Dan Hornby, the founder of Elm Real Estate and Design, specializes in historic renovations, urban infill development, and new construction, with a strong focus on urban revitalization. One of our most recent projects, the exterior rehab of a home on 253 Broadway, really brought home for me the value of working with small businesses—particularly long-standing local companies like Adler’s Design Center & Hardware.

Why Small Businesses Matter in Historic Renovations
The 253 Broadway home was an exterior rehab that required a significant amount of work—stripping down the house, scraping the exterior, priming, and painting. This was not a project for a quick fix. It required thoughtful attention to detail, a deep understanding of the materials, and the expertise to ensure the paint job wasn’t just about aesthetics but about longevity and preserving the history of the home.

For this project, we partnered with Adler’s, a local hardware and design center company, that has been around for over a century. The importance of working with a business that has stood the test of time cannot be overstated, especially when you’re dealing with historic homes. There’s something special about knowing the products you’re using come from a company with decades of knowledge, experience, and commitment to quality.

Crafting the Perfect Color
One of the key moments of this project was selecting the perfect paint color for the home. As we walked through the process, I met with Cristine, a color consultant at Adler’s, and we quickly found ourselves sifting through 10 to 15 different swatches within just half an hour. It was a fun and collaborative process, but it also highlighted something truly important about the value of working with a small business—personalized service and expert guidance.

Cristine didn’t just hand us a color choice; she worked with us, offered suggestions, and ultimately helped us blend two colors to create something completely unique for the home. It’s not often you get the opportunity to create a custom color, one that doesn’t exist in any catalog, but that’s the beauty of working with a local business that’s invested in the success of your project. Their expertise and willingness to collaborate set them apart from bigger, impersonal corporations.

The time we spent crafting the perfect shade was an investment in quality. As anyone who’s done a renovation knows, the smallest details—like paint color—can make a huge difference. When you’re working with a company like Adler’s, that takes the time to get it right and ensure the outcome is exactly what you envisioned, it feels more like a partnership than just a transaction.

A Long-Standing Business With a History of Trust
Adler’s has been in business for over 100 years, and that longevity speaks volumes about the quality of its products and services. Their commitment to customer satisfaction and expert advice isn’t just a sales pitch—it’s built on decades of trust with the community. When you work with a company like Adler’s, you’re not just buying paint; you’re investing in a relationship with a business that has seen the city evolve, watched neighborhoods transform, and helped maintain the character of historic homes for generations.

That connection between a business and its community is something that’s often lost when we go to larger, national retailers. In those situations, you’re just another customer in line. But with small businesses, you get access to a wealth of knowledge and experience. In Adler’s case, that expertise was critical in selecting the right materials to ensure the paint would not only look beautiful but would also withstand the test of time.

Celebrating Local Business and History
Working with a company like Adler’s is also a way to celebrate the rich history of both local businesses and the homes we work on. Many of the homes we renovate at Elm Real Estate and Design are historic properties, some of which are almost 200 years old. The idea of sourcing materials from a local company that has been around for over a century is meaningful—it’s a nod to the importance of preserving both the original housing stock of the area and the small businesses that have helped shape its character.

When I step back and think about the 253 Broadway project, it’s not just the restoration of a home—it’s the restoration of a piece of history. We’re not only working to preserve the integrity of the house itself, but we’re also contributing to a larger story of local history and community. The collaboration between our company and Adler’s is a perfect example of how small businesses play an essential role in the fabric of our neighborhoods, adding value not just through products or services, but through their knowledge, commitment, and long-term relationships with the people they serve.

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