Blog

What Makes a Great Room Great?

What Makes a Great Room Great?

There is no better time than the holiday season to really explore all of the elements that make a Great Room truly GREAT. Also known in many circles as the “Family Room”, it’s a room of the home where countless everyday moments happen AND where major milestones are marked. As the backdrop to all of these special occasions, special care should be given to the design and realization of this living space that sees an awful lot of living. Whether creating this space as part of a major renovation of your current home or placing an emphasis on this space in the design of your new custom home, Highlight Homes has some opinions on the matter of taking a Great Room to the Greatest Room you’ll ever know (and love!)…

The Hearth of the Home:  From the materials used to create the surround to the mantle itself, the fireplace in your Great Room should be a focal point – a veritable work of art. It should reflect your personality and sense of style, as well as complement the rest of your home. From stacked stone with a rough-hewn timber mantle to a marble surround with intricate woodwork, you can go as casual or as formal as you wish to set the tone for the rest of the room.

Raise the Roof: One component many builders use to make a Great Room feel GRAND is an open second story – opening the space up immeasurably. At Christmastime, just imagine how TALL your Christmas tree could be! If a two-story Great Room isn’t in the cards, there may still be a way to raise the ceilings to 10 feet for more of a sense of spaciousness.

The World Outside: Windows are an important element of your Great Room. If you have a particularly beautiful and PRIVATE backyard, a wall of windows may serve to make the room seem more expansive – connecting it to the world outside. If that is not the case, the addition of just a few windows to let the light shine in might be a better way to go – helping to keep the focus inside the room itself.

All the Trimmings: Woodwork can serve as the frame to the Great Room of your dreams. For a more rustic, cozy feel, you might elect to go with timber rafters. For a more traditional, formal feel, you might incorporate a coffered ceiling, crown molding and built-in bookcases.

Go with the Flow: If you always dreamed of having one of those enormous overstuffed sectionals where you and the entire family can lounge around eating popcorn and watching a Christmas movie marathon, it’s important to communicate this to your builder. The layout of the room should be designed in such a way to accommodate your vision – from the placement of the sectional to the location of the TV.

The Ground Beneath Your Feet: Choice of flooring can serve to enhance this space, as well. If you elect to go with hardwoods or tile, you’ll want to invest in throw rugs to soften the space and make it more inviting. The addition of carpet will make it more welcoming to bare feet, but be aware that spills in this popular space are a very real possibility – making the investment in stain-resistant carpet a wise one.

A Little Light on the Subject: Lighting is an oft overlooked design element that – when wielded properly – can result in a stunning transformation of any space. If your Great Room doesn’t get a lot of natural light, you’ll want to pay attention to the placement of your lighting. For a truly dramatic effect, invest in one showstopper fixture in the center of the room.

Color Me Happy: The choice of paint colors in this space can serve to open up the space further AND set the mood. You might want to keep it neutral and let your décor do the talking, or you may want to choose a paint and trim color that will enhance the ambiance. Gray is all the rage in home design. You might elect to paint the walls a pale gray and the trim a slightly darker gray. Gray exudes a sense of balance, formality and sophistication. Other emotions/sensations tied to color include: beige = calm, white = clean, black = edgy, brown = earthy and rustic, pink = innocent, red = passionate, yellow = happy, green = natural, blue = serene and inviting.

The team at Atlanta-based Highlight Homes welcomes the opportunity to help you transform the look of your current family room, add a Great Room onto your existing home or design a custom home on your behalf that includes the Great Room of your dreams. Getting started is easy! Simply call us at 678-873-9234 or email us at info@highlighthomesga.com to schedule your no obligation consultation. You can also elect to complete our convenient online contact form.

From all of us here at Highlight Homes, we wish you and yours a very Happy Holiday Season and all the very best in the New Year!

