I love interior design and crafting, and am a licensed Real Estate Agent with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Fox & Roach , working on a team (Cindy & Bob) with over 25 years experience.

Need some help finding the perfect place in Philadelphia or its surrounding areas? Samantha.Brandolini@foxroach.com!

History all around… Philadelphia

Quite possibly the coolest house to look at in Philadelphia.

The Joshua Husband house sits at the corner of Delancey Place and 18th street in Center City Philadelphia in the Rittenhouse Square neighborhood.  It was originally built in 1857 by John McCrea and redesigned 10 years later by Fraser, Furness & Hewitt… as in Frank Furness the noted Philadelphia architect. My personal favorite feature is the mansard roof and how the house is just so different from everything on the block…and in this city.

The home is now also well known for Mister 1801, who looks out over 18th street and has his own facebook.

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Hidden City Philadelphia has a great article all about the history of the home, and of Mister 1801

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Hidden City Philadelphia is my favorite resource/website for finding out about the history of all sorts of different things in Philadelphia. I recently saw the guys who run the site give a talk about their book (you can buy it on Amazon) and I’ve been slowly making my way through all the sites they have featured so far. They expertly describe what about Philadelphia and its position enabled it keep so many historical layers to this day, while other cities have lost so much.

My favorite lines at the beginning of the book, “from Nathaniel Burt’s study of Philadelphia’s legacy upper class The Perennial Philadelphias (1963)……‘It was neither exciting like Manhattan, quant like Boston, nor picturesque and glamorous like the South and West. It was not even conspicuously awful like the Midwest. It was, in fact, like some forbidden Oriental city…surrounded by its own impenetrable wall.’….. For Philadelphia seems to possess an exceptionally large number of places that have disappeared elsewhere– workshops and small factories, sporting clubs and societies, synagogues and theaters and railroad lines- like endangered species that have managed to stay alive in some remote forest or swamp.”

Virtual Insanity

The future of home touring is here and its incredibly convenient. I just co-listed a home in Northern Liberties with fellow BHHS agent Sophia Bilinsky whose chief photographer employs the newer technology of Matterport 3D photos.  Think of this as virtual reality without the crazy headset… where you feel like you are actually physically walking through a house with your fingers.

It’s like google earth for all your real estate creeping tendencies!!

Take a virtual tour of 978 N Leithgow in the Northern Liberties neighborhood of Philadelphia here! If you are ready to go in person let me know…. you can even drive there and conveniently park in the garage!

 

 

 

Awesome 2 bedroom for rent!!

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Target + Oh Joy!

One of my favorite design bloggers is ‘Oh Joy’- a Philadelphia (with Thai parents!) transplant living in California. She just designed a party line for Target (my weakness) and everything in it is perfection. I love the bright colors and the gold accents. Perfect for a summer party- and most of it is plastic or disposable eating-wear in gorgeous patters and colors- so you don’t have to worry about a major clean-up or dropping something on the way from the kitchen or grill to table!

This is reason enough to find a house with outdoor entertaining space!

*Link to Oh Joy garden party post through her picture
**To buy from Target, link is below!

http://www.target.com/c/oh-joy-to-the-garden-party-cork/-/N-55amu#?lnk=snav_rd_oh_joy&orginalSearchTerm=oh+joy

Great 2 bedroom rentals currently available in Fitler Square

Getting ready to move for spring? This 2 bedroom 2 bathroom + den apartment on 22nd and Lombard in Fitler Square has the bedrooms located at opposite ends of the apartment, an eat in kitchen, and a LARGEEE rooftop deck! Currently listed at $2,695/month

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There is also a great 2 Bedroom 1 Bathroom apartment in Fitler Square with high end finishes & a jacuzzi tub on the same block as great restaurants & bars (including Honeys!) , a 10 minute walk to Rittenhouse square- listed at $1,850/month

Tub in shower: Amazing Bathroom

How UNREAL is this bathroom? I love the huge shower with the tub enclosed in it. It is perfection: the subway tile, glittering mosaics, gorgeous listeo design around the perimter of the shower, and intricate window.

Believe it or not, this house is actually in King of Prussia! (& currently under contract).

I’m definitely saving this photo for future inspiration

Old School Maps: decorating!

One of my design dreams is to find an amazing vintage, colorful pull down world map and hang it RIGHT above a colorful living room couch! I think the couple who created this living room (click photo to see more) nailed it!

EBay has a TON of options for sale!

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw=pull+down+map&_osacat=0&_from=R40&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313.TR9.TRC1.A0.H0.Xpull+down+worldmap&_nkw=pull+down+world+map&_sacat=0

HIPSTERS

Curious what neighborhoods different types of hipsters live in within Philadephia? Wonder no more….

*PS: curbed Philly always has fun stuff posted everyday

Perfect 2 bed/2 bath rental in Fairmount Brownstone

In keeping with Philadelphia apartment posts…. today I bring you a rental in Fairmount (20th & Spring Garden) on the 2nd floor of a brownstone.

2 bedrooms that are big enough for King beds AND couches, 2 full bathrooms (each of the bedrooms also has their own separate zoned heating!!), gorgeous new kitchen, molding, decorative fire place, washer/dryer, deck….. on and on! Listed at $2,300 total… so $1,150/person.

Click on the photo to see more pictures on the realtor.com listing.

Let me know if you want to check it out in person!

Awesome rental on a cute street

Looking for a gorgeous 1 bedroom rental come March 1st under $1,400? Clinton St is an adorable tree lined street between Pine and Locust and this apartment (on the 2nd floor of a converted mansion) is a 5 minute walk from all the awesome bars and restaurants on 13th St.

Working fire place, washer/dryer in unit AND California closets?!

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