Feb
8
Super Fan Explores the Ski Dorm
Today Super Fan takes it easy in the Ski Dorm and shares tips from her conversation with interior designer Linda Woodrum.
P.S. Visit the Green:Home blog to post questions for Gail. She will be visiting HGTV Green Home 2011 next week and plans to sleuth out answers to your design-related questions.
i would like to know the tax obligations for either the home or the cash option ??
Regular income taxes apply, as in any big sweepstakes prize. There are many posts about this with exact information in the last blog.
From what I've read over the years, it's generally a good idea to allot 30% to taxes (I think it's actually more like 27%). So, you'll have to pay 30% of the value of the home, the car, and on the $500,000 (if you choose to go that route). Same applies to the cash option.
30% sounds a lot better than the standard 40% gift tax.
This dorm room is one of the greatest ideas HGTV Dream Home has ever had. I just love it. This is great for family vacations. Then to be in Vermont where you can enjoy all 4 seasons. It is just GREAT!!!!
I agree, so much fun to bunk up even for adults, Memories of summer camp. Not practical for a permanent residence but awesome for vacations.
just one more week!!!
I'm so Excited!
I LOVE this house!!! Sleeping bag idea—GREAT—I will use that with my son's friends. I love all the useful tips you provide, keep them coming. I would love to make Stowe my NEW home. Our company just laid off over 100+ people yesterday…and I thought if they laid me off, I would be OK–because I am going to WIN this great DREAM HOME!!!
Note to self: make hair appointment…
wyo girl; what are the tax amounts for either prize selected,
Regular income taxes apply, so it depends on your other earnings for 2011. You'd have to pay the tax bill by April 15, 2012. People have quoted anywhere from 28% of the prize to 39%, and if you currently live in a state that has state income taxes, you'd have to pay those, too, at whatever rate. That's why it's best to consult a tax accountant IF you win, as HGTV suggests. They can't quote an exact amount, because it depends on your income. You can figure it out for yourself if you want — you know the prize value, so just multiply by 39% (to be safe) and you'll have a ballpark estimate.
You are Facebook Friends with John Gidding?? Shocker. I wonder if he'll friend me — somebody has to chaperone you two!!
Oh the excitement! Good luck everyone. Just like each of you, I have big hopes on winning this most incredibile home. Keep the faith, dream big, laugh hard and don't forget to always pay it forward.
The floorplan layout of this home is amazing. The ski dorm is in the most perfect place, downstairs! I entertain family and friends over the holidays totaling 10 kids, three golden retrievers, and 6 adults! Having guests downstairs, with their own chilling area works perfectly. Being able to gather upstairs or downstairs then allows personal space and social space. So creative. The architects & designers have genius minds…. LOVE it!
If I may focus on another room– does anyone know the color of the great room sofas? It changes quite dramatically from one view to the next.
I REALLY want to live here. I'm ready to move my family. I have 5 daughters that can room in the dorm. They <3 the looks of it. My one son can even go visit his siters for movies and games. S much fun!
I love this room! I am from a family of 12 Adoptive kids and my sister and I are the only ones with children. Well I have one girl and she (god bless her) has 7. This room is just perfect for if I win (as I already told my family) everyone is coming up for a fabulous Christmes week at my house! I used to ski every week when I was much younger and it will be awesome to hit the slopes again!
That's awesome!! There is so much about Stowe that makes it such an amazing and charming place to live…I am not surprised to find out this kind of info. That's Stowe!! We were going to walk that path had we stayed another day. Thanks for sharing, Deerspring!
This dorm could be used for special guests such as those who come to the mountain for special events. I have worked with special education students and wouldn't it be fun if they were allowed to use this area of our home to ski or any type of event where people need a place to stay. It would be great to open our home to these special guests who could use the dorm. My kids and grandchildren will love this area too…no doubt!
