urban dweller profile: bonnie, brandon and evan

My clients Bonnie and Brandon, along with their two year old son, Evan, wanted to live and work in the city. I helped them find a foreclosed home in Canton that they couldn’t pass up. The house was in great condition but was missing all of the fixtures, appliances, air conditioning, the bathroom sink, etc. They have now owned their home for over a year and have since exposed the brick in the kitchen, added appliances, and made it their own little haven.

I asked Bonnie some questions about city life and how she uses space in her home efficiently because — as we know — city row homes can be a tad small and not have much storage space.

What made you decide to buy a home in Canton?
I knew I wanted to live in the city due to the short proximity to Brandon’s work & easy access to entertainment and shops. We picked the location because of the school district. Plus, if you want honesty, I hate to drive and it’s nice that I have everything I need all around me.

What is your favorite room in your home and why?
Honestly, it’s a toss up between our kitchen & our bedroom. The kitchen because it’s the one room we have made completely ours; we still need to paint and add a back splash, but we are proud of how far it’s come. The bedroom because we spend a lot of mornings together in bed with our son; we hang out and chat without all of life’s distractions.

How have you maximized your space?
It’s a constant work in progress. The main thing we have done is put built-in storage shelving in our basement. We have purchased fun hampers and baskets to hide all the cars and toys. We turned our spare room into a play room to hold the bulk of Evan’s toys. We spend a lot of time in there listening to music and playing with his cars.

What future projects are you working on to maximize your living space?
Right now, since it’s gardening season and we don’t have a lot of backyard space, we have started an herb garden which will be transferred into a pallet and hang on our kitchen wall. We would also like to make one with flowers to hang on our back fence as to not take up any precious back yard space.

What things do you enjoy doing with your family in the city?
We love the ability to walk where we want. We used to love all the outside restaurants we could go to, but sadly, with the terrible 2s, that’s a thing of the past. We take our son to see the ducks next to Captain James on our way to Thames Street Park a few times a week. Also, it’s nice on nights that Brandon is working that he’s only 10 minutes away and I can take Evan to see Daddy and the fire trucks.

Want to be featured in Heather’s column? Email her at  heather@stylehouserealty.com.

Author Description

heather, chris cooke realty

Heather is a realtor at Re/Max Sails The Chris Cooke Team -- the perfect place to blend together her ideas of design along with the needs of her clients. She has a background in finance and previously worked as a mortgage lender and accountant for Erickson Retirement Communities. Her passion is reflected in her sincere approach to working relationships, her commitment to her job and her optimism reaching her clients goals . Heather is a native to Baltimore currently residing in Patterson Park where she is extremely active in the community.