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Letter to the editor

Around the house

By JUDY STARK
Published May 19, 2007

Take a peek inside a local palazzo

The Florida Orchestra Guild/Tampa designer showhouse remains open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily through May 28. It's a Tuscan palazzo by Hannah Bartoletta Homes at 1822 Bella Casa Court, Tampa. Information: (813) 610-4170 or www.tampaguild.org. Tickets cost $20 at the door.

In today's home, no space goes to waste

Households are putting less focus on the amount of space in their homes and more focus on how that space is being used, the American Institute of Architects reports in its first-quarter design trends survey. Owners want ease of access - wider halls, fewer steps, single-floor design. They want informal areas with multiple functions, and outdoor living areas with fireplaces, kitchens, pools and tennis courts. It's preretirement baby boomers who are driving the trend to create houses that meet their long-term needs, says AIA chief economist Kermit Baker.

And you have a high ceiling because . . .

"I do not understand why people in New York are so obsessed with high ceilings. It's not like Shaquille O'Neal is coming over." Designer Andrianna Shamaris, quoted in House and Garden magazine

Improvements don't happen overnight

Homeowners start thinking about improvement projects seven to 12 months before they actually start work and get serious six months before they begin, according to a survey conducted for Meredith Corp. (publisher of Better Homes and Gardens). Magazines play a big role as a source of information in the early planning stages (during the needs-assessment and product-comparison stages), but store visits, newspaper ads and circulars come on strong toward the end when homeowners get down to the price-comparison and purchase stages.

[Last modified May 18, 2007, 10:48:38]