Parade of Homes 2015

S U N DAY, J U N E 7, 2 0 1 5 | L A N C AST E R , PA | L N P S P E C I A L S E C T I O N

Parade of Homes

A N A DV E R T I S I N G S U P P L E M E N T O F L N P

CATHY MOLITORISLNP CUSTOM CONTENT CONTRIBUTOR

The Parade of Homes has al-ways offered a feast for the eyes, but now the tour is offering a feast for your palate as well.

New this year, Chefs on Parade invites you on a culinary tour of some of the Parade of Home’s houses, before they’re opened to the public.

Chefs on Parade will be held Thursday, June 11, from 5 to 9 p.m.

The inspiration for Chefs on Parade came from other build-ing associations, says Melanie Capanelli, director of programs

and special events for the Lan-caster Building Industry Associ-ation, who sponsors the Parade of Homes.

“We keep abreast of the suc-cesses of our fellow local, state and national associations,” she says. “Chefs on Parade has been done in many states and with the popularity of the Lancaster/Lebanon Parade of Homes, we thought this would be a perfect addition to the event for our lo-cal community.”

To participate, buy a ticket at eventbrite.com/e/chefs-on-parade-tickets-16661862078.

Parade kicks off with chef event to benefit food bankCulinary tour offers sneak peek at 4 homes

CHEFS, page 3

25 years of ParadeSince 1991, BIA event showcases ‘the latest, the greatest, the biggest and the best’


A quarter century ago, Parade of Homes debuted in Lancaster County.

While much has changed over the past 25 years, one thing hasn’t.

“This event is about the latest, the great-est, the biggest and the best,” in new homes, says Mike Garman, one of the owners of Garman Builders.

Garman Builders has participated in the Parade since the beginning.

“Parade of Homes had been going around the country before it came to Lancaster,” he says.

The idea for starting the tour in Lancaster

came from a brainstorming session among local builders.

The mid-to-late 1980s represented an up-swing in building new homes, Garman says, followed by a recession.

As the economy began to dip downward, builders found themselves with homes but no buyers.

“Part of the inspiration for bringing Pa-rade of Homes to Lancaster was all these builders had these finished spec homes they weren’t selling,” Garman says. “A cou-ple of guys wanted to do the parade as a way to bring people into these homes.”

The first Parade of Homes in Lancaster County was held in June 1991. This year’s event takes place June 13-21, from 5-8 p.m.

weekdays and noon to 6 p.m. weekends.Ironically, while the inspiration for the

first Parade might have been to bring traf-fic through the spec homes, the participat-ing builders weren’t content with what they already had.

“Everybody built new homes for the tour,” Garman says. “The parade is about show-casing the best of the best and that’s what everyone who participated wanted to do.”

The first Lancaster Parade of Homes fea-tured 52 homes, including a Habitat for Hu-manity house, spotlighted in a guidebook that was no more than an insert printed on newsprint, Garman says.

The goal of the first Parade of Homes was

LNP FILE PHOTOSA look back at some Parade of Homes entries from years gone by.

INSIDE

Featured homes: 2-3

This year’s entries: 4

What’s trending: 5

New in kitchens: 5

Goodbye, beige: 6

Landscapes: 6

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LNP | LANCASTER, PAPARADE OF HOMES2 SUNDAY, JUNE 7, 2015

Not your typical 2-storyFrom the pitched roof to the curved shower, Delp Road home by EGStoltzfus blends the unique and functional


Even a quick glance at the property located at 519 E. Delp Road reveals how the home stands out from the crowd.

“From the curb it is not your typical two-story,” says Larry Sheckler, senior designer/manager designed homes and remodeling with EGStoltzfus Homes, who built the house. “It fea-tures steep pitched roof lines, creative use of exterior materials, and a stone archway to create a more private main entrance courtyard.”

The 3,588-square-foot home is part of the Parade of Homes tour and re-cently sold for $699,900.

Located in the Brooklawn develop-ment and bordering an orchard, the home features four bedrooms and three and a half bathrooms.

“The first-floor plan is very open with a large family entry including built-in storage that connects to the home’s unique three-car-garage layout,” Sheckler says.

A study, located between the first and second floors, provides a “built-in hideaway” for the owners, Sheckler says, while the master bedroom boasts wide-plank hardwood floors and a mas-ter bath with its own unique features.

“The master bath (has) a very unique but functional curved walk-in shower,” Sheckler says.

Conveniences include a large second-floor laundry area, with counter space and a built-in ironing board, and the home also features a mudroom, acces-sible from the garage and outside, with built-in storage lockers.

The property’s kitchen was locally built by Lititz-based Red Rose Cabine-try and features Bosch appliances from

LH Brubaker Appliances.“We used a combination of stained

and painted cabinets along with vary-ing counter and wall cabinet heights to create interest while keeping func-tionality in mind,” Sheckler says. “The space itself is open to the family room and also has a nice size dining/ sitting area with views of the orchard and also features the home’s fireplace.”

While the interior aspects of the home are top-of-the-line, the unique touches extended beyond the walls.

“The home also features ample out-door living with both a screened porch and covered porch with views of the existing orchard,” Sheckler says.

He says that the home showcases the quality and craftsmanship of EGStoltzfus Homes, which is celebrat-ing its 47th year of building and re-modeling homes in Lancaster and the surrounding areas.

“Our team takes building, remodel-ing and servicing our customers’ homes very seriously,” Sheckler says. “We want the process of designing and building your new home or remodeling project to be as enjoyable as living in it.”

EGSTOLTZFUS HOMES

June 13-21FEATURED HOME

The Parade of Homes entry on 519 E. Delp Road features an open floor plan and a unique, curved walk-in shower in the master bath.

A homewith a view


The home at 5 Alans Green in Lan-caster offers spectacular views — both inside and out.

