|
|
 |
|
||
| Tucked
among the foothills of Lakewood is Solterra, home to this year’s
Parade of Homes. The Parade of Homes has been a summertime tradition
for 23 years, showcasing some of Colorado’s finest architects,
builders, craftsmen, and designers. It is open seven days a week through
Labor Day. While not everyone can afford one of the luxury homes featured
in the Parade of Homes (prices begin at around $2 million), touring them
can be a fun family activity. Located just off C-470 and Alameda Parkway,
it can be easy to incorporate a visit on your way up to the mountains
or before taking in an evening performance at Red Rocks Amphitheater. The landscape of terraced hills truly dictated the vision for this luxury home development, which is reminiscent of a European hillside village, explains Mike Partheymuller, vice president of Colorado for Carma Developers. This year’s Parade features eight unique homes. One of the design trends this year has been the maximization of outdoor living spaces, including patios, decks, outdoor kitchens, water features, and shaded seating areas. This only makes sense given the breathtaking panoramic views of the Rocky Mountains and rolling hills in the area. Most of the homes feature multiple decks and patios, along with large sliding doors that when open, transform indoor living areas into open air spaces. And with patios and decks on both the front and back sides of these homes, residents can take advantage of their outdoor spaces throughout the day simply by moving as the sun moves. Brad Manley of Element Custom Builders says he took the desirability of outdoor living spaces to heart, and incorporated numerous decks and patios into the design of the Sede Felice Parade home, for example. He also added multiple access points so that from nearly every room within the home, its outdoor complement is easily accessible. Green building innovation and technology is another star of the 2008 Parade. Every Parade home is certified for its energy efficiency by Built Green Colorado, a voluntary program overseen by the Home Builders Association of Metro Denver. Built Green Colorado assigns houses points for various energy savings and environmentally friendly technologies incorporated into the home’s construction, such as zoned temperature controls, well-sealed ventilation shafts, high-efficiency windows, and energy-efficient lights, to name a few. Another interesting feature of this year’s Parade is the many ways builders have incorporated reclaimed materials into their designs, which is another aspect of Built Green Colorado that homes receive points for. At the threshold of every Parade home, you will be met by a greeter who will tell you which page that particular home is featured on in the resource guide. They enjoy any opportunity to boast about the home they are in, and they are very knowledgeable about which materials were reclaimed and how they were incorporated into the home. From support beams and window frames to barn doors and hardwood floors, the diversity of reclaimed materials, as well as the ways in which they were incorporated into the homes’ designs, are intriguing and might be worth asking about. Even if you’re not in the market for a new home, I think a visit to the Parade is still time well-spent. It’s a great place to see the newest building technologies and get ideas for renovating or redecorating your own home. Parade homes can provide the inspiration you’ve been looking for for finishing a basement, organizing a closet, or redoing kitchens and bathrooms. “Although only about 10% of the people coming to tour the Parade of Homes are actually in the market to buy a home, this is a great opportunity for people to get ideas for their current homes,” says Realtor Mike Copp. Yet some people come to the Parade looking for ideas and realize their current home only has so much potential. The Parade ends up spurring them to place their house on the market so that they can look for a new residence that can accommodate all their ideas. Whatever your situation, this year’s Parade is a must-see, in my opinion. Another incentive to visit the Parade at Solterra is your chance to bring a little piece of a Parade home with you. Some of the builders and designers involved this year have pledged items and services to be auctioned off at the conclusion of the Parade to support the Home Builders Foundation. With values ranging from a couple hundred dollars to several thousand dollars, these items might add value to your living space. Some of the items include stained-glass panels, floral arrangements, furniture, linens, and interior design consultations. It can be the perfect opportunity to actually bring inspirations from the Parade to life in your own home. And finally, the Retreat is a must-see before it is closed to the public and people begin to take up residence in Solterra. No detail seemed to be overlooked in the conception, design, and construction of the neighborhood clubhouse. Mike explains that as the developer of Solterra, he and his team “left nothing out. We even lined up the courtyard fountain with Red Rocks Amphitheater for the full effect.” The Retreat features an infinity pool ringed by shade trees and plants, a gourmet kitchen and dining area with seating for a private party of 12, a workout room, locker rooms, private massage rooms, large open areas ideal for wedding receptions, and a concierge desk. A flagstone patio wraps around the retreat, again to take full advantage of the fantastic scenery nature provides. The focal point of the Retreat as you approach the Solterra development is the clock tower, which chimes every quarter hour and bells play a song at the top of every hour. I think you really will feel the European influence as you look out over Solterra with its terraced neighborhoods and clay tiled roofs. For more information on the 2008 Parade of Homes and Solterra, visit www.mysolterra.comor www.carmadevelopers.com, or contact Vicki Pelletier with the Home Builders Association of Metro Denver at 303-778-1400. |
The Parade of |
||
|
