genesis_register_sidebar( array(
    'id' => 'home-featured',
    'name' => __( 'Home Featured', 'sixteen-nine' ),
    'description' => __( 'This is the home featured section.', 'sixteen-nine' ),
) );

/** Add the home featured section */
add_action( 'genesis_before_loop', 'sixteen_nine_home_featured' );
function sixteen_nine_home_featured() {

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

}