HYBRID Television Appearance!
OOOPSY….I was wrong! In my last blog posting, I said to watch for my appearance this Friday on Channel 4 televsion. I will not be on that show until NEXT Friday, not this one. Sorry, my mistake.
If you have read any of my blogs, I hardly seem go very long without mentioning our most exciting project in years, our HYBRID WONDERHOME. This is most literally a new “invention” in home designs. I hope that does not sound too much like me blowing my own horn (I know how to do that too) because while I say this is a new “invention” I am NOT saying it is a great or even a good invention, just “new“. The public will tell us whether I have designed something worthwhile or something worthless.
At any rate, good or not, we will be finding out in just under 30 days when our HYBRID Wonderhouse, and two other nifty Miracle Homes, open to the public in Richfield’s Reflections Village development. In case you have not heard, Reflections Village is the main(if you judge by number of homes being built)site for this years 65th annual edition of the Metropolitan Builder’s Association’s Parade Of Homes. The way I see it, what better venue than the MBA Parade to showcase any new home “invention“. There’s that word again. For you newbies, let me explain this “invention” designation.
In the World of home designs, there are several basic types of home categories. The short list includes 1-Story homes(ranches), 2-Story homes, and split level homes(that includes bi-levels and tri-levels and such). There is also the story and a half also known as the Cape style homes. This style usually puts the master on the first floor and other bedrooms upstairs(I have seen this reversed however), but NOT always. Our HYBRID home falls into none of the existing categories, which is what makes it somewhat of a new “invention”. It takes the master bedroom and, like many a cape design, puts the Master on the first floor. If this was a story and a half Cape, having a 1,500 square foot first floor would usually mean , when the upstairs bedrooms/bathrooms/halls, are added up, you then get about a 2,100 to 2,200 square foot home. If you were to finish the basement, you would get a home likely over 3,000 square feet in TOTAL finished area.
This HYBRID , with first floor master simply puts the other two bedrooms/bath/halls, into the basement. Technically, by the current way that homes are judged, this HYBRID home would have to be appraised as a ONE bedroom ranch, since they would not likely count the basement bedrooms! Taking this another step, we have plans for a second HYBRID which puts all bedrooms in the basement technically making the home appraise as a NO bedroom home!
Why would someone want such a home? Why would you want your secondary or ALL of your bedrooms in the basement? The answers are interesting and, I dare say, persuasive to most who have toured(by special appointment) the home. If you want to get all the answers and a special tour of the home, you could stop on by this weekend from 1 to 4 at Reflections Village Miracle INFO DECK to make a “instant” appointment to see the home (to buy the home? It is for sale you know) or call our office any time to schedule a time to view the home.
Another way to get your personal 3 or 4 minute mini-tour is to join me as I will be a guest on Channel 4 next Friday (not THIS Friday)morning on the Morning Blend Television show at 9 am. Yesterday, I was out at the HYBRID, video taping some footage for my appearance. I will be making 3 such appearances in the next few weeks to show you all the progress AND on the final appearance the Friday before the opening(it opens Saturday August 21) I will have a most special surprise that you and your family will not want to miss. It is “top secret” and a whole lot of fun only for this first grand opening weekend. In both Parade and Miracle Homes history, I guarantee, we have never seen (or even heard of ) this before, so PLEASE stay tuned for this (kinda) major (and did I mention , secretive)announcement.
As for today, we finally got the drywall sprayed and painted at the HYBRID and, humidity pending, we start hardwood floors tomorrow morning! The exterior is coming along great and it is STUNNINGLY different from any home I have ever seen, mine or otherwise. Again, this is not to say BETTER, but I hope you will say it is. Every creative thing I have ever done leads to, allows the door to open to, the next creative endeavour. The Grand Bay ranch we built several years back was a home that people saw as hard to beat creatively speaking. Our basketball court home in Oconomowoc was another home folks saw as a creative highpoint which was hard to beat.
I had visitors to our last years Parade offering, The Little-Big House (Ixonia) , that came in the front porch saying they didn’t think the Little-Big Home could beat the basketball(Park Bay) court home. When they came out of the home, they usually said that we had topped ourselves. I have a confident feeling that the HYBRID WONDERHOME is one that may top them all!
Funny thing, whenever we do one of these “fantastic” type homes, folks inevitably ask what a “normal” version of the home would cost and where they can see one. The reality is that builders usually do not have the funds to produce a fancy and a not so fancy version of any single home, so the public is forced to try to imagine the fancy home without all the over-the-top creative thrills and frills. This year, we are not only producing 3 spectacular MBA Parade homes, we are also producing all three of these home in the more “normal” versions so you don’t have to guess. In fact, these homes are having their Grand Opening celebrations to coincide with the same dates as the Parade so if you like a certain one of our 3 Parade models, you can travel just 10 minutes away to see the normal versions!
I think that is enough revelations for one blog entry. I hope you will take a golf cart tour of Reflection’s Village with me (I like to do the driving) this weekend or any time by appointment. Just call or , as I said, stop on by our special INFO-DECK right on site. Don’t be shy, it will be a blast!
Blessings,
Tom Hignite
