It will be Christmas in August as Homearama 2010 gets under way later this month.
Antetomaso Homes, host of this year’s builders’ showcase at its eight-year-old WaterSong development in Penfield, has chosen a decorating theme, “Home for the Holidays,” for its entry, aptly named The WaterSong.
There will be a tree and more in every room, said Realtor and broker John Antetomaso, who is new home sales agent for his father and brother, Ralph Antetomaso and Ralph Antetomaso Jr.
Not only is the 85-home development with street lights, sidewalks, a two-and-a-half-acre pond and half-acre lots hosting Homearama this year, but it’s also the first year Antetomaso Homes is featured in the show.
This is the 32nd consecutive year the Rochester Home Builders’ Association has produced Homearama, and the organization continues to find new ways to entertain while it educates.
New this year will be a variety of bands playing for charity, wine tastings each day featuring New York state wineries, and demonstrations by local culinary professionals, including YNN’s Dan Eaton.
As always, the centerpiece will be homes built and decorated to inform and inspire everyone looking for the latest in home building technologies, products and design.
Besides Antetomaso Homes, this year’s participating builders are Concal; Crosstown Custom Homes; Gerber Homes; and Landmark Builders. The five homes range in cost from $389,999 to just over $500,000 — and four have already been sold.
Cheryl Iannone, who is decorating The WaterSong with MaryEllen Antetomaso, is looking forward to moving into her new home “right after Homerama.”
Iannone is a decorator whose company is called Created Harmony.
“We loved the (WaterSong) area and the timing worked out perfectly for us,” Iannone said, as she and her two daughters toured the home last Friday.
“The past couple of days, everything’s been coming together,” she said.
She’s still not sure about the expected 22,000 to 25,000 to tour through her finished home before she lives there, Iannone said with a smile, “But I’m looking at it like I’m throwing one large party.”
“Bringing families together” is Antetomaso Homes’ motto, John Antetomaso said, so it has built The WaterSong with a lot of attention to detail, from its fire pit in the back to a fully finished basement with radiant heat in the stained concrete floor, and from its family room with a specially designed computer nook to its incredible granite-topped kitchen. Then there’s the three-and-a-half-car garage, built-in cubbies in the “mud” hall and a master suite closet as big as some bedrooms.
“Even though this is a smaller show, in terms of number of houses (there are just five this year), they are more feature-packed,” John Antetomaso said.
“Our members really pulled out all the stops to make sure this event continues to be an invaluable resource for visitors interested in enhancing their homes or buying new,” said Craig Antonelli, chairman of the home builders’ association. “We’ve had positive feedback that the market is returning regionally and eagerly anticipate showing what Rochester’s builders have to offer.”
