2012 International Builders Show

Thursday, February 9th

8:30 – 11:30am

Room 307A

*Learn the “Language of Color” and color trends for 2012 and beyond!

]]> http://possibilitiesfordesign.com/recognition/?feed=rss2&p=12 0 http://possibilitiesfordesign.com/recognition/?p=36 http://possibilitiesfordesign.com/recognition/?p=36#comments Fri, 01 Aug 2008 20:40:29 +0000 nascevich http://www.possibilitiesfordesign.com/recognition/?p=36 By Bill Lurz, Senior Editor

Sales backlogs are a rare commodity in many markets these days, especially in moribund Southern California. But Toll Brothers is building through 50 sales in two sister neighborhoods that opened models last fall at its master-planned community of Vista del Verde in Orange County. And at least part of the credit has to go to a new house plan the public giant debuted there: the 5,257 square-foot Ironwood, a two-story courtyard model that’s spurring traffic to The Legends, a neighborhood of 79 luxury homes on lots 65 feet wide by as much as 120 feet deep.

Toll senior project manager Seth Ring worked with architects Jim Langston and Chuck Steichen, principals of Orange, Calif.-based LSA Architecture, to develop the new plan, which caters to Californian’s love of indoor/outdoor entertaining. “As I was setting up the project, it was something I thought would be fun to go through,” Ring says, “to create a new plan and see what that’s like within Toll Brothers.”

Langston believes it’s something builders will have to do more of these days to coax buyers back into the market. “Builders need to offer something exciting, something buyers can’t find in an existing home,” he says. “The Ironwood is like that. Courtyard homes are not completely new, but in California today, you see them mostly in beach communities, and generally they are single-story plans. This is a two story court yard home, and it’s more formal and elegant than any courtyard plan in this market. It’s been a big winner for Toll.”

Toll offers four floor plans in The Legends and another four in its sister neighborhood of slightly smaller homes, The Masters, where lots are 55 feet wide. All are base-priced at more than $1million. Yet Toll has already sold 50 homes between the two neighborhoods, including six Ironwoods. The other model home at The Legends, the Trabuco, is neck to neck with Ironwood for sales leadership.

What makes it work

Peruse the Ironwood floor plan and photography and you should be able to get a sense of how it works. But the real strength of this house is the way it compares to others of a similar size. “Houses of 5,000 square feet tend to be dark inside,” Langston says. “The center courtyard of this home brings light into all the spaces, and we have generous windows on the exterior walls as well.”

The two story courtyard doesn’t get a lot of direct sunlight, but it spreads diffuse natural light throughout the home. “The natural light is so much more attractive than any kind of artificial light,” Langston says. “It’s a fun place to be.”

And fun is the other attraction; this is a party house. It still has a view plane to the rear, and the pool and deck at the back are accessible to party quests through sliding doors off the family room. But the courtyard and its massive (optional) stone fireplace will pull guests in another direction, through the court foyer and a wide open wall created by an optional telescoping glass. A big flat-screen TV in the loggia – tucked behind the two-way fireplace – adds another attraction. A party at this house will probably flow into every downstairs space except the guest casita. Because the courtyard and loggia seem like indoor rooms, this house lives much bigger than its air-conditioned square footage.

The location factor

Toll’s regional president for California, Jim Boyd, admits there are more factors at work in the success of The Legends than just design. Vista del Verde I a hugely successful master-planned community of 879 acres, where Toll began selling houses in 2000 and has already sold more than 1, 000 homes. “It was a great land to buy,” he says. “Our partner in the development is Aera Energy, a consortium of oil companies that joined all their California land holdings into a separate entity. This property in Yorba Linda was an operating oil field. We donated 200 acres to the city for a municipal golf course. That helped spur approval, and it also enhanced the value of many lots.

Vista Del Verde also benefits from being in the highly regarded Yorba Linda School District, and The Legends site is at the highest elevation in Vista del Verde, adjacent to Cleveland National Forest and the golf course. “A lot of people had been waiting for these lots to become available when we opened sales,” Boyd says.

