The 2010 New Home Collection, debuting early next year within the Villages of Irvine, reflects what homeshoppers told the Irvine Company they want in homes today.

The end result is an attractive collection of new homes that were inspired by how people choose to live and designed to allow their lifestyle aspirations become reality.

The 2010 New Home Collection will showcase 25 floorplans from six different homebuilders featured throughout eight neighborhoods in the Irvine villages of Woodbury™ and Woodbury East. Prices for the new homes within The 2010 New Home Collection are expected to start in the low $300,000s.

Barbara Nagle, president of Marketscape Research & Consulting, shared that the collaboration process for the design of The 2010 New Home Collection was both comprehensive and enlightening.

“There’s no better way to understand what homebuyers are really thinking than to be in their homes and get an appreciation for the way they live,” said Nagle. “So, the Irvine Company let us go in and really study how families use their spaces — what they do, how their families interact, and how their living spaces influence the way they want to live.”

What the research team uncovered is that families truly desire ample living space to gather, dine and unwind.

“What we discovered is that homebuyers want large communal spaces where there’s a strong connection between the kitchen, the dining room, and the family room – the core of every home,” said Rob Elliott, group senior vice president of Urban Planning & Design with the Irvine Company.

Irvine-based Robert Hidey Architects, Inc. and Newport Beach-based Bassenian/ Lagoni Architects then responded to this information with the creation of new home designs encompassing expansive kitchens, Great Rooms and California Rooms that naturally join together to form truly grand and unique spaces that are as livable as they are beautiful.

“The kitchen opens to a spacious living area and the informal eating area,” said Aram Bassenian, Chairman & CEO of Bassenian/Lagoni Architects. “When you combine them, you end up with this wonderful space that we call the Great Room.”

Robert Hidey, architect and owner of Robert Hidey Architects, Inc, added: “The Great Room is a generously-scaled room and responds exceptionally well to the relaxed, informal Southern California lifestyle. As a result, the kitchen naturally opens to an outdoor California Room that is roofed, but open on three sides.”

Elliott added that the California Room is one of the most exciting features to come out of this process.

“Our weather in Southern California is fantastic, year round,” said Elliott. “That’s why one of the things that we worked really hard on in the design of these new floorplans for The 2010 New Home Collection was making sure there was a strong relationship between living areas, both inside and outside of the home.”

The end result is a fully-functioning, expansive living space that is light, airy and cohesive. The ability to move seamlessly from the indoors to outdoors — from one living space to the next — provides a sense of fluidity and freedom that is exclusive to The 2010 New Home Collection at the Villages of Irvine.

For those homeshoppers looking to take advantage of the Villages of Irvine lifestyle, the first neighborhoods from The 2010 New Home Collection are scheduled to debut in the Villages of Woodbury and Woodbury East in January 2010. Priority registration will be offered starting December 3, 2009 at 10 a.m. in order to make the process of buying a new home easier than ever. Homeshoppers are encouraged to review the details on the simple four-step priority registration program designed for the new homes within The 2010 New Home Collection by visiting www.VillagesofIrvine.com.

In addition, many homeshoppers interested in the new homes within The 2010 New Home Collection will be able to take advantage of the Federal tax credit of up to $8,000 that was recently extended by Congress. Learn more about the tax credits by visiting www.VillagesofIrvine.com.

Additionally, the Village of Woodbury currently offers luxurious single-family homes at Lennar Homes’ Villa Rosa neighborhood, ranging in size from approximately 2,935 to 3,161 square feet. Prices begin in the low $1,000,000s.

Plus, the Village of Woodbury East includes Ivy by William Lyon homes, two-story town homes that range in size from approximately 1,180 to 1,500 square feet. Prices begin in the mid $300,000s.

“We’re very proud of this new collection of homes,” said Tom Veal, vice president of Residential Marketing and Product Planning for Irvine Company Community Development. “We encourage all homeshoppers to get on-line today and learn more about how they will live in the newest homes planned for the Villages of Irvine.”

To obtain more information about The 2010 New Home Collection, the new homes currently selling within the villages of Woodbury and Woodbury East, or to sign up on the interest list, please visit www.VillagesofIrvine.com. Information also is available by contacting a Villages of Irvine New Home Consultant at 888-820-0721.