Workers are putting the final touches on the 2012 Fort Worth, Texas magazines Dream Home.
The furniture and interior decorations are warehoused, waiting on the final approval from the builders to move in before the Dream Home opens for tours later this month.
"We are accepting daily arrivals of our shipments and storing them in our warehouse until delivery to the house," said Susan Semmelmann and Brenda Blaylock of Grandeur Design in Decatur. "Right now, we are in a holding pattern - but we are ready to rock "n roll."
The Watson Design Group, founded in 1997, designed the house. Watson specializes in high-end residential projects.
"For our firm, The Dream Home Project is an exciting way to bring our design philosophies to a touring pubic," said President Scott Watson. "Too often high-end residential design is only seen by the individual client. Projects such as The Dream Home allow a broader market to enjoy the same experience."
That's true for other trades as well.
"Dream Homes are rewarding because they let us push the envelope on creativity and quality," said Terri Loddick, owner of Proscapes Lawn & Tree Care Inc. "We always learn something new when we do that."
Proscapes prides itself on its in-depth knowledge of the products it uses and "how and when to apply them most effectively on the plants of this North Texas region," Loddick said.
Tom Dearing of Overhead Door Co. of Fort Worth says work on a Dream Home is the kind of work the 30-year-old company does every day. But seeing a project like this come together - especially when it benefits a good cause like the American Heart Association - is always rewarding. These doors, however, are faced with wood.
Rick's Hardware and Decorative Plumbing, a 36-year-old business with showrooms in Grapevine, Granbury and Dallas, is a new partner this year. Paul Tacker says that Rick's is pleased to be involved on several fronts - to benefit a good cause and to give his company a chance to be involved with a new builder. Rick's is also involved with other charity projects such as GRACE in Grapevine, the Loreto House in Denton and the Humane Society.
J&S Air Inc. is a full-service air conditioning and heating company in business since 1991 and has grown, Grant and Ashley Hall say, by embracing the Golden Rule and treating people with respect.
"We have a passion for giving back to our community," they said. Involvement includes Habitat for Humanity, SafeHaven and Beat the Heat. The Halls said they were "very honored to be asked to be involved with the 2012 Dream Home. It is a great cause and great group of people."
Blu Glo Home Media Systems is a second-year partner. The company is locally owned and was founded it 2008. Bret Phillips says Blu Glo specializes in turnkey entertainment systems. The challenge to a Dream Home is building a system for an as-yet unknown owner, but Phillips said the company designs flexibility into the system in anticipation of future needs.
"We appreciate working for a builder with the attention to detail that Powers and Curtis shows," Phillips said. Last year's experience with the builder and Fort Worth, Texas magazine brought them back this year, he said.
Interceramic Tile & Stone Gallery sees Dream Home projects as a chance to show new and exciting trends, said DeDe Dunn, U.S. product and marketing manager.
"With this home, we are showcasing some new innovative products that utilize digital technology and new natural resources," Dunn said. "This new technology with digital inkjet allows tile manufacturers to replicate various materials such as stone, textiles or designs that just were not feasible with previous production methods. The detail that can be captured in the products is remarkable."
The charity also is a draw because "so many of us have had our lives affected by heart disease in some way."
It is the first Dream Home for Prewitt Electrical Services Inc. of North Richland Hills, a family-owned and operated business. Jeff Prewitt says he's involved in part because of the name recognition but also because of the charitable aspect of Dream Home projects.
"We do a lot of stuff like that. We do Habitat for Humanity homes and similar projects," he said. "We do houses of this caliber all the way up to 30,000 plus square feet. It's something we specialize in and like to do."
Texas Best Rain Gutter in Azle supplied the guttering system for the house. John Gilliam says he often works on houses built by Powers & Curtis. He's glad to be involved in a project that benefits the American Heart Association.
Interceramic Marble Collection has provided stone counters for Dream Homes since 2009 because it is a "wonderful opportunity to showcase so many of our unique natural stones," says Fort Worth showroom manager Elliot J. Fischer. "It is always a great pleasure to be involved in a project that will benefit such a great cause like the American Heart Association."
OmniView Window and Door was established in 2006 by Scott Huffman, Royce Huffman and Rudy Aramburu. This is the fourth Dream Home project for the company.
"The charitable causes allow us to give back to our community and, in the process, we get to be involved in the construction of truly beautiful homes," Aramburu said.
Where: 3824 Riverhills View Drive
Benefiting: American Heart Association Tarrant County
Tour Dates: Sept. 26 - Oct. 28
Times: Wednesday - Saturday, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.; Sundays, noon - 5 p.m.
Admission: $10
