The first time I toured the i-house model in Albuquerque in July, they were still working on it. I wanted to see it again, finished and get some more photographs. All the finish work is done, everything gleaming, and I wasn’t disappointed. It is really beautiful!
Sometimes modern interiors can feel sterile, but the i-house doesn’t. It feels warm, clean, spacious yet comfortable. There’s something about the wedge shape of the roof line that makes the rooms in the core feel less boxy than most houses. At each end, the wedge shape opens the house out, to the outdoor deck spaces.
I took some more photos, HERE. (These are mixed in with my older photos, but the first 40 or so are the new ones, click on "slideshow" for full page.) Looks so much better with the furniture in, without dust on everything, and with the railings and roof deck.
Here's another Flickr photoset of the ihouse, of 16 photos taken by Kelly. If something looks a little different from my set, not only is the outside light not as intense, but the floor plan is flipped on this model.
Sitting inside the flex unit, it had a comfortable feel too. On my first visit, if you read my more extensive review, film hadn’t been removed from the doors, there was a thick layer of dust and drywall coating spatter on the edge of the floor, and other things hadn’t been installed. Worse, it was a hot day, over 100 degrees inside because the air conditioning hadn’t been installed and windows had been shut. Today it was cool, the A/C wasn't even on.
This time it felt a lot different. I could think. The rooms all have pleasing proportions, nice light and are visually pleasing. The roof deck makes all the difference in the appearance of the flex unit.
The salesman said they are selling well. I could see three more i-houses in the lot ready to go out,getting the finishing touches before delivery. No one has ordered the one-bedroom core unit yet from the Albuquerque factory. I was hoping to take a peek inside one of those, but they were all 2-bedroom core units like the model.
I FINALLY went through the i house yesterday. Keep in mind it was 95 degrees, one in the afternoon, and I'd already been to two dealers and probably been through 15 homes.
ReplyDeleteAnd, tired, weary, hot, and grouchy at that point....
I walked into this place of ....beauty, clean, crisp, hip, peaceful... and cool! This home was a good 10 degrees cooler than the others, I was amazed. It is a home that is extremely well built, I couldn't find a edge, crease, bad spot anywhere. I picked and prodded, but it had no flaws. In the flex unit he flipped the air on as we went in, and it got cool immediately. This is one efficient home.
And my critique is one of those vague ones, but, that's how it makes you feel, like you don't have a care in the world. What a great place to come home to!
Personally, I think Clayton is missing a whole genre of buyers out there..... the college kids. When lucky students have their parents buy condo's or homes, this would be a college paradise. And, it's not to far fetched to spend that much, when condo's go for ridiculous prices.
As for me, I envision it parked where when you step off the deck, you hit sand, the ocean air blows the little cover on the flex unit ever so slightly...