This is truely (after the kitchen) my most favorite room in the whole house. I can imagine inviting my girlfriends for a week and spending night after night hanging out in the dormroom and giggling ourselves to sleep. I think I will even sleep in this room on nights when guests come (if room…) Growing up in a large family, my favorite memories are me and my 2 sisters sharing a room and just laughing and telling stories until we literally laughed ourselves to sleep. When I showed this home to my kids, they too, are most excited for this room. My oldest picked Bed #7, so it was fun that you were videoing from "his bed"!!!
Thank you Gail! 5 days and counting!!!!!!!
I used to cross country ski in Quebec when I was a teenager. If I win I got to try it again and the dogs would love to reach that mailbox.
We have three children and had 3 foster children who had never even been on an esculator. We took them to the Gulf Coast for a wk. They had never seen sand, waves, shells or the water. Even though these children have moved on in the "system" what an awesome gift this Stowe home would be for other less fortunate kiddos. We are educators who can teach anywhere. We are hoping our address will change and we get to share our good fortune with others. Thanks for all the dreams and talks that this has generated in our home.
Hi how come i do not see my comment every time i check it next day
If you are having problems seeing your comment, you may want to contact Intense Debate. They don't read this blog to help you, but they will be helpful if you contact them directly. I had problems with not seeing my comments, and they were very responsive. Good luck.
Such an amazing home and the ski room … What an opportune to have over the youth of the lost fathers I work with.. To experience their dreams come to true in so many areas What Big extreme camp!!! Thanks for the awesome work you all do and the inspiration, knowledge you share so freely to all… From the beautiful Island of Guam
My husband and I are dreaming of a place we can retire to and our family will have an incredible place to come winter and summer. We live in South Florida and are always dreaming about going to places we have never seen. What a place to offer our family and friends. I have fallen in love with Stowe, Vermont and it would be a dream come true. I even looked up Costco to see if there was one in the area and found out there is one about fifty miles away. The others were in Quebec, Canada. I study everyday from top to bottom everythng about this home. I absolutely am in love with everything about this home. Talk about a dream of dreams. We have even figured out what it will cost to move into this dream home. A lot!!
This room makes me smile….what a great idea.
Thank you for all you do to help people have a dream, 1995 I was run over by 2 cars, sometimes life gets you down,I am 46 and because of the accident I am disabled. And although I might not win this one I thank you for the opportunity. I have two kids and its been hard not being able to provide,but your show gives me hope that some day it would be me, I have my life and my son & my daughter graduates high school in June, and wants to live with me as we live 1000 miles away because of divorce,but either way we will be together I have entered every year and just wanted to say thanks for the chance and good luck to everyone and I hope someone who really needs it wins good luck everyone
Awesome idea for everybody to just go have fun and do not worry about doing the laundry! Great!
Gail,
I love your answers and the visuals just make me fall more in love with this home. It would be more than amazing to win this giveaway! I might need to be brought back to life if I won, but then I would be extremely happy/grateful!
I love the room!!! and thanks for the tip Gail!!:)
Hi Gail, loved this new dorm video, there all fun to view . I do have a fun suggestion as for how to get the kiddies more involved in the cleaning up after themselves in the dorm area, which I think is a major obstacle in the first place, right ladies ? First night arrival (or soon after, haha , ) at the HGTV DREAM HOME, an announcement is made to the kids, in a very fun way, how chores ( cleaning up around sink and shower areas, clothes off the floor, back packs hanging, beds straightened up, ) etc in the dorm room and bath, and will be carried out by them, ( one for all and all for one ) Can you see their faces now !? But wait, it does get better. haha It goes like this, have the kids choose a board game, ( kids bingo would be great for this, since it goes faster and they can get the choosing out of the way faster ) the winner of the first game gets to choose what chores they would like to have call THEIR OWN each day .( of course this will be the lightest and easiest of all since hes getting to choose first haha. ( continued in my next comment blog below)
If there are 6 kids, then 6 games are played, the winner of the next game will also get to choose their chore, and so on down the line. this really does work. And its so much fun for the kids. I hope this is a help. Also, love love love the idea of the sleeping bags ont top of comforters as well. Big time energy savings. Good luck to everyone and blessings to the winner. Fran Elmer
By far my 3 year old's favorite room in the house. I find it so cool as well that I might spend a few nights with them. Or, we'll sell the home and take the ski dorm idea and add it to our existing home. Love the idea!! I can see both my kids, their cousins, and friends doing many a sleep over in that room. As a parent it's fun to hang around the corner and listen to them talk about things just before night time. They come up with the funniest things : – ).