The largest segment of buyers come for this project have been Asian and Middle Eastern families, many who are small business owners from towns in the San Gabriel Valley, which has a large Asian population.

The bottom line

Toll has already sold 21 houses at The Legends, at base prices starting at more than $1.42 million. The Ironwood starts at $1.48 million. Toll doesn’t build spec homes in the community and charges premiums to view lots. The average finished home price is $1.55 million. “We’ve been able to hold our prices without incentives, which is a major accomplishment in this market,” Boyd says.

The success of this new Toll model points to product innovation as a key component of recovery. When you’re out looking for bargain land, plan to hit the ground with housing product that’s new, different and exciting.

By John Limiero and Cindy Adair

Bob Hope crooned about them for decades. Barbra Streisand had a hit song about them in the 70s. In 2008, it’s home builders who are singing the praises of memories . . . memory points that distinguish their models from every other builder in their market. In order to meet this challenge, the entire team of builder, land-planner, architect, marketing director, and merchandiser must come together in perfect harmony in the earliest planning stages of the community.

The last few months have not been easy for our industry, as trouble in the sub-prime market has limited funding and eroded confidence. But according to recent NAHB housing forecast teleconference, with help from the Congress and the Federal Reserve, the housing industry will begin its recovery in the second half of this year. That’s good news for builders, but how do you position yourself to take advantage of the recovery? And what can you do in the meantime to capture your share of the market? The answer is clear: Make sure that your homes stand out in the hearts and minds of homebuyers. That’s why memory points in strategically merchandised rooms have never been more important.

Seth Ring, senior project manager at Toll Brothers Southern California Division, offers this advice: “In this market, there is so much creative advertising cornering the consumers that it is good to remember what works—solid construction, innovative designs, a strong reputation, and a way to enlighten the consumer with memorable and tasteful merchandising.”

One model complex newly opened in Orange County, Calif., is making memories and building perceived value with features, finishes, and creative touches that consumers just can’t forget. Toll Brothers’ Legends at Vista Del Verde in Yorba Linda, Calif., offers 79 luxury home-sites on an 18-hole championship golf course with walking, hiking, biking, and equestrian trails. With amenities like this, the community is tailor made for multiple ages and active families.

Ring adds, “From the beginning, together with our merchandiser, our goal was to create a lasting memory for anyone who visited our model complex. It’s that memory that will turn a visitor into a potential sales lead and a potential sales lead into a buyer.”

Kids are Key

There’s no better way to stick in the hearts and minds of a family market than catering to the kids. One only need to look at successful spin-off retailers such as Pottery Barn Kids and Gap Kids as proof that today’s “mini-me’s” are a market force to be reckoned with.

At the September grand opening of the model complex at Legends, parents jaws dropped and children were transfixed. The object of the more than 500 visitors’ attention? A full-scale working carousel, complete with motion, lights, and music. Merchandisers created the carousel with the help of a Hollywood set designer. It’s that type of detailed work that raises the bar for memorable models. The carousel has created the latest buzz in and around Yorba Linda, according to Ring.

The carousel is set in a nursery personalized for baby girl twins “Abigail” and “Madison,” and is poised at the foot of their cribs to catch their waking little eyes—and those of the model home visitors. “The opportunity of constructing a project like this was like a father telling his son he just purchased a candy store and he needs someone as his taste-tester,” quipped Ring.

Another retailer who’s all about kids is Libby Lu, purveyor of all things for girl

“ ‘tweens” (ages 6 to 12). Merchandisers at Legends played on this popularity in a creative ‘tween room decorated in Libby Lu’s signature pink and black. Fun references to the girl-centered shop (like purses, shoes, and fairy tale dress-up dreams) were sprinkled throughout. Multiple disco balls hanging from the ceiling signal party possibilities. The playful theme extends to the girl’s bathroom with Libby Lu-like hearts adorning the wallpaper and black and white tile embellishing the walls.

