great design ideas for mobile, manufactured, and model homes
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XTreme Model Home Challenge
Jun 5th
I love a challenge, but when I got a call this week from Champion Homes of Texas I may have gotten one that is even more than I can take on.
They are introducing their new XTREME Home Value Series, and they are so excited about it they didn’t want to wait for the normal time it takes to put together a home show to introduce it to their buyers – they decided since these are factory built homes and they could get them built in a week, they would have a home show in a week! This means putting together 4 furnished model homes with Xtremely tight budgets in 7 days.
Can Lifestylist Design Inc. get this done? Check back in a week or so and find out how we did!
Counting the Days Until Savor Dallas
May 24th
I was looking thru some of my photographs the other day trying yet again to organize them and came across the amazing photos that Lisa Stewart Photography shot during the 5 years of Savor Dallas. It is such a fun event, and I swear I go into Savor withdrawal during the 51 weeks until the event.
Jim and Vicki White do such an amazing job orchestrating the event and bring some of the finest wine and spirit makers and restaurants to Dallas. The education that I get every year is amazing and it gives me a year’s worth of new wines and restaurants to try out until the next event. Plus the Savor Dallas website features tasting notes that are a tremendous resource that can be used year round.
The Whites also believe in giving back and supporting our community. HomeAid is a very special group that is very close to my heart – I’m involved in the chapter that is part of the Dallas Home Builders Association. HomeAid raises money and support to help build housing for abused children and families – it would be a dream if this type of housing wasn’t needed, but unfortunately it seems we can’t build housing fast enough to help this escalating part of our population. When I asked Jim if Savor Dallas could donate an auction item for our upcoming event he didn’t even hesitate but immediately offered whatever we needed. I know bidding is going to be fierce on this item, and if you would like to try and outbid the others on this item, please contact me and I’d be happy to add your bid.
Please also take a look at the Savor Dallas website and help me to thank Jim and Vicki for all that they do. And also be sure to mark the dates for Savor Dallas 2010 on your calendar – we’ll see you there!
Landscaping Good Enough to Eat
May 23rd
With grocery costs going thru the roof and concerns about the safety of the food that is available, this is the perfect time to think about incorporating edible plants into your landscaping.
I’ve had great luck with basil in my gardens, and when discussing with the lead gardener at Gaylord Texan what would be good choices for this years plantings she recommended going with plants that do well in my soil and light which amazingly enough are tomatoes, basil and mint. Even in my shady areas the mint seems to be happy as can be and is a welcome addition in my infamous Texas Tea and Mojitos.
Basil actually is beautiful when it blooms, and I’ve been known to give people bouquets of my blooming basil which are as fragrant as they are pretty.
My tomato plants get to be the size of a typical bush, and even the ones that don’t produce very good tomatoes contribute a great splash of green. Rosemary is another great addition that takes a while to get started, but gives green and scent all year long in my climate.
Recession Proof Design
Nov 1st
Last week I was in Rochester, NY for the annual ABC Sale that benefits the Ronald McDonald House. We may be in a recession, but there are still plenty of people out there that know how to be smart shoppers and don’t mind standing in line for a great deal.
This sale is the one that I had used merchandise from to merchandise my Homearama House 2008 for @Home Builders, so I was anxious to go back and see what goodies I might be able to find that I could use in my own home and models.
When they told me how big the sale was I was a little skeptical, but it lived up to every expectation and then some. And what amazing finds! The Homearama House featured a bookcase that was merchandised with vintage Kodak cameras from an Estate that was donated, and the rest of this collection was offered at the sale. I think these ended up being some of the most popular items in the sale, and when they opened the doors people literally ran to the area where the cameras were displayed and started grabbing. I was able to get a few, but some people were faster than I was.
Check out your local thrift shops, estate sales and church tag sales – you’ll be amazed at what great personality pieces are out there that can add a special touch to your design and allow you to still have some money left in the bank!
Tip #12: Vacation at Home
Jul 4th
With gas prices what they are, why not invest your vacation dollars into your own backyard? Prices have dropped on many items that can make your own home into a resort, and it’s a vacation your family can then enjoy all year long.
This home features a spectacular indoor / outdoor fireplace that is beautiful as well as functional. By screening in the porch area and using pavers for the flooring this will end up being one of the most used rooms in the house. The furniture was a vintage set that was taken to an auto body company and painted using auto paint. The result is one that will last for years and is very cost-effective. To tie into current color trends we went to Pier1 Imports and found some great colorful cushions and an outdoor area rug to complete the look.
Manufactured Housing is also tapping into the outdoor living trend, and Patriot Homes now offers some new models that come complete with outdoor areas that are ready to go as soon as the homes are delivered. Patriot Homes of Alabama showcased two homes at the Tunica show this year – one with a screened porch area that was large enough to house a bar and seating area, and another with a built-in sink and prep area, covered porch and optional grill. This area could have an additional deck area added on-site, but as offered there is lots of room for even the largest parties.
When considering an outdoor oasis of your own, keep in mind the following considerations:
*Utilities: Be sure that you have adequate water, electrical and gas if you’ll need it for your new area. If this is something you’ll have to add it can really drive up the costs.
*Screening: If you are in an area that tends to have lots of bugs you may want to think about screening in your new area to make it more comfortable all year long.