Dinner Theater: Spotlight on the Dining Room

Dinner Theater: Spotlight on the Dining Room

What better time to shine the spotlight on the subject of the dining room than the holidays? It’s a time when many of us flex our entertaining muscle and put the flow between our kitchen and dining room to the test. One of the MANY benefits of building a custom home or undergoing a luxury home renovation is that YOU get to call the shots where the design of your layout is concerned – often based on a blend of your wants, needs and tastes. Highlight Homes – a custom home builder and master renovator – has compiled the following list of considerations when designing the dining room of your dreams…

Occasions Take Shape: If you like to host a large group for the holidays or more intimate affairs any time of the year, the shape of your dining room is a major factor. A larger, rectangular room to accommodate a long dining room table with room enough for up to 10 to 12 guests may be on one end of the spectrum while a square space to accommodate a round table for up to 6 to 8 guests is on the other. This is your stage, so decide what shape and size works best for you and your family.

Table Setting: The dining room will serve as the backdrop to a treasure trove of occasions – from gatherings with neighbors to memorable family events to countless holiday celebrations. The décor of your dining room will set the tone. Your woodwork and lighting choices can add a sense of comfort or air of elegance. A stately chandelier and coffered ceiling paired with traditional chair rail, wainscoting and crown molding serve to make the room feel more formal while shiplap walls and industrial or farmhouse-themed lighting may make the space seem more casual and inviting.

Go with the Flow: You could have the most beautiful dining room in the world, but the MEAL and the company who shares it will always be central to any occasion.  Just as you would in any successful restaurant, to aid in making each meal a success, you want a seamless flow between your kitchen and the dining space. If entertaining is one of your favorite pastimes, you’ll want to place a major emphasis on flow with your architect or designer when creating your custom home or undergoing a renovation. You might want to consider the incorporation of a butler’s pantry between the kitchen and dining room to shorten the length of travel when refreshing drinks during the meal or for guests who demand seconds.

Location, Location, Location: The placement of your dining room within the home is also key. If you crave privacy, you may want to place it towards the rear of the home, overlooking your private backyard. This placement will also prove most helpful if you are a grill master and need to have easy access to your outdoor living space.  If you want to advertise to your neighbors what an AWESOME entertainer you are, you may want to place your dining room towards the front of the home – with a large picture or bay window to frame the scene inside.

Whether an element of your custom home design or part of your luxury renovation, Highlight Homes welcomes the chance to help you realize the dining room you’ve always dreamed of having. Getting started is easy! Simply call us at 678-873-9234 or email us at info@highlighthomesga.com to schedule your no obligation consultation. You can also elect to complete our convenient online contact form.

From all of us here at Highlight Homes, we wish you and yours a very Happy Thanksgiving and a wonderful holiday season!

To Renovate or Not to Renovate – That’s Not the Only Question

To Renovate or Not to Renovate – That’s Not the Only Question

To Renovate or Not to Renovate?  It’s a question countless homeowners have asked themselves over the years. Another question they ask themselves… WHICH space(s) should I renovate? In terms of older homes, all of the living spaces can begin to seem really outdated right around the same time. So, depending on your motivation to renovate – such as an upcoming move or a desire to add more space for a growing family – there are ways to determine the best renovations to pursue to fit your family’s needs and budget.

 

In May 2018, the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) released figures for Improvements to Owner-Occupied Homes 2018 estimates by state – also known as renovations. In the state of Georgia alone, out of 2,370,584 owner-occupied homes, more than 680K were estimated to undergo improvements. That’s more than a quarter of all owner-occupied homes in the Peach State. The average cost was estimated to be $8,007/improvement. The total amount spent on renovations in the state of Georgia for 2018 was estimated to be 5,456,000,000. So, what do all of these numbers mean…? It means that home renovations are still a very viable way to increase the value and personal enjoyment of one’s home.

