Source: AJC Homefinder 

Dreamers, buyers can benefit from show homes

Turn a second-floor corner in a new $1.79 million Roswell home, and it’s like Alice falling down the rabbit’s hole into Wonderland.

A hallway leads you into another world, an unexpected and imaginative playroom full of whimsical decor.

Colorful bottle caps are embedded in the tile backsplash in the kitchenette. The couches are made of warehouse platform dollies on wheels with two twin mattresses. Family photos and mementos are displayed behind mesh screens. Valances made of neutral strips of burlap, cotton, linen and other fabrics are tied to such vintage household items as hinges, utensils and doorknobs to create a fringe effect. A glass table top is supported by an old child’s pedal car.

Travel past the black sculpture-like entertainment center made out of assorted objects (including chairs, a typewriter and radio), and instead of a closet, the L-shaped space turns into a playhouse that looks like it’s from a Victorian children’s novel.

The room, created by interior designer LaWayne Johnsen, fills Carol Harrison and other visitors to the 12th Annual Roswell Woman’s Club Showcase Home Tour at Ivey Mill with ideas to consider using in their own homes.

Often, it’s possible to buy the one you’re touring. Agents are on hand at the Roswell tour and others throughout the year in metro Atlanta to raise money for a cause and showcase design and building talent.

As Harrison walked through the three homes on the tour, which runs through March 30 and features three builders (Moncler Homes, Rosen Custom Homes and Tyson Homes), she noticed such details as beadboard doors in addition to the work of local designers.

“Even if you’re not going to have a $2 million home, you could say, ‘This is a really cool door. I could do this,’” Harrison said. “There are details of either the decor or the actual detail in the house that you might be able to incorporate in your own humble dwelling.”

Show homes help sell homes because they offer house hunters an opportunity to see what it could be like to live there, agents say.

“The one [response] we love to hear obviously is, ‘When can I move in?’ ” said Betsy Franks, senior vice president and managing broker of Jenny Pruitt and Associates’ North Fulton office, which is marketing the homes on the Roswell Woman’s Club tour.

To get the most out of a visit to one of this spring’s events (others include the Atlanta Symphony Associates’ 38th Annual 2008 Decorators’ Show House and Gardens, from April 19-May 11), Franks and show home attendees have five recommendations.

1. Select a style.

Metro home showcases spotlight all types of architecture. Touring them will help you determine what type of architecture and details you will appreciate in your home, from farmhouse to Tudor. “There are a lot of pretty houses out there; it may not fit what you like,” said show home visitor Robert Hunter, who lives in east Cobb County.

2. Find a floor plan.

Think about how the home will work for you. Another visitor, Cindy Latimer, who lives in Roswell, said she likes how the kitchen and other areas in the home built by Rosen Custom Homes were open, allowing ample space for entertaining.

3. Look at the details.

The quality of the granite, ceiling details and other aspects will help you determine if the builder is someone who fits your design ideas, Franks said.

4. Note the specifics.

Paint information, price lists for furniture and accessories and other details are often provided in the rooms. If you have questions, the designers are typically on site, ready to talk about their inspiration.

5. Ask your questions.

Builders often are available - or can be contacted - if you want to ask about their design philosophy, materials used and ways to finish out the home after the tour season ends, Franks said.