Bright Common
Architect Jeremy Avellino will use “passive house” technology to yield aggressive savings on energy bills — a recent retrofit saved up to 85 percent — without sacrificing comfort, in part by sealing your home so it’s as airtight and insulated as a refrigerator. brightcommon.com.
Ssssnake Blanket by Jarmel Reitz
Say goodbye to cold, stark spaces and start layering your room with warmth and fun. Deck out your couch or bed with an extra-colorful throw blanket by local artist Jarmel Reitz. Your space will look ssspectacular. Jarmelbyjarmel.com.
Janet Bernstein at The Organizing Professionals
It takes a cultured Brit to whip us lazy Americans into order -- and that's what makes expat Janet Bernstein so good at her job. The Penn grad credits a decade of worldwide travel for honing her methods of helping you pare down, clean up and let go. There's a free one-hour consultation if you live within 25 miles of Wayne. theorganizingprofessionals.com.
Occasionette
Sara Selepouchins brand-new shop has all those handcrafted party goods (charming banners, stripy paper straws) that make any party look pulled-together. Her great gift-y items like pretty greeting cards and housewares (napkins, dishtowels, totes, etc.), which feature her own darling illustrations, are only a bonus. 1825 East Passyunk Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19148, occasionette.com.
Baked Sunless Tanning
They confirm your appointments by email, mix your perfect (read: non-orange and organic) shade, and give detailed maintenance instructions. Prefer to get naked at home? Their mobile service comes to you. In-store spray tans start at $35; at-home treatments start at $55. 815 South 4th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147, bakedtanning.com.
O’Neill Masonry
Specialist Jimmy O’Neill knows that masonry is both an art and a science. He’ll cure what ails your crumbling mortar and can handle brick, stucco and concrete, too. Services Philadelphia and its Pennsylvania suburbs. oneillmasons.com.
The Closet Works Inc.
Lazy Susans, corner pie shelves, slide-out linen drawers … the pros at this Montgomeryville outfit use every trick in the book to get you the most space for your sundries, and they’ll top ’em off with whimsical door and drawer hardware. Services Greater Philadelphia. Closetworksinc.com/pantry-design.
The Organizing Professionals
Janet Bernstein and her team will remove the clutter from your closets and cupboards—and let you fool the world into thinking you are, in fact, a Type A person. Keep reading here. theorganizingprofessionals.com.
Tailored Transitions
Owner Starr Osborne wrote the book on staging. Literally it's called Home Staging That Works: Sell Your Home in Less Time for More Money. And she will. 1100 East Mermaid Lane, Unit 101, Wyndmoor, PA 19038, tailoredtransitions.com.
Preservation Fine Goods
We’ll admit: Not everything in this sparsely furnished shop is the most practical. (Really, who needs an artisanal dinner bell?) But its tabletop goods are so refined, so unassumingly cool, we can’t leave without an heirloom-quality cheeseboard or a gilded candlestick. 9 Church Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530, preservationfinegoods.com.
Parisa Rugs and Décor
While Parisa Abdollahi's Old City showroom is an absolute treat, filled with new and antique rugs and quirky trinkets for the home, the real treasure is her Manayunk warehouse, which houses roughly 3,000 rare Persian rugs — a museum-quality collection, started by her father 34 years ago, that clients can shop by appointment. 33 North 3rd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106, parisarugs.com.
Shoppe Marché
Deanna Johnson threw out the rule book when she opened her Kennett Square spot. She filled the place with a bunch of random things she likes — original oil paintings, linen tunics, handcrafted cocktail bitters, leather throw pillows … and that’s really just the beginning. It’s all slightly French, slightly bohemian, slightly eccentric and slightly familiar. 123 East State Street, Kennett Square, PA 19348, shoppemarche.com.
Peco Energy
Yes, you read that right. For a modest fee, their experts will examine your at-home energy use, recommend ways you can reduce it, and even toss in free LED lights. If your income falls below their thresholds, you can get your checkup for free. peco.com/WaysToSave/ForYourHome/Pages/Assessment.aspx.
Casa del Gatto Door Knockers
Nothing says “Welcome to my idiosyncratic house of delights” like a bronze door knocker shaped like a cat or mouse. Casa del Gatto’s additions to the genre of quirky door decor will lend your entryway the personality you didn’t know it was missing. etsy.com/shop/casadelgatto.
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.