This is the final house tour from the Homearama I had a chance to attend in Liberty Township, Ohio, which is about halfway between Cincinnati and Dayton.
The Bella Noelle was built by Clayton Douglas Homes and won the “Favorite Decorating” award at the show.
The front porch had a stained beadboard ceiling and painted shutters:
Off the foyer there’s a dining room to the right…
…and a library to the left:
The first-floor master suite is around the corner from the study:
There’s reclaimed wood on the ceiling. A guide who was in the room when I went through told me it was leftover flooring that was used in the rest of the house.
You can watch a video about the master suite in which designer Cindy Crawford talks about the space here.
The walk-in shower has a thermostat
so you can program the temp you want the water to be:
There are three bedrooms and three baths upstairs:
They painted the ceiling in this girl’s room a vibrant pink:
This bedroom was a striking royal blue:
In the main living area of the house, barrel-vaulted beamed ceilings
connected the Great Room to the kitchen.
I thought the tile they used in the kitchen was pretty:
This was one of the biggest houses on the tour with 7,112 square feet
(most of the others we saw were closer to 6,000).
The backyard had this interesting planter with a water feature:
The Bella Noelle was built by Clayton Douglas Homes
and decorated by Designs on Madison.
This is my favorite interior by far! Although, I don’t really have need to display a motorcycle!
As someone who lives in a 1,600 sq. ft. house, I can’t even fathom having a house that big for our family of 4.
Out of all the houses on this tour, I like this one the best as far as decor but I find having a TV watching area on a landing kind of odd. “Go watch TV in the hallway, kids!”
Yeah, I think that was just their way of finding a (decorating) purpose for such a big landing. Not sure how much use it would actually get, though!
Was it big enough to use for a play area? That’s what I would probably do. But I have 3 boys, ages almost 1- almost 8 so I am always thinking of play rooms. ha
Yeah, it probably would be. It was a fairly big landing as I recall. I could see putting some built-in desks there, too, for homework stations, maybe?
I agree. It’s freaking HUGE, but I like a lot of the styling choices. I’m still baffled by a formal dining room that is smaller than the breakfast nook.
I like the interior of this one but gosh these houses are so ridiculously huge! It seems like the trend is for smaller homes so I am a little surprised they are so McMansion like, though they are nicely done.
When you’re walking through them with about 10,000 other people, they don’t feel so big. Ha. That’s part of the reason why Homearama houses are built big. They have to accommodate a lot of lookiloos. 🙂
Some people still like huge houses, my husband being one of them. I doubt they could build a house that he would think was too big. ha Not that we could afford any of these display homes anyway. 😉
Houses this big are perfect for families that really don’t want to be around each other all that much.
Or, they plan on doing A LOT of entertaining and need/want the room.
I agree w/ the others, this is my favorite interior, too! I love, love, love the barrel-vaulted beamed ceilings. However, I’m not too sure about that weird planter/water feature thing in the backyard and I can’t fathom having a 7,000 square foot house!
I hope you will do a small house, or cottage tour soon. I’ve come a long way from wanting something so ostentatious! Even if I could afford it, these houses really turn me off, and I found myself rushing through the photos!
I’d love to go on a tour of cottages someday! I know some of you dislike bigger houses like these, but going to Homearama has been a summer tradition for me and my mom since I was a kid, and I wanted to share it with all of you. I’ve got plenty of cottage tours if you want to look at those instead, though! Here are some of my favorites:
https://hookedonhouses.net/cottages/
When I look at houses for fun, I prefer to look at large, fancy houses. Something to dream about, you know. 😉 So, thanks for posting these! It’s been fun…
I know what you mean, Jessica. It’s fun to see houses that are a little over-the-top sometimes, even when they’re nothing we’d ever actually live in ourselves. 🙂
As much as I dislike large homes (my wife and I live in a 350 sqft cottage we built), I actually like this one. Probably the best of the tour inside and out. Too many good things about it to mention here. I dig that black and white tile floor, and the barrel ceiling is amazing.
This house is my favorite BY FAR! I could move right in, I love all the wood details. Thanks for the tours!
Of course, it is beautiful! But … those barrel vaulted ceilings that everyone else seems to love? It cracks me up, but I got seasick and queasy just looking at them in the pictures! It made the room look like it was going to roll to me! Too many childhood afternoons spent rolling each other around in a barrel, I guess. LOL. My tummy could NOT take that curvy, rolling-ceiling view! A big no thanks for me!
Really? Maybe it’s just my bad photography. Ha.
