What the shows showed us in Lebanon

Design lessons we learned from area home tours

Black paneled walls in The Middlebury

While there were definitely similarities in the interior design elements featured in each of the Dayton and Cincinnati Homeramas, the exterior settings could not be more different. The Cincinnati show homes all boasted outdoor rooms that focused on their private, wooded back yards. Dayton’s show, which was held in Union Village—a “new urban” style development in Lebanon—was all about the front porches that focused the attention on interacting with neighbors.

Here are some of our favorite picks from the Lebanon show.

Front porch of The Miami River Cottage
Wrap around porch of The Washington
Side porch of The Louden

Speaking with woods
The craft of woodworkers was on display in a big way in Lebanon. Soft-white panels added and elegant touch to The Dogwood. Beams on the ceiling and a grid on the wall add elegance to the master bedroom in The Washington. Ceiling beams continue the line up from the granite fireplace wall in The Cottonwood. In both The Louden and The Villager, thin strips of wood were applied to the walls and painted rich blue and green respectively, to add a bit of panache to nook spaces.

Wood details painted green on a wall in The Villager
Mantel trim and ceiling beams in The Cottonwood
Grid on the ceiling and wall in The Washington
Soft-white wainscoting in The Dogwood
Seating nook with blue walls and wood accents in The Louden

Front porch living
Spacious front porches, large enough for a swing and furniture, are absolutely the first thing to catch your eye in Union Village. This is a community that is built to mingle—out front— on the porches, sidewalks and streets. All the single-family homes feature inviting front porches. Some of them run the front width of the home, such as in The Orchard, while others are wrap around style like The Camden. Many of the homes also featured more side patios, suitable for outdoor dining or relaxation when a bit more privacy is desired, as seen in The Louden and The Piedmont.

Fall scene on porch of The Orchard
Front porch of The Logan Park
Side porch of The Piedmont
Wrap around porch of The Camden

Cemented in style
Patterned cement tile added a serious punch to bathrooms, laundry rooms and mudrooms. In The Louden, the tile took a contemporary turn with its crisp white and gray accents. Over in The Villager condominium it contributed to a bath’s watery-blue color scheme. And in the laundry/mudroom in The Orchard it had a bit of a distressed look that added a taste of age and character to this brand-new space.

Patterned cement tile found its way to several of the homes, including, The Orchard
Patterned cement tile found its way to several of the homes, including, The Villager
Patterned cement tile found its way to several of the homes, including, The Louden

Feeding a crowd
Perhaps in response to the fact that many of us are spending more time dining and entertaining at home, there was an easy flow between the kitchen and dining areas that allowed folks in both spaces to be part of the conversation. With the seating available at the often oversized islands, as well as the nearby tables, homeowners could easily have enough space to entertain a small crowd—or a large family. The Camden included a table which comfortably seated eight, and nearby with coordinating chairs, a spacious island that seated an additional four.

A large island provides for casual seating in The Camden
A coordinated dining area is just steps from The Camden’s kitchen

Talking with animals
In a similar fashion as the Cincinnati show, in which horse artwork was featured throughout the homes, animals were found in artwork strategically placed throughout many of the homes in Union Village as well. A horse painted on a black background added a rich element to The Middlebury, a friendly raccoon hangs out over the sofa in The Villager. Sheep graze in a painting that hangs between the front windows in The Camden.

A raccoon print above the sofa in The Villager
Animal art on the wall in The Camden

Splashing the walls
Also as seen in the Cincinnati show, bold, expressive wallpapers made a definite impact as accent walls in Union Village. A subtle paper with metallic touches creates an accent wall in The Logan Park. Powder rooms in both The Middlebury and The Orchard felt fresh and current thanks to a splash of pattern on the walls. With that in mind, we hope these photos and ideas from this year’s show, give you the giddyup and go to get busy on your own home improvement projects.

Wallpaper in the eating area in The Logan Park
Papered accent wall in The Middlebury
Powder room in The Orchard
Great room in The Orchard

BUILDERS AND INTERIOR DESIGNERS FROM HOMEARAMA® 2021 AT UNION VILLAGE

The Camden
Builder J&K Custom Homes
Interior design Kimberly Fox Designs

The Cottonwood
Builder JNB Custom Homes
Interior design Un-titled Design
Staging Design To Market

The Dogwood
Builder Ashford Homes

The Logan Park
Builder Vita Modern Homes
Interior design Renee Lincoln

The Louden
Builder Redknot Homes
Interior design Eye 4 Design Interiors

The Miami River Cottage
Builder Second Story Homes
Interior design Second Story Homes

The Middlebury
Builder J&K Custom Homes
Interior design Kimberly Fox Designs

The Orchard
Builder Clemens Companies
Interior decorator Molly Dulle

The Piedmont
Builder Berkey Custom Homes
Interior design Cincinnati Design Studio

The Villager
Builder Charles Simms Development
Interior design Fabdiggity

The Washington
Builder Brookstone Homes
Interior design Brookstone Homes

For a complete list of show resources, go to: SHOWS2021