Wishing Tree Picture

Here's a picture of the Wishing Tree, complete with wish ornaments. Good thing the picture got taken right after the tree trimming - some wishes have already been chosen, and it isn't even December yet! I guess there are more Santas in our midst than I realized.

Wishing Star Ornament Party!

Sullivan Homes has adopted two Wishing Star families for the holidays. Each family has one or more children with a life-threatening illness. One family has 15 children! Sullivan staff members had an Ornament Party this week, to decorate the ornaments for a Wishing Tree. Some were glittered, painted, sequined, simple, ornate - each one had a distinctive flair. Every glass ornament has a wish inside it, along with the recipient’s name, age, gender, and some wished-for items. The Wishing Tree is in the lobby of the Sullivan Centre building. All gifts will be collected by Friday, December 14th, and delivered to the families the week before Christmas. Seeing those sparkly ornaments are a reminder that sometimes the smallest gestures have the greatest impact. :)

Absolute-ly

I think we as humans are compelled by absolutes. The biggest, best, worst, funniest.

Nothing dissipates our attention faster than mediocrity. Particularly with the surroundings we choose.

Working for a builder that prides themselves on crafting distinctive homes, it occurred to me that I don't seem to hear much about absolutes in the construction industry. Quite the contrary. It seems as if the more middle-of-the-road you are, the safer and more likely destined for mass appeal. (There are plenty of cookies straight from the cutter that support a statement like that.)

This, naturally, led to a quest: an -Est Quest. I will post the current winners in each category, subject to revision if the throne has been clearly usurped. It would seem best to keep this quest continental, for the time being. If anyone has cause for a global quest, please let me know. The categories are as follows:

• The Oldest
• The Funniest
• The Ugliest
• The Scariest
• The Smallest
• The Largest
• The Most Controversial
• The Most Extravagant
• The Quirkiest
  

Your submissions are welcome - let me know if I've left out a great category or nominee! After all, when was the last time you heard someone brag about the most 'average' thing they ever saw?

New Frontiers for Sullivan Homes!

Sullivan Homes has crossed into the social networking frontier, boldly going where few builders seem to have gone. (At least from my research, that is!)

We can now be found on Facebook (link), and Myspace - so.....Find me on MySpace and be my friend! :) You can never have too many of those, right?

Clicking around these places, from a business standpoint, is similar to the Tourist Experience: you may initially stand out in your tropical shirt, but within a few days you manage to blend in a little better and feel almost native. Almost. It is way too interesting not to see beyond the Google search engine horizons and see what other people do, and where their circles of interest are. If there are over 50 million people on Facebook, that is a large chunk of our population that is not only online, but involved - and more and more are using it (and Myspace) as professional networking. I don't know about you, but I am far more likely to take an interest in something my friends recommend, than something a random algorithm generated. What do you think?

November 2007 Extreme Team Project Begins

Today is the beginning of our November Extreme Team project! The Team will be renovating the home of a single mother who is currently going through treatment for an aggressive cancer. She needs a lot of renovations and repairs, so this should be an exciting project to watch come together. Our LIVE reveal will be this Thursday night at 6:30 pm, on KXLY channel 4. We'll post some preview pics tomorrow!

New Floor Plans Feature!!

Our Sullivan Homes website now features a separate Floor Plans section with each listing for Home Plans, Under Construction, or Available Now homes. This makes searching by actual floor plans much easier than when they were in their previous location, tucked behind the photos and renderings.

Floor plans are a great way to start the dreaming process towards your own custom home, too! With our in-house drafting and design teams, ANY of our floor plans can be modified to your own specifications. Now you just have to agree with your spouse on the color palette. :)

Trivial Fridays!

In honor of Fridays, here are some fun Home trivia facts:

The construction of the White House started in 1792 and was first occupied by President John Adams in 1800. The total cost was $232,372. link

The largest home in the U.S. is the Biltmore in Asheville, North Carolina. Completed in 1895, the George Vanderbilt estate took 6 years to build, and has 4 acres, 250 rooms, 43 bathrooms, 34 bedrooms, and 65 fireplaces. The Biltmore was modeled on sixteenth-century French chateux, and is on 125,000 acres. link

Contrary to popular belief, the original color palettes for Victorian homes were drab and dull, to blend in with their surroundings and their organic materials. link

The most reportedly haunted house in America is the Whaley House in San Diego, California. Built in 1857, the Whaley house was also not only the Whaley family residence, but also San Diego's first commercial theater and the county courthouse. Many people have visited the Whaley house convinced beyond all doubt of supernatural events. link