Posted By: Cathy Johnson, July 2, 2009 in
The Choose Your Home Giveaway Sweepstakes has officially closed...
The winner will be announced in the coming weeks!
We received thousands of entries and are anxiously awaiting to find out the lucky winner and the winning community. The winner, along with their home, will be on the pages of Southern Living in a fall 2009 issue. We can't wait to meet you!
In the meantime, don't forget you can still visit the communities and tour the houses. Tour dates and hours are posted below.
Thank you so much for following our coverage and entering to win!
As always, look for more great ideas at Southern Living and Myhomeideas.com
TOUR DATES and HOURS
Callaway Gardens, GA
Dates: May 7-September 7
Days: Open 7 days
Hours: 10-5 daily
Admission: $5 (will be donated to the Ida Cason Callaway Foundation)
Habersham, SC
Dates: May 16-Oct
Days:Daily except Tuesdays
Hours: 10-6 weekdays/11-6 Sunday
Admission: $5
Whipser Mountain, NC
Dates: May-Sept
Days: Wednesday-Sunday 11-5/1-5 Sun
Admission: $5 (will be donated to the Conservation Trust for NC)
Traditions, TX
Dates: May 2-Aug 31
Days: Thursday-Sunday Th 10-6, Fr/Sa 10-7, Sun 1-5
Admission: $5
Posted By: Cathy Johnson, June 29, 2009 in
June 30th is the last day to enter!Check out the fabulous giveaway houses at My Home Ideas and Southern Living.Better yet - you can still check them out in person!Make your getaway this July 4! Tour the homes and visit the communities. There will be plenty of fun-filled festivities for all.SCROLL DOWN FOR TOUR DATES AND HOURS.Above: Habersham, South Carolina
Above: Callaway Gardens Beach Celebration
For music, fireworks, and a Texas celebration, click HERE.
Want to see the show from a mountain top? For Events in Asheville, click HERE.
TOUR DATES
Callaway Gardens, GA
Dates: May 7-September 7
Days: Open 7 days
Hours: 10-5 daily
Admission: $5 (will be donated to the Ida Cason Callaway Foundation)
Habersham, SC
Dates: May 16-Oct
Days:Daily except Tuesdays
Hours: 10-6 weekdays/11-6 Sunday
Admission: $5
Whipser Mountain, NC
Dates: May-Sept
Days: Wednesday-Sunday 11-5/1-5 Sun
Admission: $5 (will be donated to the Conservation Trust for NC)
Traditions, TX
Dates: May 2-Aug 31
Days: Thursday-Sunday Th 10-6, Fr/Sa 10-7, Sun 1-5
Admission: $5
ENJOY YOUR WEEKEND.
HAPPY JULY 4!
And GOOD LUCK with the sweepstakes!
Posted By: Cathy Johnson, June 26, 2009 in
Only 5 Days Left!!!
Don't forget to enter for your DREAM getaway!
The countdown is on! The sweepstakes closes June 30th.
Still not sure which house suits you? Visit MyHomeIdeas and Southern Living
for a full tour of the communities and houses. Keep those entries coming!
Enter Twice a Day - Everyday!
Posted By: Cathy Johnson, June 19, 2009 in
Getting to Know You!
Meet Barbara Yergens
Sugarberry Cottage, Habersham, South Carolina
Now that you’ve toured Sugarberry Cottage in Habersham, South Carolina, we thought we’d share the interior designer’s insights on great design.
Here are Barbara Yergens's tips for creating your own welcoming interiors:
Share Spaces
"Combining spaces is the epitome of economical design," Barbara says. Instead of designating a space to a seldom used dining room or formal living area, Barbara suggests putting them both together in a family space that can be enjoyed by everyone. "Nothing is more important than sharing spaces on a daily basis with your family," Barbara says.
Starting Point
Every designer has a starting point. Barbara's choice is fabrics. "Everything, including furniture finishes, evolves from there," she says.
In the Kitchen
Barbara likes mixing finishes in the kitchen. For countertops she prefers granite. And cabinets are a mix of wood and hand-rubbed, painted finishes. She leaves wood floors bare for their beauty and easy cleaning (no rugs to shake out!)
Accept The Things You Can't Change
Televisions are a part of today's culture, says Barbara. "You can do your best to conceal them, but its just not practical." For some disguise, she suggests recessing them in a bookcase and surrounding them with favorite novels and family photographs.
Display Personal Treasures
Whether it's art, family pictures, or seashells from the beach, personal treasures are the things that make a house a home.
Where to Splurge?
Invest in the bones, says Barbara. Spend your budget on bigger furniture items and quality fabrics. Think about the things that will last and create structure in your interiors.
Where to Save?
Secondary spaces such as guest bedrooms and baths come second to the main living spaces, Barbara says. Spend on the places where you live everyday.
