Home Idea Houses Southern Living Idea House 2023: A Place In The Country This year, we're building our dream house in Tennessee. By Betsy Cribb Watson Betsy Cribb Watson Betsy is the Senior Home and Features Editor at Southern Living. She writes about a veritable potpourri of topics for print and digital, from profiling Southern movers-and-shakers and celebrating family traditions to highlighting newsy restaurant openings and curating the annual holiday gift guide. Prior to joining the Southern Living team in 2017 as the style editor, she worked at Coastal Living as an assistant editor covering pets and homes. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on August 2, 2023 Trending Videos Close this video player Photo: Muir Stewart For more than 30 years, Southern Living has partnered with talented builders, architects, and designers to produce custom houses that simultaneously celebrate the Southern lifestyle and the latest innovations in home design. This year, we are delighted to announce our Idea House is under construction in the Leiper’s Fork area of Tennessee, just 30 miles south of downtown Nashville. With careful consideration for the environment and an eye to the future, this year’s Idea House is designed with sustainability in mind, from the herb-and-vegetable garden planted to encourage farm-to-table dining to the collection of vintage and antique furniture thoughtfully placed throughout. The property’s more than 60 acres of bucolic farmland take center stage in the home, with primary living spaces oriented to maximize the views and a color palette that’s tailored to emphasize the natural scenery, rather than distract from it. Our team dreamed up a couple of only-in-Nashville surprises too, like a party barn primed for entertaining and an in-house music room complete with a stage. Together, the elements foster a smarter home that’s designed for entertaining and built to last. Meet the Team To pull off the vision for this year’s Idea House, we assembled a talented team from across the South: husband-and-wife duo Mary and Patrick Hatcliff of Hatcliff Construction in Murfreesboro, Tennessee; Bill Holloway and Luke Sippel of Lake and Land Studio in Hattiesburg, Mississippi; Laura Hodges of Laura Hodges Studio in Catonsville, Maryland; and Butch Hamby of Southern Creations Landscaping in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Tour Our Idea House The Idea House is officially open for tours. Buy tickets here. Our 2023 Idea House will debut in the September 2023 issue, and launch online in August. The Idea House will be open to the public for tours from August through December 2023; stay tuned for times and ticket details. Fall in love with our Leipers Fork beauty? Beyond touring, readers will also have the opportunity to purchase the Idea House plan to build their own dream home. 2023 Idea House Sponsors Alabama Stone, A Division of Vetter Stone Clopay Command™ Brand James Hardie Kerrygold Marvin ® Monogram Luxury Appliances PEDIGREE ® brand Phantom Screens Regina Andrew Sherwin-Williams Southern Living ® Collection Exclusively at Dillard’s Southern Living ® Plant Collection SUMMER CLASSICS Zuri ® Premium Decking Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit