Looking behind new Showcase Home's walls

Work is well under way on the $1.2 million, French Country-style Southern Living Showcase Home in the Dorset Park neighborhood.

An inside look at what visitors won't see this fall
By AMY STUMPFL
For Brentwood Home Page
Anticipation is mounting as construction continues on the 2011 Southern Living Showcase Home. And while visitors touring the home this fall will likely focus on interior design trends and decorative finishes, Castle Homes’ Project Manager Brett Wright is eager to talk about “what’s behind those walls.”

“There’s a lot that goes into the construction process that most people don’t even think about,” Wright says. “We approach every project the same way – by asking what is the best value for the homeowner? And part of that is to provide the best design, and the latest building products and technology.”

Castle Homes is partnering with Southern Living magazine and LP Building Products to present the $1.2 million, French Country-style home in the Dorset Park neighborhood in southern Davidson County. The Southern Living Showcase Home will be open for public tours October 21-November 6.

When it comes to designing a Showcase Home, Castle Homes’ president Alan Looney says it was important to achieve a sense of “architectural integrity,” along with rethinking conventional space planning.

Livability is important,” Looney says, adding that the home’s open plan feels much larger than its 4,460 square feet. “We want the rooms to feel more connected.”

For example, a five-panel wall unit – known as NanaWall – separates the living room from the back deck. This wall can fold back completely to create a gorgeous open air living space that’s ideal for entertaining.

Looney also sees flexibility as a key factor, noting that the home was designed to meet the changing needs of growing and aging families.

“The study downstairs offers a great example,” he says. “For the tour, we’ll have this room set up as a formal study, but it also could be used as an additional downstairs bedroom for an aging parent – it’s just a very versatile space.”

A Southern Living Showcase Home worker is applying a Sherwin Williams' color and texture overlay of paint to the brick home being built by Brentwood's Castle Homes.

In addition to maximizing flexibility, Looney says the Showcase Home – which will be both green certified and Energy Star certified – will feature the latest green building techniques and products, including pre-engineered wood such as LP’s LSL SolidStart girders and I-Joists. LSL refers to laminated strand lumber – a blend of aspen and maple hardwoods, which is cut into strands and mixed with waterproof, formaldehyde-free adhesives. The reduced moisture content helps eliminate warping and bowing.

“There’s no doubt that engineered lumber adds strength and durability to the home,” Wright says. “LP has even created a software program that can predict the long-term performance of the product.”

For the roof, Castle has selected GAF Camelot Designer Shingles, coupled with LP TechShield Radiant Barrier.

“We’ve been using LP TechShield for years, and we’ve found that it can cut attic temperatures by about 20 degrees, which helps keep cooling costs down,” Looney says. “It kind of looks like aluminum foil, with the radiant barrier reflecting the sun’s heat.”

Insulation is another area that can make a huge difference in maximizing energy efficiency. Here, Castle Homes selected Guardian UltraFit DS fiberglass insulation, a relatively new product that contains a limited amount of chemicals and no added formaldehyde.

Wright says the insulation is being installed in a six-sided configuration and sealed with DuPont ThermaWrap, which will protect against “wind washing.”

“Wind washing effectively robs insulation of the heat trapped within,” he explains. “Think of it like wearing a fleece jacket – it will keep you pretty warm until the wind picks up, but then that cold air is going to cut right through. But if you add a windbreaker, the fleece jacket is going to keep you much warmer. This is the same idea. We’re just encapsulating the insulation to hold on to that heat.”

Wright hopes that the tour – which could attract between 8,000-10,000 visitors – will enable people to learn more about building science and green technology, while offering inspiration for their own homes.

“We want to provide a fun, educational experience, which will offer great ideas for folks looking to remodel or build in the future,” he says. “Whether they’re looking to learn more about greener living or simply checking out paint colors and decorating ideas, everyone who comes through those doors is going to find something they can use.”