Home+Service
Best of Baltimore
Home+Service
EDITED BY CHRISTIANNA MCCAUSLAND
WRITTEN WITH JANELLE ERLICHMAN DIAMOND, JANE MARION, AND AMY SCATTERGOOD
Photography by CHRISTOPHER MYERS
HANDCRAFTED FURNITURE
TWO BOLTS STUDIOS AND KOBA FURNITURE
ALTHOUGH SAM ACUFF GRADUATED from MICA with a degree in painting, he found that his true calling was the design and fabrication of furniture. He began Two Bolts Studios in East Baltimore, creating handcrafted built-ins and statement furniture pieces from wood and metal by comission. Two years ago, Acuff shifted focus with the launch of KOBA Furniture. These funky pieces feature even more of his playfully modern furniture designs. Acuff is making heirloom quality products and is also a vital part of the creative community of Southeast Baltimore.
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ART OF LOCAL INTEREST
CRAIG FLINNER GALLERY
Craig Flinner has been in business on the same block in Hampden since 1982—an award-worthy achievement in its own right. From his shop, Flinner sells perhaps Baltimore’s most extensive and expertly curated collection of antique maps and prints, vintage posters, paintings, and drawings including many featuring perspectives on Baltimore or other areas of local interest. Since he’s an appraiser on Antiques Road Show, you can rest assured that Flinner knows his stuff, making him a friendly and knowledgeable guide for shoppers.
CAR DETAILING
PLATINUM AUTO SPA
On a busy, industrial stretch of Holabird Avenue, jigsawed into a lot filled with cars, sits a hidden gem of an auto spa. Yes, it’s called a spa, as that’s exactly what happens to your car: personal care and therapeutic treatments, both inside and out. Platinum Auto Spa was founded in 2019 and is now run by three partners, all of whom excel at detailing, waxing, cleaning, and tinting—basically turning back the clock on your car so that it looks like it just came off the lot. Even if you don’t normally care if your car looks brand-new, it is worth it to have 10 years of trips to the beach with your large, shedding dog miraculously wiped away. And if you plan it right, you can wait for your car’s return at Jimmy’s Famous Seafood, conveniently a block and a half away.
COURTESY OF LUCKY LANE INTERIORS
@luckylaneinteriors
This newcomer on the retail scene stole our hearts with their witty reels, squares filled with holiday-specific gift picks styled like an editorial page, and the overall cheerful pink and green vibes. The brainchild of Kerry Whippee, the store draws on her background in home staging and interiors. Now open on Main Street in Old Ellicott City, Lucky Lane offers pieces for everyday living, gifting, and entertaining, all while reflecting Whippee’s design philosophy that spaces should feel approachable, comfortable, and quietly special.
HOME ACCESSORIES
THE PIG & THE PARROT
This charming store in Roland Park describes itself as having a curated selection of unique items carefully selected from around the world, but we love the place simply because it is beautiful with a touch of whimsy. Owned by mother-and-daughter duo Caroline Hearn and Karin Chriss—the former an artist, the latter with a background in retail and interior design—the store carries a mix of home décor and gift items clearly selected by people with an eye for artistry and design. Hearn’s art often pops up in the shop, and we love the Wakefield Pottery and housewares you never knew you needed, like whimsical tissue box covers. The community vibes are bonus—the chatter between clientele and staff is often as vibrant as the items on sale.
HOUSE PAINTING
HERON PAINTING CO.
A good house painter can be hard to find, which is why we’re so glad we discovered green Heron Painting Co., in business for 17 years. The company does superior interior and exterior work and is in demand with top-notch designers, including Crosby Jenkins and Associates. Owner John-Michael Pjura is a true perfectionist, whether he’s tackling trim work or helping clients pick the perfect shade of white. (So many whites!) What sets him apart is his insistence on doing the proper prep work—he spends hours scraping, sanding, and patching to create a flawless surface before applying even a single coat of paint. So if you’ve been putting off that painting project because you couldn’t bear to tape off an entire room and DIY it, go ahead and treat yourself to help from a pro.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY SCHAUN CHAMPION
PLANT PROTECTOR
B. WILLOW
STEP INTO LIZ VAYDA’S PLANT BOUTIQUE in Remington and you sense not just her knowledge of flora but her love of the natural world. So it’s no surprise that she advocates on behalf of the plants that cannot speak for themselves. A portion of sales go to organizations promoting awareness of the illegal plant trade—including cacti, succulents, and carnivorous plants—and B. Willow has partnered with the Center for Plant Conservation to promote awareness and raise funds for endangered native plants in the U.S. At a time when environmental programming is under attack, these efforts feel more relevant than ever.
Tail Waggers
BOARDING KENNEL
REISTERSTOWN PET RESORT & SPA
For the last 50 years, this Reisterstown kennel has been taking good care of local pets, especially after they got a million-dollar glow-up in 2000, adding a grooming salon and “bunkhouse rooms.” Whether you need lodging, daycare, grooming, or all of it, you can leave your pet without worry. And yes, they allow your pooch to BYOS (bring your own stuffie).
