Perfect Blend

Family-owned businesses are a hallmark of Lancaster County. The Custom Home Group embodies that tradition. Owner Dan Siegrist’s team includes his wife Regina, their 11 children and employees who are treated like family!

By Sue Long Photography by Kirk Zutell

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dan launched his career in the building industry as a painting and remodeling contractor. He built his first custom home in 1986, with his client being his own family. The design process was a bit of a challenge. Dan wanted to build a more contemporary house, while Regina liked the character of an old home. So, they compromised, thus creating the blueprint for the Custom Home Group, Inc., which Dan launched in 2000. By 2004, the company was building a dozen homes a year. In 2008, they entered their first Parade of Homes and walked away with the prestigious Fulton Award, which goes to the house scoring the most points in the judging process. Dan says he couldn’t have reached the level of success he has achieved without the help of his family, all of whom have worked or continue to work for the company. Some have moved on to form their own construction-related companies and to work in real estate. The younger kids have inherited the job of helping their father with chores such as tidying up the exteriors of properties and cleaning interiors prior to settlement.

That’s a lot of Siegrists! Standing (l-r): Brent Siegrist, Derrick Siegrist, Emily Siegrist, Jared Erb, Ben Siegrist, Dan Siegrist, Regina Siegrist, Lori Miller, LuAnn Hassle, Jana Siegrist, Derrick Hulock, Chelsea Bender and Ken Uhrich. Seated: Daniel Siegrist and Hans Siegrist.

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This year’s Parade of Homes entry (pictured above) demonstrated the Southern End-based builder’s ability to provide

clients with custom homes that combine the latest design trends with Lancaster County practicality. Designed by Jared Erb, the home was built for a family that was looking for space to grow. “They wanted more space, a larger kitchen and acreage,” Jared recalls. They found the perfect location in a subdivision south of Lancaster. As for a builder, they had been impressed by one of the Custom Home Group’s previous Parade entries. Jared and his clients went to work on the design in the fall of 2012. “It starts out generic,” he says of first tackling a client’s requirements. “Then, you establish a wish list and merge the two.” Once Jared realized he was designing a house that embodies many of today’s trends, he broached the idea of entering it in the 2013 Parade of Homes. His clients were very open to the idea. After devoting two months to designing the house, ground was broken in January. Cooperative weather enabled the company to build the house in five months. Jared also placed a call to INTER!ORS Furniture & Design, asking if they would furnish and accessorize the house for the Parade. Designer Tina Eichelberger was given the assignment. In some instances she took direction from Jared, in others she worked with the future homeowners. The master suite was her vision.

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Great Room On trend: The rear of the house is essentially an open space that holds three interrelated “rooms:” the family room, a breakfast room and the kitchen. The spaces are united by maple, hand-scraped hardwood flooring and paint color that serves to showcase the moldings. A stone fireplace lends character to the room while a geothermal heating system is energy-conscious (tax credits are available through 2016). Recessed lighting provides a clean look. Windows deliver a connection to the outdoors. Style points: Mix of leather and upholstery. Multitasking cocktail ottoman. Variety of lamp styles. Throw pillows and area rugs complement rather than match each other.

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Dining Room On trend: In this age of casual living, the jury is out on whether the formal dining room is going the way of the living room. In this case, formality is emphasized through the use of ample trim work, wainscoting and multi-crown molding, all of which stands out against the dramatic color that paints the walls and ceiling. Style points: Contemporary side chairs and traditional upholstered arm chairs partner with a sleek and polished table that demonstrates the versatility of transitional styling. Note the distressed finish on the china cabinet.

Living Room On trend: Flex appeal has become the mantra of space that was once devoted to the living room. While this room was decorated to convey its intended use, the homeowners envisioned it as a music room for their daughter, hence a piano now commands the space. Jared has seen other homeowners use the space for hobbies and crafts, as a library or a home office. “People would rather devote such spaces to real living,” he says. Style points: Traditional fabrics were used for the chairs and skirted settee. Contemporary accessories add a punch of color.

Lower Level On trend: Uses for lower levels of homes are limitless. Theaters, game rooms, mini-gyms, hobby rooms and more are making once-lowly basements family- and entertainment-friendly. Design has a lot to do with the new perception – ceilings are higher (in this case, they are nine-feet) and windows/doors provide natural light and a connection to the outdoors. Style points: Furniture that’s made to be used includes a leather sectional and a microsuede chair. Note the rattan trunk, mismatched lamps and console that “supports” the flat-screen television. Area rugs work over low-pile, wall-to-wall carpet (such as berber); here, a rug is used to bring a splash of color to the room.

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Master Bathrooms On trend: Spa-like is the ultimate vision for master bathrooms. Walk-in showers (room-size, with seating and multiple plumbing fixtures) are at the top of wish lists. This bath is located on the upper floor of the turret and its design plays off the curve of the walls.

Mudroom On trend: What Jared calls “drop zones” help to keep clutter under control in the living areas of a house. Accessible from a rear “friends” entrance, as well as the garage, kids (and adults) can easily drop and stow backpacks, coats, shoes, boots, athletic gear, etc. in an organized fashion. A storage closet for outof-season coats is nearby, as is the laundry.

Butler’s Pantry On trend: This space provides a transition between the kitchen and dining room (plus it’s directly across from the pantry). It functions as a staging area, special-occasion bar and is perfect for storage of seasonal items. The finish matches that of the island in the kitchen.

