Sometimes, custom home builders can fall victim to an insidious malady known as 'The Blahs'.
When that affliction takes hold -- as it has been known to from time to time, despite best efforts to remain immune -- the interior of a home may well look very ordinary, like virtually every other home dotting the street, with no tangible difference in colours, styling or materials.
It's a malaise the designers at Warkentin Custom Homes refuse to give into.
"We want our homes to stand out, so our designers work hard at doing the little things that will show off our homes," says Royal LePage's Mark Penner, sales representative for Warkentin. "Our goal is always to be innovative, to do things differently than people have seen before. That's how you show what a real custom home builder can do."
The first way the designers attempted to differentiate 107 McBeth Grove from other contemporary open-concept design was by incorporating subtle changes in direction.
"This home has a lot of different lines and angles," says Penner. "That adds interest and an element of mystery -- even though it's an open-concept design, there's also enough division so you don't feel like you're living in one big, wide-open space. There are also details like a textured glass cutout in the wall separating the dining room from the foyer. It not only adds style, but light and a feeling of added space."
Unlike many of today's new home designs, 107 McBeth is different in several other ways: there's a separate, front-oriented dining room that is big enough to provide room to move, but small enough to be intimate; there's a nice colour contrast in the form of dark oak hardwoods (which run through the 1,742-square-foot bungalow's entire main level); light chocolate brown walls with white baseboards; and dark oak capping on wall niches thoughtfully placed at the entrance to the kitchen/great room and bedroom wings, as well as on the one-third walls that define the lower-level stairwell.
"We're really pleased how the floor plan turned out -- the dining room is bigger than it looks, and with four piano windows (in addition to a large picture window), it's a bright, warm space that flows well," he says. "From there, the walls angle off into the kitchen/great room area. You can see a bit of both rooms, but not everything. That was done purposely so that you want to see what's in there."
Again, Warkentin's designers went out of their way to create a space that -- through the use of different finishes, materials and angles -- had plenty of character, style and utility.
"One of the first things people notice is that the cabinetry has a different finish on it. It's called Portebello on maple, and features a creamy beige matte finish that goes extremely well with the brushed nickel handles, grey quartz countertops and dark oak hardwoods. Although it's a galley kitchen with island, the aisles are wide enough so you can open the drawers and have another person get by," Penner adds. "We put a dark stain (charcoal) on the island to make it stand out. There's an eating nook for three to four, plus a large area for a dinette for four at the rear of the kitchen."
Mere steps away is the great room, which is angled off nicely with a big window on its rear wall to let in loads of natural light. Once again, the angled walls add definition, interest and intimacy. However, it's the corner fireplace that proves to be the real eye-catcher.
"It's meant to be another departure from the norm," he says. "The gas fireplace is set in beige cultured stone (with grey and copper highlights) -- the colours really pop out at you while still retaining a warm feel. There's also a custom entertainment centre with mocha stain on oak, with plenty of drawers and shelves. Young families and young couples really like the design elements in this area."
Last but not least is a separate bedroom wing that houses all three bedrooms. Mercifully (that is, for parents of young children), the enormous master bedroom is set well away from two good-sized kids bedrooms; with ample room for a king-sized bed, two end tables, a dresser or two -- plus a mid-sized walk-in closet -- the bedroom is plenty big. As nice as it is, it's the ensuite that's the star here.
"Simply put, it's a great spot to get away from it all. It has a huge jetted tub (set beneath a big privacy windows), oversized shower enclosure, grey quartz counter top and dark, long maple vanity and a beige ceramic tile floor. It has a very private, luxurious feel, and is a place where you can really go to re-energize," Penner says. "It really adds to the home's wow factor."
With another 1,700 square feet of living space on the lower level -- and a PowerSmart designation -- 107 McBeth Grove is a viable option for young families looking for a practical, stylish and innovative home.
lewys@mts.net
Size: 1,742 sq. ft.
Minimum Lot: 50' x 120'
Bedrooms: 3
Bathrooms: 2
Price: $409,900 (including land net GST)
Key Features: Innovative design featuring subtle angles to provide definition between spaces; formal, front-oriented dining room; open-concept kitchen/great room area with unique Portebello maple cabinets, dark oak hardwoods, lots of windows and corner gas fireplace set in tri-coloured cultured stone; large master bedroom with luxurious ensuite; massive lower level with minimal teleposts, large windows.
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