"Stepping into Mallory Fletchall’s home, you might feel an intense craving for a café au lait paired with a croissant and expect a view of the Eiffel Tower to greet you when you look out the window. However, this French eclectic gem actually finds its home in Park Slope, Brooklyn. The chic, layered apartment is brimming with vintage finds, gorgeous art, and stunning light fixtures. However, this space didn’t come together overnight. It has taken Mallory and her husband over a decade to curate a home that feels uniquely theirs. With countless DIY projects under their belt, they have converted their rental into a home they truly love. Along the way, many people have questioned why they dedicate the time and money to transforming a home they don’t own. For Mallory, the answer is simple: She’s investing in her own happiness.
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See Mallory’s full home tour below, along with her best advice for creating a space that feels like home, regardless of whether you rent or own.
Mallory Fletchall’s Brooklyn Home Tour
The details:
Name: Mallory Fletchall
Location: Park Slope, Brooklyn, New York
Square Footage: 1,550 square feet
Rent/Own: Rent
You originally started your Instagram account to advertise the Etsy shop you were running. Can you walk us through how you transitioned from that starting point to becoming a full-time content creator?
The evolution of my account always boggles my mind when I think about it. Being a content creator never (and I mean never) entered my mind as a possibility for my life. I started my Instagram back in 2012, and for years, it was a mash-up of personal photos and the odd marketing post showcasing my latest batch of vintage shoes and bags going live on my Etsy shop. It wasn’t until we moved to Brooklyn in 2015 and I started selling vintage homewares that I started gaining a following.
I imported vintage Moroccan rugs for my shop, and since I couldn’t afford a separate studio space to take photos of them, I styled them in our apartment and posted those photos to my Instagram to market any new inventory. I did this for a while and quickly realized that people cared more about seeing our apartment than the rugs I was trying to sell. So that’s what I did. I started sharing more corners of our apartment, my thrifted finds, our design projects at home, and little bits of our lives. This went on for a few years, and as I started to grow my following, small paid opportunities began to come in. It was when I signed to Parker Talent Management at the beginning of 2020 that I decided to take a risk and close up my Etsy shop after 10 years to pursue content creation full-time.
You moved into this apartment about two years ago. What initially drew you to the space?
We found this apartment after a grueling apartment hunt that lasted over six months and included multiple lost bidding wars. Yes, bidding wars for a rental. It was a terrible time to move because the market was incredibly competitive, but our last apartment was inhabitable due to old, dangerous wiring, so we were left with no choice.
I found this apartment on Streeteasy, and it was listed without any photos, which would typically be a red flag, but the description included everything we were looking for: prewar charm, marble fireplaces, outdoor space, and laundry. We went to see it the next day and were blown away by the warmth of the space. The historic charm was there, the rooms were small yet incredibly cozy, and the deck off the kitchen was a dream come true. It was very easy to imagine ourselves living here for years.
Although you live in Brooklyn, your apartment looks like it would fit right in in Paris. Do you draw a lot of inspiration from European designs?
Oh, absolutely. I draw a lot of inspiration from Haussmann architecture and the eclectic decorating style often seen in Parisian interiors: this juxtaposition of ornate plaster moldings and carved mantels, paired with the perfect mix of modern and vintage pieces, plus eclectic art. There’s something about these spaces that feels both grand and lived-in and loved.
You have several gorgeous, antique-looking mirrors throughout your home. Where do you source these pieces, and why do you consider them a worthy investment?
Yes, I do have a bit of a mirror-collecting problem, if I’m being honest. Almost all of our mirrors are antique, and the hunt for them is thrilling for me. Pier mirrors, which are placed in between two windows (historically to help bounce light around), need to be a specific size to work, so when we happened to find one at an antique shop in our neighborhood in the perfect size, it felt like winning the lottery. Shout out to Time Galleries in Park Slope, Brooklyn! I’ve also found many of our mirrors online on auction sites like Invaluable or LiveAuctioneers, and that’s often where you can find the best deals on them.
I will always choose antique over new when it comes to certain things, including mirrors. The craftsmanship, the detail, the history—all of it cannot be beat. I love having something unique and, better yet, something historically accurate for the apartment we live in.
Your home is so carefully curated and full of personality. How long did it take for it to look like it does today?
It has taken over a decade to create a home that feels uniquely us. It’s a culmination of years worth of thrifting, going on antiquing road trips, collecting art from friends, traveling, and creating at home. We each have our own personalities when it comes to decorating and what we’re drawn to, but it’s that sweet spot of compromise that has given our home that curated feel.
The adorable banquette off your living room looks like the perfect place to enjoy a cup of coffee in the morning—and clearly, your cats love it, too! Was this bench area original to the apartment, or did you create this nook yourself?
That was a recent project of ours! That corner was the most challenging to decorate, and for over two years, I had no idea what to do with it. Once I realized that we could fit a little bistro table over there, everything changed, and we got to work on a fun DIY including some IKEA Pax cabinets, peel-and-stick moldings, and custom bench cushions from Etsy, of course.
What was your biggest challenge when decorating your apartment?