“This home sits on a three-quarter-acre wooded lot that overlooks Mill Creek,” says Jared Erb, designer with Custom Home Group, who is show-casing the property in the Parade of Homes. “You have access to communi-ty walking trails and the creek directly from your backyard. I’m not sure where else you can find that within a five- to 10-minute drive to Route 30 and down-town Lancaster.”

Erb says the home was designed to re-flect the history of its surroundings.

“Lancaster County is known for its iconic farmhouse style and period style architecture,” he says. “We designed this home with a front façade that com-plements our local heritage.”

While the outside of the home is defi-nitely appealing, the inside offers even more.

“(The home has) an interior layout that features all the latest amenities and welcomes the lifestyle of the mod-ern family,” Erb says.

The house has 3,429 square feet with an additional 579 square feet of fin-

ished space in the basement, bringing the total square footage to 4,008.

Featuring four bedrooms and three and a half baths, the home includes a master suite on the first floor. The ad-ditional bedrooms are on the second floor, where the home also includes a “princess suite” with a private bath.

“The other two bedrooms share a ‘Jack and Jill’ bathroom,” Erb says. “Each bedroom in the second floor has a walk-in closet.”

Downstairs, a three-car garage and 10-foot-high ceilings greet visitors in the basement, while the home has 9-foot-high ceilings on the first floor and a two-story ceiling in the foyer

Custom Home Group builds estate home overlooking Mill Creek that ‘welcomes lifestyle of the modern family’


MILL CREEK, page 7

JOYCE FITZPATRICK

The Parade of Homes entry at 5 Alans Green offers a total of more than 4,000

square feet of living space. A gas fire-place in the great room is framed by large

windows overlooking Mill Creek, and the master bath features a soaking tub with a

view as well.

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PARADE OF HOMESLNP | LANCASTER, PA 3SUNDAY, JUNE 7, 2015

Tickets are $40 per per-son or $75 a couple.

“The BIA will confirm reservations and suggest a ‘starting house’ to en-sure smooth traffic flow,” Capanelli says. “Guests will then determine their own route, touring and tasting along the way.”

Participating homes in Chefs on Parade include Custom Home Group’s home at 5 Alans Green, Lancaster, where the chef from Greenfield Restaurant will be cook-ing; Keystone Custom Homes’ home at 424 Prescot St., Lancaster, featuring the chef from Gibraltar; C&F Inc.’s home at 39 Katherines Way, Lancaster, featur-ing the chef from the Mill Restaurant in Her-shey; and Wm. Murry & Son Inc.’s home at 156 Sawgrass Dr., Millers-ville, featuring the chef from Commonwealth on Queen.

Menu items are top-se-cret until the date of the event.

“Our chefs are still put-ting their final touches on their tasting menus,” Capanelli says. “Be as-

Continued from 1 sured that you’ll be de-lighted.”

Participants for the Chefs on Parade event must be 16 years of age or older. The event is also limited to 250 ticket holders.

All builders partici-pating in the Parade of Homes were given the opportunity to partici-pate in the Chefs on Pa-rade event, Capanelli says.

“The Parade of Homes committee determined the best fit for the event based on certain param-eters — square footage, kitchen size and loca-tion,” she says.

The participating chefs were chosen by the builders.

Along with an oppor-tunity to see top-of-the-line homes and enjoy great food, Chefs on Pa-rade also benefits the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank, where a por-tion of the proceeds will be donated.

“This event is a unique opportunity to tour a Parade home before it is open to the public while enjoying the fare of local chefs,” Capanelli says. “Make an evening of it with friends or family.”

Chefs: New event for 2015

Modest in size, big on features

PAT JOHNSONLNP CUSTOM CONTENT CONTRIBUTOR

It has been a busy spring for Metzler Home Builders, one of the entrants in the townhouse category of the 2015 Parade of Homes.

Not only are they busy building cus-tom homes, townhouses and duplexes, and working on additions and renova-tions, but they are also getting two en-tries completed for the 2015 Parade of Homes.

Metzler Home Builders is owned by Dan and Janet Metzler. Dan followed in the footsteps of his father, Roy, and grandfather, Abe. Son Jordan repre-sents the fourth generation in the busi-ness.

Spring is always prime time for home building and, this year, the good news is the industry is seeing a turnaround and building “has been steadily in-creasing in Lancaster County,” says Janet Metzler.

Although single-family custom homes are still a significant part of their business, Jordan Metzler sees “more of a trend to community living. There are unique challenges to build-ing a single home, such as storm water management. In a community, that is already taken care of.”

Their townhouses are not cookie cut-ter. “If someone wants to deviate from the plan, we try to accommodate them. We can customize even beyond what you might expect,” he says.

In the custom-home building seg-ment of their business, customers are guided through all stages of develop-ment, from “concept and design to construction and follow-up,” Jordan says. “Our focus is always on you, as the customer, and what your dreams, your needs and your style preferences are. This way the finished design, and the home that will result, is all about you.”

Their townhouses are built with the same care. Both of this year’s Parade entries are in planned communities.

Metzler Home Builders to showcase 2 townhomes

PAT JOHNSON

The first townhouse, at 41 Wigeon Way, Elizabethtown, in the Villas of Featherton community, is priced at $232,900. It is perfect for empty-nest-ers, Jordan says.

While the townhouse is roomy, at 1,630 square feet, it is “modest in size” and offers a first-floor master suite. The semi-detached home has an open floor plan, with three bedrooms and two and half baths. The kitchen show-cases Cloister Cabinetry with granite countertops, an island with bar seat-ing and stainless steel appliances.

A large great room features a gas fireplace and hardwood flooring. The townhouse includes a composite deck, precast Superior walls in the base-ment and a two-car garage.

The second townhouse on the Pa-rade of Homes, at 319 Wendover Way,


in the Willow Bend Farm community in West Lampeter Township, is priced at $249,900.

