Add a homepage-only welcome widget area to Genesis themes (functions.php)

Genesis homepage welcome

// Add welcome message before content on homepage
add_action( 'genesis_before_loop', 'nabm_welcome_message' );
function nabm_welcome_message() {

	if ( ! is_home() || get_query_var( 'paged' ) >= 2 )
		return;

	genesis_widget_area( 'welcome-message', array(
		'before' => '<div class="welcome-message" class="widget-area">',
		'after'  => '</div>',
	) );

}

genesis_register_sidebar( array(
	'id'          => 'welcome-message',
	'name'        => __( 'Welcome Message', 'nabm' ),
	'description' => __( 'This is the welcome message widget area.', 'nabm' ),
) );

Sample CSS for homepage welcome

/* Welcome Widget on Blog Page
--------------------------------------------- */

.welcome-message {
        background-color: #ffffff;
	      border-bottom: 1px dotted #ddd;
        margin-bottom: 30px;
        margin-bottom: 2rem;
        padding: 30px 40px 20px;
        padding: 2rem 2.8rem 1.4rem;
}

.welcome-message .widget:last-child {
	margin-bottom: 0;
}

.welcome-message .widget-title {
	text-align: left;
	text-transform: none;
}

.welcome-message .widget-title {
	font-size: 30px;
	font-size: 3rem;
	font-weight: 700;
        text-align: center;
}

.welcome-message p {
        font-size: 14px;
}