From the Publisher

Sometimes the designer’s practical contributions are obvious, like locating the kitchen right off the garage entrance to the home so that groceries can be hauled from the car directly to where they belong.?

Other times the touches are more subtle, like creating a stop-and-drop space for cellphones, laptops, iPods, backpacks and keys in the area where the home’s occupants pass through after returning from work or school.

There are so many factors, large and small, that distinguish well-designed homes. And when you visit as many models as we at Orlando Homebuyer do, you learn to look for them.
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We talk a lot about builders in this publication, and it’s certainly important that every home in every price range be solidly constructed using quality materials.

But it all starts with the architect or the home designer. Most are behind-the-scenes types who create residential works of art on paper and rarely receive the credit they deserve when the finished product is unveiled.

In this issue, we bring these folks front and center and give them an opportunity to showcase their creativity. We’re calling it our first annual Home Design Challenge.

And what a challenge it was. We asked some of Orlando’s top architects and designers to very quickly—in less than two weeks, actually—come up with a unique home design for a fictitious family on an actual homesite.?

Adding to the difficulty, we chose a homesite with its own set of obstacles. It boasts several large oak trees that can’t be removed. And it’s located in Winter Park, where building requirements and restrictions are stringent.

The participants were up to the task—and I think you’ll be amazed at the variety of approaches and styles they employed.

In addition to the speculative designs, however, we’re presenting the actual home design, from Origins Residential Design, that Holloway Custom Homes is building on the site and has available for sale.??
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Every great idea starts with a dream—or at least a sketch on a cocktail napkin. I hope this issue sparks your imagination and starts you on your way to designing and building your dream home, or even renovating the home you’ve already got.?

Check out the Home Design Challenge in this issue. Then log onto
www.florida-homebuyer.com to see more details and to pick your favorite.

—Mimi Briegel, Publisher
mimib@florida-homebuyer.com