 

If renovating for personal enjoyment, you must weigh your options, determine a budget and decide the best changes to incorporate to fit the collective needs, tastes and personality of your family. If renovating to prep a home for resale, it’s wise to select those updates based on return-on-investment. According to the 2018 Remodeling Cost vs. Value Report for Atlanta, Georgia (www.costvsvalue.com), the top five performing projects with regard to costs recouped are:

  1. Garage Door Replacement – Cost recouped 110%
  2. Manufactured Stone Veneer – Cost recouped 109.8%
  3. Minor Kitchen Remodel (average job cost $21,230) – Cost recouped 91.6%
  4. Wood Deck Addition – Cost recouped 87.7%
  5. Siding Replacement – Cost recouped 87.2 %

Following closely behind are Upscale Grand Entrance, Composite Deck Addition, Universal Design Bathroom, Vinyl Window Replacement, Roofing Replacement, Wood Window Replacement, Bathroom Remodel (midrange), Major Kitchen Remodel (upscale), Entry Door Replacement, Master Suite Addition, Bathroom Addition (upscale), Bathroom Addition (midrange) and Bathroom Remodel (upscale) – all offering anywhere from 63.1% to 80% cost recouped.

 

Another question many homeowners ask themselves is WHO should I get to help me with my home renovation project. Whether seeking the best return-on-investment from a real estate standpoint or selecting more “fun” remodeling investments – such as the incorporation of a sprawling home theater with connecting game room, outdoor living space with swimming pool and fireplace, in-law suite with kitchen above a detached garage, finished basement with a full bar and additional bedroom(s) and so much more – Highlight Homes welcomes the chance to help you make it happen. To schedule a no obligation consultation regarding your upcoming remodeling project, contact us at 678-874-9234 or info@highlighthomesga.com. You can also elect to complete our convenient online contact form. To view our work and learn more about our other capabilities (we are one of Atlanta’s premier custom home builders!), we encourage you to visit www.highlighthomes.com.

 

Sources: NAHB – Improvements to Owner-Occupied Homes 2018 estimates by state

Remodeling Cost vs. Value Report 2018 © 2018 Hanley Wood Media Inc. Complete data from the Remodeling 2018 Cost vs. Value Report can be downloaded free at www.costvsvalue.com.

Make Self-Improvement the Foundation of Your Home Design

Make Self-Improvement the Foundation of Your Home Design

September marks Self-Improvement Month, but that doesn’t mean you only have one month to evolve into a better version of the person you are today. Instead, take the time remaining in this month to make a list of the areas of your life where you would like to improve and start taking those first all-important steps towards the new you. At Highlight Homes, we specialize in custom homes and luxury renovations that are designed around our clients’ personal tastes, interests, wants and needs. If self-improvement is a personal goal for you, here are a number of ways that you can build or renovate your home to fit that goal…

Work Towards Wellness

According to CooleFitness.com, 15% of Americans hold gym memberships – that’s about $2.6 billion spent on fitness at the gym each year! And let’s not forget the hassle of getting dressed for the gym, driving there, leaving your valuables in a locker, waiting for your favorite equipment, driving home and showering before the rest of your day can begin. For adults aged 18-64, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends 2 hours and 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity (i.e., brisk walking) OR an hour and 15 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity (i.e., jogging) every week and muscle-strengthening activities on 2 or more days a week that work all major muscle groups (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders, and arms). If you have a dedicated gym in your home – complete with inspiring views of the outdoors and energizing natural lights through a wall of windows, staying fit becomes a great deal easier… and more cost-effective!  Highlight Homes can incorporate a fitness space into a renovation of your existing home (by reimagining an existing room, creating a room addition or finishing your basement) or can make it an important element of your custom home design.

Find Time for Me-Time

Ask any mother of small children and she’ll tell you, the bathroom is often her place of solitude… but it’s never guaranteed. Still, it’s important for each member of the household to have a space that is dedicated to their own “me-time.” For kids, that’s often their bedrooms, but for adults who share a bedroom – you may want to have another space that’s ALL (mostly) yours. If you have that, you’re more likely to FIND TIME for that all-important me-time. If you’re an avid reader, a library with French doors or even a book nook with cozy seating may be all you need. There’s also the possibility of including a man cave inside and a “she shed” outside for the privacy we all crave to help us clear our heads and improve our moods.

