Protect Your Floors This Holiday Season

The holidays are fast approaching and in no time, friends and family will be descending upon your home for yummy meals and holiday cheer. Get your floors ready for the increase in foot traffic with these quick fixes:

1. Save your floor cleaning for last.

There's a reason why people say "cleaning from top to bottom". Save the mopping, vacuuming, and sweeping for last, that way your floors are nice and clean before people start showing up.

2. Get creative with your coverings.

Place a festive door mat or carpet runner at the front door to absorb slush and snow. You'll be able to keep your freshly cleaned floors clean, as well as prevent slips or falls.

3. Put pads on the legs of furniture.

If you're planning on moving any furniture to make way for more people, consider putting felt pads on the bottom of chairs and couches. Not only will it make it easier to slide the furniture across the room, but it'll protect your carpet or wood floors from scratches.

4. Corral the clutter.

Do you walk into your home, only to trip over stray shoes? Add a boot tray by the door to catch melting snow or mud, that way it's not melting on the floor.

5. Call in the professionals.

There's something to be said about getting your carpets and floors professionally cleaned. If your carpets are looking a little worse for wear, it's probably time to call in the professionals.

Ball Homes Night of Hope

We're looking forward to one of our annual traditions, the sixth annual Ball Homes Night of Hope. This year’s event takes place on Thursday, November 13th at 7pm, at the Lexington Opera House. This year's featured speaker is country singer/songwriter Jimmy Wayne, the author of Paper Angels and the new book Walk to Beautiful, the story of his inspiring journey to raise awareness of homeless children.

Jimmy Wayne survived an abusive childhood and years of shuffling through the foster care system, eventually ending up homeless. He was taken in by a couple who fostered his love of music and helped him get his education. After completing his associates degree in criminal justice, he auditioned for a songwriting job for Acuff-Rose, and in 2008 had his first Billboard Top 40 country hits, including the #1 hit "Do You Believe Me Now." Jimmy Wayne never forgot his past though, and on January 1, 2010, he set out on a 1700 mile solo hike from Nashville to Phoenix to raise awareness of homeless youth. Called the "Meet Me Halfway" campaign, he walked 25 miles a day, and was covered by major national media, including People and USA Today. The story of this journey is chronicled in Jimmy's newest book, Walk to Beautiful.
All proceeds from the evening’s festivities go to the Hope Center, to help battle homelessness, addiction and mental illness across Kentucky.

For tickets or more information on this special event, visit the Hope Center website.

A Special Thank You...

To all brave men and women who have served in our military and to their families who supported the cause of freedom – we sincerely thank you for your sacrifice.

3 Benefits of Ceiling Fans In Your New Home

While it’s nice during these hot summer months to add an extra source of air to a room, ceiling fans add-value year round because they are energy efficient, stylish, and can provide an additional light source for not a lot of money. A ceiling fan is within reach of most budgets and can pay for themselves in energy savings over time. Here are some tips for using them to their maximum effectiveness.

Keep Cool at a Low Cost

Ceiling fans use just slightly more energy than a 100-watt light bulb, saving you up to $165 in energy costs over the life of the fan. For every degree you raise the air conditioning thermostat above 78 degrees, you can save 3% to 8% on cooling costs.

The Safer Option

Ceiling fans also have a number of benefits over floor standing or smaller desk-style fans. Ceiling fans become part of the room’s décor, save space and are safer particularly for children and pets.

Not Just for Summer

During the cold winter months, run your ceiling fan blades clockwise to push warm air down into the lower half of the room without creating the cool draft associated with running the blades counter-clockwise in the summer. This helps keep down the cost of gas and energy bills associated with heating your home during harsh winter months.

Depending on the style you choose, ceiling fans add a touch of old-fashioned grace or sleek high-tech to your decor. No matter what the fan looks like, however, it can add an inexpensive way to keep comfortable, without raising your energy bills. If you already have ceiling fans in your home, use them correctly to maximize their benefit. If you don’t have ceiling fans, consider adding them to the rooms you use most frequently.

Winners Announced in the Grand Tour of Homes

The Grand Tour of Homes concluded July 27th, and the votes are in!  Judges have awarded twenty-one honors to five of the Ball Homes models featured on this year's tour.  The Hartford II, Hudson, and Monroe, Jackson II,  and Albany Revised plans all received awards within their price categories, including five for Floor Plan.  Several of our newest model homes were featured on the Tour.

Our Hartford II model in The Enclave at Chilesburg was awarded First Place for Floor Plan, Exterior, Kitchen, and Best Overall in its price category.

Kitchen of the Hartford II model home in The Enclave at Chilesburg

The Albany in The Reserve at Bryant Oak

Jackson II model home in Masterson Place

The Monroe model in Chilesburg was awarded First Place in the Kitchen and Floor Plan categories.

Master suite of the Hudson model home in Chilesburg