*Size Matters: Be sure when you are planing your space that there is room for whatever seating you plan on using as well as room to walk around. One of the mistakes I see the most is porches that aren’t wide enough when you add traditional seating.
Sadly traveling especially flying is no longer the enjoyable experience it used to be, so relieve the stress and enjoy your own back yard.
Life is Like a Box of Chocolates
Mar 26th
Life is like a box of chocolates -you just never know what you’ll find in the middle. If you would have told me 10 years ago that I would be “decorating trailers” I would have called you a liar. But here I am in Hershey, Pennsylvania working on some homes for a manufactured housing show and I can’t think of anything I’d rather be doing.
Why manufactured housing instead of traditional built homes? Manufactured / PreFab/ Modular/ FactoryBuilt homes are cool! In this crazy semi-homemade world where we’ve been told it’s OK to take shortcuts, it’s nice to see homes built the way they should be built – with attention to detail, engineered, and built to suit the customers lifestyle.
Where will I go from here? I’m looking forward to seeing this type of building grow into its potential, and being able to be a part of the success.
Relationship Selling
Sep 24th
I’m published! Check out this month’s issue of Modern Homes to read about a different way to approach the sales process that I call Relationship Selling.
When we are working with prospective home buyers (and when home buyers are looking for a prospective builder to buy from) it’s important to keep in mind that we will be tied to the other party for a much longer time than just the sales process. Builders should be committed to creating a positive experience for the buyer so they will be rewarded with referrals and possibly the purchase of the move-up home, and buyers need to be comfortable with the fact that the builder and the team that they have chosen to build their new home will be available to answer all of their questions before and after the sale.
Modern Homes is a great trade magazine that offers great insight on all aspects of housing. If you haven’t seen it recently you should be sure to find out about subscribing to it now!
Signature Style
Sep 23rd
I treated myself a few weeks ago to a potters wheel, and it has become my de-stressing tool of choice. If you”throw” a pot and try to push it, chances are good it will implode and it’s all over. Today was a good day – I ended up with three items that almost look like something. Usually you sign your pieces to make them yours, and I decided that this was the year I wasn’t going to be as embarrassed and came up with a way to make them uniquely mine. Z has always been my signature – if you are looking for an alphabet item chances are good z will be the hardest to find. Instead of signing my pieces underneath, I’ve chosen to stamp the inside of each item with a z. So now, if you see a slightly uneven bowl with a z in the bottom, you’ll know who made it.Choosing what your Signature Style is should be about letting people know what you are about, and what your lifestyle is. It doesn’t have to be complicated – it should just be about you.
The Long Road Home
Sep 5th
It’s hard to believe that Katrina roared thru all of our lives over two years ago. Living in Dallas, you may not have thought this would affect me as much as many living on the Gulf Coast, but when your parents have found their calling in doing disaster relief and you received a call from them in their Salvation Army canteen outside New Orleans and the Super Dome it gets personal. They were focused on feeding people in need and I was focused on the images that were floating across my television screen showing how life threatening the situation was. I couldn’t be more proud of my parents and the work that they do, and after spending a few days when I can volunteering with them, I don’t know where they find the energy and strength.
My parents have always been great role models, and if there is one thing I know about and have a passion for, it’s housing. My mother can cook for 2,000 as easily as she can cook for 2 – a gift I wish I inherited, but instead my passions tend towards making a house a home.
When someone loses their home, and in a lot of ways their identities – how do you move forward? Katrina not only swept away people homes, she also stole their memories, and in some cases their futures.
Rebuilding Mississippi and the Gulf Coast has gotten personal for me. From having the opportunity to visit Biloxi, Gulfport, and other areas that were ravaged by the storms, I’ve been able to hear the life-changing stories first hand and to see how these determined homeowners can’t be kept from the communities that they love.
Duff Goldman is the Ace of Cakes
Jul 3rd
Have I mentioned lately how much I love my Job? As a Lifestylist I spend a lot of time researching trends and ways that I can help consumers enhance their quality of life, so researching foodies and food trends is a large part of what I do. Last week I attended the Texas Restaurant Association’s Southwest Foodservice Expo, and as luck would have it Duff Goldman, The Rock Star host of Ace Of Cakes was one of the speakers! People have asked me if I go everywhere with a photographer – as a matter of fact I do any chance I get attend events with Lisa Stewart of Lisa Stewart Photography so I can capture images to share with you all. Thanks to her I was not only able to get some wonderful shots of Duff, I was also able to go behind the scenes and see what he’s like without an audience in front of him.It’s wonderful to now know that Duff is not only fun to watch on his Food Network show Ace of Cakes, he also has an amazing amount of experience and credentials to back up the fact that he’s one of the most talented cake designers today. His loyalty to his employees – most were friends before they joined the business – talent as a true artist as well as the gift to not take himself too seriously has moved him to the top of my favorite chef list. As we all know, Food Network has been moving towards having personalities instead of chefs hosting their shows, but with Duff’s background of attending the CIA Greystone (and not as a weekend course like others we know) and working at the celebrated French Laundry, this chef is more than fluff.I’m also in love with this man because so many times when you attend an event like this the speaker does their thing then disappears, but not Duff. He not only walked the aisles meeting everyone and being very gracious about it, but he also interacted with the various vendors and was extremely approachable.Duff is the perfect example of what the Food Network needs more of – great role models for the future of the food industry. I’m looking forward to watching the new season of his show which starts in a few weeks!