The Little Realtor

 I've been impressed lately with some of amount of accessible design features I've seen around as of late. By "accessible design", I mean home decor, renovations and design that is accessible to those with a physical impairment or disability.  First I noticed that back in March, Better Homes and Gardens did a great feature on a home designed with a wheelchaired child in mind.  Yes, it was a rancher and mid-century modern in design so it leant itself to move open-flow and clean line design. But even if this isn't your style, there were some great ideas here!  Check it out here  Then I saw Southern Living did a great home build with "adaptive design" in mind. This was a great feature because it reviewed new construction and slight changes in thinking to make just a welcoming, easy access home for all guests.  As noted in the article,  " If you’re going to be a good host, particularly from the Southern point of view, where we’re all about hospitality, ...

Its International Women's Day today, in the midst of Women's History Month, and I keep remembering or reading about amazing women (not to mention knowing and working with many!).  So today I want to share another amazing woman who made this beautiful space for her child... by herself... with her own tools... while pregnant...  Emily Higgins is a rockstar!  Great DIY chops here!  With another one on the way, it was time to bump up their toddler, Oliver, to his big-kid room.  And if you are a mom with a design itch, thats such a fun prospect. Kids rooms are fun. Full of design opportunity we don't afford ourselves in other spaces. But also full of challenges (where do the toys go?!).  I asked Emily to divulge a bit on what went into her big-boy room makeover. Read on...  Where did you get inspiration from for the overall aesthetic?  So I always browse Pinterest for my room inspiration, but honestly for this one I never saw one room that sparked eve...

Since the pandemic hit there is something I have noticed about interior design "trends" that I am loving...  There aren't any.  Or, maybe, I should say there are so many that we can't call them "trends".  Since people have been home, learning from their homes, experiencing them, updating them, etc, we seem to be embracing a "whatever works for you" type of interior design trend.  Pre-pandemic, it was all white open spaces with California-casual furnishings that could be either more modern or more modern-farmhouse. But that was pretty much the end of Instagram and Pinterest trends.  I am so happy to say that the last two years have allowed the industry and individuals to tap a bit more into their personal styles.  I now see so many interesting things out there...  Art Deco Comeback  Via Via Ok, so the 80s/ Art Deco thing was coming about before the pandemic, but those curved arms and arched furniture lines are still thriving and we've started s...

 On the Main Line, we sure do love our stone colonials. Historical, beautiful, traditional, well built.... a stone colonial tops many buyers' lists.  But this one in particular caught my eye because its full of possibilities in a rather cool location.  204 Meeting House Ln in Merion Station  Asking $800,000  It stands at 3500 sq ft and has 4 traditional bedrooms on the second floor, two full baths, and an additional 2 beds and a full bath on the 3rd floor.  The first floor features a coveted entry hall, formal living and dining with bowed picture windows, a large enclosed side porch, large kitchen and a rear space that would be a good converted family room, change back to a garage, or large mudroom!  The great thing about this house is it has a lot of space to work with, great bones and its across the street from the public elementary and middle schools, which means it is a great family space for years to come!  Incredible, large second bedroom wi...

 Bright white and moody colors will likely never go out of style but we are seeing more and more mid-tones come back on trend (last time mid-tones were cool were probably around 2000 when Pottery Barn was THE word).  One of the ones I am seeing most often is a gray-green. Its a friendly color that pairs well with more modern tones (think the grays, blacks and whites we have been seeing) but warms nicely with wood tones and natural materials.  Apparently SW sees this too as their color of the year (and the month of Jan) is Evergreen Fog.  Want to see some of the best ways to use it?  Loving these cabinets in green!  Again, working well hear with both bronze/black and earth tones  Love this more traditional-eclectic look. Looks much more saturated in a dark space!  But also a great pairing for a mid-century boho look  Great combo color - bold but not overly so. Here looking more truly green against the dark blue Whatever your style, this is ...

I'm really excited to post today about one of the aspects I am most excited about working at Compass: Concierge.  Concierge is a Compass-exclusive program where sellers can do improvements to their property before listing in order to make their home look its best and recoup the greatest amount of money.  I have been an advocate of doing small cosmetic projects to properties since starting in this business. Buyers have a hard time visualizing a property's potential. Staging can do a lot but sometimes small home improvements can make a drastic visual change to a property. Often, I recommend painting projects, small cosmetic improvements in bathrooms (like resurfacing dated tile and installing new light fixtures). Generally, a bathroom doesn't need a $20k overall to suggest a higher price tag. Same goes for kitchens. Paint, new fixtures, and some updated tile work goes a LONG way. Even the above picture, which was all new cabinets, counters, appliance and backsplash shows the ...

With inventory limited, move in ready homes at a premium and more and more new construction filling up the market, there is a trade off thats becoming more common - buying new instead of old.  It used to be that first time buyers would have to buy an old house and spend time and money fixing it up. And while thats still a common option, I'm seeing more first time buyers buying new construction, often townhomes, or homes with less "character" than they would prefer. While making old new is more of a common theme in renovation stories, we are seeing more people have to make new look old to add the touches of warmth, history and place that so many people crave.  But how do you make a new construction townhome with builder-grade finishes look like something with history?  I'm sharing some great starting ideas and some of the people who have done it best!  Add architecture  Via BHG Ornamental architecture additions might be one of the biggest-impacts to making a new ...