The 1,700-square-foot, semi-de-tached home has an open floor plan, three bedrooms and two and a half baths. It features a first-floor master suite with walk-in closet, a Swartz kitchen design, including granite coun-tertops, peninsula with bar seating and stainless steel appliances.

The living room has a gas fireplace with slate hearth and surround. A con-venient first-floor laundry and a pri-vate, stamped concrete patio make it a perfect home for active families. The basement has 9-foot Superior walls.

Willow Bend Farm includes walking trails, open space and a community center.

Both homes include landscaping by Vintage Landscape and decorating by Heritage Design.

“We’ve noticed that people come to the Parade of Homes with the idea of just looking, but they remember what they’ve seen and come back to us sev-eral years later,” Janet says. “Parade of Homes is a lot of work but it’s worth it, maybe not always right away but even years later.”

Metzler Home Builders is located at 1172 Penn Grant Road. Visit Metzler-HomeBuilders.com.

The Parade of Homes entry at 319 Wen-dover Way, above, fea-tures a Swartz kitchen with a peninsula for bar eating, far left. The living room, left, includes a gas fireplace with slate hearth.

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5 6 7

2203 Hampshire Ave, Lancaster

Keystone Custom Homes - $262,912•3-story home with 3 bedrooms, 2 ½ baths & bonus room •Classic kitchen-stainless steel appliances & tile backsplash •Main � oor hardwood � ooring

•Owner’s suite with private bath

39 Katherines Way, Lancaster

C & F, Inc - $329,900 •Gas � replace • Hardwood � oors

•Tile backsplash • Granite countertops •Custom paint •Side-load garage

•Stamped patio • Stainless steel appliances

423 Fieldstone Drive, Annville

Garman Builders, Inc. - $334,990 •Glass and tile shower in master bath

•Tray ceiling with rope lighting in master bedroom•Triple sliding door in breakfast area

•Granite countertops with tile backsplash

603 Kiera Lane, Mount Joy

Garman Builders, Inc. - $342,990 • Premier kitchen cabinets with granite countertops

•Hardwood � ooring in kitchen and dining area•Ladder transom in breakfast overlook

•Gas � replace with stone surround

651 Chiswell Place, Lancaster

Hess Home Builders - $344,900 •Spacious � rst-� oor master suite

•Custom tile shower•Large open loft with wrought-iron railing

•Functional and attractive mudroom

998 Ginger Court, Lebanon

Landmark Homes - $369,700 •Stamped concrete front walk and porch

•Heightened 9’ ceilings on 1st � oor with wide door •Coffered ceiling and built-in bookshelves in study•Dramatic 2-story great room with cozy gas � replace

424 Prescot Street, Lancaster

Keystone Custom Homes - $384,990 •Expansive � rst � oor owner’s suite

•Open great room with 2-story natural stone � replace •2-story wall of windows

•Second-� oor loft with railing overlooking great room

580 Old Market Street, Mount JoyLancaster County Career & Technology Center

$399,000 • Rainwater harvesting system

•Energy Star & LED lighting•Maniblox Pex plumbing system

•Advanced framing techniques •Solar hot water

139 Monticello Drive, Lebanon

Woodland Contractors, Inc. - $409,900 •Open � oor plan ideal for entertaining

•Hardwood � oors throughout main living area•Ceramic tile shower in owner’s suite with custom

double vanity •Custom kitchen with beautiful quartz countertops

529 Constitution Drive, Ephrata

Landmark Homes - $414,800 •Lofty 10’ ceilings and designer touches throughout

•Gas � replace with raised hearth in living room •Study with elegant coffered ceiling & French doors

•Brick accent wall in kitchen

335 Bowyer Lane, Lititz

Landmark Homes - $414,900 •2-story home with welcoming wraparound porch

•2-car garage with mudroom entry •Heightened 9’ ceilings and hardwood � ooring

throughout � rst � oor •Designer trim and � nish detailing throughout home

106 Freys Road, Elizabethtown

Keystone Custom Homes - $439,990 •Open � oor plan with 9’ � rst-� oor ceilings

•Spacious family room features � replace with granite •Kitchen with hardwood � oors, stainless steel appliances

•First-� oor owner’s suite with 2 walk-in closets

13 Tallgrass Path, Lancaster

Charter Homes - $460,990 •Study with beautiful glass-paned French doors

•Dark hardwood � oors lead to an open great room and kitchen with a sweeping view of the farmhouse and preserved historic bank barn

•Wall of windows in the great room leads to deck

260 Silverleaf Court, Lancaster

EGStoltzfus Homes - $462,445 •9’ ceilings and granite countertops

•Open � oor plan, � rst-� oor den and master suite •Tastefully appointed master suite includes large

ceramic shower and granite countertops •Hardwood � oors on main level

1101 Esbenshade Drive, Lancaster

Charter Homes - $475,000 •Wide front porch offers view of surrounding farmland •Wide plank hardwood � oors throughout � rst � oor

•Great room features extra-large windows, allowing natural light to � ll the room

703 Nottingham Way, Annville

Landmark Homes - $497,800 •First-� oor study built-in shelving & window seat

• Interior stone accent wall with windows in kitchen •Kitchen features island with raised bar top and

quartz countertops with tile backsplash •Gas � replace with � oor-to-ceiling stone surround

5812 Wild Lilac Drive, East Petersburg

Hogan & Herr Builders - $498,900 •Premium front door, garage doors & stonework •First-� oor master bedroom with large closets

•Master bath features fully tiled walk-in shower, tile � oors and marble countertops

1285 Getz Way, Lancaster

Charter Homes - $502,000 •Wide front porch offers view of surrounding farmland •Wide plank hardwood � oors throughout � rst � oor

•Built-in bookcase and built-in buffet in dining room provide both beautiful and practical additions

