Last year, while thinking about Utah's centennial year and the fact that the company she works for would be 20 years old, Sylvia Andersen decided it would be a good idea to build a Centennial Home.
Andersen, who is the national sales manager for the home show promotional firm NEC Group Inc., also thought it would be a great way to showcase Utah products and craftsmanship.Another motive: Her family needed a new home.
"Somebody had to finance it and I was planning to build anyway. I figured why not put the two together," Andersen said.
Since Andersen also wanted an environmentally friendly house and one that is state of the art as far as maintenance, cleaning and convenience, she spent a year researching the project and getting it launched.
The result is a $625,000 home at 2672 East Dimple Dell Rd. in Sandy.
Andersen and her husband, Blair, hosted a ribbon-cutting Friday with Kay W. Lipman, the Centennial Commission's Weber County representative and its marketing chairman, as well as other dignitaries.
The Andersen family will move in during August but will keep it open for free public tours from June 1 through July 4.
Visitors should be aware that the house still needs some work and the carpeting has been delayed. It should be finished and furnished by June 10.
However, you can visit before then - and come back if you'd like.
NEC Group is sponsoring one of the two annual shows it traditionally holds at the Salt Palace on Saturday and Sunday. It is titled the "Home Remodeling, Building and Buying Expo." The people and companies who worked on the Centennial House will have representatives there.
"It's one thing to go to a home show and see a lot of booths. It's another thing to see the finished product and then go to a home show and talk to the people who did it," Andersen said.
The house was built by Utah people using primarily Utah products. Andersen said the public needs to see the fine craftsmanship that is synonymous with the state.
She's happy to reel off the home's innovative qualities: The beams are steel, created from recycled cars; the foundation is a new foam structure that conserves heat; the insulation is recycled cardboard; the air conditioners are "green" machines that don't emit fluorocarbons; the paints are water soluble and don't emit toxins; windows have a coating that maximizes heating and cooling.
And that's just for starters.
The five-bedroom home has seven bathrooms ("As a mother, I know it's much more efficient to get everybody going if they have their own bathroom"), a huge kitchen with two islands, fiber-optic wiring so the house can be run by computer, a 12x12 master bedroom walk-in closet, and even a built in bench in the master bath so women can sit down to shave their legs.
The floor plan is open and flowing because Andersen thinks that reflects Utah's family orientation.
The main floor is a series of family gathering places. "I love to cook and entertain and I love to have my family around me in the kitchen," Andersen said. "This kitchen is to die for. Women are going to love this kitchen."