Designing A Showhouse Model Home: a house log

Yup, Sherry and I have began work on another new house. But before you gasp – we are not moving into this one… and it is not technically ours. Heck, it is not even built yet.

In fact, the lot right now looks like this:

Some of you may remember this Mega House Crashing that we did last year where we toured 8 custom show homes – each constructed by a distinct builder and decorated by a distinct interior designer – as part of an event called Richmond Homearama. Well, their 2014 event is now in the works and they’ve asked us to design one of the homes! Cue the girlish shrieking (not from me, I promise my shrieking is quite masculine).

We are both crazy excited about the opportunity. Okay, and a bit overwhelmed too. This is a whole new challenge for us in many ways. Planning an whole house design at once (from scratch on a wooded lot). Working with a new construction (which we have never done before). Designing for someone else (each of the homes are sold after the event). Budgeting with someone else’s money (cue the maniacal laughs). Not to mention holding our own against six seasoned interior designers who turned out hotness like this last year.

But how could we pass up the chance to dive in? Especially since it is for a strong cause. While we frequently take on side gigs like this to assist pay the bills, this one is a purely creative endeavor for us. Homearama compensates their designers for their year of planning and work, but we have opted to donate our whole fee to Richmond’s Habitat for Humanity, a cause that Homearama will also be supporting in other ways throughout the event.

This project also goes along with the goal that we mentioned here – to take on projects beyond our own walls as a means of stretching ourselves in new ways. So we (literally) jumped at the chance. This is us playing it cool while touring the lot where our house will go up (it should be under-roof by Christmas).

And (surprise!) we have already been working on floor plans for the last few weeks (even though the event is not until May of next year). Of the seven custom builders in the show, we have paired up with Biringer Builders. When we first met, they shared their plan with us and we have been scribbling on it ever since. That has been one of the coolest parts so far. Since the house is still simply on paper, we have been able to make a few exciting changes to the floor plan. And John, the builder, has been an excellent collaborator in accommodating our design ideas (“what about a french door there?” “how about building in a bookcase/window seat here?”) as well as suggesting ways to make them even better (“what if we put a transom window above that french door?”). And boy is it easier to move walls before they are built.

John’s team will be executing all of the actual building, so this is not a Hands-on job for us – with the exception of any furniture or art projects that we want to make for the wrapped up spaces. We are in charge of helping with the layout/floor plan, picking all of the finishes that go in (flooring, counters, appliances, sinks, cabinetry, etc), and then furnishing and accessorizing the whole house. And with John’s expert carpenters, masons, and electricians at our disposal, we are able to dream a bit bigger here – which is fitting since we are trying to raise as much money for Habitat as we can – so we plan to work our buns off to make this house something special.

Between now and next May when Homearama officially opens, we will be keeping you folks posted on the details as the house comes together – from sharing the final floor plans and selecting all of the finishes, to the decorating decisions that go into each room. It should be plenty of lively, especially since we get to execute ideas that we do not necessarily have spots for in our own house. This means you, walk-in pantry.

So that is what we have been juggling fairly much since we moved. Cat = out of bag. Simply cross your fingers that we do not choke, ok? Many of the real designers have been doing this for years, so we are a little jittery about our first time at the rodeo. Kind of makes us want to pull a Clara and hide under the table for a little while…

…only to be enticed out by gleaming tile samples that Sherry can rub her face on.

Update: Wanna see the wrapped up showhouse? Click here for Our Full Showhouse Tour, which includes final pictures of every room, the floor plan, budget info, a video walk-through, and shoppable showhouse furniture & accessories.