262 North Zinns Mill Road, Lebanon

Garman Builders, Inc. - $509,99 0 •Vaulted ceiling in great room

•Jack and Jill bathroom •Sliding barn doors in dining room & master bath

•Glass and tile shower in master bath

404 Republic Drive, Lititz

Traditions of America - $598,935 •First-� oor living with tile & wood � ooring

•Gourmet kitchen featuring peninsula island and granite countertops •Spacious 2-car garage

•Master suite with walk-in closet

7 Brendan Drive, Quarryville

Custom Home Group, Inc - $699,900 • 5 bedrooms, 4 ½ baths and 3-car garage

•9’ � rst-� oor ceilings, 2-story foyer & great room•Sunroom with cathedral ceiling

•Gas � replaces in great room and sunroom

519 East Delp Road, Lancaster

EGStoltzfus Homes - $699,900 •4 bedrooms and 3 ½ baths, 3-car garage

•Uniquely located mid-level study•One-of-a-kind curved master walk-in shower

• Locally made cabinetry with Bosch appliances

493 Wheat� eld Drive, Lititz

Greystone Construction, Inc. - $779,900 •Gourmet kitchen with stainless steel appliances,

granite countertops and bright windowed breakfast/sunroom

•Gas � replace in family room and � replace in tiled, screened-in porch overlooking large level yard

5 Alans Green, Lancaster

Custom Home Group, Inc - $829,900 •3-car garage and rear deck

•Gas � replace in great room, built-in bench in mudroom and walk-in pantry

•Master bath soaking tub, walk-in tile shower

799 Whitman Road, Lebanon

Garman Builders, Inc. •Owner’s suite with exercise room

•Barrier-free tile shower & soaking tub in owner’s bath •Jack and Jill bathroom

•Vaulted sunroom and screened-in patio

499 Fruitville Pike, Manheim

Custom Home Group, Inc • 3 bedrooms, 3 full baths, 2 half baths

and 4-car garage on 7-acre lot• 2-sided gas � replace, butler’s pantry, walk-in

pantry and guest breakfast bar - plus much more

85 Midway Farms Lane, Lancaster

Clyde Stumpf & Son, Inc. - $179,900 •2 bedrooms and 2 full baths

•Superior basement walls-option to � nish basement •Kitchen with upgraded appliances and countertops

•No outside maintenance •Gas Fireplace

1366 Worthington Drive, Mount Joy

Dombach Builders - $207,900 •Total maintenance coverage on home’s exterior (HOA)

•One-� oor living, 2 bedrooms •Gas � replace •Attached � nished 2-car garage

•Economical gas heat and central air

41 Wigeon Way, Elizabethtown

Metzler Home Builders, Inc. - $232,900 •First-� oor master suite with walk-in closet & bath •First-� oor open � oor plan with cathedral ceiling

•Large great room features gas � replace and hardwood � ooring

•Ef� cient natural gas heating system

319 Wendover Way, Lancaster

Metzler Home Builders, Inc. - $249,900 •First-� oor master suite with walk-in closet & bath

•Swartz kitchen design •Living room features gas � replace

•Hardwood � ooring throughout � rst-� oor

536 Whitechapel Road, Lancaster

Woods Edge Builders, Inc. - $279,900 •Superior basement walls and Block party walls

•Economical gas heat and low maintenance •Maintenance-free deck, � nished walkout

daylight basement•Premier development with open space & walking paths

1299 Cantebury Drive, Mount Joy

Rockford Homes, LLC - $299,600 •First-� oor master suite with tray ceiling, tile shower and sitting area with � replace•9’ � rst-� oor ceilings with crown molding

•Covered screened-in porch•Mowing and snow removal by HOA

2210 Hampshire Avenue, Lancaster

Keystone Custom Homes - $299,990 •Inviting wraparound porch

•Convenient � rst-� oor owner’s suite•Private owner’s bath features Venetian bath pkg

•Hardwood � ooring throughout � rst � oor

156 Sawgrass Drive, Millersville

Wm. Murry & Son, Inc. - $369,900 •Stainless steel appliances with � ve-burner gas range

•Warm natural gas � replace with granite & wood •Enormous basement with Superior walls

and gas hot water heater

1064 Constitution Drive, Lititz

Traditions of America - $487,078

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EGStoltzfus Homes - $283,300•3 bedrooms and 2 baths •One-story � oor plan •Attractive elevation with turned gables and

manufactured stone•Insulated Superior wall foundation

702 Hamaker Road, Manheim

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Keystone Custom Homes - $299,990•Welcoming front porch

•Hardwood � ooring throughout � rst � oor•Classic kitchen with stainless steel appliances•Family room with gas � replace, slate surround

619 Shadetree Blvd, Marietta

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Garman Builders, Inc. - $319,990•Sliding barn doors in dining room and master bath

•Stone wall in dining room •Tile shower & double-bowl vanity in master bath

• Premier kitchen cabinetry with painted � nish

39 Summerlyn Drive, Ephrata

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•55+ active adult lifestyle community•Open areas with walking and jogging trails•Spacious 2-car garage with storage above

•Large master suite with walk-in closet


PAT JOHNSONLNP CUSTOM CONTENT CONTRIBUTOR

New, single-family-home building rose 6.8 percent in April, according to information released last month by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Census Bureau.

“Sales are moving forward and our builder members are telling us they are starting to see more activity as more buyers get off the fence and enter the marketplace,” says Tom Woods, chairman of the National As-sociation of Home Builders (NAHB).

With home building on the in-crease, how does Lancaster County compare to the rest of the country when it comes to trends in the build-ing industry?

“Lancaster County is on point with trends that you see regionally and na-tionally,” says Melanie Capanelli, di-rector of programs and special events at the Building Industry Association of Lancaster County.

Trends that Capanelli sees include open floor plans with a great room, kitchen and dining area as a shared space; pure bright white kitchens with dark-colored islands and sub-way tile backsplash; large (8-by-5-foot) kitchen islands; walk-in closets for all bedrooms, not just the master suite; 9- or 10-foot first-floor ceilings, and dark-stained, wide-plank, hand-scraped hardwood floors.