Home Office On trend: Technology is allowing us to work from home on an increasing basis. Such is the case of this homeowner, whose office fits perfectly into the turret that defines the Country French-inspired exterior design. Style points: Free-standing desks provide a furniture look for home offices.

Custom Home Group 1302 Lancaster Pike, Quarryville 717-284-4090/customhomegroup.com

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Kitchen On trend: This room is an integral part of the living area. The multifunctional island (this one measures 5x8 feet) provides seating and storage, plus food prep (thanks to the secondary sink). It’s also perfect for entertaining, as it transforms into a buffet. Chocolate-brown in color, it definitely stands out against the cream-colored perimeter cabinetry and stainless appliances. Mixing door styles is also on trend: here, you see painted/glazed/distressed raised-panel and glass-fronted doors. Quartz covers the counters, while travertine (matte finish) comprises the backsplash. Style points: Pendant lighting provides an artsy touch over an island.

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Tina Eichelberger: How Did She Do That? Ever wonder how staging a home for events such as the Parade of Homes works? Tina Eichelberger of INTER!ORS Furniture & Design explains.

for this parade house, Tina’s game plan was to go in an eclectic direction and use a mix of transitional, traditional and contemporary pieces. Such a look enables you to add the unexpected conversation piece that makes a personal statement. “Effortless” as opposed to “designed” is the look that’s en vogue. “Transitional” has been a buzzword in the industry for the past several years. It’s a look that’s described as a perfect balance of traditional and contemporary design, masculine and feminine appeal and beauty versus comfort. It perfectly plays to the younger generation’s mania for retro. INTER!ORS is reflective of this shift in taste. Once a magnet for fans of both contemporary and traditional furnishings, its showroom now pays homage to transitional. “We don’t carry as much traditional furniture as we used to,” Tina says. “Transitional is a better fit with today’s casual lifestyle.” Even Lancaster, which has always appreciated traditional solid oak and cherry furnishings, is embracing transitional. so, if you’re itching to redecorate, here’s Tina’s primer on what to look for. Leather: “Leather adds a different texture and medium to a room,” she says, adding that protected leather is kid-

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friendly, easy to care for (wipes clean) and won’t “trap” pet hair. A drawback for pet owners: claw marks (especially from large dogs) will be evident. Cocktail Ottoman: People multitask, so why not furniture? The cocktail ottoman (as seen in the family room) is a marriage of a cocktail table and an ottoman – you can put your feet up and have easy access to drinks and munchies. Animal Print: Its popularity continues! “It’s just eyecatching,” Tina remarks, noting that animal print is now available in an array of color combos. Menswear-inspired Fabrics: Transitional designs work beautifully with fabrics such as herringbone, hounds-tooth and tweed. “It adds a pattern, but it’s subtle,” she says. Area Rugs: Hardwood floors are back big time, which means area rugs are in demand. “I call an area rug the largest piece of art in a room,” Tina notes. “If you’re starting from scratch, choose your rug first.” And, if you need multiple rugs for a space such as a great room, complementary and not matching is the way to go. Throw Pillows: The same philosophy applies here. Complementary fabrics raise the level of interest. Lamps: Ditto. Note the family room: Tina chose a burlap shade for one lamp and a copper shade for another. Wall Color: The new look is utilizing the same color for the walls and ceiling, which works beautifully for rooms with high ceilings and/or lots of molding. If you’re leery, Tina points out that the color constantly evolves as the sun progresses across the sky. Home Office: The free-standing desk has become popular thanks to the advent of laptops and iPads that don’t require all the paraphernalia. Tina is of the opinion that home offices tend to be the domain of men and therefore are inclined to be more masculine in appearance. “They’re the man cave of the executive set,” she says, thus the addition of chairs and even sofas. INTER!ORS Furniture & Design 3130 Columbia Ave., Lancaster 717-390-2000/Interiors-furniture.com

Master Suite On trend: The idea of providing an adult escape is still guiding the design of master suites. The scale of the bedroom provides space for a king-size bed and lounge area. Amenities include two walk-in closets, a cathedral/vaulted tray ceiling (with mood lighting) and lots of windows. Style points: This room mirrors Tina’s style personality: lots of animal print with plenty of glitz and sparkle! The exception for matching lamps is the bedroom. Furniture is a mix of traditional (poster bed and dresser) and transitional (two chairs and table).

photo courtesy of inter!ors

Since INTER!ORS is limited to the number of Parade homes it does each year, Jared Erb knew he had to get on the list pronto and placed a call to owner Todd Lehman late in 2012. Tina Eichelberger was assigned the job of furnishing and accessorizing the Custom Home Group’s entry. Luckily, Jared gave her free reign. “Being able to do what I wanted was so nice,” she recalls. “As a designer, my job is to be creative. If I have strict parameters, I can’t do that.” Still, this Parade house varied slightly from the norm – the owners wanted to work with Tina to select items they would ultimately be buying for the great room. “We worked off the blueprints to select pieces for that area of the house,” she explains. Getting to know the homeowners helped her to gain a sense of their style and thus add their personality to her design scheme. “I also visited the house as it was being built,” she continues. “Each house has its own personality and I like to tap into that.” By mid-May, she was pulling pieces and selecting accessories. “It requires a lot of manpower and inventory,” she says of staging a house for such an event (over 3,000 people toured the house during a week in June).

Tina Eichelberger

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