Fantasy Open House #5: Sophia’s Harbor
Ready for Day #4 of our Fantasy Open House week? I already showed you a few photos from this house in my earlier Homearama! post. Now you get to see the rest.
Sophia’s Harbor is a 9,625 square-foot mansion on the market for $2.4 million. It was built by Rookwood Homes and named after the builder’s youngest daughter. According to the builder, it was “designed to be a daily retreat for today’s active family.” They describe it as “a vacation by the shore.”
Take a look!
This was the first house we walked through at Homearama, and as I mentioned before, my camera battery was dying. I didn’t get as many pictures as I would’ve liked. I found some interior shots of Sophia’s Harbor on the Pulse Journal website to supplement them a little, but even they didn’t take any good photos of the kitchen. If anyone out there went to the show and got some good kitchen shots, please e-mail them to me (jknispel @ cinci.rr.com) so I can post them!
So far you guys have voted pretty consistently to “walk away” from every single house I’ve shown you. You’re a tough bunch! Boy, am I glad I’m not your Realtor trying to sell you one of these. Will you like this one better? I can hardly wait to find out!
CLICK HERE TO VOTE ON SOPHIA’S HARBOR AND SEE THE RESULTS SO FAR
Remember to come back this afternoon (Thursday) when I’ll be posting a tour of House #6: “The Artisan.” That’s right–pinch yourself–today you get 2-for-1!
If You Missed Any Other Posts in the Homearama Fantasy Open House Series:
- Homearama!
- A Fine Room for Fido: It’s a Dog’s Life at Homearama!
- Fantasy Open House #1: The Sanctuary
- Fantasy Open House #2: The Manier Sherridan
- Fantasy Open House #3: The Hampton
- Fantasy Open House #4: Pavan Kunj
- Fantasy Open House #5: Sophia’s Harbor
- Fantasy Open House #6: The Artisan
- Fantasy Open House #7: The Chateau Tourelle
If You’re New Here: Hooked on Houses features decorating inspiration, celebrity house tours, fabulous before and afters, real estate news, fantasy open houses and more fun stuff. I hope you’ll leave a comment and introduce yourself!
June 25th, 2008 at 11:40 pm
OK….getting a little more approachable for me (kind of, sort of). But, ““a vacation by the shore”…I’d be afraid to bring so much as a grain of sand into this fancy little house, much less a wet bathing suit! Some of the rooms, like the basement rec room (lower level bar
are just too, too fussy. (I know, I know — it’s Homeofussyrama to me! I should cut some slack). I do love the floating starfish over the crib against the dark blue walls. I’m tempted to almost sleep on this one.
June 26th, 2008 at 1:02 am
This is a winner. I would by this in a heart beat if I had stupid money. This looks like a house that a family lives in. Not some rich snob.
June 26th, 2008 at 6:26 am
Beautiful!!! When is move in day???
June 26th, 2008 at 6:38 am
Yeah, this one is a winner. Maybe not MY dream house, but it’s pretty darned acceptable. I’m going to assume another stupid kitchen (because that’s what they tell us we should want), and that goofy faux finish on the soffit is weird and ugly, so that would be a negative. Too close to the water, maybe? If it ever floods, that’s a negative.
The frontage/street appeal isn’t really that hot, but I’m very very attracted to all the rounded shapes and the arches. The warmth of the home is neat too. The ceilings and wood work were great, too.
There’s a good mood to this place and that’s sorely lacking in many of the homes we’ve seen so far.
If I had to buy an off-the-shelf home for this type of money, this one goes on the “ok to buy” list.
June 26th, 2008 at 6:47 am
I’m in the 12% minority of not wanting this house. For some reason, I’m just not drawn to it.
I love the bathroom, outside of that huge shower, and I love the garages. Outside of that? It’s just not my style, I suppose.
June 26th, 2008 at 7:04 am
So far this one appeals to me more than any of the others. I really like the Hearth Room (not sure about the faux window; I’d have to see that in person) and the Master Bedroom looks nice. Am I the only one who thinks the ceiling in the lower level bar area looks like a water stain–as if they had a big leak and never fixed it? The thing I don’t like are most of the ceilings–that whatever it is hanging over the kitchen island and the dining room ceiling is too elaborate for my taste. My husband would love all the TVs. The one in the shower struck me funny for some reason. It’s nice, but I’ll probably walk. This is really fun, Julia.
June 26th, 2008 at 7:05 am
I liked this one the best so far but that sad waterway I think is it’s biggest drawback. Can you imagine the mosquitoes. If you were to put it on a nice appropriately sized to the house lot with a some trees that would be perfection!
June 26th, 2008 at 8:25 am
This is certainly my favorite so far! I wish they hadn’t done that odd faux finish on the kicthen drop down ceiling, though… Actually, I don’t care for the drop down either!
June 26th, 2008 at 8:25 am
Beautiful house! Love to look at them and walk through to see all the details. Lots of decorating inspiration in this one.
Rhoda
June 26th, 2008 at 8:43 am
I love this … On Sundays I go to open houses just to look but there is nothing like this near me. It is like home design on crack, the more I see the more I need! Thanks so much for all the fun you are providing me.