Spend More Time with Family

Parents who travel for visit may crave more time with their family. The creation of spaces intended for family gatherings are essential to inspiring that together time that helps us stay connected. A home theater for the family who loves to watch movies together, a game room for board game buffs or an outdoor living space centered around a swimming pool and open-air kitchen for the family who loves the Great Outdoors are just a few ways you can go. The possibilities are truly endless and can be customized to fit your family’s collective interests.

Set Your Sights on Being the Host and Hostess with the Mostest

If it’s always been your dream to host dinner parties to die for or tailgate-themed gatherings for football season, your home design should reflect that fact. From an expansive island in the kitchen where you can set out the appetizers and a dining room where the real magic happens to a sprawling outdoor living space with bar, comfy seating, hearth and HUGE flat screen TV, if you hope to become a better host/hostess, there are any number of ways you can make your home work to your advantage. An open concept layout in the main living areas is a MUST so your home never feels cramped, even with 20 guests at any one gathering. For overnight guests, you want to make sure your guest rooms and guest bathrooms are luxurious and welcoming. Highlight Homes can help you have the home your friends, family, co-workers and neighbors would LOVE to visit – no matter the occasion!

Get in Touch with Nature

If you love the Great Outdoors and hope to work towards self-improvement through that passion, there are a number of ways that Highlight Homes can help you do just that. A sunroom or screened in porch can serve as an extension of your home, offering exquisite views even when the weather is anything but warm and sunny. Some imaginative landscape planning and a gardening shed are other wonderful ways to pursue your love of the outdoors. And – of course – dedicated outdoor living spaces are a must, whether dining al fresco, enjoying a cocktail under the stars or telling stories in the glow of your outdoor fire pit.

If you are seeking ways to pursue self-improvement through your home design, Highlight Homes would love to help you! To learn more about Highlight Homes and our process of building a custom home or pursuing a luxury renovation, please visit www.highlighthomesga.com. Once you’re ready to get started, contact us at 678-874-9234 or info@highlighthomesga.com.

Midtown’s Atlantic Station – Making History

Midtown’s Atlantic Station – Making History

Foodies, Fashionistas and Fun-seekers throughout Metro Atlanta are likely very familiar with Atlantic Station, its treasure trove of shops and restaurants, and its jam-packed year-round calendar of events. However, they may not know about where this 138-acre Midtown destination came from… or where it’s going. With a history dating back to 1901, the site where Atlantic Station now stands was once home to the Atlanta Hoop Company – manufacturer of cotton bale ties and barrel hoops. The company evolved to become the Atlantic Steel Mill, and by 1952, it employed more than 2000 Atlantans – producing fencing, nails, rivets and more. After the mill closed in the 1990’s, a new vision began to emerge for the site. The vision was for a sprawling mixed-use development unlike any other, boasting LEED certified office towers, a variety of housing and entertainment options, and a wide array of stores and restaurants – poised within a walkable neighborhood. By the time Atlantic Station debuted in 2005, it was the largest urban Brownfield redevelopment at that time and – because of its size – it was given its own zip code: 30363.

Showcasing 500,000 SF of restaurant and retail space, 2 million SF of class A office space, 3000 residential units, a boutique hotel, a gym and movie theater surrounding Central Park where a variety of signature events are hosted, this new addition to Atlanta’s Midtown landscape quickly grew in popularity. Of course, the great news is… it continues to evolve in exciting new directions. By the end of 2020, Atlantic Station will soon boast two new office buildings, a new AMLI residential complex, three new hotels, several new shops and restaurants, and a newly reimagined Central Park. The mixed-use development’s tagline “We’ve Got It All!” will never be truer.

