Homearama builders have been putting their creative juices to work on incorporating themes into their showcase homes to be displayed at the Tidewater Builders Association's Spring Homearama 2010 set for May 8-23 in the Founders Pointe community in Isle of Wight County.

The event will feature eight fully furnished, decorated and landscaped homes offering the latest in home design, technology, innovation and energy efficiency.  Many of the builders are also offering an extra dose of ingenuity with themes chosen to reflect arts, nature and the history of the area.
 
Here are the theme homes to look for:

The Music House: A Tribute to Ryan Farish
The sounds in this Homearama home by ABT Custom Homes will be the music of Ryan Farish, a local artist now on the national stage for his jazz, gospel and new-age music. Farish will be available to meet guests Saturday and Sunday, May 22 and 23, from 2 to 4 p.m. Though nominated for an Emmy and awarded a 2008 GMA Dove Award, Farish may best be known for his music on The Weather Channel's "local on the 8's and Storm Stories." He is popular in the world of digital downloads and has been featured on more than 31 million views of YouTube. It is, therefore, fitting the home also features the latest in electronics, with digital connections for a variety of music sources, a "kid cave" for electronic games, the new Apple i-Pad and an interactive coffee table to power up the components.
 
The Armistead: The Garden House
The Armistead has something for the lady and man of the house. Sadler Building Corp.'s Armistead will feature The Man Cave in the three-bay garage that will provide refuge to the man of the house with a space designed solely to allow him to enjoy his TV time. Don't forget to look for an abundance of flowers to dress up the patio and landscape. The Hampton Roads Nursery and Landscape Association can answer any landscape questions at the house Saturday, May 15, from 2-4 and 5-7 p.m.

Affordable Elegance: The Artist's House
Highlighting Smithfield and Isle of Wight County's thriving artist population, Birdsong Builders will feature a working artist's studio and an exhibit of work by artists from The Smithfield Art Guild. Visitors will be able to see the masters work on their craft while touring the home, and as ask them questions about their artwork.

The Berkshire Pointe: The Smithfield House
The Smithfield House by Newhall Custom Homes will incorporate the four features of Smithfield tourism: Hospitality; history; hams and heArt. Take a step back in time and journey through the town of Smithfield with historical images, newspapers and more. Then journey back to the present as The Smithfield house "hams" it up with hospitality. In The Smithfield House, visitors will learn how to incorporate antique and sentimental pieces into modern and contemporary homes.

Nature Watch at Old Heritage Manor
Nature Watch at Old Heritage Manor is a refuge for the habitat enthusiast and Founders Pointe wildlife alike. Surrounded by wetlands and located in an area abundant with native wildlife, Hohmann Builders decided to join the Founders Pointe Nature Watch Program in getting the community certified as a wildlife habitat. As a result, the Nature Watch is incorporating environmental stewardship by turning the yard into wildlife refuge certified as a wildlife habitat with the National Wildlife Federation and Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. The nature theme will also carry over to the interior of Old Heritage Manor.

The Charity House
It's not unusual for a Homearama home to feature a mural inside. But the mural in the garage of The Charity House by Simply Sasser is different. Five Portsmouth children enrolled in the Douglas Park Unit of The Boys and Clubs of Southeast Virginia painted it. This special home, built by Simply Sasser by Sasser Construction will be sold to benefit the charity that provides a safe after-school environment for at-risk children to reach their potential. The mural was designed by Neisha Bethly, a senior program director with BGCSEVA, for the official dedication ceremony of the home.
  
Spring Homearama also features an Idea Center with hundreds of products for the home and garden. It's open May 8-23, noon until 9 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays, and until 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.
General admission cost $10 for a one-day pass and $17 for a two-day pass. Active duty and retired military guests and seniors (62 or better) get a $3 discount Mon.-Thurs., and a $1 discount on weekends. Children 12 and under and guests in wheelchairs are free. Ticket sales will stop one hour before closing.

More information and a $3 discount coupon are available at www.homearama.tv