Family Room

City police today were investigating the "highly suspicious" death of a physically impaired Mount Washington woman whose charred body was found last night in her family room after a fire.An autopsy was scheduled today to discover the cause of death.The victim, Jean Ashburn, 64, of the 5700 block of Rockspring Road, was found in a fetal position on her sofa by firefighters after they beat back flames that nearly consumed the first floor and went through the roof of the house.The fire was discovered at 9 p.m. by a Northern District officer patrolling the area.

Dream CommunityPiney Orchard1. Dream Homes '95, a Home Builders Association of Maryland show featuring American Homes, CC Building Corp., Landmark Homes, Orion Homes, Patriot Homes and Ryan Homes is expected to draw tens of thousands of visitors to Piney Orchard in Odenton by the time it ends next weekend.Developed by Constellation Real Estate Inc., Piney Orchard is Anne Arundel County's largest planned community.@4 Here are some of the offerings at Piney Orchard.The Gables Co.The Gables Company is building four different back-to-back condominium townhouses priced from $109,900 to $121,500 for 1,152 to 1,800 square feet of finished living space in the Vineyards neighborhood.

Often when an old home is in the final stages of an interior renovation, the grandeur of new molding, flooring and light fixtures stands out like a masterfully worked canvas awaiting the addition of the primary subject. Such is the story unfolding behind the new windows of the Alice and Mike Gosse's circa 1920 East Baltimore rowhouse, where the scarcity of furniture draws full attention to the quality of the detailed work completed. Just inside the front door, off a narrow hall, the entire first floor is open, extending little more than 15 feet wide and 65 feet long to the back wall of the home.

Model openAshleigh KnollsWinchester Homes Inc. has opened a model of the Chelsea II, one of 10 floor plans the company is building at Ashleigh Knolls in southern Howard County, where home sites in the final 30-lot section are now available.Two-zone gas heat, 9-foot first-floor ceilings, a wood-burning fireplace in the family room, brick fronts, chair rails and crown molding are some of the standard features at Ashleigh Knolls.The Chelsea II has a base price of $374,990 for 3,200 square feet on the first and second floors with an unfinished basement.

Chateau Builders, NV Homes, Patriot Homes and Stanley Martin Homes have opened models at Waverly Woods, a 680-acre planned community in the Woodstock area of Howard County. The Williamsburg Group, a custom builder, is the fifth firm constructing homes at Waverly Woods.Waverly Woods Development Corp. is the developer of the planned community, which will eventually contain an 18-hole golf course designed by Arthur Hill, 1,000 homes, an employment center and more than 300 acres of open space.

Although tastes vary from region to region when it comes to buying a home, there are some shared preferences. According to a recent survey by the National Association of Home Builders, buyers in all regions are looking for houses with more than 2,200 square feet of living space. They also prefer to pay no more than $200,000 for whatever they buy. People in the Northeast like to entertain formally and prefer a formal living room and dining room, and a separate family room, instead of a "great room" with an eating area.

We're planning a renovation of a weekend home with the aim of making its interior resemble the seaside environment outside it. We can't decide what kind of flooring to intstall in the large kitchen/family room adjacent to the terrace. Ceramic tile is one attractive possiblility -- except for its cost. Can you suggest another option?Perhaps your budget will allow you to install ceramic tile on the terrace, if not in the kitchen/family room. The flooring material inside could then be chosen to blend with what's used outside.

Under ConstructionFairfield EstatesWinchester Homes is building a model of the Talbot in the established community of Fairfield Estates in the Crownsville area of Anne Arundel County, where 14 homes will be built on 1- and 2-acre wooded lots. Gas heat, cooking and hot water are standard.A 3,017-square-foot traditional with a brick front, the Talbot has nine-foot first-floor ceilings, two-zone heat and air conditioning, and a beginning price of $313,990.At the center of the home are a two-level foyer, 12-by-12-foot study, powder room, angled staircase, 10-by-15-foot kitchen with cook island and 10-by-16-foot breakfast area.

GRAND OPENINGCedarday Overlook1. Cedarday, a Bel Air community that will eventually contain 400 single-family homes amid 500 wooded acres, is holding its grand opening from noon to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, May 13 and 14.Caddie Homes No. 13 Inc. and Dahan Homes Inc. have models of The Relaxer, The Spacer and The Chateau ready for viewing in the Harford County development. Buyers can also select one of the 35 houses in the firms' brochure or choose a custom design.All three models come with a wood-burning or gas fireplace in the family room and an unfinished basement.

Models openRussett1. Hallmark Builders, NV Homes, Patriot Homes, Richmond American Homes and Ryan Homes have opened furnished single-family homes in the new model-home park at Russett in northwestern Anne Arundel County. The community is being developed by Russett Center Limited Partnership.The Russett information center and model homes are open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. The 613-acre planned community is at Route 198 and the Baltimore-Washington Parkway.HallmarkHallmark is building eight homes at Russett, ranging in price from $259,900 to $333,900.