King Solomon once said, “Without a vision, the people parish”. In these days of tough economic times you can certainly see this happening all around us. But…not true at Lifestyle Builders. My name is Priscilla George and I am a freelance Interior designer and decorator working for Lifestyle Builders on their 2010 Homearama house at Patriots landing, New Kent, Virginia. It is my life’s passion to be a visionary for my clients and see in the rooms of their lovely homes something fresh and new and inviting. I am pleased to say working with the men and women of Lifestyle has been a dream come true for my passion of interior decoration and merchandising. These men and women know how to make a vision a reality and that is just what we did as a team with the homearama house 2010. In the days leading up to the final judging of the houses I felt like I should have just packed an overnight bag and lived at the house as I spent many long days and late nights at the home I have dubbed “my baby”. You labor so hard in the months before hand that you are anxious with anticipation over the final outcome to be perfect in every way…i.e: all the fingers and toes in there right numbers and places. Or as I came to see in my vision…all the accessories, window treatments and lighting in the right numbers and places. Finally, the labor was over and as I texted to my employers Lloyd and Kevin,” the project is complete gentlemen…we are in it to win it!” On the evening of the award ceremony I was more nervous than I think I have ever been in my life as the competition was very tough. Sincerely, I can say there was nothing but pure joy in my heart when they called our house for the Gold…in Interior Merchandising, Most creative and Best Kitchen. The man taking the pictures of the winners had to ask me to stand still so he could get the best shot. If I am perfectly honest I am still on cloud nine. This has been one of the pinnacles of my life’s work as a decorator and designer and the best part has been not the winning for myself, but winning for one amazing team of men and women. Lifestyle builders and developers is run with integrity, excellence, honesty and by people with a vision. I am privileged to have been asked to be a part.
From the inception, the Homearama event in Patriot’s Landing was intended to “showcase the latest in interior decorating ideas, trends, and innovations in new homes for the next decade.” One of the major trends in new construction today is “green building” and every home built for the Homearama show is certified to a green standard by a third party.
Our home, “Young at Heart”, has been certified to comply with the Energy Star standard. This certification offers assurances to the future owner of the home that they will experience incredible energy efficiency. The energy savings in the home come from a variety of sources, including the Trane HVAC system, M/I Low-E windows, Energy Star rated appliances, CFL light bulbs, Rudd Tankless water heater, Heatilator IntelliFire gas fireplace, conditioned crawl space and LINKS system controls on the thermostats.
In addition to these energy saving techniques and devices, you will find a number of other “green” features. The Shaw carpeting is made from Type 6 nylon , which allows for 100% cradle to cradle reuse of the product. The Duron paints feature Low-VOC emissions, which help improve the indoor air quality. The unique Taexx Pest Defense system allows for the use of pesticides within the walls of the home, in lieu of topical applications inside of the house, which again improves the air quality and safety of day to day living. You will find a recycling center for glass, paper and plastic products conveniently integrated into the Drop Zone in the garage. Finally, a rain barrel has been utilized to capture storm water from the roof and reuse it for watering shrubs and planting areas in the yard.
The Homearama event, held in Patriots Landing, runs September 18 – October 3, 2010, open to the public daily from 12-9 pm, gates close at 7 pm sharp. $10 Cash Admission Fee, Children 12 & under free. Come on out and visit us at the “Young at Heart” home we have built for this show!
Several years ago we saw consumers of all ages beginning to give up the formal living room. For some, it morphed into a study; others opened it up to the first floor bedroom and used it as a private sitting room for the owner’s suite. The first time buyer omitted it entirely from the floor plan in favor of saving money and the move up buyer moved the square footage into a fourth or fifth bedroom to serve a growing family.
What about the formal dining room? Is it going the way of the formal living room? The answer depends on what buyer demographic you ask. For example, many of the first time buyers in the Gen Y group have opted for no formal dining space whatsoever. Instead, they have chosen to have a larger great room with a generous informal dining space occurring at the kitchen. Baby Boomers, moving down in size, usually keep the formal dining room to accommodate holiday dinners with the extended family. In smaller condominiums targeted at first time buyers, a breakfast bar in the kitchen may be all the floor plan can accommodate.
Usually the area designated for formal dining is in the front part of the house just off the foyer but not always so. In Florida, for example, single level plans tend to be more open and informal. In their case, the single dining area is completely open to the kitchen, great room, and sun room and have few, if any, walls separating the spaces. Many of the Federal and Colonial house built in the Northeast have both the formal living and dining rooms off the Great Foyer in the front of the home.
Perhaps formal dining rooms have more “staying power” today because they represent more than just a place to eat. For many of us, there is an emotional component attached because this is the room we use to entertain family and friends. We make fond memories on Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Birthdays by celebrating them around food served in this room designated for such “special” occasions. Dining rooms help us commemorate the present and have a way of fondly anchoring us to our past.
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