“Iron balusters for stairways are still very popular, and large mud-rooms with drop-zone and/or built-in bench with lockers” are a must, she adds, especially for families.

Other trends include “walk-in-pantries, less carpet and more hard surfaces, such as tile and hardwood.” And she sees more “multigeneration-al living.”

New homeowners, she says, are fo-cused both on aesthetics and practi-cal issues when building a new home, which is “fortunate for us. Our build-ers are experts in incorporating aes-thetics while addressing practicality, energy efficiency and design.

“Homeowners and builders are both including ‘green’ building in their plans, from sustainable con-struction materials to green archi-tecture.”

Laura Brouse, of the Pennsylvania Builders Association (PBA), recently wrote about home design trends for 2015 and beyond for PBA and NAHB.

HOT TRENDSn White-on-white kitchens

n Open floor plans

n Walk-in closets for all

n Hand-scraped hardwood

n Walk-in pantries

n Green building

n Multiple kitchen islands

n Large tubs

n Wet bar nooks

n ‘Escape’ rooms

LANCASTER BIA

She agrees with Capanelli that the white-on-white kitchen is “a con-tinuing trend. It can be seen in both traditional and modern-style homes. Think white cabinets topped with white countertops and finished off with white back splashes and white trim.”

Also in the kitchen, “Back-to-back and side-by-side islands are showing up in all styles of homes. Often one island is used for cooking and pre-paring food and the other for serving food and dining. The second island may also take the place of a more for-mal dining room table.”

Brouse also says, “As part of the continuing ‘bathroom as spa’ trend, large, well-designed tubs are becom-ing the center of attention: pulled away from the wall and treated like sculptures.”

Need space for your wine? Brouse says full rooms dedicated to wine or liquors are no longer just for the avid collector. “Wet-bar nooks are add-ing to the overall encouragement of relaxing and enjoying time at home.”

Cars, driveways and garages will always be “a part of American life,” Brouse notes, but she is seeing “de-sign features that seem to be taking their place,” such as sidewalks, bike paths and community gathering spaces.

A trend that Brouse feels will con-tinue into the future is the need for a place to escape. “Whether it is a room with a view or a game room, creat-ing ‘escapes’ is increasingly popular. These spaces are designed to encour-age relaxation, family time or provide room for hobbies.”

What’s trending?

Beauty, practicality, energy efficiency at top of list for new homebuyers

White kitchens with dark islands and countertops are a popular trend, local builders say.

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If you’re thinking of updating your kitchen with the latest look, you might want to remember that kitchen proj-ects can be costly.

“It’s important to strike a balance be-tween the trendy and the classic, since you will want your kitchen to last for years,” says Eileen Riddle of Kitchens by Eileen.

For trendy touches you can add ac-cent pieces and decorative items to reflect your current tastes, but stick to classic lines and features for the kitchen as a whole, so that it will always seem fresh, new and up to date.

As Riddle points out, in 2015, the kitchen is no longer just for cooking. It is the center of the home, where family and friends gather to whip up gourmet dinners and casual cuisine, while so-cializing in a multipurpose room that serves as the hub of conversation, cel-ebration and great food.

With that in mind, today’s kitchen must be designed to allow for more than one cook to maneuver freely, with lots of counter space and accessible storage. Islands and bars are great so that the cook can converse with guests while food is being prepared.

Comfortable seating is key for both food preparation and social time, as well as the big presentation at meal time. Open floor plans keep the flow going, so that the cook doesn’t feel left out of the action.

Interestingly, kitchens tend to be ei-ther white and brightly lit, or rich and warm with dark finishes and classic de-tails. Painted finishes are popular too, just as finishes that show off unique wood grains give the kitchen personal-ity.

Riddle notes that rift-cut oak is shap-ing up to be a clear-cut winner lately, especially in the contemporary or Arts and Crafts kitchen designs. Cherry wood is an enduring and much-be-loved traditional favorite. It works well with trends toward warm metals such as copper and bronze. Dark wood tones are still going strong, adding a deep richness to the timeless design.

“White is still one of the freshest ‘neutrals,’ and it’s a color that makes perfect sense in the kitchen,” says Rid-dle. “Think simple, clean, uncluttered.”

There is also a trend toward dark smoky grays, which give kitchens a more sophisticated look with cool nat-ural tones of gray and gray blue, even leaning toward smoky lilac. The cool

shades play well with stainless steel in appliances, sinks and other areas of the kitchen, which is still very much in style.

Cool hues go nicely with oil-rubbed bronze and satin nickel surfaces for kitchen fixtures such as faucets, han-dles and knobs. Polished nickel is a new metal, along with brass.

Since most kitchens are being de-signed for two cooks — or more — there is often the need for more than one prep station. Two sinks are popular, along with two areas of refrigeration such as a drawers and an under-the-counter refrigerator and beverage center. Roomy farm-style sinks pro-vide lots of space and great style to the kitchen. Granite is still going strong in naturally dramatic colorations that show off its stony character.

Riddle has also noticed that healthier eating has affected trends in applianc-es. Microwaves are being replaced with steam ovens. Ranges offer year-round grilling surfaces, which require extra attention to safe ventilation.

Kitchens might be stylish, but they are hard-working and utilitarian. In-spired by Food Network and other cooking shows, today’s cooks are look-ing for clean, industrial kitchens with everything at their fingertips to make great meals.

“A contemporary kitchen with well-chosen colors, materials and personal objects take the chill out of modern workspaces,” says Riddle, adding that open shelves, glass-front cabinets and lots of textural mosaic are among some of the design elements that soften the contemporary look.

Flooring ranges from wood floors that seamlessly transition into the open floor plans of many homes to tile, which is still favored, in a variety of patterns and colors. Cork floors are also making a unique statement in a turn from other types of wood.

