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The 16th Homes on Parade at Heritage Lake Park officially opened Thursday with VIP night, which kicked off the event with opening ceremonies and the ribbon-cutting.
Bruce Jackson, president of the Builders Association of Kosciusko-Fulton County, welcomed everyone and thanked the developers and all the committees that were a key part of parade preparation and presentation. Special thanks were given to the host sponsors of VIP night, Kosciusko REMC and Mutual Federal Savings Bank, and to the member companies that made the event possible.
The builders featured in this year's parade were Coplen Construction, Terry Shepherd Construction, T.L. Jackson Construction, Villas by Delagrange, Ideal Construction, Tom Brovont and Son Builders, Swartz Brothers Construction and Miller Brothers Builders. In addition to the builders, subcontractors, suppliers of products and services and a multitude of other area businesses were involved in building and decorating the homes.
The point of entry into the area of homes is through a merchants' tent with representatives of area businesses available to help you with an array of products and services. The first look at the parade site, with the homes and landscaping, although very impressive, is just the beginning. As Carol Huffer, executive director of the Builders Association, said, the whole experience is "wow."
Each home is unique with its own design and personality aimed at providing something for everyone. Most homes featured a first-floor layout and design starting with a fully functional and comfortable living area as a nucleus. This area is open and commonly includes a great room, kitchen and formal and informal dining. One of the most inviting additions to this combination is a small separate room for reading, relaxing or just chatting with friends. One such area is a screened-in porch with a hot tub.
The flooring throughout the houses is definitely worth a closer look. In addition to lighter neutral carpet, there is a variety of hardwood and tile flooring. One home features a light wood floor in the formal dining area with a small pattern inlaid with darker wood. Many homes incorporated larger ceramic tile in different subtle colors, patterns and finishes used in the entry, kitchen and bath areas. The kitchens feature a wide selection of wood cabinets, plenty of space and the latest in appliances.
The interior decorating, although varied, had a common theme of lighter floors with rich, darker colors in the furniture and accents. Furniture styles ranged from a common style throughout the house to mixtures of styles and woods and unique decorating schemes in children's rooms.
The parade site at Heritage Lake Park opens to the public Saturday through Sept. 16. The hours are Saturday and Sunday, 1 p.m. to 8 p.m.; weekdays, 3 p.m. to 8 p.m.; Sept. 15, 1 p.m. to 8 p.m.; and Sept. 16, 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. The parade site is on CR 250E, between U.S. 30E and Pierceton Road.