Award-winning Atlanta custom home builder, Highlight Homes is making a little history of our own. While we have had a presence in nearby Brookhaven and Buckhead over the years, we are now proud to become a part of the Midtown Atlanta landscape, too. Just a mile away from the bustling streets of Atlantic Station, we are building a stunning luxury duplex project.  Starting at $750,000, each home will showcase more than 2600 square feet of living space to include 3 bedrooms and 3.5 bathrooms. The 2-car garage will prove quite a commodity in this area of town, although – given the high walkability factor of the neighborhood – the cars may spend a lot of time parked INSIDE the garage. Each home will also boast an unfinished basement, representing 1100 square feet of potential for future growth. Other features of these homes that beg to be mentioned include three covered porches (one for each level), mudroom off the garage, upstairs laundry for the ultimate in convenience, charming fireplace in the living room, custom cabinets with granite countertops and Jenn-Air appliances in the gourmet kitchen, hardwoods throughout and all of the surprising and distinctive touches for which Highlight Homes is so well-known. What is just as exciting as its proximity to Atlantic Station is the duplex’s convenience to I-75, I-85, the beautiful campus at Georgia Tech, and many of Atlanta’s top employers and Fortune 500 companies.

If you’d like to be added to the interest list for one of the homes in Highlight Homes’ new duplex project, please contact Melanie Pourhassan with Keller Williams First Atlanta at MelanieHP@kw.com or 404-531-5708. To learn more about Highlight Homes, we invite you to visit us at www.highlighthomesga.com.

Photo Credits: By PEDS (Flickr: Atlantic Station) [CC BY 2.0  (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Three Ways to Celebrate National Family Fun Month with Highlight Homes

Three Ways to Celebrate National Family Fun Month with Highlight Homes

It’s true what they say… the family that plays together, stays together! In our everyday busy lives, it’s important to reserve some time to blow off steam and enjoy some good old-fashioned fun with the ones that we love. While we may make the time, we may not always have the dedicated space to enjoy family time beyond sharing a meal in the dining room or watching TV together in the family room. In the spirit of National Family Fun Month, Highlight Homes suggests three ways to CREATE the space where your family can make lasting memories and share countless good times together.

Let’s Take this Party Outside: Create a Family-Focused Outdoor Living Space – When you don’t have room for a family fun space INDOORS, you may have plenty of room to create a dedicated space OUTDOORS. Outdoor Living Space renovations continue to rein supreme in increasing your home’s curb appeal for prospective future homebuyers, but – more importantly – it can also increase the amount of time spent outside enjoying time with your family if designed properly. Is your family active? You may want to place an emphasis on recreation with the addition of a pool, playset, basketball court and/or trampoline. Does your family enjoy playing games? Landscaping surrounding a multi-purpose field for badminton, volleyball, cornhole and more is sure to see a lot of action. Do you have budding environmentalists in your family? A raised garden for planting their own fruits and veggies might make a great addition. Does food have a cohesive effect for your family? An outdoor kitchen and dining room where meals can be made and shared together might be ideal. And for when it’s time to wind down, a cozy seating area surrounding an outdoor hearth for roasting marshmallows and swapping stories will make this space one of your family’s favorite “rooms” of the house. Add a weather proof flat screen for football watching, tail-gating themed fun in the fall! The return on investment on the addition of a simple wood deck can be as high as 82.8%.

Room to Spread Out: Enhance Your Home’s Interior with a Room Addition – With a solid background in architecture and engineering, the team at Highlight Homes can assess your current layout and determine ways in which the flow can be improved. We can also create a seamless room addition that looks as though it was part of the original home design. A room addition can serve as a blank backdrop to become whatever you want it to be – depending on your family’s shared interests. From a craft or rec room to a home theater or game space, the possibilities are virtually endless. No room to increase your home’s footprint? Highlight Homes can “raise the roof”… literally. We can add a half or full floor above your existing home for a bonus room, additional bedroom, full bathroom and more. The addition of a new master suite and bathroom up there could pay off considerably when it comes time to sell – to the tune of a 55%+ return on investment.