Storage is a key element in a well-appointed kitchen. Homeowners want storage units that offer a place for everything, so that it can be stowed away but easy to reach when needed. Among the most popular storage units are pull-out shelves within base and tall cabinets for easy access. Hard-to-reach corner cabinets are equipped with swing-outs and drawers. Pull-out waste baskets and recycle containers are favored. Food storage requires a pantry, preferably a walk-in pantry — just like grandma used to have.

No longer just for cooking

Today’s kitchen a hub for socializing, celebrating

Basement kitchens such as the one at left, designed by Eileen Riddle, are becoming increasingly popular for entertaining.

KITCHENS BY EILEEN

LNP | LANCASTER, PAPARADE OF HOMES6 SUNDAY, JUNE 7, 2015

Going greige

CHARTER HOMES & NEIGHBORHOODS


If there is one thing home designers seem to agree on, it’s that beige is passé.

Forget about sandy beige carpet and light beige walls. Don’t bother with warm beige draper-ies or camel-toned sofas and chairs. Beige has be-come — well — a bit bor-ing these days.

“Beige has been trumped by greige!” says Veronica Search of Charter Homes & Neighborhoods. “Gray tones are staying in the mix. While they aren’t quite as golden honey toned as a beige, you can still achieve that warm, subdued atmosphere. It just has a little more at-titude.”

It seems that it’s much cooler to be cool, as in cool-toned neutrals like smoky grey and cool gar-den colors that look like they could be plucked from the branches of a hydrangea in soft lilac or deep grey blue. To-day’s tones are natural, yes, but they might seem more reminiscent of a stony stream with muted silvery greens and blues.

“I think everyone is just tired of beige,” says Bradley Eastman owner of E.I. Home in Lititz. “The colors I am work-ing with are soothing, restful and sophisticat-ed, but not boring.”

Eastman likes to see home décor that creates a sense of who the hom-eowner is, while setting a certain atmosphere. With today’s hectic life-styles, it’s no wonder that soft, peaceful shades are finding their way

into homes that create a respite from that busy world.

Go trendy with accents

Trends in color lean from rich, deep colors to frosty pastels. Even tried-and-true blues get an extra something with a hint of smokiness that soothes the soul. While we might dress in this season’s latest merlot tones, most homeown-ers prefer to use trendy colors as accents that can be switched out when next season’s color of the year turns to something entirely different.

Think pillows and ac-cent pieces, like vases and floral arrangements for the trendiest colors, and mix them with more versatile hues like grey

and blue that will stick around for a few more years. You might regret a lavender sofa, but a grey and leather sofa will stay in style.

Eastman is finding that patterns like plaid and paisley are making a comeback, but they are more sophisticated and current. Colorations are more nuanced, so you need to have a keen eye to tell the difference be-tween a ’90s mauve and a now smoky amethyst.

Wonderful wallpaper

As for wallpaper, Search thinks that it’s been given a bad rap over the years.

“Many people are sur-prised to see the beauti-ful patterns and textures that can be achieved

with the use of wallcov-erings,” says Search. “Check out the fabu-lous options that are out there for contemporary patterns like open lat-ticework, or oversized ikats. Or, keep it simple with a great texture such as a hammered metal.”

Dash of colorIt seems that warm

shades of beige, gold, mustard and orange are on the outs right now, while ’70s olive green has been reincarnated into a silvery green that’s more elegant. It’s always fun to use pops of color, like bold tangerine pillows with smoky grey uphol-stery. Even magenta can be fun, in small doses, that can be changed out when you tire of them.

“I’m seeing neutrals

that have just a hint of color, like grey blue, dusty aqua and mocha,” says Eastman, adding that the colors work well with charcoal, copper and bronze accents.

Then there are the frosted pastels that seem like creamy white with the barest hint of color, like lemon yellow, blush pink, delicate blue and soft peach. You can add zesty accents to keep the pastels from being too cloying, like richer jew-eled tones such as teal and wine.

Bold brights can lend an unexpected dash of color. These are likely to fade away quicker, so you might want to stick to using them in accesso-ries that can be changed more easily. Be careful not to paint an entire

wall in grape or cobalt blue, in case its appeal disappears next season. But if you really want to be trendy, try mixing a classic grey with an eye-popping citron yellow in accessories or artwork.

You might even find that a bold mix of dusty aqua and lemon yellow is just what you need to express your true self. Or maybe you prefer an all-over subtle blend of cool grey and dusk shades with a few vibrant lime or red accents. Metal-lics are also popular, as Search notes.

“Metals are a huge ele-ment with brass and gold tones dominating, “ says Search. “You still can’t go wrong with iron, bronze, silvers and pewter tones. If you are brave, you will use several.”

You still can’t go wrong with iron, bronze,

silvers and pewter tones.

If you are brave, you will

use several.Victoria Search

Greige is the word in Charter Homes & Neighborhoods’ Parade of Homes entry in its Grandview neighbor-hood.

Cool-toned neutrals are soothing, sophisticated and anything but boring

off of the builder’s blueprints. The ad-vantage of using a landscape designer for this is they will have better knowl-edge of what plants are great choices versus good or even poor choices.

“A landscaping company that de-signs, installs and maintains land-scapes will also be even more sensitive to the right plant in the right location and know which plant choices are go-ing to save you money with ongoing maintenance costs year to year.”

If you can’t afford everything in the master plan, decide which items make sense to come first, Diller says. Important trees, for instance, should be planted first because they will take longer to mature.

“Be sure to be considerate of the full extent of mature tree root zones as they impact any construction that will take place in the future as well,” Diller says.