For the soon-to-be driving set, who couldn’t resist a Mini-Cooper room? Research shows that 51% of buyers for the Mini-Cooper are women (The Power Information Network, a unit of the McGraw-Hill Cos.). Merchandisers ran with this information and incorporated Mini-Cooper dreams into the older sister’s room. The car is emblazoned around the room in a graphic border, in artwork, and in bedding. A carpeted “roadway” rolls up to a life-size Mini-Cooper with working headlights descending from the “Hollywood Hills.”

Last but not least, the boys on the block need a high-tech room full of video game possibilities that promise never-ending fun. Contemporary built-in bunk beds, iChairs, and laptops pepper the space with fun and memorability. To top off all of this, the T.V. built into the ceiling of the bunk is more than any little techie could want.

On the Outs

Another way to capture the attention of today’s buyers is by demonstrating irresistible outdoor spaces. Whatever you’ve been offering in the way of exteriors, pools, balconies and outdoor kitchens, offer even more in 2008! Outdoor rooms, even in cooler climates, have become an important “hot button.”

Ring points to the lavish interior courtyard at Legends, complete with an outdoor entertainment center that families can’t resist. “There was no design fantasy our team had to leave behind,” he says, for instance, for sports enthusiasts and USC alums, the indoor/outdoor bonus room dressed for USC football watching. The school’s signature cardinal and gold colors wrap the walls, and flooring mimics the markings of a football field, complete with the USC logo. A glass-encased cabinet proudly displays The Trojans’ popular Dwayne Jarrett’s number-eight jersey. A mural of a crowded football stadium covers two full walls, and a 2007 Rose Bowl plaque completes the uber-fan’s fantasy setting. The back wall echoes the coliseum arches and the ceiling is painted to create a vision of the blue sky on game day.

Stadium seating for eight and a popcorn machine suggests movie watching possibilities will follow. Just outside on the patio, a pick-up truck emblazoned with a USC logo is poised with refreshments for the next “tailgate” party.

The Young at Heart

What rooms will speak to Mom and Dad’s own playful hearts? How about a cigar den? The man of the family will come away from the Legends’ savoring his own domain. This study is outfitted with a glass-enclosed humidor, complete with cigar boxes from exotic locales. And a couple will crave the private adult time the fully-stocked, built-in wine cabinet will offer.

And speaking of wine, a wine closet off the kitchen houses fermentation barrels promising exquisite bottles of home-aged wine for the oenophiles among us—or those who aspire to be.

For master bedroom suites, the trend is all about hotel chic. Show your prospects spa-like colors, downy bedding, and luxurious bathrooms that mimic the boutique hotels reminiscent of their last vacation.

Don’t overlook the importance of brand names in the memorability game. Buyers don’t forget Sub-Zero refrigerators or Viking commercial-grade cooktops. Tout your brand-name products, such as Bruce Hardwood floors and Zodiac countertops, especially if they are standard features. You buyers will walk away impressed—and imprinted.

Staying on top of today’s lifestyle trends and incorporating outstanding memory points in your models will keep you in the forefront of buyers’ minds. Throughout 2008, make sure that your model homes are—as Nat King Cole intoned in another timeless song—Unforgettable!

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By: Doris Pearlman

Whether they’re empty-nesters wanting to downsize and hang up their commuting hats or young single professionals with no time for lawn care, more and more homeowners desire a smaller, simpler lifestyle close to downtown, culture and nightlife. And now, in increasing numbers, residents in the suburban areas are choosing smaller, maintenance-free homes close to light rail or subway systems. These “urban wannabes” desire the same type of cultural amenities and conveniences that urban dwellers do.

Make no mistake about it, this represents the “New American Home”, and builders and developers who want to be successful in the next few years had better understand this trend.

