Unicorns, hearts and rainbows adorned the wood framing of Kelly Rowland’s new Drees home. “She believed she could, so she did” was sketched on the wood in black Sharpie.
Looking back on her build, Kelly said this part was the most memorable. Once framing was complete in her home, Kelly and some of her loved ones wrote scripture and words of affirmation right onto the wood.
“When reviewing the messages, I found the sweetest of surprises … a very heartfelt blessing left by a colleague that surprised me and brought me to tears,” Kelly said.
The Build on Your Lot experience
Kelly, who is a Drees Senior Market Manager, has spent nearly two decades guiding Nashville homebuyers through the building process. Although Kelly typically sells homes in Drees neighborhoods, she decided the perfect site for her forever home was outside of a traditional community.
In fact, Kelly fell in love with two conjoining plots of land, and with the help of the Drees team, secured them both for the future site of her dream home. In true Kelly form, she announced her news in a big way. To debut this exciting next chapter, she threw a pop-up picnic sprawled across her new home site and surprised her family and friends. (And now that we’ve seen this, we’re totally calling it out as the next big “must-do” and an upcoming Pinterest trend.)
Now that Kelly has completed her dream home through Design Gallery Homes by Drees, a Build on Your Lot program, she is grateful to have had the help of a seasoned Drees team member every step of the way.
The Design Gallery Homes by Drees team steps in when a traditional Drees community doesn’t fit the needs of the buyer. This Build on Your Lot program allows homebuyers the opportunity to build on their own lot, in a custom community or via an infill opportunity in a historic neighborhood. And if you don’t already own your lot, Drees can buy it for you, like they did in Kelly’s case.
Designing her dream home
Kelly landed on the Elmsley floor plan because it offered one-level living, soaring ceilings and oversized closets. “Additionally, every bedroom offers an en-suite setup, which is perfect for friends and family who are visiting,” Kelly said.
Communication was key for Kelly during her Build on Your Lot experience. She was grateful that she had the expertise of the Drees team every step of the way – from her First Equity Mortgage loan officer to Market Manager and Builder, all the way to her Warranty Representative.
“I had a seasoned professional with me every step of the way. I received weekly emails on the progress and even ‘baby’ pictures of my home when I was too busy to stop by,” Kelly shared.
Customizations fit for your lifestyle
You can build on your own lot without having to compromise on customizations.
Kelly’s favorite parts of her Drees home include the kitchen, family ready room, owner’s suite bathroom and outdoor living area. She noted, “The outdoor living area is an amazing extension of the home with its soaring ceilings and room for both conversational seating and dining. It became another perfect place for entertaining!”
In the kitchen, Kelly designed her island to look like a beautiful piece of furniture. To make it not only beautiful, but functional, she added additional storage to the front of the island under the overhang of the countertop.
She noted, “Seeing my owner’s suite bath come to life was also so special!” She designed a custom makeup vanity for her bathroom to make getting ready in the mornings a breeze. She also customized her family ready room, which is a generous-sized space designed to serve as the home’s laundry, mudroom and hobby area. Here, Kelly added a desk and extra cabinetry for additional storage that extends all the way to the ceiling. “To top it off, I love, love, love the moody Galaxy Grey color cabinets with gold accent hardware,” Kelly shared.
Learn more
We invite you to read more about Kelly’s building experience and what advice she would give to others in our Homeowner Spotlight Series. Additionally, Kelly is starting to settle in and truly bring her brand new home to life. You can follow along with her daily home building adventures on Instagram (@kellyrowlanddreamhomes).
Interested in building your dream home in a custom community, on your own lot or via an infill opportunity? To learn more about building and the advantages of the Build on Your Lot program, visit dreeshomes.com. To schedule a free lot evaluation, call (615) 395-2145.
