There’s nothing like spending an afternoon walking through 9,000 square-foot, $2.5 million homes like this one to make you feel dissatisfied with your own place.
Each summer I look forward to Homearama. I’ve only missed one year’s show in 20 years, and that was only because I had a new baby (babies can be such a nuisance!).
What’s Homearama, you ask? It’s when luxury homebuilders come together in one subdivision to showcase their work and thrill us with what’s new and exciting in housing and design trends.
This year the Cincinnati show took place in Deerfield Township’s Long Cove neighborhood.
Long Cove has been the site of four different Homearamas over the years, so it’s fun to just drive around it and gawk. All the houses are connected by a manmade “cove” of water and the views are lovely from the back porches, terraces, and gazebos, like this one:
There were 10 houses to tour this year, all of which had at least 7,000 square feet to roam around in and cost more than $1.5 million.
The homes in the show get bigger and more elaborate every year. I remember when they had their first $1 million home, and it seemed ludicrous that anyone would spend that much on a house. Now the $1.5 houses on the tour were the runts of the litter. Only 7,000 square feet? Who could fit all their stuff in there?
As I’ve mentioned before, I worked for a big-shot designer in Indy who decorated a Homearama house one summer, and it was, like, the highlight of my whole entire life to be an insider for the show.
Do you have Homearama in your town?
LOL, Julia on jumping in the shower to take the pic. That shower is absolutely amazing, but I can’t imagine forking out the money to pay for something like that. Is the TV waterproofed???
Here in Central Florida, each county has its own Home Builders show each year. However, they aren’t based in one community. We have a ton of really upscale subdivisions, but there are usually only a few in the show from each.
The name Homearama just cracks me up. It sounds like some ad from the 50s.
Question – a TV on the lanai? I thought you were supposed to go outside to enjoy being outside, not to watch TV. And a TV in the shower? I thought the shower was for waking you up in the morning. I don’t want Matt Lauer in the shower with me (oh, wait, maybe I do).
Kellye–
I’ll do anything and go anywhere to get the picture!
Robin–
They came up with Homearama in ’61, so they weren’t far from the ’50s! I always have to say it with an exclamation mark to get the full effect. It’s not Homearama. It’s Homearama!
Why, yes, you need a TV on the lanai. And in the kitchen, over the bathroom sink, in the shower, popping up from the end of your bed, and even in the room set aside for the dogs and their doggie beds (I’m not kidding–they were playing videos of dogs romping around on a big flat-screen TV just for Fido). It’s all so over-the-top and ridiculous. I love it! -Julia 🙂
I’VE NEVER EVEN HEARD OF HOMERAMA! What fun!!
Can’t wait to see more pictures!
We don’t have such a thing here. I guess this must be like “Parade of Homes” I have heard others mention. Do builders build these mansions on spec or are they sold already? Seems like a lot of customization for a spec house. If I am going to spend that much money( which I am certainly not) I want it tailored to my own very picky specifications,lol.
Janet
Janet–
They are built on spec and are on the market during Homearama (some get sold right away or before the show opens, however). Out of the 10 built for last year’s show, 4 are still sitting on the market.
I read an article about it and the homebuilders said that with 90,000 people walking through the homes during these two weeks each year, it’s the best advertisement they could possibly buy. So even if they don’t sell them right away, they think it’s worth it.
I think with the Parade of Homes, you drive around to different neighborhoods (at least that’s the way they do it here). With Homearama, they designate a special street just for these mammoth houses. It feels like a block party with a big tent and refreshments in the middle of the street. Lots of fun! -Julia 🙂
freak! that shower has more dials than a cockpit!
i want one!
Love the battery story Julia! What a nice guy he was! Thank goodness you could still take your photos.. a girl HAS to be able to use her camera! Especially with houses to share!! Thank you for taking us along with you – Fun, Fun, FUN!!!!
xo,
Kim
What a spectacular home. We have something similar here but it’s called Designer Showcase. This one is surely dreamy. Karen
Oh how I miss Homearama! We almost never missed a year when we lived there. My husband, being in the building industry, ususally had something he built in the show (never a house, just a room) Of course HE doesn’t miss having to listen to me for day’s after asking, “Why can’t you do that in our house?” Or his favorite, “How am I supposed to live like this?”
Maybe it’s best I can’t go this year
Beautiful home! My favourite part of this post was your baby joke, and hearing about that nice man who gave you the batteries. You are a funny girl, and I am sure you charmed him into giving you those batteries!! I think we should nominate him for some sort of blog award, don’t you??!!