First-Time, Full-Circle, Free Spirit Buyers

It starts with knowing your buyers. This demographic has needs far apart from the four-bedroom, three-car garage, two-kids-and-a-dog-family. They are more in tune to glamour, function and a “leave-town-whenever-we-want” lifestyle. Their needs in a home are centered around common interests rather than age, stage or wage. They may be first-time buyers, full-circle buyers (who have moved up several times and are ready for smaller again), or non-traditional households. But with the smaller spaces that they desire come design challenges. Where will these buyers store their stuff, entertain their friends, display their collectibles? Builders who want to cater to this market must make their models livable, visually spacious and irresistible!

“I Think I Can, I Think I Can…”

How do you merchandise to such a diverse target market, and how do you maximize the space in smaller floor plans? A professional model merchandiser, hired early in the design stages, can help ensure that your floor plans have unimpeded traffic flow, attractive sight lines and the most efficient use of space.

A great example of smart space planning is found at Vantage Pointe, says Mark Samuelson, a home building and real estate communications specialist in Denver. This loft/flat community near Boulder, developed by Trammell Crow, enlisted the architectural talents of Paul Campbell of Kephart Community Planning. Campbell allotted generous space to kitchens and designed less formal dining spaces. Campbell believes part of the success at Vantage Pointe was in making spaces “feel a lot larger, less like little pieces connected.”

This same concept was employed equally well at Toll Brothers’ The Terraces in the San Francisco Bay area. Here, the living spaces were designed as one large space, rather than into separate kitchen, dining and living rooms. The Terraces’ smallest home, the 1,124-square-feet “Corrida” model could have scared some buyers away. Instead, designers at Possibilities for Design employed clever use of furnishings, finishes and scale to make the home live large. For instance, off the kitchen they specified a round, 36-inch dining table and a large, framed mirror behind it to give depth to the space. Wood flooring laid on the diagonal visually elongated and increased perception of space.

In the slightly larger “San Sebastian” model in the same community, four dining chairs surround the glass table instead of the traditional six to maximize the usual space. The Terraces have been a big hit with downsizing buyers in their mid-50s and older, as well as Gen-Xers.

Tactical Touches

Color is probably the most misunderstood tool in the small-design toolbox. Gone is the old-school percept of keeping all colors light, white and neutral. In small spaces, rich color can be your best friend. Use it on accent wall or inside built-in niches, bookcases and media cabinets to create depth. Color blocking used this way pulls the visitor’s eye back toward the wall, making the overall room seem larger. Color can “wrap” a space, create depth, exude warmth and add identity.

Mirrors, like the one effectively used in the Corrida model above, are an acceptable and trendy tool to maximize a space, but take care! Don’t use too many mirrors; once large mirror is better than multiple small mirrors. Buyers today are savvy and may pick up on what they perceive to be a “smoke-and-mirrors” effect. Leaning mirrors is another way to maximize your space.

It’s a Small World After All

Scale of furniture is another well-known item in the merchandiser’s toolbox. Salespeople are often asked whether designers use “mini-furniture” to make homes seem larger. In reality, furniture manufactured in an elf’s workshop does not exist! Rather, a talented merchandiser knows how to use real furniture scaled appropriately.

On the other hand, don’t think you must always opt for small pieces of furniture. Opt for fewer and larger, rather than more and smaller. However, some pieces may appear overbearing, such as a four-poster bed in a small master bedroom; consider using only a headboard or a behind-the-bed wall treatment. For another alternative in a kitchen, a high “pub table” with tall bar stools will work neatly and may appear less formal and more innovative.

Doing Double-Duty

When it comes to visualizing multiple uses for rooms, your buyers may need just a little help. Clever use of merchandising can show them how a dining room can double as an office. Show a laptop propped open on the dining table.

A secondary bedroom can serve double-duty as a mini-gym. Show buyers how exercise equipment and a juice bar will easily fit. A guest room / office combo is another idea that buyers of all ages will appreciate.

