She Filled This Brooklyn Brownstone With Art, Family Heirlooms, and Timeless Style

Freelance writer and content creator Claudia Williams had been living with a roommate and was ready to start living alone, but her last lease was up in September 2023, a “tricky time” to move, she explained the first time we published her home tour on Apartment Therapy.

“I decided to put my stuff in storage for a few months and traveled to England. I spent some time in London, The Cotswolds, and Dorset,” Claudia wrote. “While I was there, I had a broker touring apartments for me and helping apply to places back in Brooklyn. I got denied from 10 or more. Landlords don’t love freelancers, and I kept getting beat out by couples with two incomes. I decided to come back to New York and start looking in person because I knew the only way I’d get accepted somewhere was to win over the landlord. Which is exactly what happened.” 

“After two-plus months of looking on Streeteasy every day, I finally found this apartment,” Claudia said of this 400-square-foot Brooklyn space. “The listing photos were tragic, but I spotted the massive windows with original shutters and, of course, the pier mirror. The home was built in 1900 and was originally owned by a doctor and his family. I toured it the next morning, became BFFs with the broker of the building, and got accepted soon after.”

“I moved in on November 4, 2023, and got to work making updates almost immediately. I had the walls painted a fresh creamy white color, installed floor-to-ceiling shelves, and made some renter-friendly updates to the kitchen. I love how tall the ceilings are and all of the original dark moldings. I feel like the months of getting denied by other apartments was all so I could find this place. We were made for each other!” Claudia explained at the time of her house tour.

Glancing at Claudia’s popular socials, it appears she still calls this cozy Brooklyn rental apartment home, but has made a few small updates to add even more charm, like an incredibly cute fabric bed canopy she recently added.

• All Paint — Benjamin Moore “Mannequin Cream” 

• Chandelier — Pooky
• Sofa — IKEA
• Green Stool — GreenRow

• Throw Pillow — H&M Home
• Lamp — Pooky

• Headboard — Lulu and Georgia
• Bedding — Piglet In Bed
• Rug — Lulu and Georgia

• Wood Hooks — H&M Home

This tour’s responses and photos were edited for length/size and clarity.
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