 2008 offers fabulous
style
& attention to detail
By BONNY OSTERHAGE
Photography by ROBERT FRENCH & RICK YANCEY
Your home is your nest, your safe haven at the end of a busy day. It should
be a place that is welcoming, functional, comforting and efficient, and of
course, above all, stylish.
As with everything else in life, home styles change with the times.
Remember the long, one-story ranch styles of the ‘70s, the opulence of the ‘80s
and the modern architectural lines of the ‘90s?
And while there are still some neighborhoods where
guidelines must be adhered to, such as the cottage district
of Alamo Heights and the historic Monte Vista area,
home owners today are afforded many more options
that turn a house into a home that is so perfectly functioning
they may never want to leave.
 Wide-open spaces
People spend much of their time entertaining at
home, and they want a floor plan that goes with the
flow. Gone are the days of small formal rooms, and in
their place are large great rooms that are more conducive
to entertaining.
“People want one-story homes that live large,”
describes Kim Mills, marketing manager for Ryland
Homes. “They want homes to be livable with lots of
big spaces.”
Large kitchens and gathering spaces are becoming
standard in many floor plans, as are larger bathrooms
and laundry/mud rooms with plenty of storage.
“People just really want more space,”
says Mills.
Even those families who still want a twostory
home demand a more efficient floor
plan. While older models featured all the
bedrooms upstairs, today’s versions often
feature a master suite and at least one additional
bedroom and bath on the lower level.
Sometimes referred to as a “mother-inlaw
suite,” this extra room not only provides
guests with privacy, it creates an ideal
space for families with infants, or baby
boomers who find themselves caring for an
aging parent.
Another popular option is what
Adam Wilson, division president for
Mercedes Homes, calls a “one-story with
a second floor.”
“Everyone wants a one-story house,
but they want it with a bonus room,” he
says and laughs.
The result is a floor plan that features all
of the living spaces and bedrooms on one
level and a single game room-type space
upstairs, often with a full bath.
Wilson explains that this gives people a
place to hang out away from the central
living areas, and it gives kids a place to go
to relax and be away from the grownups.
Kimberly Webb, marketing director for
Meritage Homes, says that her company is
offering plans that feature dual master
suites: one up and one down.
“Families with small children can be
upstairs with them and then move down as
the children get bigger,” she describes. “It is
a house that can grow with them.”
 It’s the little things
The things that make a house a home lie
in the small details that we often take for
granted. Today’s homeowner wants the
charm and grace commonly found in older
homes incorporated into the newer models.
“People are choosing details over square
footage,” says Wilson. Things like interesting
built-in niches for showcasing art, graceful
archways leading from one room to the
next and spacious high ceilings are just a
few of the extras that people crave.
“Juliet” balconies on the second floor
and iron railings that wind up the staircase
are popular choices for those who
want to add a touch of elegance to their
dwelling, and things that used to be considered
extravagant, such as granite countertops
and stainless steel appliances, are
now standard in many of the higherend
homes.
Technological advances
With so many different media systems
available for your home, movie theaters
may soon become obsolete! But lots of
high-tech toys can mean lots of wires and
cords. In order to keep a neat appearance
and maximize the efficiency of home theaters
or stereo systems, homeowners are
opting for “smart” wiring.
“All electronics are pre-wired to go to one
central location,” explains Mills. “Wiring is a
big deal because people don’t want technicians
coming in and drilling through the walls
later on. This way a provider can put a
modem in one central space.”
People are also having their smoke and
carbon monoxide detectors hardwired.“These add to the comfort and safety of
the family,” Mills explains.
 Efficiency at its finest
The smart homeowner knows that in
order for a home to function at its best, it
must be energy-efficient.
“People want their homes to be energyconscious,”
explains Mills. “They want a
home that works, where the temperature
doesn’t vary from room to room.”
In order to accomplish that, people are
opting for vinyl windows and blowing in
cellulose insulation made from recycled
newspapers that has been treated with a
chemical to make it fire retardant. An added
bonus: It repels insects, rodents and mold.
New year, new home
With so many options available to
today’s homeowner, this might be the year
to consider building your dream home.
Designed to your specifications and with
every amenity you can imagine (and some
you may not have thought of yet) there is
no reason to settle for anything less than
exactly what you and your family need.
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