Some furniture pieces can work extra hard as well; consider the ottoman / coffee table combos that are so popular today. Merchandise them with a martini shaker and two martini glasses on a tray for a little “lifestyle”.

By Doris Pearlman, MIRM

1. POLARIZATION

This major trend in the fashion and home furnishings industries is permeating all the other major trends. The concept of polarization suggests that every trend has an equal and opposite trend that co-exists with it. For example, just as we are becoming more reliant on our Blackberries for our day-to-day dealings, we have an increasing need for nature, authenticity, and peace.

Consider the polar natures of the following trends.

2. MINIMALISM VS. OVER-THE-TOP LUXURY

Less is more, but more is also more! For example:

· Simple lines in furniture

· Uncluttered looks in design

· One accessory repeatedly shown

· Fewer, larger accessories

· Two islands in one kitchen

· Two (or more!) kitchens in a home

· Multiple TVs in one room

3. NEUTRALS VS. BOLD COLORS

Both create today’s color consciousness–one ignites the other.

· Neutrals and textures combined together

· Taupes, beiges, and grays

· The return of white walls

· Brights beyond belief

· Yellow, orange, citrus greens, and pinks

· Purple re-emerging

4. HIGH-TECH VS. NATURE

As technology continues to proliferate in our lives, we crave the calm of nature. We’re seeing, in equal measures:

· Tactile touches in fabrics and finishes

· The continuing popularity of greens

· Increased emphasis on outdoor spaces

· Stone and wood finishes

· Technology-driven theater rooms

· Play-Station niches for kids

5. FEMININE MYSTIQUE VS. “SPORTS GONE MAD”

Women are the primary decision makers in all things home, and models are reflecting that. At the same time, guys’ passions are being reflected in a big way. Look for:

· Feminine color schemes–pink and black, pastels such as “oxygen”

· Frilly accessories such as candles, pillows, bath salts

· Spa rooms

· The return of Dad’s recliner!

· Multiple screen TVs in bonus rooms

· Wine cellars

· “ESPN Zone” rooms

· Bonus rooms with poker, pool, and pretzels

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By Jan Mitchell

The nation’s largest and most successful builders agree: Professionally designed and merchandised models make a big difference in sales success. And today’s most sought-after merchandisers are experts in new home marketing, often going above and beyond their design backgrounds to become certified under NAHB’s Institute of Residential Marketing to better serve their builder clients.

Q: What changes have you seen in the business side of merchandising in the last ten years or so?

Not only are homebuilders and developers allotting a bigger percentage of their budgets to interior design and merchandising, but they are also recognizing the value of it, particularly in tougher times. Home builders are understanding that merchandisers package a product, and the product is a new home.

Q: What overall trends are you seeing in the creative side of merchandising?

I see a real trend toward polarization—that is, that every trend has an opposite and equal counterbalance. For example, I recently judged Southern California’s MAME Awards, and I saw a great deal of minimalistic design, but I also noticed uber-luxury on a grand scale. An example of uber-luxury: two kitchens in a home—one clean and one dirty—two islands in one kitchen, and two fireplaces on opposing walls within the same space.

Q: What do you see happening with color in 2008?

You can’t go wrong with neutrals, beige, black, taupe and grey. It seems that all buyer profiles are drawn to monochromatic color schemes. Again, here is where we are seeing polarity—neutrals co-existing with bright colors. The Color Marketing Group has confirmed this trend in their projections for 2008.

Q: You merchandise in many parts of the country. Are there any regional differences in merchandising that our readers need to be aware of?

Technology and media have created more awareness of the latest design trends for the home throughout the country. Espresso furniture paired with vintage retro accents has become popular in certain buyer profiles. Traditional home furnishings with European roots can be seen within the same market for a different buyer niche. In summary, its more about the buyer profile than it is the region of the country when creating a design theme for a home.

Secondarily…good design is no longer dependant on large budgets. Big box stores have become design sensitive. On the shelves of “Target” buyers can find the latest in house wares, with great style at affordable prices. Ultimately, the lesson is people throughout the country gravitate to good design.

