Photo by Sydney Cromwell.
Clint Lovette, Alicia Vincent and Jeremy Wright inside the 2016 Ideal Home under construction.
The latest in appliances, fixtures and home décor will be on display in Vestavia this month as part of the Greater Birmingham Association of Home Builders’ 2016 Ideal Home.
This is the fifth year that the GBAHB has created an Ideal Home. The home is a way to showcase new home products from member vendors, and “latest and greatest things that are out there that you may not see,” GBAHB Executive Vice President Alicia Vincent said. The home is also part of the annual Parade of Homes and is sold each year with most of those new products included.
“It’s like a different way to advertise for our associates,” Vincent said. “Last year or the year before it was amazing how much it helped their products sell.”
The 2016 home is located at 3559 Altadena Park Lane, in a new Vestavia neighborhood. Jeremy Wright of J. Wright Building Company is constructing the five-bedroom, five-bath house. It is based on a design that will be featured in an upcoming Southern Living home plans magazine.
Construction began just after Christmas, Wright said, and they are working to finish everything up before the Parade of Homes begins April 22.
“If weather’s good to us, then we’ll make it,” Vincent said.
The home has an open plan centered around a great room with a wood-burning fireplace, tray ceilings and shiplap siding on one wall.
“It’ll hold a lot of furniture. It’s a nice room for entertaining,” Wright said.
The house also features a dining room with a vaulted ceiling, a gentleman’s bar area, three-car garage, mudroom and a bonus room connected to the main floor with its own staircase. Wright is also creating a backyard space that includes a covered patio and outdoor kitchen.
“He’s doing a lot of unique stuff outside that I’m excited to see. So I think somebody that likes to entertain and have a lot of people around, this is going to be the perfect house,” Vincent said.
The house will be painted with neutral colors, but Wright said they have selected warmer shades than in previous homes, such as the 2015 one located in Hoover.
“A lot of the stuff that’s in here, we’re bringing Southern charm into this house with everything we’re doing,” Wright said.
The last step is for a local home stager to fill the house with furniture and décor. Vincent said frequently, the Ideal Home’s buyer chooses to buy a lot of the staging furniture as well. This Ideal Home’s asking price will be $989,900. Vincent said the GBAHB Ideal Home is typically sold before or during the Parade of Homes.
The Parade of Homes runs over two weekends: April 22-24 and April 29-May 1, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. There are houses throughout the Birmingham area participating, and the event is free and open to the public. Information can be found on the GBAHB website, birminghambuilder.com, including maps, driving directions and facts about each home. Parade of Homes magazines will be available in local RealtySouth offices, Vincent said.
“It seems to do a little better every time. We had probably around 4,000 people walk through the house last year,” Vincent said.
At the Ideal Home, some vendors will be available to demonstrate their products in action and tell customers where to buy them. Vincent said there are about 30 vendors involved from the roof shingles all the way down to the nails, including Kohler providing some brand-new fixtures. There will be pamphlets available for visitors with information about the products featured.
Vincent said once the Ideal Home becomes a family’s residence, it will fit in well with the rest of its neighborhood. She and the rest of the GBAHB were excited to have the opportunity to bring an Ideal Home to Vestavia Hills.
“Vestavia is just a prime location. It’s hot right now and it’s hard to find lots in Vestavia, so the fact that we found a new neighborhood was pretty exciting. And we just think it’s a great product in a great location,” Vincent said.
For more information, visit birminghambuilder.com.
Birmingham 2016 Parade of Homes
- WHERE: Various locations
- WHEN: April 22-24, April 29-May 1
- HOURS: 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
- WEB: birminghambuilder.com