Down to Earth: Finally Finish That Basement to Fit Your Family’s Fun Time – Another often overlooked option is to finish that basement that has served as a cobweb-infested storage space for far too long. It’s AMAZING what a little drywall, paint and carpet can do, but with the design talents of the Highlight Homes team on your side, you may find yourself wondering how your family ever lived without a finished basement in the past. This is another space that can serve as a blank backdrop to become anything you want it to be, and given the fact that it encompasses an entirely new floor of your home – it can serve a wide variety of purposes: playroom, media space, exercise room, party space for entertaining, sleepover headquarters – the list goes on and on! The return on investment for a finished basement is about 69%.

Highlight Homes can visit your home to determine which of the three options above might prove the best decision for expanding your home’s family FUN factor. To set an no-obligation consultation with a member of our team, call 678-873-9234, email us at info@highlighthomesga.com or fill out our convenient online contact form.  If you’d like to view our gallery for a peek inside past Highlight Homes’ projects, visit us at www.highlighthomesga.com.

Source: https://www.remodeling.hw.net/cost-vs-value/2018/ 

Highlight Spotlight: The City of Chamblee

Highlight Spotlight: The City of Chamblee

One of 10 cities in DeKalb County, the City of Chamblee was incorporated in 1908, but that’s not where its story begins. You’d never know it from the bustling epicenter that now lies between Buford Highway and Peachtree Boulevard, but the City of Chamblee was once rolling pastures dotted by thriving dairies like Irvindale Farms Dairy and Brown Dairy.

Like many towns in Georgia, the arrival of the railroad led to the transformation of the landscape in the late 19th century. Located at the junction of what is now the Norfolk Southern Railroad and the Roswell Railroad, Chamblee was a “just passing through” spot on the map for countless passengers traveling from Atlanta to Charlotte, NC on one line and textile workers travelling to and from the Roswell Manufacturing Company on the other.

In response to World War I, the landscape was transformed again when the land that once housed dairies became a military installation called Camp Gordon in 1917. Comprising two square miles, 1,200 buildings and 40,000 military personnel, Camp Gordon gave birth to a city – including retail shops, theaters, hotels and even a bowling alley to serve this new population. Once the war had ended, the installation closed only to reopen nearly two decades later as a Navy Flight Training Center during World War II. With peace at hand, the City of Chamblee gained the attention of large corporations such as Frito-Lay, Kodak and General Electric – leading to the city’s own “industrial age.”

In the years since, the City of Chamblee has also caught the eye of small business owners, builders and homebuyers alike. Conveniently poised between I-285 to the north and I-85 to the south and surrounded by affluent neighboring cities like Dunwoody and Brookhaven, it is no longer a “just passing through” spot on the map. Chamblee boasts the South’s largest collection of antiques and an extensive array of auto dealerships featuring brands like Lexus, Alfa Romeo, Mini Cooper, Audi, Porsche, Infiniti, Volkswagen and Maserati, just to name a few – earning it the name “Chamblee’s Motor Mile.” With a fitting tagline like “Community Feel, Global Appeal,” the city is every bit as distinctive and diverse as its population. Its undeniable international flair and eclectic collection of eateries has made Chamblee a go-to destination for foodies seeking a memorable and cultural dining experience. Chamblee is also home to six beautiful parks, the popular Chinatown Mall, DeKalb-Peachtree Airport and a number of community events such as the Taste of Chamblee Festival, Summer Concert Series, Antique Row Holiday Open House and more.

With a number of our homes situated in the nearby cities of Brookhaven and Dunwoody, Highlight Homes is excited to soon add the City of Chamblee to the list of Atlanta neighborhoods where we have a presence. Stay tuned for details as our next luxury new construction project takes shape! To learn more about Highlight Homes and to contact us to express an interest in a new semi-custom home in Chamblee, visit us at www.highlighthomesga.com and fill out our contact form! One of our team members will be in touch with you shortly.