Sleeping bags are a wonderful idea! Thanks for the tip
I think the sleeping bags are a great idea, especially if people don't want to straighten their beds after sleeping. Having the type bag that can be opened completely will even make adults feel comfy. Sub-zero, mummy-style bags wouldn't work so well indoors.
The ski dorm is one of my favorite things about the house because I have two children and that would be their room, they could sleep in a different bed everynight if they wanted! And I wouldn change a thing! But I also love that the beds are big enough for adults to sleep in as well! I have alot of family that would be visiting! Its crazy how much this house really makes a person dream! Its all I do! I literally picture my family and I in the house, and all the things we would do! Making dinner, hanging out watching movies, having family visit, going skiing(which I love!), relaxing in the hot tub, going on hikes, horsebackriding in the warmer months, btw we have two dogs, PERFECT! I daydream about all those things!! Thank you HGTV!! THANK YOU! HOPE WE WIN!
Maybe it's because I don't often host guests over but I'm confused with the tip. If you want to save time/effort in laundry by using a sleeping bag, why not just not wash the sheets/comforter….isn't it essentially the same thing as using the sleeping bag, then rolling it up and putting it away, also unwashed? Mind you, I'm a little obsessive about have clean sheets each week on my bed but it seems like six of one, half dozen of another.
I thought the same thing – it's only saving laundry time if you don't wash the sleeping bag. But I think the intended time savings could be that you don't have to re-make the beds. You could launder the sleeping bags and just roll them up and tuck them away – less timely than making up the beds.
Making bunk beds is awkward so sleeping bags at least for the top bunks and maybe tell the guests to bring their own so less laundry (small price to pay to experience this beautiful space)
This whole house is done imperfectly, it would be an honor to win, great job ! Thanks for the chance to win ! My life has changed from getting run over by two cars in 95, I live on a small budget I received no money from this accident,and recent found the apartment I live in has asbestos, and is causing lung and hart problems, so thank-you for the chance,and good luck hopefully some one wins that could really use it . Good luck everyone !
I love this Dream Home! I swear I literally had a dream about living in a house similar to this one years ago. I remember from my dream skiing up to my house and hanging out with friends. So it would be a dream come true if I won this Dream Home.
You have outdone yourselves this year designing this Home! It would be perfect for my family. Dream Home Gods please bless me and my family with this Home! I know that my family deserves this blessing!:D
Our family has plans to live here if we win. One of the things I keep dreaming about is the times our extended family would come to stay. I can see my kids and all their cousins hanging out together and having so much fun! 2 of my boys have autism, and these larger social gatherings are so important for them. To be able to do this in their own home where they already would feel comfortable, would be a HUGE blessing….. that's my dream home day dream everyday!
Ahhhhhhhh, just reading this gives me a sense of balance and peace. Imagine what it would be like to live there!!!
The dorm room is a great place for adults and children to have a slumber party. What fun that would be! I'd keep the room as it is and invite friends and family as often as possible! It's truly a house you'd want to share with others!
Dearest Stone, I have been traveling again,<3<3<3<3<3, and just got back to my place in Cali. I just wanted to tell you what a vivid creature you are, and what an extradinarily patient, kind. life giving, smile puss, beautiful beautiful human, creative, strong, adventurous, worthy of biggest, abundance, best, good joys in your life, love with a capital L. Now what is with this avatar? Why is the little guy or girl melting in the snow. Out of this little melt down, I see something verry large and lucky, and very colorful emerging.
