It’s personal.
There are homes we live in… and homes that live in us.
This was one of them.
I sold my Portland home six years ago, and if I’m being honest, my heart still aches when I think about it. Not because it was perfect — it wasn’t — but because it held a version of my life that felt so full, so formative, and so deeply mine.
I’ve hesitated to share it for a long time. But Layered House has always been rooted in the idea that home is personal — and this home shaped the way I see design, beauty, and meaning more than any other space ever has.
So this is a visit back.
A Home Built Slowly
I didn’t create that home in one season. I built it over time — piece by piece, layer by layer. It wasn’t a “before and after.” It was a living thing.
There were antiques beside newer upholstery. Paint colors chosen for mood, not trend. Rugs that didn’t match perfectly but made the room feel grounded. Art that rotated, moved, and evolved as life did.
It wasn’t decorated. It was collected.
And it taught me something I still carry into every client project: the most beautiful homes aren’t built from scratch — they’re built through memory, intention, and time.
The Pieces That Held Meaning
When I think back, I don’t remember the “big reveal” moments. I remember the small ones.
A chair that held someone’s laughter. A painting that made me pause every time I walked by. A lamp that made the room feel warm at night. A stack of books that always seemed to move around. A textile that softened everything, even on hard days.
That home was filled with pieces that weren’t just beautiful — they were part of the story.
And that’s what I miss most.
The Feeling of It
There was a kind of calm in that house that I didn’t realize was rare until I left it.
It was the way the light moved through the rooms. The way color lived on the walls without shouting. The way textures softened the architecture. The way everything felt like it belonged — even the imperfect parts.
It held me.
And even now, years later, I can still feel it.
The Hardest Part of Selling a Home
Selling that house was the right decision for my life — but that doesn’t mean it was easy.
I think people assume you move on from a home the way you move on from furniture or a paint color. But when a home has held your seasons, your memories, your becoming — it doesn’t disappear just because the keys change hands.
I don’t miss the address.
I miss the version of life that lived there.
Why I’m Sharing It Now
I’m sharing this home not as a portfolio project, but as a reminder — for you and for myself — that the spaces we create matter.
A home is not just walls and furnishings. It’s the backdrop of your life. It’s where your stories happen. It’s where people come in and immediately understand who you are without you needing to say a word.
That’s what I want for every Layered House client.
Not perfection. Not trend.
But a home that holds you.
A home that reflects your life — and quietly shares your story with everyone who steps inside.
It’s personal.