Image Credit: By Biomedeng at English Wikipedia, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=22782300

Highlight Homes Named Among the Top Custom Home Builders in Georgia

Highlight Homes Named Among the Top Custom Home Builders in Georgia

Home Builder Digest has released its list of the Top 15 Custom Home Builders in Georgia, and Highlight Homes is proud to be included among them. Appearing on the list at #4, Highlight Homes was selected for our dedication to quality, endurance, education and training, professional credentials, and brand recognition.

 

“We are honored to be included on a list among other local builders that we truly admire and are grateful to Home Builder Digest for selecting us,” said Tony Pourhassan, Founder and Principal of Highlight Homes. “We strive to achieve many of the attributes that they were looking for in our work every day. Beyond our obvious devotion to crafting a home of unsurpassed quality, I will be forever proud of Highlight Homes’ endurance over the last 13 years since our company launch. We survived the housing downturn when many of our colleagues did not and have evolved to include a luxury renovations division, a custom home division and a commercial construction division. What has kept us going is the satisfaction of building something lasting that people will love for years to come – a beautiful backdrop to their own daily life and enduring memories.”

 

READ THE ARTICLE “Best Custom Home Builders in Georgia” on Home Builder Digest!

 

Home Builder Digest is a website devoted to bringing people together with builders and architects, while providing helpful articles to anyone considering constructing a custom home in the U.S. To learn more about Highlight Homes and the process of building a custom home with our company, please visit www.highlighthomesga.com and then contact us at 678-874-9234 or info@highlighthomesga.com.

 

Ready to Move NOW?

Check Out This GORGEOUS Move-In Ready Home by Highlight Homes in Brookhaven!

The Top Five Emerging Neighborhoods in Atlanta

The Top Five Emerging Neighborhoods in Atlanta

The City of Atlanta is filled to overflowing with charming old neighborhoods, localities that are enjoying a sudden resurgence of popularity and exciting developing communities that are gaining attention for the first time. Highlight Homes breaks down the Top Five Emerging Neighborhoods located in and around the city or tucked away within the outskirts. As one of Atlanta’s premier custom homebuilders, we welcome the chance to help you realize the home of your dreams in one of the following neighborhoods or the community of your choosing…

West MidtownAtlanta Agent Magazine points to West Midtown as one of the best neighborhoods in which to buy. This area is particularly hot among Millennials and active couples/families drawn to its connectivity/walkability factor and awesome venues like Atlantic Station with a wealth of alluring shops, restaurants and events. Highlight Homes is proud to have our newest project poised within a mile of Atlantic Station – a luxury duplex that’s worth watching!

Sherwood Forest – of course, don’t rule out East Midtown altogether! Sherwood Forest made the top slot at #1 on Niche’s Best Neighborhoods to Live in the Atlanta Area – scoring an overall A+ Niche grade, and #2 on Niche’s Best Neighborhoods to Raise a Family in the Atlanta Area. Homebuyers are likely to love the low crime rates, the great nightlife and access to highly regarded schools.

South Buckhead – Another excellent pick from Atlanta Agent Magazine, South Buckhead is enjoying a sudden resurgence of interest from buyers for many of the same reasons as West Midtown. Affectionately dubbed SOBU, the area begins where Peachtree Road crosses I-85 at the Brookwood interchange and runs north along Peachtree to Peachtree Creek. It’s considered a Mecca for affluent homebuyers seeking access to critically acclaimed dining, upscale shops and an active art scene.

Neighborhoods of Atlanta’s Westside – including West End, Hunter Hills, Princeton Lakes,  Washington Park and Peachtree Heights – According to Redfin and its 2018 list of Hottest Neighborhoods, all eyes are turning west! Pay particular attention to neighborhoods along the West Beltline – including historic West End. Hunter Hills is another one to watch, as is Washington Park – not far from the eateries, cool bars and fun nightlife at Five Points. Peachtree Heights in Southwest Atlanta received a nod from Curbed Atlanta as Atlanta’s hottest neighborhood for 2018. Princeton Lakes is a little further out from center – just west of the Perimeter.

