Perfect livability

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION


Tour Woman-Centric homes during the Spring Preview


Severson Homes photo
courtesy of Bill Nord

A new style of homebuilding has arrived in Minnesota.

Certainly, homes have always been crafted around the way their owners live. But a group of Twin Cities builders has taken the idea of perfect livability to a new level with homes that are designed entirely from a woman’s perspective. Part of a national initiative called Woman-Centric MattersSM, the approach aims to satisfy everything a woman wants in a home—in livability, in design, and in the purchasing process. The five builders in the metro area who have been certified in Woman-Centric design—Bruggeman Homes, Inc.; Custom One Homes; NIH Homes, LLC; Severson Homes, Inc.; TC Homes, Inc.—are unveiling these new homes during a special tour event that takes place in conjunction with the Parade of Homes Spring Preview.

A Woman-Centric home is built on four maxims of livability: Storage and convenience, entertaining spaces, flexible living spaces, and de-stressing areas. As Helene Severson of Severson Homes explains, women imagine how they will entertain in a home, and how the kitchen and living areas will enhance it. They look for a place of refuge from their busy lives, where they can relax and unwind. They pick up on a home’s capacity for storage, and their tendency to anticipate future events means they want a home that is livable today and flexible enough to accommodate tomorrow’s needs.

“We understand women so innately that we have actually anticipated what she wants even before she asks,” Severson says.

Each builder has participated in hours of training on the design approach of a Woman-Centric home.

“The Woman-Centric approach shifts the homebuilder’s focus from ‘this is what we do’ to anticipating a woman’s needs and saying, ‘Look what we can do for you,’ ” explains builder consultant Rick Storlie. “We know women want a certain buying and building experience that is very different than men. We make sure all of our best practices fulfill how she wants to be treated.”

But that does not mean the appeal of these homes is exclusive to the female gender. “It’s just great design and a remarkable experience,” he says. “Once men see how much easier it is to work with a Woman-Centric home builder, they jump right on board.”

The Woman-Centric tour will showcase seven homes, from a Rogers entry-level townhome under $200,000 to an $857,000 luxury single-family home in Lakeville. This is a style of building that crosses all home styles and price points. Tickets are not required, but those who visit the homes are asked to enter a $5 raffle for grand prizes of a weeklong trip to Cancun or a three-day ski vacation at Lutsen Mountains. Proceeds benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. The tour takes place the second and third weekends of the Parade, Feb. 8-10 and 15-17, 3-7 p.m. on Fridays and 12-6 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.

Women-Centric Home Tour

When: Fridays, Feb. 8 and 15, 3-7 p.m.
Saturday-Sunday, Feb. 9-10 and 16-17, 12-6 p.m.

Where: Parade models by Bruggeman Homes, Inc. (#141); Custom One Homes (#219, #233); NIH Homes, LLC (#712); and TC Homes, Inc. (#630, #650); and the Severson Homes model at Spirit of Brandtjen Farm

Benefitting CFF: A $5 raffle ticket donation is appreciated. Grand prizes are trips to Cancun and Lutsen Mountains. Proceeds benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

Learn more: www.seversonhomes.com

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