I like to think that we all have those awkward corners in our homes that we just can’t quite figure out. The nook of our living room was that space for me, and it took me over two years to figure out what to do with it.
Your kitchen is what dreams are made of, with lots of natural light and space to entertain. How has this room evolved over time?
The kitchen was the first room I fell in love with when we toured the apartment. Again, we hadn’t seen any photos before touring, so we came in blind, and I was thrilled to see how open and sunny the kitchen was. I loved the classic creamy cabinets and subway tile, and I knew we would finally have room for a big kitchen table or island. If we have people over, 9 times out of 10, we are in the kitchen.
We recently added more cabinets to the other side of the room (left of the fireplace) because we were craving more storage, including a pantry and counter space, and it’s made a huge difference in how we use the space.
How would you describe your decorating style, and what advice would you give someone trying to find theirs?
My style was once described as “cool Parisian aunt,” and I can’t lie, I do not hate that description. I struggle to define my style often because I love elements of many design styles, including Parisian modern, English country, traditional, and grandmillennial. I typically say my style is French eclectic, but it can change depending on my mood.
If you’re trying to find your style, I would start by collecting as much imagery of spaces you love as possible. Start Pinterest boards and pin everything you love. The algorithm is incredible, and after a while, it will start to pin down (forgive the pun) the styles you’re drawn to. The same goes for magazines, movies, and even TV shows. Look for inspiration everywhere and learn what you like and don’t like. Nancy Meyers films are the perfect example of how you can find your decorating style through movies.
There are so many beautiful architectural details throughout your home, including molding on the walls, pediments above windows and doors, and decorative corbels in the openings between rooms. What inspired you to add these throughout your apartment?
Restoration is a powerful motivator for me with many of these projects. For example, our apartment has one wall in the kitchen with original picture frame moldings. For whatever reason, the rest of them were removed throughout the house over time. As soon as I saw them there, I knew we would want to add them back throughout the apartment, so we used the original moldings as a template when installing them in other rooms.
In the same vein, corbels are oftentimes present in room openings within townhomes, and I knew we could install them in a way that was very much renter-friendly but would still pack a visual punch. The same goes for the pediments—it’s an approachable and affordable project that brings that extra bit of design flair to a room.
Almost every surface is styled with books, vases, artwork, lamps, candles, and other small accessories. Where do you like to source these items, and what are your best tips for styling them?
When we’re not working on a project at home on the weekends, we are almost always out antiquing. It’s another favorite pastime of ours, and it’s something I’ve done since I was a kid. This is where we often find our books, lamps, and other decorative pieces that we’re drawn to. It’s so fun to come home after a long day of driving around Connecticut and go through all of our finds!
Etsy is another constant source for me, and as a previous seller myself, I know how much each sale matters to shop owners, so I try to support shops on there as much as possible.
When it comes to styling, the more experimentation, the better. I’m a big fan of layering and experimenting until things feel right. When it comes to books, buy what you want to read! I’m always on the hunt for books with topics like art, history, or decorating—these are books that we will pick up and reference from time to time, and that makes them feel more intentional and not just decoration.
You use a wide variety of colors throughout your apartment, including blue, green, pink, and plenty of neutrals. What is your secret to making all of these colors flow together seamlessly?
I always think that my biggest design weakness is color. I never focus much on how my paint colors will work alongside each other, and instead try to trust the process that it will all flow together in the end. It may help that I tend to stick to a softer palette, but really, I’m flying by the seat of my pants most of the time, and it can feel like a happy accident when things flow seamlessly together.
You have made so many incredible updates to your rental home. How do you determine what projects are worth taking on as a renter?
I follow a few basic tenets when thinking about making updates, the simplest being: Will this make me happier while I live here? As long as we have permission to make the updates we’re making, or we know they are reversible if need be, then it all comes down to how specific changes will make living here that much better.
“I follow a few basic tenets when thinking about making updates, the simplest being: Will this make me happier while I live here?”
We find genuine joy in adding charm back into historic apartments like our own. Working on apartment updates is one of our favorite shared activities as a couple, and it’s been this way for the 13 years that we’ve been together. It always feels worth it, even if it means needing a few extra days come move-out time to reverse some of our changes. Although, I should note that we’ve never been asked to change anything back.
I also can’t ignore the fact that we are in a unique situation in that taking on home projects, no matter how big or small, is part of my job, and it’s a large part of what I share online, so that inevitably plays a role in making these decisions.
When you have a new project you want to tackle, how do you navigate making these changes with your landlord?
Before we ever signed our lease, we asked our landlord about making changes, specifically painting, adding moldings, swapping light fixtures, etc. I sent them imagery of our past rentals and links to my social media channels, and I believe that gave them the confidence to say yes, you can make these changes if you want. We are lucky to have a great relationship with our landlord and can simply ask their thoughts on various updates as they come up. They understand what I do for a living and appreciate the beauty of the updates, and for that, I’m so grateful.
It’s so nice to have such a large outdoor space, especially in New York. What are some of your favorite ways to take advantage of your deck?
