"Redo and Renew" Kentlands Style

If you need some ideas for remodeling and green retrofitting this year, look no further than the Kentlands House and Garden Tour to be held this weekend, Saturday, May 14 from 10 am - 4 pm.

Stop by Pinky and Pepe's Grape Escape in Kentlands today, May 12, 2011 between 6 and 8 pm and purchase a ticket, you receive a complimentary glass of wine or beer with your tour booklet.

As part of the tour, Seven Kentlands residents will open their homes to tour participants who must purchase tickets in advance online or in-person at the Kentlands Clubhouse on the day of the event. Tickets cost $25 with a discounted price of $20 that was only available through May 7, 2011. They are also available at Pinky and Pepe's Grape Escape through Friday, May 13, 2011.

“Proceeds from the tour will allow us to help local charities that support the region, including the Friends of Wells/Robertson House, Inc. which offers support and transitional housing to residents who are working to recover from drug and/or alcohol addiction, as well as the Kentlands Community Foundation and the Kentlands Garden Club,” said Tour Co-Chair Eileen Schlichting.  

“This year’s theme is in keeping with the national trend of remodeling,” said House Tour co-chair Katy Thoms. She also pointed out that, in its 2011 Housing Report, the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University predicts a new decade of growth for the $300 billion remodeling market.

“Homeowners are turning to remodeling as a way to stay put and transform their homes to meet their changing needs; incorporate energy saving materials, appliances and designs; and enhance the value of their home in preparation for an inevitable housing market turnaround. The tour and showcase will inspire and educate attendees and give them a unique opportunity to connect with vendors whose work is showcased on the tour.”

The vendor showcase is new this year and will include the event's sponsors and many of the landscaping and renovation experts who worked on the homes on display. It will be open to visitors throughout the duration of the tour at the Kentlands Clubhouse.

"The vendor showcase will include several home improvement businesses including Architectural Concepts, At Your Door Floor, DA Dunlevy, Decorating Den Interiors, EB Home Improvement, E&R Home Improvement, Fine Earth Landscaping, JT Interiors and more. It will also include services such as Oreck, Elaine Koch Realtors, Crest Cleaners, Village Settlements and Spagnvola Chocolatier and Spring Mill Bread," said Carrie Dietz, one of the organizers of the tour.

According to Dietz, the tour is self-guided and participants can begin the tour in any location. The ticket is actually a tour booklet that includes a tour map, a home improvement directory as well as the individual renovation stories of the houses on view.

The event promises a forum for discussion and exchange of ideas on home renovation and gardening. Some featured renovations range from gourmet kitchens, revamped living rooms with a contemporary look and feel, spacious and posh master baths, gardens that connect the indoors with the outdoors and green additions.

"Home owners will not be present but each home will be staffed with volunteers," said Dietz.

“We appreciate the generosity of sponsors that include some of the premier home improvement, real estate and landscaping businesses in the area, as well as many of the businesses in the Kentlands that make living in this community so special,”said Schlichting.