A winning combination

Even though it’s something prospective homebuyers may not dwell upon, flooring can greatly influence the look and feel of a house.

That’s certainly the case with the main living area in Randall Homes’ new two-storey, 1,433 sq. ft. show home at 176 Ruth Crossing in Bison Run.

The instant you walk in, you can’t help but notice the upscale look of the wide plank flooring.

“I’d have to say that the flooring is my favourite design feature in the main living area,” says the home’s sales representative, Jay Gajjar of Coldwell Banker Elite Realty. “Even though it’s laminate plank, it looks like engineered oak flooring. It really gets the area off to a great start with its rich look.”

The luxurious-looking flooring truly does set the stage for the visually appealing and highly functional main living area.

The home was built on a 28-foot-wide lot but there’s a genuine feeling of space. Gajjar says that pleasing ambience comes from an intelligent, well-conceived design plan.

“I think the first thing that creates the roomy feel is the nine-foot ceiling,” he says. “After that, you have huge windows on the front and rear wall that let in lots of natural light. When you have a high ceiling and lots of light, you get an area that has a bright, airy feel.”

That said, all the effort spent to create that atmosphere would have gone for nought had Randall’s design team not paid keen attention to another key, yet subtle design detail: proportion, which is near perfect here.

The great room — the first space you see when you enter the main living area — checks in at a generous 14.6 feet by 14 feet.

The space on the other side of the island kitchen — the dining area — is about 13 feet by 10 feet.

A nine-foot-long island that anchors the elegant kitchen is in the perfect spot at the centre of the main living area.

“What really stands out to me is just how much space there is between the kitchen and the great room and the kitchen and the dining area,” Gajjar says. “There’s a good five feet between the island and the dining room table; for a smaller home, it can fit a table for six to eight. Flow is good. There’s space to walk around everywhere.”

Then, there’s the brilliantly designed kitchen, which is not only attractive, but is also loaded with tons of chef-friendly function.

Case in point is the well-positioned pantry.

“Because the kitchen is smaller, there isn’t as much storage space as in other kitchens we design,” Gajjar explains. “So, we put a double-door pantry directly across from the island to add storage. The island was also made extra long to add more cabinets for storage.”

Meanwhile, the finishes are impressive: off-white quartz countertops with grey highlights, a tile backsplash, two-tone cabinets and sleek stainless appliances.

“The cabinets are brown and grey, and they go together well. While lots of people like white cabinets, they can be a bit too bright. Going with the brown and grey cabinets creates a warmer feel without being too dark. There’s also a rear entrance with a powder room that leads out back to the double detached garage — and a side entrance for in-laws or kids.”

Head upstairs via a four-foot-wide staircase, and you’ll find the same attention to detail as on the main floor. All three bedrooms are a good size, with the two secondary bedrooms — which were placed at the opposite end of the bedroom wing to separate them from the primary bedroom — measuring in at nearly 10 feet by more than 11 feet.

A beautifully finished main bath and big laundry room are located between the secondary bedrooms and the primary bedroom to add family friendly function and extra separation.

The primary bedroom is a spacious, light-filled retreat.

“It’s huge, at 14.6 feet by 15.4 feet, and comes with a vaulted ceiling, large window that lets in lots of natural light, and a large walk-in closet,” Gajjar says. “It’s part of an angled wall that adds style and opens the bedroom up. A three-piece ensuite with walk-in shower finishes it off perfectly. Families will love this home for its great location, style and livable layout.”

lewys@mymts.net