It still feels unreal that we have this large outdoor space. I will never forget the first spring in this apartment when the dogwood tree in the backyard bloomed and walking out onto the deck felt like a scene out of a movie. Since I work from home, I’m beyond grateful to be able to sit outside with my morning coffee, even just for a few minutes, and breathe in the fresh air. We allow our cats to have some supervised time out there too, and witnessing their joy while sunbathing with the breeze blowing through their fur is always a highlight of my day.
You’ve completed many DIY projects in your apartment over the past few years. What project has had the most significant impact on your home?
Our wall moldings, without a doubt. When I look back at photos before they were up, it’s like night and day. I always remember that when we go to put them up somewhere—the work will be worth it.
Your bathroom was pretty basic when you moved in. Walk us through the changes you made to this space to make it as cozy and layered as it is now.
The bathroom was basically a white box when we moved in. Our landlord supplied the new vanity, but everything else was very white and very boring. The transformation started with an ornate plaster pediment that we bought on a whim when we were visiting an architectural salvage shop. It was before we moved here, but it was so beautiful and the price was great, so we figured we would get it and find the perfect place for it down the road. Turns out the bathroom was the perfect place for it because it fit like a glove above the window.
Really, it was the wallpaper that made the biggest difference in the space. Once that was up, we swapped the mirror and lights, plus added an antique wall-mounted fixture that we found while thrifting. The bathroom transformation might just be my favorite.
Your bedroom was originally the room that you now call the lounge. What inspired you to switch these two rooms?
It’s funny you ask because we are getting ready to switch the rooms back to the original layout. I think it comes down to realizing that it can take a while to truly understand how to create rooms and layouts that work best for you in your everyday life. We switched the rooms initially because I thought I wanted a larger, sunnier bedroom, but after living with it for a year and a half, I realized that for us, a cozier bedroom feels more like a sanctuary and safe space. I also love the green and feel it’s the perfect paint color for a bedroom.
The wall color in your lounge is so serene and calming. How did you choose this color?
Since this room started out as our bedroom, I wanted to choose a color that invoked feelings of peace and calm. Mizzle from Farrow & Ball did just that.
Of all the vintage and thrifted pieces in your home, do you have a favorite? If so, what is the story behind it?
The pier mirror in our lounge is a special piece because it marked the beginning of where my decorating style was heading. I found it on Chairish after a long search for a mirror with the right dimensions for our apartment at the time. It was painted white when we got it, but we painstakingly removed as much paint as possible to reveal the original gilt finish underneath and then used multiple shades of Rub n’ Buff everywhere we couldn’t remove the paint. It was a labor of love that took days, and now it’s followed us to three apartments. I won’t move anywhere it doesn’t fit—that’s how attached I am. As you can imagine, I don’t love it when people tell me it’s surely haunted.
The picture rail above your bed is such a unique way to display artwork. How did you decide to go with this hanging method instead of mounting the individual pieces?
In our quest to learn all there is to know about moldings, we discovered picture rail moldings and, after doing some light Pinterest research, found a few examples of people using them in their homes to hang artwork. My husband is an artist, and over the years, we’ve collected art from many friends or local artists, so I was excited about displaying some of our collection in a unique way.
As someone who creates content of their home for a living, do you find it difficult to not let work bleed over into your home life? How do you create a balance since they are so closely intertwined?
I try to take an intuitive approach to creating content at home. If I’m actively working on a project or if I have a project up my sleeve or an idea that I’m excited about, I will grab my phone to share it. It’s like calling a friend to tell them something fun and exciting. I cherish that relationship with my followers. However, I simply do not have the kind of personality that wants to film and share everything. Because of this, I’m able to fairly easily manage my work/life balance at home, even though our home is technically my work.
Do you have any home projects still on your to-do list? If so, what are they?
We are in the process of turning the small room my husband used as his painting studio for the last two years into a walk-in closet for the both of us now that he’s moved his studio practice out of our apartment. We only have one closet in our apartment, so I cannot wait to get started on this project!
Anything else we should know about you or your home?
I am constantly asked why we would do all of this to a rental, and I get it. I understand all of the arguments against it, I really do. However, as long as you have prior permission, I think it’s more than worth it to make updates to your rental if it will bring you joy while you live there. Many people spend their entire lives renting! This is a very normal thing in New York City and elsewhere. You may see it as investing in someone else’s property, and, of course, that’s true, but I reframe it as investing in our happiness.
“You may see it as investing in someone else’s property, and, of course, that’s true, but I reframe it as investing in our happiness.”
Of course, I cannot ignore that sharing projects and inspiration is a large part of my job and how I make my income as a content creator, so I’m incentivized to do more than I might if I had pursued another career. I would certainly go at a slower pace. I understand and want to highlight that our situation is unique and might not resonate with everyone. Still, I create and share content because I LOVE design and sharing it with my audience, homeowners and renters alike.
Lauren Blue, Editorial Intern
As the Editorial Intern for The Everygirl, Lauren assists the editorial team in creating content. She works primarily within the Living section, pitching and writing stories and working behind the scenes to upload and update stories, source images, and find the perfect products to shop.