Classic design gives way to modern technology in this Vienna
home by J.D.A. Custom Homes.
Whether you’re considering building a new custom home or planning a renovation of your current home, there’s no better way to envision the possibilities than at the Northern Virginia Custom Builder Council’s 11th Annual Parade of Homes.
This year’s Parade features homes throughout Northern Virginia—some completed and some under construction—built by more than two dozen of the region’s finest custom-home builders. These stunning and unique homes will open their doors on Saturday, October 4 and Sunday, October 5 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. This year, the Custom Builder Council has selected HomeAid Northern Virginia as the event’s beneficiary. One-hundred percent of the ticket proceeds will help build shelters for today’s homeless children and families. In the past 12 months, CBC members have completed six projects, donating their time, materials and services for families in need. Since 1998, the Council has raised more than $100,000 for local charities and more than $300,000 in time and materials for HomeAid.
Grand Homes, Green Homes & High-Tech Dream Homes
The Parade lets homeowners get a first-hand look at homes in a wide variety of styles; it also provides a chance to meet custom builders in person. A custom builder can make your dream home a reality, no matter what you desire. Whether your style is opulent, understated, energy-efficient, child-friendly or high-tech, when you are building a custom home you are limited only by your imagination and your budget. The Parade of Homes reflects this diversity with a wide variety of beautiful homes to tour, including the following:
A gracious home located in downtown Vienna, Virginia, custom built by J.D.A. Custom Homes, Inc., exemplifies both classic style and modern efficiency. This home features handcrafted molding; a custom family room with built-ins; a state-of-the-art gourmet kitchen; and a luxurious master suite with a private balcony, an Italian ceramic bath and a fabulous walk-in closet. J.D.A. also incorporated the latest building techniques and in-home technologies into the design, including energy-efficient appliances, network wiring and an integrated speaker system.
A 12,000-plus-square-foot home built by Creighton Enterprises in the community of Grenata Preserve in Loudoun County, Virginia, will wow you with its hard-to-find combination of grand size and genuine warmth. The elegant design and easy flow from room to room give no indication that the walls hide 17 miles of wiring that connect all the home’s systems—from lighting to security to H/VAC monitoring and home entertainment. It’s all easily controlled via a portable
wireless touch-screen tablet and wall-mounted consoles. Aside from technology, this home features incredible craftsmanship and attention to detail. Oversized stone fireplaces, handcrafted molding, a large cherry-paneled library, a full butler’s pantry and a workout room complete with sauna and steam shower are just some of its standout features.
Apex Custom Homes is showcasing a magnificent custom estate in Leesburg, Virginia’s prestigious Beacon Hill community. Parade goers will marvel at this home’s extensive use of exotic hardwood and marble, its large custom chandeliers and its 1,100-square-foot gourmet kitchen. A hand-built custom stone wine grotto is the perfect spot for a tasting party, while auto enthusiasts will appreciate the five-car garage. Apex has its own line of custom millwork and stonework, and the attention to detail is evident throughout this Parade entry.
Waterford Home Builders’ Parade entry is an example that luxury living needn’t cause a huge carbon footprint. Constructed using structural straw-insulated panels and a pre-cast concrete foundation, this Lovettsville, Virginia, home features solar and radiant heat with geothermal backup. Energy savings are further maximized thanks to passive-solar design, a front entrance airlock and consistent two-foot overhangs on the exterior that minimize mechanical loads. In addition, the home’s floors are manufactured from reclaimed hardwood, its shingles are made from primarily recycled materials and only low- or no-VOC paint products are used throughout.
The custom home designed and built by Sagatov Associates in Arlington, Virginia, combines a modern floor plan with numerous windows and high-end finishes throughout. The three-level, 5,000-square-foot home has five bedrooms and five and a half bathrooms, and is certified by both the national Energy Star program and the Arlington Green Home Choice program. Ceiling heights vary from nine feet in the basement to 10 feet on the main floor, and measure 15 feet in both the great room and the second floor’s three vaulted bedrooms.
The main level’s modern open floor plan features a huge screened porch located just off a spectacular professional kitchen highlighted by red birch cabinets, stainless-steel and granite countertops and a lime-green glass backsplash. Perhaps the home’s signature design feature is a stunning custom-built, burnished steel staircase with natural oak treads and hand rails.
Speeding the Custom Building Process
Participating in the Parade of Homes is the perfect way to kick off the journey that leads to building your own custom home. The Parade is your only chance all year to tour so many new and established custom homes of all different designs and styles in the space of one weekend. And while designing and building a true custom home takes time, the Parade can help you get out of the gate quickly, providing examples, showcasing materials and helping you create your own master list of likes and dislikes. That list can be a valuable starting point when it comes time to sit down with an architect and/or builder to decide how to proceed.
Parade tickets are available for purchase online at www.vaParade.com. Directions to each home can be found on the Web site’s Tour Map page. Tickets for the Parade can also purchased during the event at the door of any Parade home for $20 per family group.
Modern style and energy-saving design combine in this Energy