The Alamo Home Showcase, held on May 15 and 16, proved to be a successful event and a windfall for the Mount Diablo Habitat for Humanity, a nonprofit organization that brings area families-in-need together with volunteers and resources to build decent, affordable homes. Sponsored by Truitt and White and Pozzi Windows and designed by Bronwyn Barry of Urban Structure, the proceeds of this showcase went to help in funding the next home scheduled to be built by the women’s crew of the Mount Diablo Habitat for Humanity.
Bronwyn Barry, owner of Urban Structure and designer of the showcase home, wanted to publicize this project a bit more because it was one that she was very proud of. “It was an exciting project to work on,” Barry says. “We had a lot of design fun with it. A lot of interesting design features including a number of green building components came out of this project.” She credits Judi Ettlinger of Truitt and White with contributing the idea of including Habitat for Humanity as a way of putting the project toward a good cause. Barry’s deep roots in Habitat for Humanity made this a very fitting partnership. “I was one of the founders of the first Habitat women’s crew in California so I wanted to continue my relationship with them,” says Barry. “It’s a group that is very close to my heart.”
In terms of the remodel, Barry was especially pleased with the products from sponsor Pozzi Windows. “The Pozzi windows were a great feature of the house. We redid all of the windows, added French doors with transoms, and modified the roof to accommodate the transom and bring more natural light into the house,” Barry explains. “I had some fun with them because I used a two-tone color selection on the exterior cladding, which is a basic upgrade that Pozzi doesn’t charge extra for. It was great to get that special design detail at no additional cost.”
The remodel employed many natural materials such as bamboo flooring, slate tiles, granite and copper. One of Barry’s favorite features of the remodel is the master bathroom, which boasts a unique copper tub as the central focal point. “We’ve allowed the tub to develop a patina,” she explains. “So it has this wonderful, mottled kind of coloring.”
Perhaps more important than the beautiful and natural design elements of the remodel is the great feeling everyone received from working with and contributing to such a worthy nonprofit organization. “Habitat for Humanity is a fabulous organization to be a part of,” Barry says. “As a young designer, I gained a lot of construction experience with them that I would not normally have had access to, especially as a woman. It has been very empowering.”
The success of this showcase was only made possible by the seamless collaboration between Barry, Truitt and White, Pozzi Windows and the Habitat for Humanity’s women’s crew. Their creativity, generosity and tireless efforts will make an important contribution toward the building of a new home that will provide a lifetime of comfort and warmth for one lucky family.