Though I can’t say I love any of them, this is my favorite, probably because of the ‘sleeping porch’ type of space off of the master, and the library, though it would have been nice to see more books in there! Don’t designers/stagers/builders have some books from their personal collections to borrow for display? Of course I have a 10 x 10 storage unit nearly full of books since I moved into our little cabin, so I may be a bit extreme. Though we’re pressed for space, there’s no way I’d trade my little cabin for one of these gargantuan houses. Besides keeping up the place, you could lose people in there! Imagine if the hamster escaped ;-0. I think the thing that strikes me about these Homearama houses is the relatively small yards. If I was to pay a $million+ with all that interior space, I’d want lots of exterior space and privacy, too. Depends on your location, I suppose, and how close you are to city amenities – land close in being at a premium. I’m also struck by the decorating. The company I formerly worked for took part in some builder show homes. These remind me more of the ones we did in the early 00’s. Regional styles, I guess. And I can’t blame Lily for wanting to sit down every chance she got. Walking through all those houses can be exhausting!
I too like the interiors on this home better — its a much more pulled together, cohesive look with it appears (tough to tell from photos) a higher-end level of finish. I’m seeing reclaimed wood, inset cabinetry, quartzite counters, Artistic Tile mosaics — and maybe better fabric and furnishings.
I think I liked the downstairs better on the daylight basement models, however and the exterior of the Asheville better.
Woodwork! I like!
Favorite room is the library.
I would instantly rip down all those fabric cornices, those have been driving me crazy in a few homes shown already.
Floors and bathrooms are stunning!
I liked the stone fireplace.
Despite being the largest, this house seems to have the most human scaling. And all of the decorative ceilings!
This was very enjoyable, Julia. I love reading your posts. I am a Realtor, but still enjoy seeing what Builders are building in other areas, and what “finishes” they are using. This often sets the standard for what people will be wanting in THEIR houses. I liked the poker room, it looked really serious with the stone arch. The master bedroom sitting area was nice, but I agree, the kitchen is small for that size of home. Thanks for sharing. 🙂
The stars of this house are the lighting fixtures – all gorgeous and sculptural without overwhelming the rooms.
This one is the most like a home, not a showroom. I agree that no way would I care for a house this large, but it’s pretty to look at! At my age, I find keeping up with my 1700 sq. ft. is enough for me, especially when I have houseguests and have the finished lower level to do also.
Don’t really like any of these homes, they are way too big and dark. They remind me of medieval castles.
Enjoyed the tour this week. I think you saved the best for last. The barrel-vaulted beams and arched porch openings were really pretty. Wouldn’t mind if those became trendy!
My husband jokes about wanting a grotto (and a turret) at our next house- maybe the “wine grotto” and poker room would buy him off? But then again, he might start wanting a motorcycle… 🙂
This one is the worst of the lot, IMO— even worse than the faux Tuscan nonsense. The decor is cliche and time stamped 2014….bedrooms from Target, and the valances…….ouch.
Well, I just won’t look at a house unless it has a wine grotto, poker room and display area for my motorcycle…..
Ha ha, seriously though, there is lots to appreciate in this house (ignoring the ridiculous size of it). I did think the outdoor area was a tad pokey for a house this size as I am assuming you would do a lot of entertaining if you feel the need for so much space. I don’t know, it just looked like an afterthought. That barrel ceiling looked pretty amazing – I am trying to decide if I like it or not. My favourite spot was the sitting area in the master bedroom – I could very easily imagine myself there with a cool drink and my favourite magazine. Ah yes, that would be lovely!
My favorite of the week up until we hit the kitchen pics, then it came to a screeching halt for me. Also do not like the “barrel” ceiling effect. Lighting fixtures some I like some not so much. Otherwise loved the master suite, library, bedrooms and outdoor spaces. This felt the most home-like to me.
Thanks for the tours Julia! This house was my favorite by far, although the coolest feature of all the houses was the gymnasium. I live in Canada where our winters are long and dreary and that gymnasium would be just awesome to have.
One question I do have is, do these homes come with the furniture and draperies? I would be a little overwhelmed with furnishing one of these homes. I guess you would hire an interior designer but it would be so much easier to buy it with the furniture. All you would have to move in is your clothes!
Hi Brenda! They usually have big sales at the end of the show and sell off a lot of the furniture and artwork in the houses, so if you bought one of them, you might be able to get some of the things that are in it, too. Sometimes the furniture is borrowed, though, and has to go back after. A few years ago my parents bought a model home with all the furniture, artwork, sold most of their old stuff, and started fresh like that. 🙂
I liked #2 the best. Just seemed lighter and brighter!
I’m so glad you showed us the Homerama tour. I didn’t get a chance to make it to Cincy this summer. Having grown up in the area (Deer Park) I’ve been going to the Homearamas for a long time. Although I wouldn’t want most of the houses in the tours I have enjoyed looking and checking out the décor and landscaping over the years. My friend sent me a brochure but seeing your pictures is so much better. Thanks again
Hi Kathy! There were four others at the show that I didn’t feature, but they have video tours of them on the Homearama Facebook page if you want to see them, too. 🙂
Hi Julia! Thanks so much for taking us with you. One can get lots of inspirations in those model homes. But even if I had the money to buy a house this big, I would choose neither of those 5.
