The past couple of months have been a whirlwind at the Homearama showhouse, the project we’re helping design and decorate to benefit Habitat for Humanity. The lot has transformed remarkably fast—from a patch of dirt to an almost fully framed home in just weeks. Below is a concise update on the progress and the decisions we’ve been making as the build moves forward.

A short, rough house tour was filmed a few weeks ago while framing and rough-in were underway. Because there were no finished walls or furnishings and construction noise made on-site audio unusable, the tour was later narrated from home. The video gives a clear sense of how the floor plan is coming together and outlines several plans for each room as they take shape.

With construction moving at full speed, we were quickly thrust into highly compressed design selection: lighting, plumbing, flooring, fixtures, cabinetry, trim, appliances, and every other built-in element needed to be specified immediately so the house could be framed, roughed-in, and built to accommodate them. It’s a lot different from our usual approach of tackling one room at a time. Here we’re choosing dozens of items for multiple rooms before walls are even up, which has been exhilarating, humbling, and occasionally overwhelming.

To give you a sense of scale, here are the major decisions we’ve been sorting out over the past several weeks:

• Selecting cabinetry for seven rooms, including door and drawer styles, finishes or paint colors, layouts, and hardware for each run.
• Choosing five different countertop materials for the kitchen, bathrooms, and laundry room.
• Specifying 21 plumbing fixtures—faucets, sinks, tubs, toilets, and shower sets.
• Selecting 44 hard-wired light fixtures, including chandeliers, pendants, flush mounts, and sconces.
• Conducting an electrical walk-through to indicate exact wiring locations, can lights, outlets, and switch placements to the inch.
• Making 14 tile selections for backsplashes, floors, shower walls, and utility spaces.
• Picking all kitchen and laundry appliances.
• Choosing the front door, garage door styles, and every interior door, plus hinges and doorknobs (including specialty and pocket doors).
• Doing a carpentry walk-through to detail moldings, wainscoting, built-ins, shelves, benches, a desk nook, and a bedroom flanked by two wardrobes.
• Deciding on hardwood floor style and stain color.
• Selecting exterior stone and porch column height.
• Mapping a to-scale plan for the living room fireplace and mantel.

Coordinating everyone is key. For example, today we were double-checking counter heights and faucet hole locations with the cabinet and countertop teams and our plumbing contact so a sink cabinet doesn’t arrive with the wrong pre-drilled hole. Those kinds of cross-checks happen constantly when so many trades must align on measurements, clearances, and styles.

Lighting has been one of the most enjoyable hunts so far—an area where we love to have fun. We’re excited to watch our fixture choices go in as the walls go up and reveal how the rooms will feel. We’ve mixed bold statement pieces with classic, functional choices to balance drama and everyday livability.

Because Homearama showcases a range of design approaches across seven homes, we’re stretching beyond our comfort zone to create something fresh yet comfortable and durable. The goal is to present interesting, practical ideas that real families could adopt. At the same time, every selection must stay within a tight budget and meet immovable deadlines—the show opens on May 1st—so keeping the schedule on track is crucial. Our builder has been instrumental in managing timelines and making sure decisions happen quickly so the build can keep pace.

Alongside new purchases, we’re also hunting for secondhand treasures to blend with contemporary finds. That mix keeps the spaces approachable and layered. As fixture and finish selections wrap up, we’ll shift focus to non-permanent elements: furniture, rugs, bedding, art, and accessories. Expect mood boards and curated visuals soon so you can see how each space is shaping up.

Here are a few finishes we’re particularly excited about: a textured tile planned to run floor-to-ceiling in the powder room behind a pedestal sink with a simple mirror and striking sconces; a watery blue glass tile chosen for the main bedroom shower’s large wall paired with octagonal tile for the shower floor; and two oversized gold pendants that will hang above a large navy kitchen island while the remainder of the cabinets will be a lighter coordinating tone. We also opted for crisp five-panel interior doors to complement the Craftsman-inspired exterior and provide a slightly more modern twist than the traditional six-panel style.

Color choices have been a fun challenge, too. For the kids’ jack-and-jill bathroom, we wanted a happy green vanity. After a previous misstep at selecting a green that didn’t land as planned, we found an inspiration piece in a retail display, pulled our paint deck in the aisle, and committed to a cheerful shade that fits the vision.

Next big steps include painting the exterior, which should happen soon, and finalizing trim colors and porch details. We’re considering engaging readers to vote on a few fun choices, such as front door color, so stay tuned for interactive updates. In about three months we expect to share more than fifteen finished spaces, with full-room photos and design notes.

Psst—When the showhouse is finished, look for a full tour that will include final room photos, the floor plan, budget highlights, a video walk-through, and curated furniture and accessory ideas.