What is in a word, a blog post, an ad, a picture that hooks the viewer? How do communication mediums like songs, writings, or pictures communicate so intimately with diverse people groups? What is it that captivates? Moreover, why is a builder writing about captivating?

Google defines captivating as “capable of attracting and holding interest”. Captivating words, pictures and music find ways of holding the attention of the viewer. That can be through beauty, shock, humour or many other ways. In the home building industry, captivating homes has two layers to it.

The first layer of captivation is the “curb appeal”. These are the captivating features that attract the attention of the casual observer. The sharp exterior siding, the bold front entrance door, the sleek and inviting kitchen. These are all features about a house that instantly captivate. These features don’t captivate for long though.

The second layer to owning a captivating home is the story line. The nooks and crannies you build for your kids to play in, the stories you tell your neighbours about power outages where your insulation and fireplace kept you warm and cozy, the feeling and inspiration of knowing you built with a minimal footprint your community through sustainable design and planning. This is the captivation that lasts. While curb appeal will catch eyes and turn heads instantly, the story line is what keeps the interest and the enjoyment alive. Build a captivating home!

PS Thank you to The Daily Post for captivating me with the word of the day challenge. And thank you to my boys for being such willing models in their Narnia closet in our renovation.

via Daily Prompt: Captivating