Mallory's Colorful, Eclectic Loft Apartment Tour

I’m excited to share with you a tour of my apartment where I live in Atlanta, GA. Taking photos of my full space has been on my to-do list for years(!!) now, and I finally have done it. And bonus, I got to tackle some spring cleaning while at it!

Before we head into the tour, let me provide a quick overview. My apartment is a one-bedroom loft in a former 1920s-era high school. That’s right—I live in what was once a classroom. It’s an historic property, complete with the original lockers on the first floor of the building, so it feels as if you actually are in a school! After almost four years of living here, I still find it surreal.

I live here with my partner, Mike, and my two cats, Socks and Pepper. At some point Mike and I will find a place together—and will need to combine our things—but until then, I’m lucky that he actually likes my space because it’s so me.

Scroll on down for a look at my space!

The main area consists of the kitchen, dining space and living space. An open wall divides the main living area from the bedroom.

I fell for my apartment at first sight. It was the second unit in the building I toured, and I knew from the moment I walked in, this was my dream apartment. Because it’s a corner unit, the layout feels very spacious, much larger than its size of 800 square feet. And the tall ceilings and two walls of paned glass windows make it feel light & airy.

Original hardwood floors can be found throughout, and because they’ve never been refinished, they reveal the wear and tear of a long, storied life. However, if you’re trying to walk silently, that won’t happen with these floors as they creak and groan with every step!

Most objects have been collected through travels, family or thrift stores, while furniture is more likely to be a mix of old & new.

If I had to describe my style, it would be something like “colorful eclectic vintage modern.” While I can appreciate the minimalist aesthetic, I like stuff. Not so much that things are cluttered and suffocating, but enough so that it feels lived in and cozy. I also like to combine both modern and vintage pieces—I like the juxtaposition of the different styles and eras. So, you will probably recognize some Ikea pieces mixed in with furniture that I’ve either inherited from family, thrifted or found at vintage stores.

My kitchen is small but functional. Because the finishes aren’t exactly to my taste, I’ve tried to personalize it with things that I enjoy looking at. And by far my favorite aspect of the kitchen is the jungle that’s grown on top of the cabinets. When I placed a couple of pothos plants up there a few years ago, I had no idea how crazy things would get—these plants have definitely thrived in this environment.

The cabinets and the wall that divides the kitchen from a nook at the entry also doubles as a climbing tree for Socks and Pepper. They like to jump up there from time to time and scope out the apartment from higher ground.

I thrifted the bread painting for the frame - it originally hung at a Panera Bread - but decided to keep it as is because I liked the kitsch of it. The painting next to it was found at a flea market in Paris.

The slatted bench that I’m using as a coffee table belonged to my grandparents and the Turkish rug is vintage, purchased from Etsy a couple years ago.

Another favorite part of my space is this gallery that is on the wall dividing the main space from the bedroom. It’s filled with my own photography and art or mementos I’ve brought back from my travels. I call it the “city” wall because it’s mostly scenes of city landscapes or details. The rattan chairs are from my grandparents, and the cabinet was picked up on the side of the road and painted.

The majority of the art in my space was created by me. The green pillow was handmade by my Gramme and the squirrel was found at a flea market in Madrid.

A view of the living area. The couch was a birthday gift from my parents in 2012, when I underwent a style evolution after my first trip to Europe. It’s nothing fancy, but it’s comfortable and I’m ok with the cats having totally torn it up!

The stereo console is another piece from my grandparents’ house. It’s not currently functional, but I’d love to get it up and working again, or at least modernize it. A couple of my paintings, a vintage fan and a turtle from my Gramme’s vast turtle collection sit on top. I snagged the Tallahassee banner from the former Paris on Ponce market last spring, it reminds me of my hometown.

And now for a look at the bedroom. The armoire is one of Mike’s family pieces and is the most recent addition. The white globe lamp is another of my favorite pieces - it dates to the 70s when my dad was a bachelor.

I created the upholstered headboard from a tablecloth - and while from time to time I want to change it, I’m always drawn back to the pretty floral pattern. I found the parlor chairs abandoned by a neighbor back in Tallahassee. I haven’t been able to let myself part with them, so I’ve turned them into my nightstands. They actually work perfectly for the small space.

The view from the bed…That’s another piece from my grandparents, circa the 1940s. One of the things that I love about old furniture is the craftsmanship and the beauty that results (and also lasts). The rattan bench was once my coffee table but I’m not ready to part with it so it’s of course become another plant stand. And the giant photograph is an enlargement of one of my favorite found photos ever—I love the many stories that are going on in it.

And finally, a look at a nook that I use for storage and an art studio. This is located between the kitchen and the entrance foyer. I found the cabinet at the dumpster and painted it yellow—I was inspired by a set of vintage lockers I had seen but couldn’t afford. It once served as my wardrobe in my bedroom before I had the dresser.

At some point, I’ll update this with a photo or two of my bathroom and foyer, I just haven’t gotten to those areas yet. But I thank you for reading along and letting me share my space with you!

—Mallory

P.S. Like my style? Head over to the print shop to bring elements of it into your own home. I’ve also updated my home tour for 2021, you can view the new tour here.