The city rewrites its zoning code for the first time in 40 years.
At first, changing a city’s zoning code may sound quite boring. But, upon closer look, it could mean things like more community gardens, fixing up abandoned buildings, creating bike parking, and preserving our maritime district. But, it’s no easy task.
“Most major cities haven’t revised their zoning code in 40 years because there are so many pieces to the puzzle,” says city planning director Tom...
The priciest and most popular neighborhoods on the market.
Top Selling 'Hoods
So which neighborhoods are the most popular? These are the communities with the most units sold in 2011. Anne Arundel: Annapolis (814 units sold), Glen Burnie (684 units sold), Pasadena/Gibson Island (563 units sold)
Baltimore City: Canton/Highlandtown/Patterson Park (834 units sold), Bolton Hill/Union Square/Hanlon Park (747 units sold), Hamilton/Lauraville/Raspeburg (598...
Steak mogul Steve de Castro’s home is a monument to a life of hard work—and a drive for perfection.
“I’ve been working pretty much my whole life,” says de Castro. “Living in a Communist country, one of the things Fidel [Castro] did was have you work for him every day on your own land. I remember when I was maybe 12 or 13, I’d get up and help my mother reach her daily quota—whether it was helping with sugar cane or hoeing in between rows of plantains.”
From his humble roots, de...
Sue Romanic’s calling is to rescue those with simply too much stuff.
Sue Romanic’s clients sometimes worry that they might be like those folks on TV who can’t even open their front doors. But Romanic, a professional organizer who has seen her share of hoarders, is happy to explain what separates the common Packratus Americanus from those suffering from severe emotional disorders.
“Collectors put things on display,” says Romanic, who worked as a kindergarten...
The young homeowner’s guide to a cool, colorful garden.
Younger homeowners, especially, often ask how they can create a small, colorful garden of low-maintenance shrubs, flowering trees, and healthy shade grass without a lot of knowledge—or money. And the answer is, it’s pretty easy and doesn’t cost that much.
Among some of the hardiest flowering trees are weeping cherries, which create a great focal point in a small garden in either the back or front...
Give your home back its curb appeal with an expert redo of the flower beds, trees, and plants.
You’ve been trying to ignore it for a couple of years, but now you have to face the facts: Your home’s landscaping has gone from chic to shabby. The snow’s broken off countless azalea branches, the mulched beds have surrendered to an invasion of creeping charlie, and after you pruned the dead stuff off the old dogwood, it looks like a Charlie Brown Christmas tree. Yes, it’s time to think...
The one-time home of Johnny Unitas is the setting for this spring’s BSO Decorators’ Show House.
The rustic log mantelpiece in the family room spoke to interior designer Jim Ryan. “It told me what I wanted to do with the rest of the room,” says the senior designer of Simply Grande Interiors. As one of 20 designers chosen to work on the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra’s Decorators’ Show House, Ryan put together a lodge-style plan for the room, with a subdued color palette of earth tones and pops...
Artist Scott Ponemone shows off his delightful Mt. Vernon home studio.
For Art’s Sake: I was looking for a house with room for an art studio and lots of light.
The Price Was Right: This house is an example of Italianate architecture built around 1855. I knew I wanted a house as close to original condition as possible, and there were few to choose from in this time period.
Read All About It: I used to work for The Sun until last September. I designed news pages and...
Although white in the winter is usually associated with crisp snow falling onto the ground, there is something about the color that— when used in rich, creamy shades, fabrics, and textures—makes you feel warm and cozy inside.
Clockwise from top left: Magnolia plates ($12-22) at Arhaus. Pendant de Feuilles ($995) at The House Downtown. Terracotta and gold partridges ($30/pair) at The Kellogg Collection. Frame ($38.50) and owl candles ($9-13.50) at In Watermelon Sugar. Large white antique wood tray ($44) at Stebbins Anderson. Reclaimed barn wood table ($250) at Su Casa. Wooly felt flower pillow ($66) and tile wool...
At tiny Urban Threads, it’s about more than just buying nice stuff.
The woman, in her late 40s, knew she wanted to change the look of her bedroom, but wasn’t sure where to start. Jane O’Donoghue, co-owner of the Ellicott City bedding boutique Urban Threads, asked the customer to describe her taste. “I like the way I dress,” the woman told her, gesturing to her tailored white blouse with a Peter-Pan collar, a bright scarf draped around her neck, and the boutique...
