Meet the 2021 Parade of Homes Designers
With the 2021 Triangle Parade of Homes quickly approaching, we wanted to introduce you to the amazing designers who made our five gorgeous parade homes possible! Olivia Cerrillos, Susan Falcone, and Kelsey Hennington are experienced Homes By Dickerson designers, and have outdone themselves this year to create some of the most fantastic home designs you’ve ever seen. Let’s learn more about these talented designers and what inspired them to create such distinctive designs this year.
MEET SUSAN FALCONE
Susan has designed several award-winning model homes for Homes By Dickerson, as well as previous Parade homes. She specializes in creative tilework and works hard to make sure her clients’ personal style always shines through. This year, Susan created the whimsical Mary Alice’s Wonderland and the satisfying Dulce de Leche.
Mary Alice’s Wonderland
What inspired the look and feel of this home?
The combination of the unique floor plan and the sitting room connector between the family room and primary suite immediately inspired me. The sitting room was the first room in the house that I designed in my head, immediately knowing this house would have a whimsical, vintage vibe. Our project manager’s daughter is named Mary Alice, so Mary Alice’s Wonderland was the perfect name for this home.
What was your favorite part about designing this home?
Can I say all of it? There are so many elements that I’m excited about, but overall, I am just excited to see it all come together. I’m looking forward to seeing if the mood and inspiration behind the design come across for those who tour it!
What do you love most about the Durham area?
The 751 South community is in a truly ideal location. It’s convenient to great shopping, yet easily accessible for someone working in Raleigh, Wake Forest, or even Chapel Hill! Between the shopping, food, and trails, there’s no shortage of things to do.
Dulce de Leche
What inspired the look and feel of this home?
Your favorite coffee shop or spa — I wanted to create a really crisp and clean home. Inside and out, I wanted there to be a coziness to the home while maintaining a light, bright space. I hope it comes across as a fresh and elegant, yet cozy, home.
What was your favorite part about designing this home?
There are so many spaces in this home that I love, but I think the primary bathroom is my favorite of all! Once we knew this home was going to be entered into the Parade, we were able to make some floor plan adjustments to really amp up the wow factor.
What do you love most about the Wake Forest area?
Wake Forest is in such a great location in the Triangle! You get the best of everything, especially in Blanton’s Creek. This is a small community with large, beautiful lots and easy access to the amenities that Wake Forest has to offer, in addition to all the things that Raleigh and the surrounding areas have — food, entertainment, shopping, trails, sports, etc.
MEET OLIVIA CERRILLOS
Olivia’s vast and beautiful design portfolio has centered around furnishings, tile, cabinetry, and full-service turn-key remodeling. Olivia’s customers feel at ease with the design process largely because of her pleasant and welcoming personality. This year, Olivia created the historically inspired Catalog Pg. 4 and the eclectic Uptown Funk.
Catalog Pg. 4
What inspired the look and feel of this home?
We were inspired by the historic homes of Durham and traditional foursquare architecture — the wood moldings, stained wood, brick floors, large windows, and symmetry. We wanted this home to feel like a 1910 historic building that has been remodeled and modernized.
What was your favorite part about designing this home?
The interior brick floors were one of my most exciting parts of the build. It takes a lot of time and details to get brick floors just right, but along with the brick porch, that room is definitely going to be a wow factor.
What do you love most about the Durham area?
Durham has grown so much that there is really something for everyone here! Not only is Durham home to some of the top hospitals and medical research facilities, but it also boasts a thriving artistic scene, the world-renowned Duke University, and a celebrated food scene. Many of our Crystal Lake homeowners chose this area since it is so conveniently located, and it has been great building in a community that makes their commutes to these activities easier!
Uptown Funk
What inspired the look and feel of this home?
The lot that was chosen for this home drove the design and architecture styles.
Because it’s right on Briar Chapel Parkway, we really wanted it to feel like a downtown or brownstone-type of space, but we also needed to incorporate the fact that it is a single family, freestanding home. We went with an Italianate theme for the exterior, which is rich and detailed, and gave the interior an updated, modern twist.
What was your favorite part about designing this home?
Combining so many different design styles. The funkiness comes from these multiple design styles coming together to make an eclectic but upscale house that a family can grow into.
What do you love most about the Chapel Hill area?
Chapel Hill is a really unique area, and it is known to be an environmentally conscious town. There is always something fun happening in Chapel Hill since there are so many fantastic restaurants, local coffee shops, live music shows, and outdoor activities. Locals in the area love how many natural parks, gardens, and trails there are around town- perfect for walking and biking. The homeowners I have worked with are typically drawn to the area because of the incredible school systems, UNC Hospitals, and quick access to Raleigh/Durham.
MEET KELSEY HENNINGTON
Kelsey is passionate about bringing fresh ideas to her clients. With a background in interior design renovations and custom home building, she has an eye for quality and craftsmanship and always incorporates both into her design choices. This year, Kelsey created the industrially chic Missing Manhattan.
Missing Manhattan
What inspired the look and feel of this home?
New York City is one of my favorite places to visit and the meatpacking district/Chelsea neighborhood is one of my favorite areas because of the old, industrial feel. Due to the pandemic, I haven’t been able to travel there for almost two years now, and I was “Missing Manhattan!”
What was your favorite part about designing this home?
I loved getting creative in finding ways to make a new house have an older, industrial feel. From the obvious brick and reclaimed lumber to the less apparent finishes like tile and cabinet colors, this project challenged me in all the best ways.
What do you love most about the Wendell area?
You can feel like you’re in a completely different place by driving 20-30 minutes in any direction! I love the downtown vibe, but you can get to more quaint neighborhoods like North Hills, North Raleigh, Brier Creek, and Wendell Falls in a matter of minutes. Wendell is great because you can escape the hustle and bustle of the city but still have everything you need in a super cool urban setting.
We cannot wait to see these five beautiful homes when they are unveiled at the 2021 Parade of Homes this October, and we hope you’ll join us! For more information on the Parade and how you can see these Homes By Dickerson designer homes, visit Our Parade of Style webpage.