Molly's Stylish Montreal Apartment

Meet Molly Skelly

Molly Skelly and her family of six – husband, 4.5-year old son, 2-year-old daughter, 8-year old dog, and 13-year old cat – live in a 3-story walk-up apartment building in Montréal, Québec’s Le Plateau neighborhood. Molly likens the building to certain Montréal neighborhoods that feature “super long, steep, or winding staircases.” Molly says of her family’s third-floor apartment, “once we adjusted to the stairs, we fell in love with this type of housing. We love the area, and we have fantastic neighbors. We are on the top floor, so we have several skylights that bring in natural light. The apartment is 110 years old and maintains its original character while servicing modern needs.”'

Molly describes the start of her family’s typical daily routine as “fast and furious to get everyone out the door on time.” After she and her husband walk the children, with their dog, to daycare, they return home to commence their workday. “We both work from home,” Molly says. Her husband, a geo technical engineer, works a hybrid arrangement where his work week is divided between home and office. Molly, who works for a non-profit organization located in Toronto, works entirely remotely. With that work situation in mind, Molly describes the necessity to “create a really great office space for myself. I turned our mud room into a mud room/office and love my workspace.” The family’s day culminates in Molly, who declares her love of cooking, preparing the family dinner and then putting the kids to bed. “Our days are very standard. But we are happy.”

Given that Molly spends a good amount of her day at home, she goes on to stress the importance of the home environment “to bring me joy, calmness, and comfort.” Molly says of her decorating style, “I can’t really pinpoint a name for my style.” However, she does note that it is “family friendly, but cool.” She goes on to explain that “I also have never felt that I am finished decorating a space and I doubt I ever will! So, the process of decorating will continue to evolve as our kids get older and we use our space differently.” 

Molly speaks of her love of “incorporating colour but not in a maximalist way. I love art and we have started a lovely collection over the years. I fill my home with ‘my treasures’ but we are also very thoughtful about what we buy and making sure our home is livable with two small children and two pets.” Molly speaks of her and her husband’s considerations that go into making major furniture purchasing decisions. “We have been shopping around for a couch for two years, but the way our kids and pets use and abuse our current couch is preventing us from pulling the trigger on a new buy. When we make a new purchase, we are always considering the durability of that item for our family.” 

Upcycling is an additional factor in the Skelly family’s purchasing decisions. Molly says, “we are sometimes painfully slow to make a furniture change, even when one is needed as we don’t like being wasteful with what we currently have. We love to upcycle and bring life back into something that may have been destined for the landfill. I love DIY or craft projects, but my main hobby passion is sewing. I love to make clothes, refashion thrifted pieces, and design unique one-of-a-kind pieces. Both my husband and I have a do-it-yourself mentality and enjoy a project to get the creative juices going.” Molly goes on to describe two such upcycling projects: “Our dining room table was a furniture flip Brendan worked on. When he bought it, it was covered in paint. It took him days to strip it, sand it and re-stain it to what it is today.  And my desk chair was a pretty awful looking chrome chair we found on the street ready for the garbage truck. I thought it had potential and was inspired by the cow hide Wassily chairs. I scrubbed the chrome, ordered desk chair wheels, and completely recovered the seat and the back in cowhide.” 

Treasured décor pieces include a “1980s circle entrance mirror” from Kijiji. I put it between two very square doorways that needed something round to soften their look.” In the children’s playroom, Molly describes “two Mcm pieces we got at a garage sale in Cabbagetown [in Toronto] to hold all the toys and books, a pretty, hand-stamped piece of fabric I got at a flea market in Los Angeles (but originally from Burkina Faso), and a Robert Sonnemon 1970s waterfall lamp [from Craigslist]. Paired with all the children’s colourful artwork and toys lying around, it’s a bit chaotic but one of my favourite spaces.” Additional treasured items Molly speaks of are “a vinyl orange side chair from Facebook marketplace. I love that it juxtaposes the very traditional elements of our apartment like the crown moulding and the pillars.” And, displayed in their bedroom, a painting by Montréal artist, Melissa Primeau. “My husband and I treated each other to a large piece of art for our sixth anniversary. It is a very special piece and one I know we will always cherish. And our first major art purchase.”  

IKEA, Article, Wayfair, EQ3, and Structube are some shopping resources Molly lists; however, she notes that “we really aren’t loyal to one store at all.” Other décor items were “sourced through garage sales (my personal fav), Facebook Marketplace, thrift stores, stooping flips, etc. for unique pieces. I love my thrifted treasures and I love finding the perfect space in my home for them. We find joy in scouring Facebook marketplace, garage sales and thrift stores. My husband and I enjoy the thrill of the hunt and love to spot a ‘diamond in the rough’ so to speak. I love that used pieces can be so unique and I like incorporating vintage items with more contemporary pieces. I like that juxtaposition.” 

Molly notes that she draws décor inspiration from “kind of from all over the place. I love design and décor TikTok and probably have 50 to 100 home themed TikToks saved. I also get inspiration from cool restaurants, shops, and AD YouTube videos. Really all over.” 

Another source of decorating inspiration Molly says is travelling. “My family and I love to travel. We take décor inspiration from our trips to incorporate in our home. Our favourite country is Mexico. I love the organic shapes and the use of colour in Mexican décor. We also love France and Italy. Our apartment has so much character that reminds us of an older European home. It really is the perfect base with lots of natural sunlight and texture.” 

 

“This is the fourth home in which my husband and I have lived (three in Toronto and this apartment in Montréal) and we always make any space we live in very homey,” Molly says in summing up her thoughts on her home’s décor. “We want our home to be inviting, calming and joyful to anyone who comes in. We love when certain pieces spark conversation and we love to entertain. I am always proud of our space, and I hope that comes through in the décor.”

Molly's Hacienda Picks:

1. Short Merlot Blown Glasses 

2. Pastel Balloon Vase

3. La Plage Original Painting

4. One Minute Pose Original Art

5. Ethereal Pink and Blue Art Print

6. Pink Mother of Pearl Teaspoon