Brad, a high school photography teacher, resides in a 1920’s federal-style rowhome in Reservoir Hill.

I spent a sunny Saturday morning photographing his home, admiring his technique of combining different wood and earth tones, and learning more about his first renovation experience. Brad’s spacious home features classic 1920’s archways with a mid-century feel.

how long have you been living in your home?

Since Summer 2018.

What drew you to this neighborhood?

I lived in Reservoir Hill for a year before deciding to buy. I loved how it was still close to all of the places in the city I frequent, but far enough away that it feels more secluded. There’s also a lot of incredible architectural gems scattered throughout the neighborhood, which contribute to a sense of lived history and community that Baltimore is known for.

Did you have a moment in your search when you knew this was your home?

My college had a weird thing with painting doors red. Red doors to them was a sign of welcome, but to me it always just looked like everything was an emergency exit. When I walked up to view this house and it had a red door, I had a good feeling about it before I even saw the inside.

Brad, in front of his home in Reservoir Hill.

How would you define your decorating style?

I’ve always been interested in 70s fashion. I think when my home was coming together, it took a quick turn in that direction too. Once I found the living room couch on Craigslist it was a done deal—earth tones all the way. I also am grateful to have so many talented artists in my life whose pieces become a part of the house as well.

Your home is full of beautiful mid-century furniture—Where have you shopped for your finds?

Thanks! Craigslist, Habitat for Humanity, and Goodwill have actually been great for most of the furniture. It takes a lot of searching, but it’s worth it. A few things are actually from my parents basement as well. For any new furniture I’ve needed to buy, having a friend who works at Wayfair and can get me discounts goes a long way to insure my brand loyalty.

This 70’s style couch—a Craigslist find— serves as the living room centerpiece in Brad’s wide (almost 20 ft!) home.

People pick homes for a variety of reasons—What were the deciding factors for purchasing this home?

The two biggest factors for my home search were pretty unsentimental—I wanted a parking pad so I could work on my broken vehicles without hassle, and I wanted it to be relatively near 83 for my commute to work.

How long did it take you to be comfortable in your space?

I think it took about 5 months to get it to the point where people could come over and it didn’t look like we were still moving in.

Brad’s home is full of art from talented friends and local artists. The painting seen here is by Dave Eassa.

The sign hanging in the galley style kitchen, is an ode to Santa’s Karaoke in Nashville— painted by Sean Danaher.

Did you use any of the Baltimore home-buying incentive programs?

I’m in a unique position of working in the county and living in the city. Many of the homebuying programs are directed at the exact opposite situation.

the last home profile asks,“What is your favorite way to be a part of the Baltimore community?”

Someone once described Baltimore as a pool without lifeguards. There’s almost nothing stopping you from creating the type of scene you want to see exist. For the past few years, the form this has taken for me has been designing and building a DIY skate spot alongside a group of really great friends, which we are hoping to gradually expand into a multipurpose space where art, music, and skateboarding can come together.

Brad’s bedroom features a deep blue-green accent wall.

You renovated your upstairs bathroom not long after moving in. How did you navigate picking out fixtures and finding a contractor? any advice can you give to people looking to do a small renovation?

After wading through a sea of 10k quotes for such a small bathroom, I finally got a suggestion from a friend who knew a contractor who would have you do some of the work while he did the major stuff. That just took patience, and trusting myself that even though I don’t know much about housing, I know what $10,000 can buy me and it definitely shouldn’t be a small bathroom.

When the contractor agreed to do it, he gave me two days notice. The next two days were spent learning how disappointing most bathroom fixtures are. I must’ve driven to about 10 different places trying to piece it together. My best advice there would be if possible, leave way more time than you need to make sure everything looks good together.

Brad’s first renovation for the home was this full bathroom. His renovation included changing the vanity, adding subway tile to the shower, new flooring (black hexagon tile), light fixtures, and paint color (Sherwin Williams Smoky Blue).

Many of us living in the city have small backyards/patios—you’ve found a way to make yours super cozy! Tell me more about that.

I knew that there was definitely enough room for a fire pit, but I didn’t want it to be a circle with six metal chairs around it. I also didn’t want to spend money on actual outdoor furniture that wouldn’t fit the space correctly. My roommate and I found a place on Craigslist giving away free wood pallets, and so we drew up a sketch of how we could maximize the space and functionality. We cut them down so they could be easily stacked in a corner when not in use.

Making good use of a small back patio, Brad & his roommates used wood pallets to create a sectional seating area that fits perfectly in the space.

Do you feel a part of the community where you live?

In some ways, absolutely. My neighbors are pretty great (or pretty quiet, which in turn makes them pretty great). I try to stay up on neighborhood improvement efforts, and the efforts to improve Druid Hill Park.

I’ve also spent time learning about Reservoir Hill’s history. Changes to the neighborhood haven’t always been made with the longtime residents in mind, so as someone who has been here for only two years, I still need to be conscience of the bigger picture. I look forward to learning from and listening to others about the vision for the future of the community.

What are your favorite neighborhood spots?

Druid Hill Park is my favorite park in the city, and it’s practically my backyard. The Big Jump bike lane gets a shoutout for making accessibility to other parts of the city so much easier. Walking up Eutaw Street feels like you’re in a different century. Whitelock Community Farm and the Wednesday Farmers Market are both obvious inclusions to the list. And the sort of off-the-grid suggestion, Luckies Market makes some mean sandwiches.

What’s a question you would like to ask the next Home Profile?

What is your favorite piece of art in your home?