Baltimore Beckons

Saturday we tried to combine some house search projects with some fun! We were successful.

We started off with a visit to Arlandria Floors (in enticing Del Ray) to pick up some subway tile samples from Florida Tile. Another very nice and helpful vendor, I have to say. I used the "retro" line of subway tiles from Florida Tile in "biscuit" for our current kitchen back-splash and since we're using similar cabinets and granite.... We also plan to use a white subway tile in the upstairs bathrooms so I wanted to compare their "white" to some other vendors. The nice folks at McCullough Tile back in NC had the record of my prior purchase so I knew what brand to look for.

Next, we visited Cherokee Flooring to get some ideas about hardwood floors - types of woods and stain colors. We want something that will look like it belongs in the 1890 row house. Ray helped us (OK, you have to click over to see this charming family!) and explained all about several of their different floors. I, of course, had a preference for the most expensive - reclaimed heart pine. We found some other more affordable options in great colors and quality wood. Ray really knows his stuff and could answer all of our questions and provide good ideas.

We headed off to Baltimore for lunch and some antique shopping. I really like Baltimore. In fact, Mom and I had picked out a fabulous old row house for the husband and myself after seeing it featured in the "Save this old house" column of This Old House Magazine. Alas, the husband's job makes living in DC more convenient.

We started out at Cross Street Market with some lunching at Nick's. I have captured a photo of the husband's soft shell crab sandwich. I enjoyed a shrimp salad sandwich and we shared (from a vendor down the market stalls) an amazing fresh limeade.

Next we went to browse at 2nd Chance, a fascinating collection of warehouses with all kinds of old house stuff, from doorknobs and claw foot tub feet to front doors and transoms and

amazing staircases. We thought we found some tile to use on the tile surround for the living room mantel (I'll try to find a photo soon), but there was not quite enough. We also think the chandelier in the photo would be just great hanging above our staircase.

We also visited HouseWerks, where they have more old house and building things and where Sam refuses to breathe in the musty basement air. There we saw a great door, like we hope to get for the front door of the house, and Sam picked out a nice chair, also pictured.

We wrapped up our trip, after gushing downpours on the way back to DC, at the Paint Shop of Frager's where we learned more about their low- and no-VOC paints (available in all the usual Benjamin Moore shades!) and picked up some swatches and a couple of mini-paint jars to sample. We also spotted an incredible front porch light on the building next door.