Posted By: Cathy Johnson, June 17, 2009 in
Getting to Know You!
Meet Steve Chambliss,
Whisper Creek Cottage, Asheville, North Carolina
Now that you’ve seen the houses, we thought we’d share the interior designer’s insights on great design and how they make it happen. Though all of them forgo trends, they each have their own ideas and points of inspiration for making a house a home. Take their tips for your own projects. And if you enter to win, you might just find yourself living in one of their inviting creations.
Don’t forget! The sweepstakes ends June 30! CLICK HERE TO ENTER
Here are Steve's tips for creating a great looking interior:
• Find Inspiration
Look to established designers for guidance. Steve finds inspiration in Ralph Lauren's classic and tailored looks—whether in his fashion or home designs. "One of my favorite Ralph Lauren pieces is a jacket that I got when I was 18-years old. It looks just as good today as the day I got it. One day I was wearing it and a client asked me to use the jacket color in their home."
• Mix it up
"I love mixing textures, deep colors, and elements from different centuries," Steve says. "It gives rooms timeless appeal." In the Whisper Creek cottage, Steve mixes custom new and antique oil paintings, new and antique furnishings and accessories for a gathered over time look.
• Wide Open Spaces
Planning for family gatherings is important says Steve. "I try to create comfortable, open spaces for people to gather." The Whisper Creek cottage offers an adjacent living room and kitchen beneath a soaring vaulted ceiling. The dining room is accessible by a large opening so people are always in proximity—especially important in a vacation home.
• Pull Double Duty
In a small home, Steve prefers versatile furnishings such as a dining room table that can double as a game table, coffee tables that can easily convert to the "kid's table," and swivel chairs that turn easily to jump in on a conversation.
• Embrace Technology
Televisons, video games, and computers are a major part of our daily lives. Steve suggests embracing these everyday electronics by putting them in accessible places in an elegant way. "I always make sure the electrical layout is compatible for the high-tech family," Steve says. "I know some designers find electronics intrusive, but we are a media generation in a media world. With televisions getting thinner, there are many ways to add them to your decor in an unobtrusive way Steve says. He suggests concealing them with thin cabinets, hiding them behind artwork, or suspending them from the ceiling.
• Set The Mood
Lighting needs vary for different activities such as watching television or having dinner says Steve. "I like to use directional lighting as well as dimmer switches to cover all the bases."
• Go For Color
"I think a lot of people feel safer with beige or white walls, but color is a guaranteed way to spice up an interior and add drama," says Steve.
• Leave a Light Footprint
"The world has moved to green design. We have all become very conscience of the environment," Steve says. When building or renovating, Steve suggests seeking out recycled materials, reclaimed wood, and antique or vintage furniture. The Whisper Creek cottage embraces Green and sustainable design with its tin roof—pulled from an old barn; poplar bark siding and locust posts—harvested from felled trees on site. Hardie Plank, a fiber-cement composite, offers durability with no detriment to forests.
• Where to Splurge?
"One of the greatest mistakes a homeowner can make is to try to do too much on a limited budget," Steve says. "It is always better to buy quality not quantity. If you do something right the first time, it will cost you less on repairs or upgrades in the long run."
• Where to Save?
Buy off the rack. Create your own custom looks by mixing and matching store-bought items such as draperies and bedding.
Posted By: Cathy Johnson, June 15, 2009 in
Getting to Know You!
Meet Patche Pratt, Traditions Club, Bryan, Texas
Now that you’ve seen the houses, we thought we’d share the interior designer’s insights on great design and how they make it happen. Though all of them forgo trends, they each have their own ideas and points of inspiration for making a house a home. Take their tips for your own projects. And if you enter to win, you might just find yourself living in one of their inviting creations.
Don’t forget! The sweepstakes ends June 30! CLICK HERE TO ENTER
Here are Patche's tips for creating a great interior:
• Break it Up
Even when you have an open seating area, it's important to create intimate areas. Patche suggests breaking up a grand living room with two distinct areas—such as the living area and dining table in the Texas Casita.
• Let furniture define your design
In the living area, Patche uses a console table behind the sofa to delineate the living and dining areas.
• Use appropriate architectural scale
The right size mouldings, window and door casings, and ceiling beams are so important to the overall design says Patche. Don't use flimsy design in a big space.
• Hand pick your finishes
Patche prefers exotic granite (picking your own slab is a MUST she says), stained or painted wood cabinetry, and wide plank floors stained or finished to complement the design.
• Try to think green
Look to products and accessories that not only meet environmental standards, but look the part.
• Give in to the television
"Televisions have become a focal point of the great room so it's no longer necessary to find that perfect piece of artwork," Patche says. Using the television as a decorative element, she likes to contrast the sleek electronics with a contrasting material such as the stacked stone on the Casita fireplace.
• Curb Appeal
Invest in a great-looking front door and hardware. It's the first impression every home makes.
