Homearama: East Beach

 Last night, wine club ventured out to East Beach, a neighborhood in the Oceanview area of Norfolk, to go to Homearama, a builder expo. It's always great fun to get inspired and, let's not lie, do a little critiquing. I wanted to share some of our favorite ideas we spotted in the 10 houses:

Great TV Solution: This brilliant builder recognized the need for a solid wall opposing a fireplace, making it much easier to have a TV without competing with a fireplace. My husband hates when TV's are mounted over fireplaces, but in most homes, it's the only option! This was a good alternative.

Fancy fire pit: Our favorite patio featured this long, skinny brick fire pit accented with green glass. It looked modern and we liked that it was no-muss no fuss.

My favorite kitchen: I loved this white and marble kitchen, but I especially loved the burlap (or canvas?) roman shades with white trim. Would look good in any room!

Sliding Barn Door: I love the sliding barn door trend, but they aren't always practical. This one divided the dining area from the mudroom, so it felt perfect. I could live my whole life without seeing a corny phrase printed on a wall again, though.

Best use of wallpaper: This precious nautical-inspired room was adorable, and the wallpaper made it work! We especially loved the little nightlights.

Clever Kitchen Accessories: I'm all about the idea of a "pot filler," a spout above the stovetop that makes it easy to fill pots with water for pasta, etc.

 Best porch: We were all about this house's curved porch. Everyone struck their best "Revenge" pose.

Best Outdoor Space: The most expensive house's outdoor space was intense. View of the beach, spiral staircase, multi-level decks, firepit...the works. I was trying to convince our whole group that we want to live together like The Real World: East Beach.