June 26th, 2008 at 9:32 am
Getting better, but I hat the soffits over the kitchen island and the one in the basement…yes, it does look like a giant, nasty water stain. I don’t like the faux window, aren’t there enough windows already? I really, don’t like the dining room open to the bar/butlers pantry. What is that all about….does the butler have his friends in for a drink while he goes about his work??
Janet
June 26th, 2008 at 9:55 am
Love this one. LOVE IT. I love all the curves and the peaceful decor. I love the laundry room. And the girl’s room and nursery? Yeah, perfect for my 6 year old daughter and 1 1/2 yr old son to move righ tin to.
I love the library too. So yeah, keep this one. Oh yeah, I hate the faux window though.
June 26th, 2008 at 10:34 am
Too fancy. Needs more beadboard and less knick kncks to suit my taste. WAY too much white furniture for a “water” house. LOVE the hardwood throughout though!!!!
June 26th, 2008 at 11:00 am
This house is beautiful! It’s my favorite so far- of course I’ve “bought” three houses this week, I think
I’m not loving the faux window thought- what were they thinking?
June 26th, 2008 at 11:06 am
This one has been my favorite out of all the 10 homes. To me it was more “practical” (for lack of a better word) than the others I have seen.
June 26th, 2008 at 11:27 am
If you twist my arm and tell me I have to pick one of these huge houses, this is the one I would acquiese to. How’s that for a ringing endorsement? But I’d probably spend all my time out on that front porch, which might get a bit chilly in winter.
June 26th, 2008 at 12:45 pm
Wow! This one is gorgeous! I love their use of natural light throughout - it looks like they put a lot of thought into window placement and lighting. It doesn’t really look lived in, though - almost like a furniture store. Still, it’s absolutely beautiful - and so huge!
June 26th, 2008 at 12:55 pm
Is that a double shower I see?!?! If so, I LOVE IT!
June 26th, 2008 at 12:56 pm
We’re getting warmer! Love the laundry room, everything looks very inviting ( except the “Pella” dormat!) The biggest problem is I would be in the shower for way to long!
Karla & Karrie
June 26th, 2008 at 4:27 pm
Okay, changing my vote. This one is my favorite. I love the living and dining rooms and the tall windows. It actually looks quite inviting.
June 26th, 2008 at 5:19 pm
Ohhh yeah, now we’re talkin!!!! SOLD!
June 26th, 2008 at 6:36 pm
GASP! I love love LOVE this house!!! When can I move in?!
Those little starfish on the nursery wall were a fun idea that I might have to steal for somewhere in my kids rooms.
June 26th, 2008 at 6:53 pm
This is my favorite house we’ve seen this week. I love the airy feeling and all of the painted woodwork. I love the light colors and the general feel of the house. I love the shower and the porches and I really love the built in desk in the children’s wing (Oh, to have a children’s wing!). But I don’t like the faux window or the water stain look of the drop ceiling in the lower level bar. I would definitely buy this one. In a minute or less.
June 26th, 2008 at 8:49 pm
Everything is so delightfully curvy!
June 26th, 2008 at 9:06 pm
Loved this house!! Fav things include master bedroom bed, front porch, the exterior including the landscaping, dining room light, master shower, covered back porch, windows and window treatments in the hearth room, bed and ceiling in guest room, little girls room, 4 car garage. My most fav thing was the kitchen lights. LOVED them!! I didn’t like the faux window in the hearth room, I think the library is too dark when you compare it to the rest of the house and I think the bar area/butler’s pantry with a tv is too close to the dining room- needs some kind of division between the two. For me, this one and The Sanctuary run a close race.
June 27th, 2008 at 8:43 am
I love this one. The interiors are more in keeping with the exterior!
Pat
June 27th, 2008 at 12:22 pm
I like this one the best so far!!! Very pretty!!
June 29th, 2008 at 5:13 am
I think I like Sophia’s Harbor the best out all the Homearama houses, as it’s mostly light and not quite as over the top as some of the others. I thought the nursery was absolutely adorable.
On the whole I find the Homearama houses far too traditional in style for my tastes. Although they all have elements that are quite lovely there’s a faint Nouveau Riche, “trying to be something it’s not” character to the houses.
June 29th, 2008 at 2:38 pm
I guess if I had to live in a mcmansion this one would be okay, but I would have to rip out all those horrible hanging light fixtures… yuck!
The kitchen would also have to be redone to look more like the laundry room. Same with the master bath. All the faux painting would be painted over for sure.
Other than those few things, I would sleep on it and proabably buy it. Maybe.
rue
June 29th, 2008 at 2:39 pm
Oh and my favorite parts were the laundry room and the mudroom.
June 29th, 2008 at 9:21 pm
I like that this house is more simplified compared to the others. That little nursery is so sweet.
July 15th, 2008 at 8:34 am
[...] don’t get excited. This isn’t my hallway (I wish!), but one from the Sophia’s Harbor house at Homearama. This photo wall lent a personal touch to an impersonal house [...]