New Homes & Ideas magazine supports Locks of Love
Lacy Bailey, Sarah Davis, and Sarah Herr of New Homes & Ideas (NHI) magazine recently teamed up for a good cause and volunteered their beautiful long locks of hair to the charity Locks of Love.

Triangle Spokes Group donates 200 Youth Bicycles during the Holiday Season
The Triangle Spokes Group partnered with The Salvation Army of Wake County to collect donations and distribute 200 youth bicycles during the Salvation Army Christmas Cheer program in December.

Remodelers Council Ramps Up!
For several low-income seniors, life got a little easier in September. The Remodelers Council of the Home Builders Association of Raleigh-Wake County teamed up with the nonprofit organization Resources for Seniors to build ramps for those in need as part of the Ramps for Seniors program.

PWB Participates in Habitat for Humanity Durham’s Women Build
The Durham Professional Women in Building Council (PWB) united on Friday, October 19th at Habitat for Humanity Durham’s newest community Hope Crossing.

Perry Builders’ 2nd Annual Charity Tournament Raises Nearly $17,000 For Cystic Fibrosis Patient
More than 140 golfers from across the Triangle gathered Monday, November 12th at Eagle Ridge Golf Club in south Raleigh to tee off for Cystic Fibrosis.

Perry Builders Hosts 2nd Annual Construction Day
Award-winning Perry Builders hosted its second annual Construction Day for preschoolers at North Raleigh United Methodist Church Preschool. 

HBADOC Sponsors Third Blitz
Having built 10 houses in a week in 2006 (and seven the year before), the 2008 Builder Blitz isn’t a new experience for the HBA of Durham, Orange & Chatham Counties – but is exciting nonetheless.

AIA Dedicates Wheelchair Storage Building
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) Triangle Section dedicated a 450 Sq. Ft. Wheelchair Storage Building for the Tammy Lynn Center on Wednesday, October 24th.

Miracle House Silent Auction Raises Almost $5,000 for Duke Children's Hospital
HomeLife Communities is donating 100% of the proceeds from both the sale of Miracle House and proceeds from the Silent Auction, to Duke Children's Hospital. Last year's Miracle House brought in $90,000 for the hospital.

Jesica's Hope Chest, Inc. Builds 6th Jesica's House
Jesica’s Hope Chest (JHC) is a non-profit foundation for critically ill children who are fully insured, uninsured or underinsured.

An Interview with Laurel Lane: Award-winning Interior Designer and Innovator of Sherwin-Williams' Latest custom Color Line
Laurel Lane was 12 years old when her mother gave her a “fill in the blank” questionnaire to discuss her future plans. When the question arose about career, Lane had three goals in mind; become a ballerina, fashion model or an interior designer. After the first two goals fell through, Lane thought it would be in her best interest to pursue a career as an interior designer.  It’s not very common for a young girl to follow through with the dreams she had at age 12, but for Lane it certainly was her destiny.

Greenbuilding Part V: Making Your Home Water Conscious Drop by Drop
With Falls Lake, Raleigh’s primary water source, at its lowest ever recorded level, and hisToric drought conditions threatening to persist for the foreseeable future, water has become a hot topic in the Triangle and throughout North Carolina. As this region continues its rapid growth, demands on a finite water supply will be even greater. And a resource that has represented a relatively small expense to the homeowner, promises to become more and more costly. Fortunately, manufacturers, builders and landscape designers and suppliers are stepping up with a whole new array of strategies for making both existing homes and new construction truly water-conscious—slashing water consumption by 30, 40, even 60%, without sacrificing lush gardens and creature comforts.

When Critters Make Themselves at Home
With the weather starting to cool, many animals are on the lookout for a new place to crash– your house! While they may seem cute, what they leave behind is anything but adorable.

The Best of the Building Industry Honored at the 5th Annual STARS Awards Gala
The North Carolina Home Builders Association (NCHBA), a state trade association representing more than 18,000 member firms involved in the residential construction industry, celebrated Caribbean-style at the 5th Annual STARS Awards Gala on September 13, 2007 at the Westin Hotel in Charlotte. Over 400 building professionals from around the state honored builders, developers, sales and marketing professionals, realtors, interior merchandisers, web designers, and home builders associations who achieved honors in 42 different categories.

I’m looking to purchase a fence for my yard. What is the advantage of an aluminum fence over a wood fence?


My formal living room does not have any ceiling lights and the room is very dark. What type of ceiling lights do you recommend to lighten the room?


