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May112011
What I most look forward to (x10)
By Tracie Haddock, 2011 Designers’ Showhouse owner
The time is rapidly approaching when my family and I get to move back into our fabulously redesigned house—yay!! The closer it gets, the more I look forward to it (kind of like having a baby!). Here are just a few things I anticipate the most (settle in, the list is long):
1. Cooking in my new kitchen. My prior kitchen had one broken oven, one broken dishwasher, one broken burner on the cooktop, and a broken pop-up vent. My new kitchen not only has two of everything (except the fridge and cooktop), but all of those “things” are in working order! How great is that? Yes, I will have lots of owner’s manuals to read, but it will be well worth my time.
2. Scrubbing grassy baseball pants in my utility room sink. My prior laundry room had no sink, so all stain scrubbing was done in the kitchen. Not fun. With five children, laundry is a major part of my life. Thank goodness my new laundry room is going to simplify the process.
3. Caring for Mason. With his new room and bathroom, it’s like someone pushed the EASY button for me. I am profoundly grateful for all of the adaptations that were done. It will truly change my life for the better. And Mason’s, too.
4. Deciding where to hang out. As my husband put it, “There are so many cool new rooms in our house, I can’t figure out where I’m gonna hang out.” Will we be in the hearth room or the great room on the main floor, or in the family room and media room downstairs? Who knows? It’s a good problem to have. 
5. Reading in MY retreat while my children read in THEIR nook. Two charming places in my house dedicated to reading. . .somebody pinch me, I must be dreaming. I think I will actually enjoy reading appliance owner’s manuals in there!
6. Creating pretty things in my scrapbooking room. This whole area is so ingeniously designed! I just can’t wait to invite my scrapbooking crew over and put it to good use.
7. Admiring my new front landscaping as I pull into my driveway each day. Wow, what an improvement there!
8. Feeling inspired by my stunning bathroom. I am pretty sure my master bathroom is a work of art! I just love it, and I think the river rock in the shower is going to feel awesome on my feet.
9. Seeing my other four children enjoy their bedrooms (and bathrooms!). Each one of them (including my 15 year old son, who hardly says a word) has expressed to me how EXCITED they are to move into their rooms. Now. . .will they clean them?
10. And finally–Living, working, and BEING TOGETHER in a house designed for OUR family. I look forward to creating happy memories for my children in this home. Thank you to ALL who worked on this project. My gratitude simply knows no bounds.
All the best,
Tracie Haddock
May062011
Musings on our adventure
Hello, ERC blog readers, my name is Tracie Haddock, and I am delighted to share a few thoughts with you about our experiences over the last several months (editor’s note: Tracie Haddock is the homeowner of the Designers’ Showhouse). Not only am I sharing with you, but I am also recording my thoughts for posterity, since I have been a terrible journal writer lately. In fact, my journal hasn’t even been informed that I had a fifth child, much less that we were chosen as the 2011 Designers’ Showhouse. But I digress. . .
Back to the topic du jour, which is, (as I understand it), “What has it been like for your family to move out of your house for 5 months, watch the interior get completely revamped, and then stand by while the whole city tours it for four weeks?”
I get asked a version of this question quite regularly, and my answer is something like, “Well, it’s just about how you would imagine it … a little surreal, unbelievably fun and occasionally a tad crazy!”
Here are a few things I have learned along the way:
1. Moving in January stinks. Now I know why everybody moves in the summertime. It was mercilessly cold the day we moved, and it was before any exciting work had been done on the house, so I was thinking I was probably nuts at that point. (My husband may or may not have muttered something to that effect under his breath that day.)
2. When you get to live in an amazing rental house while doing this project, your children think the whole thing is a really fun adventure! Seriously, my children have not complained at all — mostly because our rental house is so lovely! Except maybe my three-year-old, who initially asked me several times if we could please go home now. He got over that after a week or so. No harm, no foul, right?
3. After the Bare Bones Preview, the designers and their crews do not try to ease you into this process. They don’t have time! They are on a very tight schedule. Consequently, within 48 hours of the end of the Bare Bones tour, my entire kitchen, my master bathroom, and Mason’s room had disappeared. Um, ok! I guess there is no turning back now!
4. Working with interior designers is the COOLEST THING EVER! I always suspected it was, and now I know. They are delightful people. They are running around finding things to put in your house that you love! AND, they are also solving all of those little problems that drive you nuts about the rooms in your house. It’s literally a dream come true. So I say, if you can, hire yourself a designer—it is the greatest fun!
5. The time really flies—so much so that I never got totally unpacked here at the rental house! I have learned that, yes, you can live out of boxes and totes for five months, as long as they are properly labeled.
6. Keeping a naïve attitude about the possible inconveniences you may encounter can actually be a good thing. There is no use fretting over what can’t be helped (such as having to drive two children to the church several times a week so they can practice the piano), so don’t worry about it!