Decatur – Making the cut as one of Redfin’s Most Competitive Neighborhoods in Atlanta at #2 for 2018 and at #1 on Niche’s List of Best Suburbs to Live in Georgia, the City of Decatur continues to reign supreme. An incredible town square that plays host to a jam-packed, year-round calendar of events and is home to an eclectic blend of shops, restaurants and pubs serves as the heart of this city. An incredible school system, excellent parks, fun attractions like the Fernbank Museum of Natural History and high walkability factor make it a great destination for families. It’s proximity to the City of Atlanta simply adds to the allure.

Other neighborhoods to watch include Powder Springs, Smyrna, Chamblee, Tucker and one of Highlight Homes’ personal favorites… Brookhaven! If you are seeking land on which to build a custom home in any of the neighborhoods listed above or in another neighborhood of your own choosing, the team at Highlight Homes excels at land acquisition. We can also design and build the home of your dreams on land you already own. To get started, simply give us a call at 678-873-9234, send us a note at info@highlighthomesga.com or fill out our convenient online contact form. We look forward to hearing from you soon. If you’d like to learn more about Highlight Homes and view our online gallery, please visit www.highlighthomesga.com.

 

Photo creds: By Brooke Novak from Atlanta, Georgia (midtown/westside) – ATL [light ], CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2514492

Room To Grow: Highlight Homes’ Guide to Home Additions

Room To Grow: Highlight Homes’ Guide to Home Additions

 

Modern families often face critical growth points – whether adding a baby or two, welcoming home a young adult after college graduation or inviting a parent to join the household. The option to move into a new home can be a daunting one for all involved – particularly if you love your current home, benefit from a great school system, have strong ties with your neighbors or share a fondness for the area as a whole. The great news is that many homes offer room to grow that you may not have previously considered. Through a reimagining of your current home, you could stay put while enjoying more spacious quarters in which to grow your family. Here are just a few that Highlight Homes suggests:

Finished Basement: Obviously, one of the easiest options is – in the event that your home is already equipped with a basement – to finish it to suit your needs. Adding a bedroom or two, plus a full bathroom and possibly even a full kitchen (a particularly great option for older parents) is like adding an entirely new floor to your home. Best of all, your parents or young adult child can enjoy the independence of having their own apartment with private entrance.

Room Addition: If a basement is not an option, it may be possible to add a room to your existing floor plan and potentially reconfigure some of the layout to make this addition seamless. The room addition could consist of a new secondary bedroom and full bath to accommodate an additional family member.

Floor Addition: Again, if a basement is not an option and a room addition would not provide you with enough space to accommodate the up-and-coming change to your living arrangements, all hope is not lost. Depending on an evaluation of your current home, a floor addition may be an option. This is particularly true of well-built ranch-style homes. Two story homes with an attic may offer an opportunity to finish a portion of that space to make it suitable for an additional secondary bedroom.

Separate Garage with In-Law Suite:  If you have a fair amount of land surrounding your home, you might want to consider a completely separate structure in which to house part of your growing family. An extremely viable option is to add a separate garage with an in-law suite built overhead. Not only will the garage accommodate additional cars that often come with multi-generational families, but the in-law suite can be customized to include a bedroom, storage, full bathroom and kitchen. Once again, this is an option that could provide your parents or young adult child with an ongoing sense of independence thanks to their own apartment with private entrance.

Highlight Homes welcomes the chance to explore all of the options listed above with you! We can evaluate your current home and determine which possibility might prove the best fit for both your family and your needs. To get started, simply call us at 678.873.9234, email us at info@highlighthomesga.com or fill out our convenient online contact form. To learn more about Highlight Homes and sneak a peek at some of our previous projects, please visit us at www.highlighthomesga.com.