Cypress Is the Natural Choice for 'The New American Home'

Cypress is gaining a reputation for its beauty in interiors. In fact, this American wood is one of the highlights of "The New American Home 2006," which debuted at the International Builders Show in Orlando last January.

Designers featured cypress throughout the home, perhaps most strikingly in a pinwheel of deeply stained cypress beams and paneling. Together, they form an octagonal piece de resistance to a stunning stair tower that winds gracefully from the living area to the upper levels of the home.

Alex Hannigan, president of Hannigan Homes, which helped design and construct

"The New American Home 2006," said

cypress was selected for this prestigious

national showcase for two specific

reasons. First was its status as a

native product of Florida.

Cypress grows naturally and

abundantly in the coastal

areas of the southern U.S.,

including the Sunshine

State, which made it

more than appropriate

for "The New American

Home's" lakeside setting.

The second reason was equally practical. Simply put, "cypress looked far superior to any other product we could have used," explained Mr. Hannigan. "It blended with the other materials and took stain very well. It was consistent throughout the project, making it a great wood to work with. The results at the end of the day were truly fantastic."

Of course, unless they're woodworkers or avid do-it-yourselfers, few homeowners

care about the workability of wood. However, an increasing number do care about where their building materials come from and what impact their homes will have on the environment.

In response to this, one of the primary goals of "The New American Home" was to serve as a showcase for homebuilding with a "genuine and thorough concern for resource conservation and energy efficiency."

Again, because of its abundance, sustainability and close proximity to the building site, cypress was a natural choice for the dwelling's nature-friendly design, which was certified by the Florida Green Building Coalition.

In addition to being a featured element in the home's soaring staircase, cypress paneling, trim and mouldings were applied generously in the kitchen, living room and in the cathedral ceiling over the entryway.

To learn more about cypress and the exceptional value, beauty and sustainability it can bring to a new or remodeled home, visit www.cypressinfo.org. You'll receive "Versatile, Distinctive Cypress," a 12-page guide published by the Southern Cypress Manufacturers Association.

A pinwheel of cypress beams and panels tops a soaring stair tower in The New American Home 2006, which was unveiled at the International Builders Show in Orlando earlier this year. Cypress was selected by the home's designers for its great looks and environmental sustainability.

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