7. ERC is a fantastic organization! I just LOVE all of the positive things they do for so many child care providers, parents and children. And on a personal level, being part of a gigantic project that helps lots of people in the community has been extraordinarily fulfilling for me!
On that note, I will end this ramble. Thank you for reading and more importantly, THANK YOU for touring our house!
All the best,
Tracie Haddock
May052011
A teen’s oasis
Leslie Hunsicker of Leslie Hunsicker Interiors designed a dream of a room for a 15-year-old young man. Using rich, earthy colors, she brightens up a lower-level room, and incorporates some clever storage.
Name:
Leslie Hunsicker
Business:
Leslie Hunsicker Interiors
What room are you designing?
Porter’s bedroom and bathroom on the lower level.
What was your inspiration for the design of this room?
Porter is an avid cross country runner, so I used the nature-inspired colors of deep blue-gray, greens and metallics –— copper, bronze and a touch of brushed nickel. He loves to read as well, so I incorporated lots of shelving for his many books into the custom nightstands and headboard combination.
Five words that describe my general design aesthetic:
Graphic. Comfortable. Timeless. Clean. Functional.
Video embedded below.
May032011
A seriously fun place
In today’s designer episode, Cindy Manry from BA Designs tackles the task of transforming the study space to a serious work area that’s also a fun place to be.
Name:
Cindy Manry
Business:
BA Designs, LLC
What room are you designing?
Study
What was your inspiration for the design of this room?
Since this is a room shared by both the children and adults, I wanted to create a space that felt organized and professional, yet held a playful and inviting sense of style.
A closet has been repurposed into a comfy reading nook with added lighting and a cushioned bench with pillows in browns and yellows. A well-planned work station offers ample work space for multiple users with storage areas for specific needs. Yellow walls and a fun contemporary central light fixture add energy and brightness to the room.
With its central location in the home, the study, no doubt, will be a delightful center for learning, quiet study or just a special place for curling up with a favorite book.
Five words that describe my general design aesthetic:
Organized
Colorful
Modern
Stylish
Functional
Video embedded below.
May032011
‘A little rustic’ dining room and great room
In today’s designer episode, Chris Grandmontagne unveils plans for the urban cowboy-themed dining room and great room. She incorporates many unique pieces of furniture from warehouse 414, specially modified for the Showhouse.
Name:
Chris and John Grandmontagne
Business:
Grandmontagne Designs and warehouse 414
What room are you designing?
Dining room/great room
What was your inspiration for the design of this room?
The need for a VERY large dining table, and the homeowner’s comment that the family liked things to be a little rustic and kind of western. Plus, we needed to accommodate their baby grand piano.
Five words that describe my general design aesthetic:
Modern Comfort
Easy
Rustic
Eclectic
Versatile
Video embedded below.
May022011
Lunch for the last two weeks of the Showhouse
Well, here we are. Only two weeks left for Showhouse tours. I hope you have plans to visit us before we pack up and let the Haddocks have their house back. Lunch for the last two remaining weeks is catered by the decadent Sweet Dreams.
Lunch is served Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. and cost is only $9.
Sweet Dreams Poppyseed Salad
Chicken salad on mini croissant
Assorted cream tarts
Be sure to stop by our Facebook page and let us know what you think of the tour and lunch!
Apr302011
Showhouse designer interviewed in Topeka Capital-Journal
The Topeka Capital-Journal has a fantastic article about the special needs room Jolayne Hawver designed for the Showhouse this year.
View our video interview with Jolayne.
We would love to hear your feedback about the Showhouse. What room was your favorite? Feel free to weigh in on this post, or leave a comment on our Facebook page.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Apr272011
‘River rocking’ the master bath
In today’s designer episode, Juan Perez introduces his plan for the master bathroom at the Designers’ Showhouse. It includes a curved wall covered in river rocks for the vanity, and river rocks adorning the space above the jacuzzi. He carries the river-rock theme through to the walk-in shower, where he will snake the rock through the shower.
Name:
Juan Perez
Business:
JCD Inc.
What room are you designing?
Master bathroom
What was your inspiration for the design of this room?
When I create something, I want to do something unique; something that no one else has done. I like for my work to be perfect, but also made with passion. I have an adventurous mind, and when it comes to my designs, my mind has no limits. I love what I do, and I like having my own style on doing things that people will enjoy seeing.
Five words that describe my general design aesthetic:
In five words, I would have to say my work is unique, professional, passionate, creative and inspirational.
Video embedded below.
Apr252011
Lunch menu for April 25-29
Lunch for the week of April 25 – 29 is catered by the our friends at Brickyard Barn Inn.
Lunch is served Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. and cost is only $9.
Swiss cheese quiche
Asian salad
Vegetable dip and veggies in bread bowl
Minty-chocolate brownies
Be sure to stop by our Facebook page and let us know what you think of the tour and lunch!