She Filled This 400-Square-Foot Brooklyn Brownstone With Art, Heirlooms, and Timeless Style

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ABOUT THIS TOUR

HOME TYPE: Studio Apartment

LOCATION: Brooklyn, New York

STYLE: Cottage, Traditional, Vintage

BEDROOMS: 0

SQUARE FEET: 400

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.

Dweller and cat on small sofa in studio apartment.

“I am such a homebody. My favorite way to spend my time at home is by turning on Billie Holiday or Stan Getz, making a coffee, and cozying up on my couch with Stanley. In a dream world, I also have a loaf of banana bread baking in the oven. It’s the little things!” Credit: Erin Derby

“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.”

Cat sitting on bed covered with pink and white quilt.

“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.”

Candles and wick trimmer atop books on wood coffee table.

“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.

Related: Marcelline Balfour Manhattan single mom of 3 in 2-bedroom apartmentResources Taper candle in yellow and white candlestick holder next to open book on wood accent table. PAINT & COLORS

All Paint — Benjamin Moore “Mannequin Cream”

Sofa with throw pillows, accent table, room divider, and wood coffee table reflected in wall mirror surrounded by wood. LIVING ROOM Candle sconce and art on walls above desk with table lamp and basket, and wood chair and stool. OFFICE Cat sitting on bed with pink and white quilt and upholstered headboard, separated from living area by fabric room divider. BEDROOM Green and white floral shower curtain in bathroom with pedestal sink and wood storage. BATHROOM