DOG WELLNESS + WALKING
ZIM ZIM
Founded a quarter-century ago and serving most of Baltimore City, ZIM ZIM runs a team of devoted dog walkers from Bolton Hill to Wyman Park. Dogs are grouped for social walks and guided by folks who are bonded and insured.
DOWNTOWN PET SUPPLIES
HOWL
Whether from its location just off Hampden’s The Avenue or in Mt. Washington, Howl can set up not only your dog or cat, but any bird, horse, fish, or chicken in your household. They hosts donation drives and pet adoptions.
PET HYDROTHERAPY
PET DEPOT
If you have an older dog with hip problems or an ACL issue, finding a good hydrotherapy spot is life-changing. Timonium’s Pet Dept offers myriad swim sessions—with ramps to a roomy pool that won’t break the bank.
UPTOWN PET SUPPLIES
BARON’S K-9 MARKET
With locations in Bel Air and Glyndon and more than a half-century of experience, Baron’s stocks natural pet food (including raw diets), supplements, toys, beds, clothing, leashes, and plenty more treats and accessories.
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INTERIOR DESIGNER
HOME METHODS
The thing about interior design is that even when it’s well done it can all look a bit...bland. Not so with Home Methods, which creates spaces with bright and rich colors, exquisite and playful wallpapers, vintage pieces, and a certain je ne sais quoi that makes you stop and look twice. Home Methods handles every step of the process, from consultation and design through project management and staging the last accessories to make a run just so. Run by Emilie Schiller, who brings (of all things) a background in business to her work, Home Methods recently took home a Baltimore Home & Design award for use of color. We love that for them (and us).
LANDSCAPE DESIGN + MAINTENANCE
BOB JACKSON LANDSCAPES
If garden porn is your thing, the online portfolio of Bob Jackson Landscapes will certainly capture your attention. (Picture woodland paths lined with perennial grasses, hydrangea drifting over stone walls, swaths of spring tulips and daffodils, and elegantly planted fountains and pools.) For more than 30 years, this firm has been crafting exquisite designs for some of the region’s most discerning clientele. Jackson does everything from design to deadheading and everything in between—installation of soft-and hardscaping, irrigation, lighting, edging, mulching, and more. Staff are committed to working at the highest level and are happy doing it; many members of the team have been with the firm for more than 20 years.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICAH E. WOOD
COLLAB
SURROUNDED BY COLOR AND CURRENCY STUDIO
KNOWN SIMPLY AS “THE CHAIRS,” this creative collaboration between two design studios—Surrounded by Color and Currency Studio—is a nod to the iconic modern chair originally created in 1927 by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. The bold color choices, including turquoise, eggplant, and peach, are a Surrounded By Color signature, while each upholstered top and bottom is lined with Currency Studio’s trademark vintage bankers’ bags. And since the construction is reversible and designed to be interchangeable, that means there are four unique combinations for each chair. All together it feels like a true work of art.
OLD-FASHIONED HARDWARE STORE
ACE HARDWARE, CANTON
When it comes to customer service, selection, and know-how, Ace really is the place. We love many locations—Cockeysville, Waverly, Federal Hill—but Canton holds a special place in our editorial hearts. It’s called the “Cool Hardware Company” for a reason. In the warmer months there are gorgeous plants outside and year-round there’s a barrel of dog biscuits by the counter. A house cat prowls the premises, they host ladies’ nights, and they even offer knife-sharpening.
PLACE TO BROWSE
DISTILLERY COLLECTIVE
This home décor gem, a collective of 15 vendors, is tucked off a tiny side street in Cockeysville on the second floor of an old warehouse. A recent browse turned up a Wassily-style chair, matching Biedermeier-inspired marquetry lamps, collectible Black-eyed Susan glasses from Preaknesses of old, glazed antique crocks, and a highly impractical but also covetable 19th-century silver plate tureen of Scottish origin. Trust us, you’ll want to set aside time to go deep with your browse.
POLISH POTTERY
THE BOXWOOD COLLECTION
A longstanding presence in historic Glyndon, The Boxwood Collection offers clothing, gifts, and housewares, but is best known as the spot for collectors of Polish pottery. The durable stoneware (it is dishwasher-, microwave-, freezer-, and oven-safe) is made using clay from the small Polish village of Boleslawiec. It is distinguished by its exquisite designs, featuring geometric and floral patterns. Whether you’re shopping for an avid collector or looking for something new to refresh your tabletop, The Boxwood Collection’s extensive array will have something to suit your needs.
PRO-GRADE PERENNIALS
THE PERENNIAL FARM
Press someone in the landscaping field for information on where the pros go to get their plants and they may divulge that The Perennial Farm is the spot. Though mostly selling wholesale to the trade, the farm is open to backyard gardeners Saturdays only, April through October. After 45 years in the business, growing plants in Maryland for Marylanders, this operation knows how to produce plants that their customers want—and always at a fair price. Set on over 60 acres with 70 greenhouses, they specialize in growing quality landscape-sized perennials, ornamental grasses, hardy ferns, flowering shrubs and vines, and ground cover.
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