Sort It Out Philly
Debra Serota specializes in taking cramped rowhomes piled high with garbage (sometimes actual garbage; her IG isn’t for the squeamish) and transforming them into tidy, well-organized spaces. Then, when you inevitably fill your place up with more junk, she can come right over and start again. sortitoutphilly.com.
Call2Organize
Didn't exactly get around to spring cleaning? Or summer cleaning, for that matter? Sorting through mountains of memorabilia can be daunting (okay, frightening), which is why Ccile Steinriede and Sofia Stalberg of Bala Cynwyd-based Call2Organize will not only declutter and reorganize your living space, leaving it spotless while setting aside items for sale or tax deduction; they'll also teach you how to keep it spartan, so you won't need to call them again. Contact: Ccile Steinriede, 00000, call2organize.com.
Greenable
Now in bigger digs in NoLibs, this eco-friendly version of Home Depot will responsibly redo your kitchen, bath, floors and more or just sell you a gallon of VOC-free one-coat paint. Call or see website for consultation, 00000, greenable.net.
Adam Smith
Buying a new house? Don’t sign on the dotted line until you meet Adam Smith. His boutique service includes a one-on-one walk-through that covers everything from small idiosyncrasies to turn-and-run deal-breakers. Click here for some of his best tips for not ending up with a money pit.
adamsmithinspectsphilly.com.Mr. Tubs Plumbing & Heating
Owner Matt Leach has been a plumber for nearly two decades, which means he’s seen some … stuff. This wealth of experience makes him good at helping with your usual plumbing needs, of course, from fixing a leaky pipe to diagnosing the comically low water pressure in your shower. But when there’s an especially tricky problem, like when new plumbing was shoddily retrofitted into an old Philly home and needs to be reinstalled, he’s adept at coming up with creative, sound solutions. 225 Old Soldiers Road, Cheltenham, PA 19012, .
Porcos
When you’re in the middle of a deadly global pandemic, the ideal restaurant experience is one that involves the least amount of actual human contact. Which is why Porcos — a literal hole in a wall out of which come some of the city’s best porchetta sandwiches — is the perfect vision of our restaurant scene’s current moment. This takeaway window on Washington Avenue (which shares space and a menu with Small Oven Pastry Shop) was up and running before the virus hit, but present circumstances have made it invaluable. 2204 Washington Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19146, smallovenpastryshop.com.
Quail Store
This upscale boutique, showcasing a highly curated selection of pieces that inspire reflection and calm by both local artists and global makers, promises pretty things only. We’re particularly awestruck by the Louis XV pitcher by Carron, a gleaming white vessel with a dramatic handle and bow detail, handmade in the south of France with black terracotta clay. 1218 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107, shopquailstore.com.
KingsHaven
This delightfully colorful showroom boasts custom lighting and handcrafted furnishings, but it’s the smattering of home accessories, like shapely black-and-white baskets woven in Panama, textured throw pillows, and oils done by local artists, that will take you by surprise. 10 West Lancaster Avenue, Paoli, PA 19301, kingshaven.com.
Philadelphia Community Corps
Instead of filling a dumpster with all your demo refuse, hire this nonprofit org to help you “deconstruct.” They’ll identify any building materials that can be reused by others — and help you get a tax break while they’re at it. philadelphiacommunitycorps.org.
Lostine
Lostine takes mundane tools — brooms, dust pans — and makes them deserving of prominent display. But it's the East Falls company's kitchen accessories that are the most eye-catching: sleek wood rolling pins, pepper mills, cutting boards, leather-handled trays and marble prep tables. lostine.com.
Felt + Fat
Port Richmond's Felt + Fat is turning out ceramic plates, bowls, trays, cups and mugs that are pretty enough to be art, fancy enough to earn nods from Vogue, and cool enough to catch the eye of top chefs who use them at their restaurants. (See them at Fork, Laurel and High Street on Market.) Philadelphia, PA feltandfat.com.
Ever After Pets
Most funeral homes deal with, you know, humans. But Delco’s Lombardo Funeral Home will take good care of your furry loved one via its Ever After Pets subsidiary. It offers a convenient and highly respectful pickup service from your home or vet and will then return your pet’s ashes in a customizable urn a few days later, along with a plaster casting of its paw print. (Unlike most funeral homes, Lombardo’s boasts an on-site crematory.) Prices start at $275 for a private cremation in which only your pet will be present in the cremation chamber. 33 Baltimore Pike, Clifton Heights, PA 19018, lombardofuneralhomes.com.
Steph Trowbridge
First we loved the South Jersey ceramist and woodworker’s hand-shaped wine stoppers. Then it was her deviled-eggs platter. Now it’s her line of four ceramic vessels covered in alpaca fibers (those bowls!) sourced from the fleece of animals on local interior designer Barette Widell’s farm. Trowbridge has a way of adding whimsy to all the things we need at home — and those we don’t. stephtrowbridgeshop.com.
Lostine
Since 2011, East Falls-based Lostine has risen up the ranks thanks to pieces like their newly released Elsa lighting system, which lets you choose from metal frameworks (an organic cluster, or something linear?) and pendants (we’re drawn to the leather-wrapped ones) for a room-crowning configuration. lostine.com.
Kevin O'Brien Studio and Parisa Rugs & Decor
While Kevin O’Brien Studio and Parisa Rugs & Décor aren’t producing a shared collection just yet (fingers crossed), these interior-design powerhouses known for their luxurious handmade textiles are now sharing a 3,000-square-foot showroom. The street-level first floor is stocked with Parisa’s notable assortment of rugs and arguably the city’s best collection of quirky-chic objects. On the lower level, KOB has bedding, throws, and one-of-a-kind velvet kimonos. 33 North 3rd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106, kevinobrienstudio.com.