Zip Codes: Youngsville
With a population of about 1,182, up from 641 in 2000, Youngsville is starting to experience the growth that has hit neighboring Wake Forest and Rolesville. Today, upscale neighborhoods are filling fields once lined with tobacco and pine trees. Downtown Youngsville has attracted a gourmet coffee bar, kitchen boutique, florist and the Youngs’ wine shop with bright new awnings and decorative murals. And, more growth is coming as both newcomers and old-timers continue to enjoy Youngsville’s small town charm with nearby big city amenities.

When Critters Make Themselves at Home
With the weather starting to cool, many animals  are on the lookout for a new place to crash– your house! While they may seem cute, what they leave behind is anything but adorable.

Go Green!
Featuring Loose-fill insulation (BIBS: Blown-In Blanket) and Ecoresin, a co-polyester recycled content sheet material.

Before and After
Don’t close the door on your garage. This project left one homeowner’s garage organized once and for all.

The V Foundation Says a Special Thanks
Thanks to all the contributors of the Third Annual V Foundation Charity Home. 

Locklear Roofing: The V Foundation Charity Home Roofing
It's personal for Jackie Locklear. Her father, John, founded Locklear Roofing, the family business she now runs, and John died of cancer a few years ago. So, when Jackie was approached about participating in a V Foundation event, she readily agreed.

The V Foundation Charity Home: Siding
Strength, durability and maintenance-free are plenty of reasons to purchase James Hardie siding, but the fiber cement planks that come in a variety of textures and colors are also quite beautiful. James Hardie siding was a natural choice when it came to cladding this year's V Foundation home in the Peninsula at Amberly subdivision in Cary.

GS Carolina & L.M. Sandler & Sons, Inc.
The Mastermind Behind Amberly & Supporter of the V Foundation Charity Home Program

1st American Builders:  A Local Building Company with a BIG HEART
Michael Dean Chadwick is a busy guy. Ten years ago he started 1st American Land and Realty. A few years later he started 1st American Builders. And three years ago, he committed to donate $1 million to the Jimmy V Foundation for cancer research by doing what he knows best: building houses.

Build It....For A Cure
The 3rd Annual V Foundation Charity Home is located in the Peninsula of Amberly in Cary.

Home Project
A Lesson from the Teacher: You don't always have to pay for something that you can create yourself.

Romantic Tuscan Retreat
Cathy Calloway of Cathy Calloway Interior Design has drawn on her twenty-five years of interior design experience to create a romantic Tuscan bedroom in the Showcase for a Cure benefit house.  As a first time contributor to the Showcase design team, Cathy felt the project was a way of giving back after her father’s death from cancer.

Countertops that Make The Room
From kitchens to bathrooms to the laundry room and the bonus room, the countertops from Absolute Stone beautify surfaces throughout the Showcase for a Cure benefit house.

The Many Facets of Glass
In its debut appearance in the Showcase for a Cure benefit house, Carolina Glass & Mirror demonstrates its wide range of capabilities throughout the home.

Curb Appeal and Presence
Casa Lucca’s khaki concrete roof tiles give instant Mediterranean presence to the Showcase for a Cure benefit house.  Participating in the charity project for the first time, Hanson Roof Tile, a leading manufacturer of concrete roof tile in the U.S., has provided the high-end energy-efficient roof with its environmental and cost benefits.

Crescent Communities
The Environmentally-Friendly Sponsor of the 2007 Showcase For A Cure

Pushing the Envelope: Rex Bost Takes Home Building to a Whole New Level
When Rex Bost, owner of Bost Custom Homes, was approached to build this year's Showcase for a Cure home to benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, he knew just what he would be getting into. Bost had built the successful Mediterranean-style Bella Casa in 2004, a Leukemia and Lymphoma Society benefit house in The Hills of Rosemont.

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society: A Charity with a Mission
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s (LLS) mission is straightforward: Cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. To help achieve this mission, this non-profit society must raise money. Since the society was founded in 1949, the LLS has invested more than $550.8 million for research specifically targeting blood cancers.

Truly Tuscan: Casa Lucca The Showcase For a Cure Home
The 2007 Showcase for a Cure home accomplishes its mission on so many dimensions. The Casa Lucca was designed as a showcase to increase awareness about blood-related cancers and to raise funds to aid in the research and treatment of these diseases. And this Hidden Lake waterfront Tuscan villa also serves as a showcase for a modern take on a distinctive architectural style not often seen in the Triangle.

Designer's Corner: Faux Painting Murals & Techniques
It used to be that if you wanted the look of wood, marble or metal in your home, you actually had to have wood, marble or metal. If you still think that’s the case, you’re way behind the times. More importantly, you’ve missed out on one of art’s most mesmerizing and functional applications: faux painting.