• Where to Splurge:
Do it right the first time. You do get what you pay for Patche says. And you'll be happier in the long run.
• Where to Save:
Pick quality always. But when it comes to materials, savings are to be had. Patche uses the example of hardwood floors. A smaller plank of the same hardwood can be less than half the price of a wider plank, Patche says. You can still have the hardwood floors—and the kind of wood you want—but make it happen at lesser price.
Posted By: Cathy Johnson, June 11, 2009 in
Getting to Know You!
Now that you’ve seen the houses, we thought we’d share the interior designer’s insights on great design and how they make it happen. Though all of them forgo trends, they each have their own ideas and points of inspiration for making a house a home. Take their tips for your own projects. And if you enter to win, you might just find yourself living in one of their inviting creations. Don’t forget to enter! The sweepstakes ends June 30!
Meet Elizabeth Spangler
the designer for our Carolina Jessamine Cottage
in Camp Callaway at Callaway Gardens
Design came naturally to Elizabeth. When she was a child, she painted her mom’s radiator the colors of a crayola box and built mini-houses in her backyard out of sticks and rocks. Her professional creations came about after receiving her BA in Interior Design from the University of Georgia. Inspired by greats such as David Hicks, Tricia Guild, and Andre Putman, she puts her own spin on design. Here are her tips for getting a great look:
Start with the bones...
Look to architectural details and styles for inspiration.
If a project is already underway, Elizabeth uses these clues to guide her
decisions for fabrics, furniture, and paint colors.
Keep your color palette consistent...
Especially important in large spaces, a
harmonious scheme maintains flow.
A signature kitchen...
Elizabeth prefers honed granite countertops, painted cabinets (oh that green!) and natural stone or glass tile backsplashes.
Sense your surroundings...
“I try to be conscious of natural materials and use local supplies to keep things Green,” Elizabeth says. Similarly, a design should reflect its environment.
Oh the television...
Hide it when you can, says Elizabeth. But if it has to be on
display, do it in a unique way. In the Callaway Gardens house, it
practically becomes a piece of art when placed on an art easel.
Surround yourself with the things you love...
A home should always reflect what makes
you happy.
Favorite splurge?
The architectural details. Always. These are permanent things that
aren’t easy to change. A paint color or throw pillow is a much easier
exchange.
Ways to save…
Children’s bedrooms, basements, and rec rooms. Transitional
spaces will grow as children do. If you have to leave anything a little
undone, this is the place.
Posted By: Cathy Johnson, June 1, 2009 in
The entries are flooding in - online and in the mailbox!
We've received thousands of entries but it's NOT TOO LATE!
The sweepstakes are open for 29 more days.
That means you can still ENTER TO WIN - Everyday. Twice a day.
Don't forget to visit myhomeideas.com and southernliving.com to enter.
Or just CLICK HERE! and HERE!
Posted By: Cathy Johnson, May 21, 2009 in
Habersham is excited about the opening of Sugarberry Cottage
so much that they are hosting a kickoff party at the cottage this weekend.
and get your tickets for the private dinner.
Not only is Habersham celebrating the giveaway house, they are celebrating Playhouse Palooza and auctioning off the darling playhouses that are scattered about the community.(proceeds benefit the Riverview Charter School)
Check out these tiny backyard getaways.
Even if you don't make it to the supper, it's worth a drive around Habersham
to check out these artistic jewels.Enjoy!
A miniature of the classic Airstream, Trailer Works builds and renovates existing trailers.
The Pirate Ship: Designed and built by Marc Hayward of Watermark Coastal Homes.
Backyard Broadway. It's a stage on one side and puppet theatre on the other.
Little Red Schoolhouse. There's even a swingset beside it!
Posted By: Cathy Johnson, May 16, 2009 in
The houses are photographed and should be posted on myhomeideas.com this week!Here's a sneak peak of Whisper Mountain—the getaway retreat just outside of Asheville.Check out a few of my favorite details - and don't forget to enter to win.
How great is this bedroom? I love the formality mixed with the rustic, woodsy materials.I fell in love with the custom hardware and tray ceiling. The rough-hewn poplar bark is the same wood used on the front of the house.Here it is! The perfect mountain cabin. Can you believe this is a modular home?Built by Haven Homes, the house was deliver by a truck and set on its foundation. Notice all the great finishing details and custom craftsmanship: the Locust supports, the poplar bark,the great-looking fence, and stacked stone fireplace.
A peak inside: Interior Designer Steven Chambliss of says "This is the dogthat should live in this house. Better start Golden Retriever shopping! "He used this, along withother original oils to give the cabin upscale flavor. Be sure to stop by his store,Pheasant Hill Design, in Waynesville, NC when you tour the house.The mantel is made from salvaged barn wood - the "W" from Rhododendron branches.
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