Three reasons why our Rome is "Kind of a Big Deal."

Just so folks know, the title of our blog isn't meant to brag. My wife and I are huge "Anchorman" fans, and we like to quote the movie a lot.

Besides, Lauren, just like Veronica Corningstone, is from Asheville, NC. We could talk about that movie all day, but that's not why you are reading this blog. Why is our Rome "Kind of a Big Deal"? There are three things that makes our Rome a little different than most (but not all):

1. The porch. Ryan has just started adding porches to the Rome floor plan recently (no one else in our neighborhood has one yet), and we just happened to spot one with a porch at another nearby Ryan community. (this is a good example of why it is always a good idea to visit as many nearby Ryan communities as you can, because you may learn things you wouldn't know otherwise). What does a Rome with a porch look like? We saw one in a nearby neighborhood. Check this out:

To quote Ron Burgundy "Don't act like you're not impressed!!!" :)

2. The guest bedroom downstairs. This is another option that Ryan has added, at least in our local market, in the last six months or so. When we first started considering Ryan Homes, this was not considered to be available, but we found out two months ago that it is now available. This option is not for everyone - it removes the dining room and living room to create the bedroom and full bath downstairs. But it was the right move for us, because my parents and Lauren's parents both live more than two hours away, and we also wanted the flexibility of a downstairs bedroom for the future (we're going to be here for a long time, and we wanted to have an extra bedroom in case life circumstances change). There is also one other major benefit for us. The pantry nearly doubles in size (it is a walk-in pantry that we think measures at least seven feet wide). That will be a great benefit for us. Again, this option isn't for everyone, but it made the most sense for us. As Veronica says "When in Rome..." (and it is really appropriate in this case...)

3. The bonus room modification. This change is something Lauren and I did on our own. When we first considered buying with Ryan, we wanted to build a Verona. However, our development only had 50-foot lots available, and Veronas, being a wider house, needed more room. We loved the closed bonus room (we aren't big fans of lofts with three younger kids) that the Verona offered. But with that home not available, we wanted to replicate that in a Rome. How are we going to do it?

- We are converting Bedroom No.4 (based on the Ryan floorplan on their website) into the bonus room.
- To add space to that room, we are removing the sitting area and second closet from the master bedroom. This squares off the master bedroom so that the southern wall (the wall with the bedroom entry door) is continuous all the way to the east side of the house.
- We've added a closet at the wall adjacent to the master bedroom (where the sitting area would have started), to add storage space to the bonus room and a better sound buffer to the master. Including the closet, the room goes back 25 feet from the front of the house to the adjacent wall to the master bedroom.
- The bonus room does have a bit of a bump-out, from where the laundry room is (that's a structural requirement that Ryan would not/could not move). The bump-out is five feet long, and comes out a little more than two feet. That makes furniture placement a bit of a challenge, but the room will now be big enough for the Rock Band concerts that our family loves. (although, unlike Ron, I am not an expert at the jazz flute).

What do you think of our modifications and changes? Let us know.