Q: Can you offer us a color forecast for the next couple of years?

Purple will make a comeback. Browns will be bigger than ever. Reds are gone, but taking its place is orange. And, listen to this: we are beginning to see peach reemerge as an accent color. The headliner color for accessories is coral. Greens have always been used, but their popularity is reemerging because of an emphasis on nature and the environment. I predict we are even going to see a return to white walls. I think feminine influences are coming on strong. Colors such as “oxygen” (a pastel aqua) is very soothing and even guys gravitate to it. Black, gray, and tan will still be strong base colors fused with feminine accents. Yellow is this year’s citrus green. And let us not forget color schemes that include pink, a color I thought would never make it in home furnishings.

Q: How do you ensure quality control in the product you deliver?

I think education within a design office is extraordinarily important. Your entire staff needs to understand what is evolving in design, always critiquing their own delivery and own work. A merchandiser must pinpoint style changes and have a system of supervision that creates consistency. He or she must follow up and walk all jobs. The emphasis on quality control needs to be acknowledged within our profession.

Q: What are some of the requests that you hear from builders?

One request I hear from builders is to keep the built-ins and trims used in the home consistent with what is actually available for purchase. Buyers don’t need to be confused as to what comes with their homes.

There is still a real emphasis on upgrade programs. Buyers still need to express their individuality, which they do through options and upgrades. Also, keep in mind that some builders use options and upgrades as buyer incentives.

Q: How has a slower housing market affected your business?

In some parts of the country, builders are closing and consolidating model presentations. In other parts of the country, builders are asking us to spec upgrades and create unique memory points that will draw traffic.

Q: What important lifestyle trends do you think need to be incorporated in today’s merchandising?

Indoor/outdoor rooms are not new, but we’re seeing builders put an even greater emphasis on them, even in colder markets like Indianapolis and Chicago. TV props are disappearing, being replaced with live plasmas and LCDs. Cyber opportunities can’t be maximized. Computers are part of everyone’s life and need to be featured throughout.

Q: Lastly, do your personal tastes affect your merchandising styles, and if so, how?

The buyer is the key to the style and selection. Actually spending time in their shoes can give you a sense of how buyers envision themselves. My personal taste is only relevant in setting the bar, not in choosing a particular style or theme.

By Doris Pearlman, MIRM

Custom touches. Hiking trails. A feeling of community. Low- to no-maintenance. And lifestyle, lifestyle, lifestyle. These attributes describe what baby boomers today want in a new home. The Coalition for Research on Baby Boomer Housing and Retirement Options predicts that at the end of this decade, 10,000 of them will turn 65 every day! This means great opportunities for builders who take the time to understand what this mega-segment desires in a new home.

Let’s start with what we know. Boomers want a custom look and feel in a production-built home. Whether it’s a move to the urban centers or downsizing in a golf course community, this poses a challenge to the architects, builders and merchandisers who want to differentiate their products and grab the attention of this market. Details in floor plans and elevations can create the custom details in homes that elevate their perceived value and give your product or community a new spin. In other words, today’s boomers want reinvented spaces and lifestyles.

The BMW Boomers

Another fact to build upon is that boomer buyers are the most brand-conscious of all generations. While their kids, Generation X and Y, are happy to shop at Target, Ikea, and REI, their parents like to say “I got it at Nordstrom.” While their kids are embracing hybrids, they drive Lexus and BMWs and may wear a Cartier. Keep this in mind when specing kitchen appliances and bathroom luxuries. This group will respond well to the most prestigious brand names in the industry. A Steamboat Springs model shows an upgraded stainless steel appliance package, including a professional-quality oven. Merchandisers chose high-end maple cabinets and solid surface countertops to demonstrate that this homeowner has arrived.