What a totally awesome ski room, my 16 year old son would love to bring his friends, snowboards and ski's and absolutely enjoy this piece of heaven. . . ah to dream! What an incredible slice of heaven . . .wishes, dreams and a whole lot of praying and finger crossing!
With a win…I have to give back. I will invite special needs children to come and visit and ski! They will be perfect for the dorm! My sister-in-law is a special ed teacher and I think it would be grand to help by inviting them to ski in Beautiful Stowe!
All of us love to share our stories, thoughts of why we would love to be the lucky winners of the 2011 HGTV Dream Home! As a mother of 4 and grandmother of 3 with my youngest child graduating from high school this year, I have to realize there are very few places that can accomodate us all. The dream home would be a real dream come true for my family that is spreading geographically. What a wonderful gathering place this could be for reconnecting for family vacations!
I love the lay out of this dorm room! I totally agree that it works for adults. My vision is for adult retreats so they could get to know each other and share while snuggled up their own bunks and close their curtains for quiet privacy too. Moms retreats …. Dad retreats…. professional respit retreats…. Lots of adult uses along with the many not necessary to mention kid uses and family retreats ( mom and dad get guest room) Kids hang in the bunk room.
All Good and Lots of Fun to be had in Stowe
I'm a bit behind on the blog! Just got around to looking at this video and reading your questions. I agree that sleeping bags may not be appealing for all adults – so I'll pass along a great idea a friend of mine used in her vacation home. It slept 10, so she didn't want to be changing all those beds, either. Her solution was to have 2 sets of sheets for each bed. The second set was kept in plastic zipper bags under each bed. When the guest was done with the bed, each person was responsible for stripping and remaking their own beds! She then just had to wash the sheets and put them back under the beds!
I really like that idea! I think guests are always willing to do that — they just need the proper guidance!
Stowe is our home away from home. I almost died when I saw this house! I always dreamed of having a big family and hope to have lots of grandkids one day. We live in Florida but have been visiting Stowe (Smugglers Notch) 2 weeks every Summer and even did a couple winter vacations. We started coming when our oldest, now 19 and in college, was 3 years old! Our 16 year old daughter took her first steps at Shelburne Farms and all three of our kids learned to ski on those mountains! We always drive through Robinson Springs and the new Stowe Resort just dreaming of owning a home there one day. We even stumbled upon that most expensive home in Stowe, built by a well known cereal empire, and went in for 3 summers while it was under construction. The workers were so nice! Anyway, I always said if I ever owned a home there I would turn the basement into a dorm for the kids to bring all their friends and to hopefully one day have all the grandchildren stay! I couldn't believe when I saw the ski dorm almost exactly as I envisioned it!
What a beautiful home in need of a loving fun filled family! I hope we are that family! It would truly be a dream come true!!! Even for our dogs. lol Good luck everyone!
Come One Come All! With this great ski dorm we can invite all of our friends and show them what my Vermont roots are all about! Perfectly done! Good luck everyone!!
I will miss this site. I am just praying that my dreams comes true!!!!!
I will soon be 64 years old and have always had to live in run down rentals,so if I were fortunate enough to win this beautiful home I would consider my-self a very very lucky lady. Thank you for the opportunity to enter and hopefully win.
Sarah Arrowood
That would be an awesome place for my husband to sleep when I start snoring too loud!!
I feel that our family has a big connection to Stowe and this Dream Home because we are The Timm Family Singers(like The Trapp Family Singers) and have been called the vonTimms. All six of us have been singing together for more than a decade and the first musical theater production that Mom and Dad and our 4 children were in together was The Sound of Music! I have never been to Vermont, but have always wanted to go to Stowe because of the Trapp Family Lodge. This Dream Home would be a wonderful place for our family to make some new music together.
its truly a beautiful home i pray who ever wins can afford to stay and live in it because this home is in a beautiful place wow what a dream to live there .i have been so busy last few months almost forgot to enter to many things happening in my life but life goes on god bless who ever wins