Cove home wins best interior design in Parade

By LYNETTE SOWELL 
Cove Leader-Press 

Area home builders gathered on Friday night at the Central Texas Home Builders Association to see whose homes would come out on top for the 52nd annual Parade of Homes. 
A total of 25 awards in five categories were distributed to include Best Kitchen, Best Bath, Best Interior Design, Best Craftsmanship and Best Exterior Design/Curb Appeal. 
Representatives from the National Association of Home Builders and the Texas Association of Home Builders, the Harker Heights Chamber of Commerce, and the Central Texas College Building Program served as judges for the 15 entries.
One of the three Copperas Cove homes in this year’s parade took home awards for two of five categories for homes in the $351,000-$450,000 range, with Kendrick Homes’ offering at 253 Skyline Dr. winning for Best Interior Design and Best Craftsmanship.
Flintrock Custom Homes racked up a total of eight awards, sweeping all five awards for the $276,000-$350,000 category for its home located at 1914 High Ridge Tr. in Harker Heights. 
Flintrock’s home in the $125,000-$200,000 category, located at 1519 Pima Tr. In Harker Heights, took Best Kitchen, Best Interior Design, and Best Exterior Design/Curb appeal.
Owner and president of the company, Christopher Doose, was excited to see how his company’s homes fared against the others. 
“Our focus is custom homes and building a quality product at an affordable price. In all of our homes, that’s what you see,” Doose said. “For soldiers who are working hard in this community, our goal is to deliver them homes that meet their needs, exceeds their needs. I didn’t get a chance to serve, but I’m going to work my butt off helping the ones that do.”
Doose also happens to employ two active-duty soldiers. One of them, Flintrock’s project manager J.R. Meza, was present Friday evening. 
“Being in the military has always driven me to help soldiers. One thing I take a lot of pride in is helping my fellow soldiers and delivering a quality product that they deserve while they’re out there serving this country,” Meza said, who has 15 years of military service under his belt so far.
A&G Homes likewise had a strong showing this year in the Parade, collecting seven awards, with their standouts being 7604 Zircon Dr. in Killeen, which won Best Kitchen, Best Interior Design, Best Craftsmanship and Best Exterior Design/Curb Appeal in the $201,000-$275,000 category; and their Nolanville home, located at 6021 Bella Charca Parkway, taking Best Kitchen, Best Bath and Best Exterior Design/Curb Appeal in the $351,000-$450,000 category.
Best Bath in the $125,000-$200,000 range went to Purser Homes’ entry at 3604 Loma Gaile in Killeen and Best Bath in the $201,000-$275,000 category went to Stylecraft Builders’ home at 4317 Abergavenny in Belton.
In the $500,000 and up range, Cameo Homes’ entry at 308 Estate Dr. in Killeen’s River Ridge Estates took home all five trophies in its category.
All of the entries in the Parade of Homes will be open to the public from 1-6 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, May 6 and 7. There is no charge to tour the homes. 
Along with the awards announcements at Friday evening’s kickoff, Homebuilder Association members had the chance to mix and mingle while enjoying a buffet and tunes played by a DJ.
The celebrating isn’t quite over yet. Along with the parade open houses, is the return of the Selfie Contest for a chance to win a $1,500 gift card from Ashley Furniture. 
Entrants must visit at least six of the homes on the parade during the open house and take selfies in front of each home. They must “like” both the Central Texas Home Builders Association and Ashley Furniture Home Store Killeen, TX on Facebook. Also, for each of the six homes, entrants must post their selfies on Facebook, tagging @Central Texas Homebuilders Association and @Ashley Furniture Home Store Killeen, TX and use the hashtags #iwonashleysfurniture and #CTHBAParadeofhomes. 
The winner will be announced on May 9 at Ashley Furniture.