Construction Connections interviewed Kevin Ohlinger of Kevin K. Ohlinger Residential Design, LLC, who brought much of the design creativity to our Home-A-Rama team, to give you this behind-the-design exclusive of what you'll see - and what not to miss - when visiting our Home-A-Rama home. Construction Connections: Kevin, as the designer for the EGStoltzfus' (EGS) Home-A-Rama home, can you give us some insight that inspired the design for this home? Kevin Ohlinger: Winding Hills is a traditional neighborhood, so the EGS team and I sat down to determine what type of traditional home to present for the Home-A-Rama. We finally elected to go with an Old-World, European-inspired, classic home design. A key element in designing this home was how the home would be experienced from the outside. To put it another way, we asked the question: when someone approaches, how will the home be viewed? In the end, we designed it to have a formal front to welcome visitors yet set a much more casual approach for the owners, as they'll be entering the home through the garage. Additionally, many home exteriors in developments are designed to only look fabulous on two-sides - the fronts and backs of the homes. This home is much different and we designed a 360-degree exterior, making sure that the home was just as attractive from all four sides, which adds to the home's interest, character and depth. CC: I understand that the front of the house includes an unusual space. Tell us more. KO: An attractive feature that was incorporated into this home was a breakfast courtyard that is located in the front of the house, yet hidden. In fact, it is actually quite a private, undetectable space from the street. Located right off the kitchen, this courtyard is truly a charming, garden alcove for the homeowner to enjoy. CC: It sounds like a lot of thought went into planning the exterior of the home to make it a full experience for the neighborhood and homeowner alike. What about the interior? Is there a not-to-be-missed design feature? KO: There certainly is, although I am not sure there is only one not-to-be-missed element. There is one that comes to mind immediately - a "secret" room between the first and second floors. It is a mid-level study, and because it isn't technically part of the first or second floor, it has its own vibe. The room is private enough to allow the homeowner to use it as a study/home office area, yet it is still connected to the rest of the house, which makes this space perfect for a second family room, perhaps for teenagers to hang out. The choice really is up to the homeowner. CC: You mentioned that there were other not-to-be-missed features. What are they? KO: Just like the exterior of the home, we also thoughtfully designed the interior spaces. Once the house was under roof, we walked through it to visualize how the space should best be used. We added layers and defined the final spaces of the house. It truly is a one-of-a-kind home, and will most likely take more than one visit to see all the detail and enhancements that went into the design of the home. To see our Old World Style home, visit the Home-A-Rama, June 11-26 at Winding Hills Estates, Mechanicsburg.
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