This sort of affirmation is important, as boomers have always defined themselves by their careers. In fact, they paved the way for households where both spouses choose to work full time. And when it comes to retirement, many of them have a hard time slowing down. Many become “semi-retired” or begin completely new careers. Work/live lofts and a business center in a condo community will appeal to this buyer, as will a casita in a suburban active adult or golf course community.

Merchandising a bedroom as an office, (maybe even an office for two), will pique this buyer’s business sense. And don’t forget the women. As Barbara Kleger said in the last issue of 50+ Housing, one in seven homebuyers today is a woman, and that number is growing. At Renaissance Alley in Longmont, Colo., Capital Pacific Homes shows a home office with a feminine touch in its Primrose Hill model. Merchandised with touches of toile, French Country, and a cup of tea, the woman of the house can pursue her second career in style. And in a nod to the guys, a model in Del Prado at Sonoma Ranch East, Las Cruces, N.M., provides a semi-retirement sanctuary for a man who loves golf.

Upgrades? Bring ‘em On!

When it comes to options and upgrades, boomer buyers are ready and willing to spend. Their 401Ks are well-endowed and they have a great deal of equity invested in their current home; interest rates were low and appreciation has sky-rocketed since their first home purchase. In this regard, they are the ultimate consumer—a retailer’s dream! Boomers have collected a lot of treasures, whether they are cherished gifts or souvenirs from exotic travels. Design floor plans with places to display their collectibles, and sprinkle your models with global art and accessories.

Opulent master bedrooms and spa bathrooms will turn this buyer on, and décor should be très chic, even if the square footage is small. Special spaces in which to indulge their passions will be a big hit with this buyer, such as the massage room in the Toll Brothers Sausalito model at Seacliff at Point Richmond, Calif. Merchandisers show his-and-her massage tables and a built-in to hold spa room essentials.

Don’t forget to include one floor plan with dual master bedrooms. This will appeal to some boomers, usually women, who tend to share living arrangements with another adult. At Renaissance Alley by Capital Pacific, merchandisers gave one of the master bedrooms a decidedly feminine touch in its Dartmoor model. A little touch of floral dresses up the space, while a deep red wraps the room in warmth. A Sonoma Ranch model shows another approach, dressing one master in patterns and colors that could appeal to a masculine occupant.

Show them What For!

When visiting your models, boomer buyers will be looking for segmentation of purpose and space. Show them how a second bedroom can become the definitive den or an extreme exercise space. Demonstrate how some spaces can serve double duty as a visiting college-age son’s bedroom and a hobby space. Or show how the dining room can play host to a laptop computer. That balcony or backyard space? Perhaps a martini party in progress will whet their appetites! Consider merchandising one bedroom for a visiting granddaughter as Sonoma Ranch does at Del Prado.

Living Large

Tired of mowing the lawn and painting the siding, this buyer doesn’t mind downsizing in square footage, but they want those small spaces to live large. To maximize diminutive spaces, use fewer pieces of larger furniture in your merchandising rather than lots of small pieces. Color blocking used on accent walls and built-in media cabinets and bookcases can draw the visitor’s eye toward the opposite end of the room, making it appear more spacious.

Mirrors, used judiciously, can expand a room visually, much as the one shown in the Sausalito model at Seacliff at Point Richmond and again at Sonoma Ranch’s 2A model.

The baby boomer market is easy to capture once you understand their needs and desires. Capitalizing on those desires with carefully designed and artfully merchandised smaller-space models will win their hearts and win you a big share of the boomer market.

Sidebar:

The Boomer Defined

At the recent Pacific Coast Builder Conference in San Francisco, Steve Birch, vice president, Pulte Homes and James Chung, president of Reach Advisors, noted these important attributes of the boomer buyer.

· Boomers want a custom look and feel in a production-built home.

· Boomer buyers are the most brand-conscious of all generations.

· Boomers have always defined themselves by their careers.

· When it comes to options and upgrades, boomer buyers are ready and willing to spend.

· When visiting your models, boomer buyers will be looking for segmentation of purpose and space.