Red River retreat

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 27/08/2006 (6951 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A series of windows lines the back wall of this two-storey home built by Maric Homes in River’s Edge Estates. Overlooking the riverbank and the Red River at back, they are just one element in this West St. Paul show home designed to make the most of this tranquil setting.

“The windows, the patio doors and everything that faces the river is what make this house and the lot so beautiful,” says Caroline Maric, of Maric Homes. “From the second floor, from this floor and from the lower level, we have these big huge windows that look onto the river, so the property line and the trees behind it and the river are really breathtaking.”

Glassed patio doors on the lower level open onto the back lot and a deck with vinyl surface and aluminum railing let homeowners enjoy the view.

Inside, the many features demonstrate the attention to design, detail and the craftsmanship that the builder is known for, says Maric.

Just as curb appeal is important to the exterior of a house, clean lines and uncluttered presentation can be important to the interior, she says. With that philosophy, the company elevated the run-of-the-mill kitchen pantry to a built-in maple shelved cabinet behind double doors in the kitchen, creating space for the microwave and many of the usual small appliances that find their way onto kitchen counters.

“We tucked them away in a very functional built-in pantry, and this way it leaves the beautiful lines of the countertop and the kitchen, which is very sleek and contemporary looking,” says Maric. A built-in dishwasher has been mounted above floor height for ease of access.

Off-the-floor maple cabinets augment the kitchen cabinets and wrap their way around one wall, and a granite-topped kitchen island of nine feet by 4.5 feet offers seating and more storage space.

An ornate cultured-stone fireplace with wooden mantel highlights the 14-foot-by-12-foot great room, and a double volume ceiling adds depth to the dining room. Some of the design details on the main floor include a series of vertical glass panels separating the dining room from the foyer, lit niches, wrought-iron spindles in the stairwell and nine-foot ceiling with recessed lights.

The trim throughout and several sets of double doors are made of dark stained, or cappuccino-coloured, maple. They accent walnut hardwood floors on the main floor. “There are a lot of browns from a light latte colour to a dark espresso and soft greys with a lot of cream accents to make it warm and inviting. We have two pop colours which are a turquoise and a magenta colour,” says Maric.

The second floor has three bedrooms and a four-piece ensuite with shower, whirlpool tub, space for knick-knacks or towels between twin vanities and a decorative bulkhead with undermounted recessed lights that rings the room.

The lower level has recreation space, an extra bedroom, four-piece bath, and a wet bar as well as the double glassed doors leading to the backyard. Maric points out that buyers will also get to own the lot all the way down to the riverbank.

The house is built on piles and has built-in speakers in the great room and ensuite, a raised wooden floor on the lower level, roughed in vac and a built-in alarm system.

Size: 2,673 sq. ft.; lower level of 1,200 sq. ft.

Show home price: $629,900 incl. lot, GST

Lot: 80 ft. by 310 ft.

Lots available: River’s Edge Estates, Amber Trails, Oakbank, Royalwood, The Oaks, Pritchard Farm Southlands, Stonewall, clients’ lots

Contact: agent Dee-Dee Haines 799-7506