If there are mature trees on your lot,

LANDSCAPE TRENDSSustainable and low-maintenance design are the top trends for residential landscape projects, according to the 2015 Residential Landscape Architecture Trends Survey conducted by the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA). The top ten trends are:

n Native plants

n Native/adapted drought-tolerant plants

n Food/vegetable gardens

n Fire pits/fireplaces

n Low-maintenance landscapes

n Permeable paving

n Drip/water-efficient irrigation

n Rain gardens

n Lighting

n Rainwater/graywater harvesting “Consumers care about designed landscapes that are attractive, easy to take care of and eco-friendly,” says Nancy Somerville, executive vice president and CEO of ASLA. “The survey shows that homeowners increasingly see opportunities to improve the environment right in their own backyard.”

PAT JOHNSON

Don’t ignore landscaping when building a homePAT JOHNSONLNP CUSTOM CONTENT CONTRIBUTOR

There’s more to building a new home than just the physical house. The fin-ishing touches include more than painting and decorating. The exterior of a new home speaks to the care and attention to detail that has been taken from its conception in the mind of the homeowner to the last blade of grass.

“The landscape of one’s home is more important than people realize,” says Howard Jay Supnik, landscape architect. “It is the canvas that sets the tone of the owner’s personal story. Are they traditional or contemporary, for-mal or informal, man-made or natural, do they like art, water, color, texture and so much more.”

Supnik, based in Lititz, provides unique landscape design for those who desire smart and attractive solutions for their properties. He serves primar-ily central and eastern Pennsylvania clientele.

“Just as the surroundings of a home speak to the visitor, i.e., curb appeal, giving scale to the architecture, fram-ing and blocking views, it also provides extended outdoor rooms throughout the property, rooms that can be seen from the inside, night and day and in all seasons.

“I find the most exciting and inspi-rational landscapes are those that re-spect the architecture and when the architecture respects the landscape, and that involves the architect and landscape architect to be working to-gether from the beginning.”

Chad Diller, marketing coordinator at Tomlinson Bomberger, Lawn Care, Landscape, Pest Control, 3055 Yellow Goose Road, encourages new home owners to get involved, not only in the house construction but in the land-scaping.

Some builders “often include mini-mal plantings in the front of a home with a couple trees in the front yard,” Diller says.

“Buyers are often very focused on the structure and very little on the exte-rior. Have a landscape designer create a master plan for your property based

The right plantings in the right locations enhance curb appeal, complement the archi-tecture and help tell the owner’s personal story.

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simple, he says: Sell some homes.

That really hasn’t changed, he says, but the builders have ex-panded what they hope the Parade will accom-plish.

“We realize that the majority of people who come on the tour are not buying homes,” he says, noting that they’re on the tour to get inspi-ration or just see some stellar properties.

And, he says, the tour might prompt hom-eowners to reconsider their living arrange-ments.

“One of the things we’re trying to do, like any builder, is make people dissatisfied with the house they’re cur-rently living in,” Gar-man says. “They’ll go home, look around their house and see they want to make a change.”

Most of the homes on the Parade of Homes are “upgraded” homes, Garman says, meaning they feature top-of-the-line appliances, fin-ishes and details.

Homeowners might not buy a new home, he says, but they might be inspired to remodel or adapt what they see on the tour to their cur-rent home.

Homes on the tour are judged by a pan-el who evaluate the homes in divisions based on type of home and price, says Melanie Capanelli, director of programs and special events for the Building Industry Association of Lancaster County, which sponsors the Pa-rade of Homes.

Categories include kitchen, bath, interior design, exterior, deco-rating and landscap-ing, and in addition to awards in those cat-egories, homes can be awarded best of show. Additionally, Fulton Bank recognizes the best single-family home and townhome, Capanelli says.

One thing that has changed over the years, Garman says, is the price of new homes.

On the original tour, the most expensive home was located in the Mill Pond devel-opment in Manheim Township and was list-ed at $493,500, he says.

On the current tour, there are several homes listed for more than $800,000, with a few that have unlisted pric-es.

“Those could sell for well over $1 million,” Garman says.

Over the years, the Parade has showcased

as many as 70 homes; this year’s tour features 38.

At one point, the Pa-rade was a team effort between the Lancaster and Lebanon County Builders Associations, Capanelli says, but today it’s run solely through the BIA of Lancaster County.

“However, since some of our builders build in Lebanon it is still called the Lancaster/Leba-non Parade of Homes,” she says.

While the goal of the Parade of Homes hasn’t changed much over the years, one thing is dif-ferent, Garman says: the style of homes fea-tured.

“Houses have gotten less formal,” he says. “Living rooms are defi-nitely not required any-more.”

Kitchens have also gotten bigger and have become a focal point of the home.

“People want to en-tertain in the kitchen so we’re building larger kitchens with large is-lands,” he says. “The kitchen needs to be large enough to enter-tain guests in and ev-eryone wants to stand around the island.”

Garman says when the Parade of Homes first came to Lancast-er, it was unique to see granite countertops in a home, but now it’s expected, along with unique tile and marble finishes.

“Walk-in showers are very popular now,” he says, “and so is having a luxurious master bath. Along with the kitchen, a focal point of new homes is the master suite.”

But, while the fea-tures in a home might have changed over the past 25 years, some things have remained the same, he says.

“Home buying is still location-based,” he ex-plains. “Almost every-thing else you buy, you can go to different plac-es and buy the same thing. You can’t pick up and move a house, so people are looking at what’s around the house when they buy it.”

Two trends he sees in the industry are the popularity of 55-plus neighborhoods and neighborhoods de-signed in the “tradi-tional living” style.

“These are homes that are closer together, intermixed with singles and duplexes,” he says. “Most of these develop-ments have some sort of ‘town center’ with a coffee shop or stores.”

And, despite indus-

Continued from 1

Milestone: 25 yearstry predictions that the “McMansion” trend of bigger and bigger homes would die out, Garman says he hasn’t seen that happen.

“We see houses getting larger and larger,” he says, with homes upward of 4,500 square feet.

