The New American Home 2021 will offer industry pros a close look at a show home unlike any other. Although more typical exhibition homes boast expansive layouts, the 2021 show home — located in an urban area of Winter Park, Florida — maximizes an exceptionally small footprint.
Though its footprint may be small, the three-story home is big on features. Those features will be on full display when the home is officially unveiled at the International Builders’ Show virtual experience (IBSx) beginning Feb. 9.
Phil Kean, owner of Phil Kean Design Group and builder of this year’s show home, describes the home as having a “modern treehouse” feel. While the bedrooms, office space and exercise room are on the first and second floors, the main living areas are located on the third floor, which also features a large balcony and outdoor living space that look down over the surrounding treetops.
“Every time [people] first visit the home and they go from floor 1 to floor 2, they’re like, ‘Wow, this home is just great,’” said Brad Grosberg, principal at Phil Kean Design Group. “But then they come up to the third floor and they see these 14-foot ceilings and all of this light and a huge area for [social gatherings], their jaws drop. It’s like the final surprise.”
Staying true to the objectives of The New American Home program, the home optimizes energy efficiency through the use of the latest build techniques and innovative products. The home was designed to be net zero and is expected to achieve Emerald level status from the National Green Building Standard. The home is also ENERGY STAR certified and EPA Indoor airPLUS qualified.
Even while integrating all the latest high-performance technology, the home manages to blend its modern esthetic with an inviting warmth to enhance livability.
“Homes are now more important than ever with [many people] having to work from home,” said Keri Ferguson, interior designer at Phil Kean Designs. “So when people tour The New American Home, I want them to take away that it’s possible to do modern and incorporate a lot of technology into a home, but do so in a way that is still comfortable, livable and warm.”