Smart Home!

Right before I left in April I got the email that it’s HGTV Smart Home Time! Whoo hoo!

In Atlanta

They did an awesome job but like those who know me it’s time for Rich Man Poor Man where I look at everything. 

I know way too much than I should about Atlanta. They had a great airport in 2007. 

Then I had two conferences I went to in 2021 where the bus drove through to Florida and then in Atlanta itself. I was only able to Lyft on the freeways from the bus station to the hotel.

The Atlanta Braves is where I graduated from High School now (joke… they changed our mascot, City name and school in California since 1980) and I still want a foam Tomahawk if they have one! That was the name of our yearbook.

The house before and after photos were exciting.

I like the garage.. favorite area is the garden tool organized wall! Do I need a John Deere for the backyard? Can’t tell.

I don’t know about the furry plant wall. I see this huge modern metal sculpture type thing for me instead. A simple grid? I know why they have it under the window anyway. Abstract mural?

The chairs going to the front door are cool looking. Teak? I hope they’re the most comfortable.

I can go the huge stairwell window but I have to have more private front doors. They have a shade inside but those are more backyard to me and it would be shade down. The witches asked me what color? I think a barn red to go with the neutrals but they said “never get a red door! We’d show up!” (right now I have a grey door and they show up)

I only watched the interior walk through and exterior videos at this point but it is so cute inside!

Update: I went through the pictures this afternoon.

In summary and then by area. 

All I can see in the living room I’d change is the desk chair.

The banquette was shocking at first but works! Especially when looked at in certain pictures and how it lines up. The cushion might have to be removed for sliding in.

The kitchen seemed small but then I saw the pantry/beverage area and I like it better than most of the dream homes.

I have never seen a four square fridge!

I was surprised by the low ceiling in the master bedroom but it seems really cozy now that I got another look.

The only thing odd is this rock plaster wall art. The witches insist it’s a sex thing but I’d be the homeowner that said “water feature?” “Plinko?” “A coin bank!” Maybe they tried hanging it at the entrance and got scared with the windows. It looks heavy.

I like how bathrooms are open and called wet rooms but once again the window! I need them higher and more transom. How much can they see from (what looks like) the street?

Motion sensor lights on the stairs! FAVE. I would goof around and try to dance them.

Hidden vacuum in the laundry room awesome.

Media room would be laundry day for me. I like the wooden charm tables we use to play in elementary school hung on the walls. 

Green guest room and Blush guest room. I only have a problem with the picture above the bed in the blush room. And the tiny full length mirror on the way out.. needs to be bigger? I like the big framed ones so this is why it looked odd. That one looks like a behind the door one.

They both need luggage racks…

Conclusion: Really good interior design choices throughout the house. 

Backyard: Favorite is the accordion slider to the fire pit!

I think I want to add miniature golf in the backyard (joke.. croquet… pickle ball even if half court)

Update: Since I saw in my neighborhood the lumberyard building I’ve been thinking about elevators in homes and being what would be an industrial to home conversion - how much better a business like that had it with their version.

I checked the side view and it might seem wide but an elevator at the window would be fun. I’d look into it anyway. From what I can tell all I have to do is go upstairs for laundry. 

Until a guest arrives. In movies they cover everything until they use it. Dunno!

Taxes. The cash prize of $150k has to pay off the remaining $33k on my mortgage first. I’m getting ready for plumbing repairs so I wrote a list of what stays in the house and the personal goods have to be put in storage. I’m one of those compare-ers too.

The Mercedes and charger are $82k and once again “but the Smart Home recipient has to look like the Smart Home owner” vs “yeah but the Electric Mini Cooper is at $25k”

Then I scrolled further down and there’s a cash prize which is tempting but I don’t think I’d take it! If I took the $700k (you still get the car) and did new construction in a different area would I get a worse house? Atlanta is tough!