“Even people who talk about ‘downsizing’ as they get older, that’s a terrible term, because what they really mean is they want to simplify their life,” he says. “Most build houses with almost as much square footage as their old one, or even more because they’re not ready to part with some of their posses-sions and they need the space, or they want room for entertaining.”

Garman says anybody looking for design and home decorating ideas will find inspiration on the Parade of Homes, and it’s the best place to see what’s trending for colors, finishes and fea-tures.

While the Parade offers inspiration to potential home buyers, it also serves a purpose for the builders who participate.

“Builders see the larg-est number of visitors for open houses during the Parade than any oth-er time,” Garman says. “As much as we’d like to sell the houses on the Parade, we’re also try-ing to brand who we are and sell more homes or encourage people to see what else we can do.”

Even the Parade of Homes tour book has changed over the years, Garman says, expanding into a magazine format that tour-goers keep for years.

“They’ll come in with a book, with the pages dog-eared, that they’ve been holding onto until they’re ready to build years later,” he says.

Garman, whose com-pany has five houses on this year’s tour, says he’s glad to have been part of the Parade of Homes since the beginning, and he’s eager to continue with the event.

“The Parade is not only good for us, but it’s also good for our industry,” he says. “If one builder is getting traffic, we’re all getting traffic. We’ve been really happy with the Parade.”

Landscape: Don’t ignorehave a certified arbor-ist consult with you and your builder, Diller says, noting that construction can severely damage or kill trees, even years later.

“Be sure whatever tree service you use has in-dustry association cer-tifications and plenty of great testimonials from past clients,” he says.

When it comes to your lawn, there’s more than just having something green growing, Diller says.

Get top-notch grass

seed that contains the desired turfgrass variet-ies, but no weed seeds, inert ingredients or an-nual grasses. A lawn-care professional can help you choose what will work best for your lawn based on sun exposure, he says.

“And water, water, wa-ter!” Diller says. “Your lawn will take about a year for its root system to mature regardless of what you see above the surface.”

Before you seed, make sure you have enough uncompacted soil, about

6 inches to start, he says.“Soil can be improved

as time goes with top-dressing, mulching mowing clippings, as the lawn matures, but if you start with a deficit you’ll be struggling for a while,” Diller says. “Also know that if soil is dras-tically moved and dis-turbed it’s going to take at least a couple years to get a decent lawn. “

Continued from 6

and great room.“The great room features a gas fire-

place with large windows overlooking Mill Creek,” Erb says. “The rear sun-room also has a cathedral ceiling.”

The master bedroom, great room, rear deck and sunroom all feature beautiful views overlooking the creek, which is a tributary of the Conestoga River, he says.

Additional touches on the first floor include a master bath with a large walk-in tile shower, soaking tub and separate vanities with granite coun-tertops, as well as hand-scraped hard-wood floors throughout the main floor areas.

Coffered ceilings add a unique flair to the great room and study, and the

home also features an upgraded trim package throughout the house, with crown molding, wainscoting in the din-ing room, tray ceilings and taller base-boards.

The kitchen includes painted and glazed cabinets with an 8-by-5-foot center island, granite countertops and a natural stone backsplash. A five-burner gas cooktop, built-in wall oven with microwave above it, second-ary prep sink and wine bottle storage round out some of the kitchen’s fea-tures.

The property is located in The Es-tates at Mill Creek, which is the final phase in the Mill Creek neighborhood in the Lampeter-Strasburg School Dis-trict. It’s listed for $829,900.

There are six more estate lots avail-able in the final phase, Erb says.

Continued from 2

Mill Creek: Modern living

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With the popularity of tiny home shows on TV, you might think that lots of people are moving into little shoebox-sized homes. Not quite.

“Here in Lancaster County, new homes are generally at least 2,200 square feet,” says Randy Hess of Hess Home Builders.

As Hess explains, the cost of a lot alone can top $100,000, and most ho-meowners want to utilize that space to its fullest capacity. Instead of see-ing families that downsize when they move to a new home, most of the moves are lateral. Families often want a house with the same space, but something newer, more updated, with better amenities and less main-tenance.

Hess recalls one couple who wanted to build a small 1,200-square-foot home in Lancaster County, with an ef-ficient compact design and minimal-ist sensibility. What they discovered was that the home would cost almost as much as a larger home. And financ-ing it was going to be a problem, too.

“I’m not quite sure Lancaster Coun-ty is ready for the small home trend,” says Hess.

He has found a market demand for smaller townhouses, duplexes and single-family homes among people who are going through transition, such as a divorce. They need to seri-ously downsize and split the family as-sets, starting over with a smaller home that might have 1,500-square-feet. Others who are interested in smaller homes include singles, empty-nesters and those who are just starting out.

And, Hess adds, one of Hess Home Builders’ newest developments is

Tiny homes not a big trend in building here

Town’s Edge, located in Bainbridge. The single-family homes have around 1,500 square feet and start at $200,000. Buyers are looking for simple, open floor plans and elimination of extras like large foyers and unused dining rooms. The only catch, says Hess, is that the homes are about 45 minutes from downtown Lancaster. Not every-one wants to commute that far.

One of the best ways to get a smaller, compact home is to buy an older home in a classic design like a Cape Cod. They have lots of cozy charm and can be re-modeled and updated with all the lat-est amenities.

“I grew up in a small bungalow-style home,” says Karen Watkins, execu-tive director of the Lancaster Building Industry Association. “So living small just feels more comfortable and homey to me.”

Watkins ended up buying a small old-er Cape Cod that is only 1,068-square-feet. Some might feel a little cramped, but Watkins loves the cozy feel.

Watkins had the kitchen remodeled to include a dishwasher and more stor-age, and to make better use of space.

She also had her older home convert-ed to gas from oil heat.

LAURA KNOWLES

One way to live smaller is to remodel an older home.

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