It was six years ago that Jeff and Cassie Lauterette moved into a new, and larger, house in the Heather Knolls subdivision north of Hamilton. The next year, they took advantage of the larger space to continue the Christmas village they had constructed each year in their former home in Springfield. The displaywhich continued to grow over the past five years, this year adding a Lego replica of an Apple store, among other itemswill be open to the public Saturday, Dec. 14, in an effort to garner support for a favorite charity.

The move in 2007 was a big change for the Lauterettes. Their townhouse in Springfield was tiny, Jeff Lauterette recalled. A Realtor told him offered to find them a larger house. Not really serious, Laurette gave him an impossible list of wisheshad to be near a trail, must be at least three acres and 6,000 square feet or more in size, and must cost no more than $100,000 more than a sale of their current house would bring.

No one was more surprised than Lauterette when his friend called back within a week, and said, Ive got your house for you.

The Heather Knolls house had been owned by a Washington Redskins player who had left the area. The real estate market was sinking and the house was up for auction.

It was a little over 1,700 square feetmore like 6,300 square feet and it was 3.3 acres, Lauterette, said, laughing. It also cost $200,000 more than his Springfield house.

Never mindthe house came with lots of stuff, sports items and furniture and a $14,000 play set with stadium lights, all left behind by the previous owner. The house was so large Lauterette was able to move his consulting business into it.

At first, the Lauterette assembled their Christmas village in the living room, using small tables located around the room. They had a small party the first year, and, at the suggestion of a neighbor, then moved the display to its current location in the sunroom. After three years in that room, its almost outgrown that space, Lauterette said.

At first we had it on little coffee tables around the room, displaying a few houses. Then we kept adding houses each year. It got bigger and bigger, and so we had to use the dining room table; then it got too big to use the cords, we had different fuses and kept blowing them, he said. Today, the Lauterettes assemble 28 coffee tables to hold a display that fills the entire room.

The public viewing event really took off two years ago when the family started collecting donations for Toys for Tots, Lauterette said. Between 200 and 300 people came to see the display last year, as well as bring toys for the U.S. Marine Corps collection. The house is now an official Toys for Toys site.

This year, the Lauterettes will open their house 6-9 p.m. Saturday, for people to view the 350-square-foot Winter Wonderland Village, complete with animation, sound and lights. Sponsors, including the Leesburg Chick-Fil-A and Starbucks, Wegmans and a cider company from Winchester, will be on hand to provide food and refreshments for visitors and you can find the miniature retail centers of many of the sponsors lining the streets of the display village.

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Display Of Christmas Village Benefits Toys For Tots

Sunroom additions arelike a cross between a family room and backyard patio. You get an indoor room with an outdoor feel and a brand new hangout space thats likely to become your familys favorite gathering spot.

But because this is hybrid of indoor and outdoor space, planning sunroom additions is different than planning, say, a family room or a master bathroom. Here are the features and options to think about as you design your project.

The basics of sunroom additions

A 200-square-foot sunroom addition, including footings and slab-on-grade foundation, post-and-beam construction thats exposed on the interior, efficient windows, 10 operable skylights, ceiling fan, tile floor, and window shades, costs an average of $72,179 according to Remodeling magazines 2013 Cost vs. Value Report. You can expect to get about $33,529 of that investment (46.5%) back at resale, according to the study.

Windows

Since the whole point of a sunroom is to connect to the outside world, windows are a sunrooms most important feature. A typical sunroom might have 20 windows, each costing from $250 to $1,200, depending on their style and quality. Choosing the right window type, material, and efficiency will maximize the beauty and function of your sunroom.

The ceiling

A cathedral ceiling (around $10,000) will give your sunroom a sense of spaciousness and allow you to install skylights ($2,000 to $3,500 each, installed). These help to make the room feel like an indoor-outdoor space, especially at night, when you can watch the stars from the comfort of a rattan chair. As with windows, look for Energy Star-rated skylights to ensure that theyre efficient.

The floor

Ceramic tile makes the most durable sunroom floor because it wont fade in the sunshine, get scratched by muddy boots, or stain where drinks spill. Plus, its nice and cool underfoot on hot summer day. A tiled floor costs $1,000 to $2,000 or more, depending on the tiles you choose.

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Sunroom Additions | Sunroom Addition Features | HouseLogic

Sunrooms have come a long way from the glassed-in porches of the 1960s. Todays versions are full-fledged year-round rooms featuring cathedral ceilings, skylights, energy-efficient windows, tile flooring, heat, and air conditioning.

