It is always been a dream of ours to participate in a Parade of Homes, and this year we were fortunate enough to make this goal happen. These past several months we focused on designing and staging a home that was featured in the 2019 BIA Parade of Homes, and what an experience it was! Multiple meetings over coordinating tile, window treatments, backsplash, art, flooring, you name it, we were involved in many aspects. We partnered with Stonecliff Homes and America’s Floor Source to create a warm, organic home the buyers will love.
Evans Farm in Lewis Center, Ohio was the location for this year’s parade. This community has a new and exciting neighborhood concept called “New Urbanism”, where the goal is for homeowners to be able to do everything right within their neighborhood. Whether walking to a shop or riding a bike to the post office, everything is within reach from the front porch.
Let’s start with the exterior of this home. This exterior was quite a selling feature in itself. From the welcoming and long front porch, to the master balcony, to the sunroom equipped with a television, the back patio with multiple seating areas, and the separate garden, this home’s features were equally intriguing outside as they were inside.
Some of our favorite features on the main floor include the white-washed brick going up and down the staircase, the dark walls in the front two rooms to create depth, that gorgeous centerpiece that came from a shipwreck in Florida, the list goes on. Stopping at the dining room for a moment, we collaborated with Fortin Ironworks in Grandview to attach metal and transform this piece into a candle centerpiece that would be memorable to all. Custom artwork in many areas of this home, including the dining room, came from the talented local artist Dennis Rano, who perfectly envisioned and finished out this space. We carried the dark rich colors into the office with another art set from Dennis that blended perfectly.
The master suite with its own private outdoor balcony is a calming oasis, pulling in the blues on the walls with the tans and creams in our decor. Another custom piece of art is an extra large horse piece from, you guessed it, Dennis Rano. Around the corner is another unique feature – how about a coffee station in your own bedroom?! Finishing out the space is a dreamy large bathroom with double shower heads.
The princess room is probably the most photographed and posted bedroom in this house. The fabric tulle made multiple appearances in this room, whether it was draping over the bed, on the dressform, or as a bedskirt. Our goal in this room was to create an ultra-feminine and beautiful space, and we are so pleased with the end result. Pottery Barn was generous enough to lend us the tulle bedskirt and the mini Eiffel Tower in the corner – the tower even lights up! Antique suitcases, a brand new vanity and an antique door with a crystal knob complete this adorable bedroom.
The train bedroom was another popular favorite, with a life-size railroad sign, the customized railroad dresser by the local company Aardvark Furniture and the adorable “Sleepytown” sign above the bed. Other finishing touches include a toy train (of course!) and the cutest little overalls hanging on the hooks.
The last bedroom upstairs was the guest bedroom that we transformed into a garden theme, complete with the “Designer Challenge” watering can (every house was challenged to incorporate a watering can creatively into their design), silk flowers strategically hung on the wall, plants, a ladder, a gardening hat and of course, gardening gloves!
Finishing out the top level was a convenient and spacious laundry room and two gorgeous additional baths.
The lower level was so much fun to design and stage. We took inspiration from first responders and dedicated this space to firefighters. This lower level had three separate televisions, a pub area, a kitchen with its raw-edge wood island, and a spot under the stairs for the family dog(s) to relax! And who could forget the separate bathroom with its own urinal to really bring this basement to the next level. Some of our favorite pieces: the giant fire truck art piece created by Dennis Rano; our ever-popular Dalmatian piece of art with the Dalmatian’s spots being blown off by a fan; the ladders in the back with men’s magazines; and the ottoman made of firehoses straight from Delaware County.
All in all, this was a challenging and rewarding process for Sanctuary Staging from beginning to end. We are so thankful to Stonecliff Homes for this opportunity and we absolutely love the end product. Enjoy the photos!
