set. “As much as I do not need to reveal this treasure trove into hipster competition,” Mayberry says,”my favorite antiques store in Portland is Value Village.” He also frequents Red White and Blue in Gladstone, Oregon.
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Mayberry bought this corner lamp in New York, and it’s one of his favourite bits. It cost $400 to send to Portland — over the total cost of the lamp . Mayberry enjoys its loudly character. “It is dripping with crystals but kind of Gothic, also. I can not tell what era it’s from. Plus it weighs likely 75 pounds. It is fairly ridiculous,” he states.
A 1930s safe that has been also an estate sale detect doubles as a table.
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Mayberry describes this living room as the”nonweird” room of the house. The couple enjoy watching old films on the 1960s tufted leather couch. When Mayberry bought the sofa, among the cushions has been ripped, and he remembers doing among his first sewing jobs ever onto it.
The blue-green velvet seat and luxury white curtains are from an estate sale. “Those curtains are my older lady touch,” he states. “They’re that kind of old fashion you would see in rich Hollywood homes. They kind of add to the ridiculousness of this Liberace style this chamber has about it” The curtains cost just two bucks.
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This faux bear skin rug is also an estate sale find. “Besides the morbid enjoyment of perusing the majority of a sole individual’s posessions,” Mayberry says,”estate sales are also wonderful as you can often find quite amazing items for a excellent price. Moreover, most professionally run sales have half the last moment.”
Coffee table: Teen Challenge Thrift Store
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Mayberry’s study-library is filled with books collected in time spent working in bookstores, also by The Goodwill Outlet Store in Portland, lightly known around town as”The Bins,” because of its bins filled with clothing and accessories. “I come home from Goodwill with stacks filled with books,” he states. Mayberry finds nice hardcover books for usually no more than a dollar or two.
Mayberry also enjoys collecting mannequins, where he’s about a half dozen in his apartment. This one shows his collection of approximately 60 vintage rosaries while sporting a set of 1970s underpants.
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The toilet is accessorized with toy dinosaurs. One holds jewelry on its own flip side, while this one has a more utilitarian purpose.
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“I love old mannequins. Male or female. There is something equally creepy and fun about them,” Mayberry says. He enjoys dressing up them or for a joke when buddies are coming over, placing different outfits or hairstyles onto them.
The painting above the mannequin is in a local thrift store. “I am not religious whatsoever,” Mayberry says. “I love the art of vintage Catholic iconsbut maybe not for spiritual reasons.”
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Mayberry in person next to a favourite piece of artwork, and as a doll.