For one, I find it very distracting that the kitchens and living rooms (or great rooms as they call it) are so dark and far away from windows. I know you’re a sucker for screened porches, but all those covered terraces swallow heaps of light. My in-laws had a sunroom added a few years back (off their kitchen), and now the one window is the door to the sunroom, hence dark kitchen.
Also, what’s with all that open space? Most of the houses only had doors on bedrooms and bathrooms. What’s up with that? Don’t people pay attention to heating bills anymore? I don’t know, maybe it’s because I’m not American, but it feels very foreign to me.
Other things that bothered me were the exterior looks. Using Chandler Bing’s voice here: “Could the Virtuoso BE any uglier?”
Oh, something I wanted to ask you: Is it ‘normal’ for American houses not to have a second floor, but a finished basement instead, and the master suite on the first floor? Because I could imagine having the kids’ rooms above the master suite can be quite loud. I know when I was a child I never slept in and got up at 6 am on Sundays.
BTW, I don’t get why the ‘Bordeaux’ is supposed to be a classical English Manor, and the ‘Asheville’ French country. Isn’t it more logic to change the names for those two?
Oi, I think that all sounded so negative, didn’t it? I liked lots of things, too. For example, I loved the area rug in the Asheville dining room, the stone mosaik shower tile, and the black and white tile in the Bella Noelle, the table behind the couch, and the built-in for the sinks in the Bordeaux.
So, Julia, did you look at all those houses in one day? Which are your favorites?
Loved your Chandler Bing impression, Tina. Ha.
The porches definitely make the rooms darker. You’re so right about that. Kind of a trade-off there, I guess.
These houses are far from the American norm, really, since they’re created as show homes that they can move a lot of people through. I would say the one-floor plan with finished lower level that has the “secondary bedrooms” is actually kind of unusual. In my neighborhood, for example, there are maybe 5 one-story houses with walk-out basements and the other 200 are traditional two-stories. Ranch houses, as they’re often called, are more expensive to build and take up more yard space, so you typically find neighborhoods where they “build up” instead of out to save space and money.
I walked through all 9 houses in one afternoon. I couldn’t feature them all, so I chose 5 that I had the best photos of (definitely a challenge to get decent ones with all those people in the rooms). Between the two of us, Dave and I took about 400 pictures while we were there, and it took me a week just to sort through them all and figure out which ones went to which house, edit, and upload them. Whew.
I really liked the Asheville because it was light and bright but still had some color. It had that big upstairs family room that I could see us using a lot. And I’d kill to have that big laundry/mudroom and walk-in pantry. 🙂
Newer homes just leave me cold, for the most part (especially these gigantic ones!) but as I looked at the floor plan, one thing struck me as particularly odd. Why would you put the laundry room next to the garage? That’s a LONG way to carry clean clothes back upstairs!
That always puzzles me, too, Emma. Another reader mentioned that she prefers them near the kitchen so the “work spaces” are close together, but I’d rather have mine near the bedrooms.
At the home show someone commented that in houses like these the homeowners probably aren’t doing a lot of their own laundry, which is why they’re off a back door. Maybe that explains it!
Laundry near the back entrance/garage makes sense if you’re on a farm. Strip off those muddy (or worse!) clothes and throw them straight into the laundry without tracking it into the rest of the house. For most urban/suburban folks, it’s not as logical. Even when my kids get super dirty, it’s usually enough for them to strip off their boots at the door.
Right now, I have laundry in my kitchen, and I’m not a fan. It still adds to the clutter in the kitchen.
I am checking out the floor plans and I see that there are 2 powder rooms in the basement next to each other. Do they have a men’s and women’s restroom in the basement?
That’s odd. I wish I could remember how those were set up down there!
I went to this Homearama also, and I am pretty sure this is the house that had a men’s and a lady’s restroom. The lady’s was Hollywood glam and the men’s had a urinal in it. I guess that was for those poker game nights. Ha!
As far as decorating, I liked this house the best. It felt upscale without being too pretentious. I could have moved right in. If only I had a mere $1.4 million.
I wish I would of been there when you were, Julia. Meeting you would have been the highlight of the show for me!
Thanks, Kim! I was wracking my brain but couldn’t remember those bathrooms, so I’m glad you did. I liked this house, too. It felt comfortable and not at all pretentious, like you said. Too bad we didn’t run into each other while we were there! 🙂
Thanks for doing this! None of these houses were really my style, but it was fun to get a virtual homearama tour.
Glad you enjoyed it, Patience! 🙂
such a mashup of great design, good & thoughtful ideas and what-the-hecks??!! 🙂
a lot to like here, some really good inspiration, as well as some very, pointed lessons on what not to do!
thanks for sharing all of these homes!
nanne
That pretty much sums up Homearama, Nanne! Ha. Thanks for coming along for the tours! 🙂
thanks for taking us along with you, julia!
My husband and I are planning on downsizing from our 2100 square foot house. I don’t even want to think about cleaning 7K square feet!