Expressing optimism about a slow, but steady, increase in new-home sales, member of the “Builder 20 – The Hammer” club met October 15-16 in Saratoga Springs, hosted by Witt Construction.
Builder 20 Members (John Witt is pictured third from the left, first row)
This semi-annual meeting of the very first Builders 20 group, formed in 1994 and facilitated by the National Association of Home Builders, is a networking and professional growth support group for non-competing builders from across the country to share information and ideas. It brought together builders from Florida, California, Colorado, Texas, Utah, Idaho and Montana. They had not met in Saratoga Springs in more than a decade.
Part of the session included a house tour starting with Palazzo Riggi on North Broadway; 10 different homes in the Saratoga area; one under construction and nine nearly completed homes in the Park Alley, Old Stone Ridge and Saratoga Farm neighborhoods; Bill Parcell’s home and ending at the condominiums at Excelsior Park – all built by Witt Construction. They also toured Witt’s 2011 multi-award winning Saratoga Showcase Home on Brown Road.
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BH & G Special Interest Publications Highlight Witt-Built “Cottage on the Alley”
How often is one home featured in three different publications at the same time? Rarely.
But this multi-award winning home by Witt Construction is featured in the December 2011 and February 2012 issues of Better Homes & Gardens Kitchen and Bath Ideas and in its Storage publication for Fall/Winter 2011.
The 2900 sq. ft. home, modified by Witt from a Maine Coastal Living plan, has a real nautical feel in every detail. It is “the new green type of home with a smaller footprint, yet loaded with details,” according to company president John Witt. “It is the perfect down-size house.” And the fascination with its details is what drives these three photo-driven articles.
Kitchen and Bath Ideas’ December 2011 issue focuses on the home’s master bathroom, where “even the smallest details were chosen with care” to create the homeowners’ dream house, says Witt’s interior designer Beverly Tracy. The challenge was to incorporate everything the homeowners wanted without making the room look crowded. Choices included a furniture-style cherry double vanity with ample storage below, built-in open shelving near the shower with a lower cabinet for additional storage, radiant heat underfoot. Since the owners didn’t care for bathroom rugs, Tracy suggested an inlaid mosaic tile outside the shower door to “make the space feel special.”
The February 2012 issue (now on the stands) focuses on the home’s small, yet elegant, white kitchen as a warm and inviting place to gather. It lacks the stainless steel appliances so prevalent now. Rather the homeowners wanted to focus on “those little details that make it feel classic and beautiful.” Tracy noted that they “really focused on texture and materials and finishes:” the farmhouse sink, the mixture of marble and walnut countertops, the handmade white subway tiles for the backsplash, and windows with handmade delicate diamond-shaped grilles. “It is a small space, but it’s precious,” she said.
In BH&G’s Storage magazine the focus was on the space over the home’s garage, a 600 sq. ft. apartment with multi-purpose potential. The extremely efficient floor plan makes use of cleverly constructed cabinets, multi-functional furniture and shelving to create a comfortable living space that even accommodates guests. For example, the open living area, which serves as living, dining, work space and kitchen space, can host three guests thanks to a trundle bed/bench and a pull-out sofa. The kitchen features a slim storage pantry, a two-burner stove and a sink. While the bedroom is small, hallways are lined with floor to ceiling storage.
Winner of numerous local and national awards over the years, Witt Construction, Inc. has offices at 563 North Broadway in Saratoga Springs, NY. Telephone: (518) 587-4113. For additional information contact John Witt or Carey Winkler, Sales and Marketing Assistant. For more about Witt Construction visit www.wittconstruction.com and follow it on Facebook for updated photos of current projects.