By Lana Bingham

While the smell of something cooking in the kitchen evokes our senses, we can do without all the grease, heat and fumes.  A range hood provides a functional and stylish answer to removing odors and ventilating the kitchen.

Selecting the right range and hood duo for your cook top space can be a bit overwhelming, leaving you feeling just as flustered as the process of buying a new car can. A hood’s mechanical options (power, size, blower capacity, lighting, noise level, filters, heat sensors) will be determined by type of range, cooking requirements, kitchen size/layout and budget. Yet, the cosmetic options (style and finish) can reflect your own personal tastes, creating a dramatic focal point in your kitchen. So, which style of hood will perfectly pair with your kitchen? 

More than 80 Bay area vendors recently attended the kickoff lunch for the Southern Living Showcase Home at Maggiano’s at West Shore Plaza in Tampa.  Javic Homes is designing and building the Tampa Southern Living Custom Builder Showcase Home that is scheduled to open in the Spring of 2014.  Many of the area’s best companies attended the lunch to learn more about the home and event.

Javic Homes, the Bay area’s exclusive member of the Southern Living Custom Builder Program, is proud to be the builder of the Tampa Southern Living Showcase Home which will be opening in Spring 2014.  The home will be located on the waterfront in the South Tampa neighborhood of Beach Park.   Javic will design and build the home, showcasing the best the area has to offer in design, custom home construction and technology.

The approximately 5,000 square foot West Indies style home will be fully furnished and decorated.  It will be open to the public for 6 weeks.  All admission proceeds will benefit our non-profit partners, All Children’s Hospital and Operation Finally Home.

“We are incredibly excited to have been chosen as a member of the Southern Living Custom Builder Program and even more excited to be bringing a Showcase Home to the Tampa Bay area,” said Jon Solomon, President of Javic Homes.  “The home will not only highlight the most innovative and beautiful products for luxury custom homes, but the Showcase Homes have become events that allow us to highlight our community to the rest of the country.”

National partners with products featured in the home include Belgard Hardscapes, Bevolo Lighting, Chevrolet, Marvin Windows, Moen Plumbing Fixtures, Lennox Air Conditioning, Rinnai Water Heating, Sherwin Williams Paints, Sunbrella Fabrics, Thermador Appliances, Trex Decking and Wellborn Cabinets.  Javic is excited to be partnering with many local companies in the Tampa Bay area, including our current Title Partners NorthStar Bank and Coldwell Banker.  We expect to announce many more partners in the coming weeks.

For more information about the home, partners and to follow our progress, please visit our Showcase Home page.

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 About Southern Living

Southern Living celebrates the best food, travel, style, and design across the South. Reaching over 16 million consumers each month, this iconic brand reflects and defines the region’s distinct culture through a variety of print, digital and tablet platforms, licensed products and events. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the rapidly expanding Southern Living brand is part of Time Inc., one of the largest content companies in the world and the largest publisher in the United States. Time Inc. is a Time Warner company.

About Southern Living Custom Builder Program

The Southern Living Custom Builder Program is a network of the South’s top custom home builders brought together by Southern Living. This invitation-only program selects custom builders acclaimed for their detailed craftsmanship, excellence in customer service, financial stability, and use of quality building materials in their homes. Before members are selected, Southern Living checks homeowner and business references, and conducts site visits to ensure we are selecting a builder that will deliver a quality custom home, and the customer service you expect.  For more information, visit www.SouthernLivingCustomBuilder.com.

About Javic Homes

Javic Homes builds custom homes throughout the Tampa Bay area.  Our goal is to design one-of-a-kind homes through innovative design, comfort and efficiency.  Founded by Jon Solomon, who has been building Tampa custom homes since 2001, the “Javic Experience” is a process that other builders either can’t or won’t do. For more information, visit JavicHomes.com.

By Lana Bingham

With the inconsistency of weather, time spent commuting to the gym, and high membership fees; it can be too easy to make excuses to skip your workout for the day. A well-designed home gym can be all the motivation you need to get in a high dose of daily exercise. Break a sweat and get your heart pumping with these tips to design a functional and stimulating home workout area.

Location and Layout – The layout of your home will determine the size and shape of your gym. While some homeowners desire a state-of-the art workout haven, others can get the same results from a smaller, more intimate exercise space. For new homes in Tampa Bay, accessibility is key, creating an easy path to the gym and all of its equipment.  Remember, a treadmill can fit almost anywhere, but the more conveniently located it is, the greater chance you will commit to using it.

• Third floor bonus rooms are a great option for your home gym, as they typically have windows that let in lots of natural light and tall ceilings to accommodate all sizes of equipment.  In this case, new home builders in Tampa can install sound-insulting material to limit the amount of vibrations that travel throughout the rest of the home. Tile or hardwood are great flooring options as they are easy to clean and provide a good surface to workout on (just don’t forget a comfortable yoga mat for floor exercises).
  

By Lana Bingham

Mom works hard, and she deserves to be spoiled every now and then. In addition to cards, flowers and candies, there are a few nice things that can be done for her right in the comfort of your own home. These 6 tips are sure to leave Mom feeling spoiled on her special day.

#1 – Cook a comforting meal. While taking Mom out for a nice dinner is the standard on this holiday, sometimes it can be more relaxing to dine at home. Treat her to a balanced breakfast in bed, or serve an elegant brunch in your outdoor entertaining area. Don’t let her touch those dirty dishes though!

#2 – Let your love grow. Although flower arrangements are beautiful, they don’t last long. Planting flowers for Mom allows her to appreciate your gift long after Mother’s Day has ended. Tampa new home builders advise to pick plants that are easy to care for and are compatible with Tampa Bay’s summer climate – such as Zinnia or Portulaca. 

By Lana Bingham

Nothing ruins the first impression of a home like a cluttered entranceway. Disarrayed shoes, coats and backpacks can easily create an eyesore for guests and family members. The mudroom combines function and convenience, boosting organization and storage for families with one or more children. So, what does it take to make or break your mudroom?

A Designated Storage Space – One of the main benefits of the mudroom is that it allows each member of the family to remove and stow away their outdoor gear and accessories. Built-in cubbies, hangers and baskets help to maintain organization and make it easy to find needed items as you are heading out the door. The mudroom also acts as a place for car keys, umbrellas and ingoing/outgoing mail, but don’t forget that your four-legged family members will also need to hang up their leashes.