Growing up, whenever I was asked, usually as part of an icebreaker, where my favorite place was, my answer was always the same: my room. This answer makes sense for an Enneagram type Four–the individualist, the romantic. Having a space that was all mine, to fill with whatever I wanted, was a dream. This was a place that would reflect me alone, and provide a sanctuary for someone who deeply enjoyed solitude, and I took that challenge seriously.
As I’ve grown older (and grown accustomed to sharing my space with at least one roommate since coming to college), I’ve grown more interested in minimalism, but in a remarkably on-brand fashion, as could never fully commit to it. I believe my room falls somewhere between minimalism (the practice of having as little as possible) and maximalism (the practice of filling a space with more, often unique, vintage, or eclectic items, to the heart’s content). As much as I want my room to be a sanctuary, I, and many Fours, desire above all else to be perceived as their own person, with a strong identity, and I desire my room to have that same personality. While my room is not crowded or cluttered, as that would detract from its main function as a space of sanctuary, neither can I purge it of all purely aesthetic items, because those create meaning and express uniqueness through their sentiment. For example, the cork boards above my bookshelf are full of little scraps of meaning: a baby picture, my favorite pins (collected or given as gifts over the years), a bookmark from one of my favorite book series. I’m from a small town just outside Seattle, so the postcard is from one of many summer day trips into the city with friends. The quotes were originally used as decoration at my high school graduation party almost 3 years ago. Those little guys travelled with me to college and have been displayed in every dorm or bedroom of mine since then, and still bring me joy today.
A Four’s main motivational need is to “express their uniqueness and be authentic,” according to the enneagram description on integrative9.com. In myself and my space, much of this expression comes through love of books. The quotes, mentioned above, are from some of my favorite books (Harry Potter, Clockwork Princess, Little Women, and The Book Thief, if you’re curious!) I hand-picked each one from the books that were most personally formative for me growing up. The poster above my bed is from Powell’s— a massive bookstore in Portland, Oregon, aka a book-loving Four’s dream, and reminds me of my visit there during a mission’s trip. My bookshelf is arranged exactly to my liking, with the books that are most personally significant to me on the top shelf, then the next important ones underneath, and so on. Because so much of the authenticity of myself lies in the importance of books and characters in my inner life, it makes sense that they inhabit my personal space so deeply as well.
My school books are purposely separated from my personal collection, tucked away under my bed. While I do really enjoy many of those as well, they don’t have the same personal sentiment. This goes back to a Four’s desire to be seen as unique and authentic. How can I be unique if I’m displaying only the books every other English major/Torrey student is already reading? Even so, on my school bookshelf I have a photo of my little brother and cousins, a mason jar full of notes from freshman year, and my collection of ticket stubs from dances, movies, and shows over the years. To the right I also have a spare Torrey nametag (top shelf), and a Disneyland candle holder (bottom shelf). I love adding personal touches like this to an otherwise basic school bookshelf.
Another aspect of my room that is significant to me is personal comfort. This stems from a Four’s natural inclination toward sensitivity and temperamentality. While I don’t consider myself an overly dramatic person in day-to-day life (at least not all the time), it is incredibly important to me that I can come home to a space that both looks beautiful and feels comforting. Because I sometimes come home emotionally tired, I want a space that is immediately comforting to step into. I love light and warmth, two things my room has in abundance. I’ve taken these pictures when the light in the room is my favorite, the soft glow of the afternoon sun. When it’s night, I always turn off the overhead, fluorescent light, and use only the string and star lights framing my bed for a dim glow. When I’m in my room, I’m usually on my bed, so having the lights around me and blankets nearby creates a perfectly cozy atmosphere (I’ve always slept under a mountain of blankets, with no top sheet (I’m convinced that top sheets are of the devil) and rarely a comforter, which is why it’s pushed down to the end of my bed.
Another aspect of personal comfort I maintain in my room is scent. At home I’m usually burning a couple candles, but here I use a plug-in wax melt warmer. My most-used scent is coffee cake swirl. Again, this sweet, rich scent matches the exact comforting feeling I want my room to have.
As a Four, my personal space has always been important to me. I’ve created in my room a space that I love being in, both aesthetically and comfort-wise. I use specifically-curated objects such as books, pins, and quotes to lend meaning and uniqueness to the space. To satisfy a desire for comfort, my space is filled with soft blankets, warm lighting, and soothing scents. My space is mainly decorated in pinks and blues for a softer but still fun, personal look. I think studying a type Four’s space is fascinating because each person is striving for individualism, so each person’s space will be totally unique to the person. Thanks for taking the time to peek into my own personal space. I hope you’ve enjoyed it!
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