Thanks for the tour!
Linda
Now that’s what I call a GREAT day, how fun for you Julia and for us in Blogland. I can’t wait to see more.
I love the shot of the fountain. I have to say I think that shower is way too big ; is it just me ???
Looking forward to more episodes of everyones fave Blogshow Hooked or Hate it !!! lol
Have a great day,
Kathy 🙂
ooh…Julia…I’m sure you were in heaven. And what a super nice battery guy! (And resourceful hubby, too!) can’t wait to see more pics…these are gorgeous!!
Go check out my blog. I have a surprise waiting for you!!!
Have a great day!
Susie
Oh I can’t wait to see more. All we have is the Parade of Homes and the houses aren’t even decorated on the inside 🙁
I now cannot live without a T.V. in the shower!
THe houses are so over the top! I love it. The developement looks like it should be in Florida. I cannot belive you a subdivision like that in Ohio…too cool!
My goodness, that house is incredible! Thanks for taking pictures and sharing your experience with us.
Glad you enjoyed- it is always fun to see “what if money were no object” in decorating.
Sadly I think 2 of the 4 houses from last year are in foreclosure. So I guess even the rich get hit sometime…
I want to see the Pavin house. I hear it is gorgous with it’s Indian architeture. (spl?)
Ahhh, can’t wait to go….
OMG…I wish there was a Homearama near me (I’ve not heard of, either). If not other reason so I could say that word more. Homearama! Exclamation point! 🙂 Great pictures…And wow, I’d love to have that bed.
Oh, that sounds like so much fun! I’m jealous! Clayton and I used to do the Bellaire Tour of Homes in Houston, Texas each year. We looked forward to it and just scoffed at the homes under a million. I mean, we were making $20,000 a year–we weren’t about to waste our time. 🙂
Looks like you will have blog material for a while. I look forward to seeing what you post!
Anyone needs a fall HomeARama fix can plan on visiting the five $2 million plus homes at the Willows in Zionsville Indiana beginning September 20th.
The name Homearama amuses me to no end too.
We don’t have any one community like that where I live or work. Like others, we have Parade of Homes. I work for a builder and we are always heavily featured on that.
Thanks for checking out my blog. I can’t wait to read more about the Homearama in CVG. We have the Parade of Homes where I live. I love it so much!!! You are now on my blogroll so I’ll be back!!
Ah, yes. We have a show just like that here in Memphis, just a different name. We were actually able to feature some of our faux finishing in some homes and WOW, did that help with the word of mouth.
You did a great job taking photos:)
I’d hate to have to clean that mega million $ shower! Why is it that these tours always make our hearts throb for bigger, better and newer? Here in CA the price tag might be more. Thanks for the house tour. Thanks for taking me along.
Homearama! sounds like FUN! I’ve always wanted to do something like that. Jacksonville had a Home Tour a few months ago but it was the same weekend we had to go to “mandatory fun” at my husband’s job. Oh joy.
LOVE the guy who gave you the batteries. What a life saver!
I will be going this weekend…if I can find someone to watch the kids. Once I get the “fantasy” part of the tour firmly in my head it’s a lot easier to say “Oh I couldn’t possibly live here , the place only has 2 kitchens + 2 wet bars and only 1 outdoor kitchen”
Do you remember in the ’90’s when every master bath had the ridiculous huge window over the whirlpool tub that looked directly over the neighbor’s patio! YIKES
We used to have Homearama in St Louis. We went every year and I always had my camera. I have a lot of Homearama photos. I don’t think they have it, these days, though.
When we were in Atchison, KS last year, I took my camera into Nell Hill’s and immediately dropped it. Ohnnnooo…We were on our way to tour Mary Carol Garrity’s house, so I saw it without camera. Later I bought a disposable and went back. There was Mary Carol on the front porch. As I approached I told her what happened earlier and that I had run out for a disposable. She said, well get in here and get some pictures!
Pat
Julia,
My neighbor and I went to Homearama the first day it opened. I remember it being very muggy and hot. My favorite home was #3 (sorry I do not have the builder’s name, etc on me at this moment). I loved seeing the basement pubs and noticed that every room (including the back patios) had a flat screen, HDTV. Too much for me I say.
My friend and I did enjoy looking, but reality set in quickly when we returned to our humble “sheds”.
That shower is just ridiculous. It reminds me of a (very beautiful) locker room shower.