Also known as Florida rooms, sun parlors and solariums, sunroom additionsbring the outdoors inside but without the bugs and bad weather. As a result, they usually become the familys favorite hangout spot, says Atlanta architect Rick Goldstein. Heres how to evaluate whether a sunroom addition fits your house and your budget:

Whats a sunroom?

The defining feature of a sunroom is the vast amount of glass. Some versions, known as solariums and conservatories, consist of walls and a roof built entirely of windows that are held together by a strong cage of metal, wood, or vinyl.

But the traditional sunroom is built like any other addition using standard construction techniques and a roof that matches the rest of the house just with a lot more windows. A sunroom usually has 20 or more windows, plus skylights.

How much will it cost?

A 200-square-foot sunroom addition, including footings and slab-on-grade foundation, post-and-beam construction thats exposed on the interior, efficient windows, 10 operable skylights, a tile floor, window shades, and a ceiling fan costs an average of $72,179 according to Remodeling magazines 2013 Cost vs. Value Report. You can expect to get about $33,529 of that investment (46.5%) back at resale, according to the study.

Youll need to set aside at least 12 weeks for this project, plus time for planning, and will need the help of an architect or a design-build contractor to create a room that ties in well with the houses style, flow, and structure.

As with any addition, youll need a building permit from the town and youll need to follow zoning rules about how closely you can build toward property lines, how big your home can become, and other restrictions.

Where should it go?

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Sunroom Addition Evaluation | Sunroom Addition Home Value ...

Imagine having a room that allowed you to bring the outdoors into your home. Now imagine that same room provided extra space for family and friends to gather, increased the value of your property, and cost less than 60% of a traditional room addition. A Venetian Builders Sunroom Addition is just that.

Using our own system of thick, structural aluminum beams, the Venetian Builders Sunroom team can design a room that fits into the layout of your home, all while keeping in mind the way you would like the room to feel and of course, your intended use for the space.

Every Venetian Builders Sunroom is built from components designed by our engineers; for use in Florida and approved by the Florida Building code for use in High Velocity Hurricane Zones.

We can even build a 3D model of your new room in our digital design software and show you exactly what your new Sunroom is going to look like, right down to paint colors and glass types, insuring all of your needs are met and the room suits the look of your home.

With limitless design possibilities and structural options such as Thermally Insulated Glass to prevent the suns heat from passing into your home and even Impact Resistant Insulated Glass, the Venetian Builders Sunroom Additions team can build a room within any budget and design scope.

Call Us Today for your free, in home, design consultation and estimate of cost and project time. One of our team members will walk you through the process from start to finish to insure a Sunroom Addition is right for you.

or E-Mail us now, for a free site analysis and review of your project needs.

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Sunrooms, Conservatories, Sunroom Contractor & Additions

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Sunroom Additions from TEMO Can Bring the Outdoors Indoors

Sunroom additions are a great way to get even more enjoyment out of your homes outside space. Sure, everyone loves to kick back on the patio during a mild fall or spring afternoon, but when the winter and summer months bring extreme temperatures your way, chances are that the amount of time you spend in the outdoor area of your home is significantly reduced. Sunroom additions from TEMO offer a solution to this problem by allowing you to take in the scenic views of your backyard all year round without having to worry about unwanted factors such as rain, snow, wind, insects, and intense heat or cold.

Not only can our high-quality all season sunrooms protect you from the elements while you enjoy your outdoor living space, they will also beautify your home. Our sunroom additions come in seven attractive styles for you to choose from, including:

Since 1970, TEMO has been the name that homeowners throughout the U.S. trust when they are looking to add a premium sunroom to their home. We are one of the largest and most reputable sunroom dealers and manufacturers in the nation, so you know that when you choose to work with us, you will get a new sunroom that will offer the highest level of quality and performance.

If you would like to bring the beauty of the outdoors into your home with one of our outstanding sunroom additions, contact TEMO today.

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Sunroom Additions - Sunrooms | Pergolas | Patio Covers | Solariums

Sunroom Additions

A sunroom addition can add years of value and style to your home and can help you enjoy your home more. This sort of sunroom addition is very versatile, allowing you to create almost any sort of room in your new addition - from an exercise room to a dining room - while also allowing you to enjoy the outdoors like never before. We at Ambiance Additions have created many such additions for clients and we have heard repeatedly from our customers how much they enjoy their new sunrooms. However, we also feel that a room addition is a serious investment and so we believe that everyone considering this project for their home ask themselves:

If you are thinking about a sunroom addition for your home, congratulations! You are thinking about an addition that can add real enjoyment and value to your home. Call us at Ambiance Additions today to learn how we can make your addition a reality.

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