Ahead of its time

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This article was published 11/12/2010 (5445 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Walk into a series of homes over a quarter-century old and chances are the interiors will vary considerably in calibre.

Or, to put it more succinctly, some homes will feel dated. Meanwhile, others will have a more contemporary feel to them, while the remainder tend to float listlessly between dated and contemporary.

On rare occasions, there’s a home that, while over 25 years of age, just feels good. There are often two reasons for that: First, the floor plan was ahead of its time. Second, the home was updated by its owners at some point in time.

Cornerstone Properties’ Garry Hirsch says 580 Cloutier Drive’s appeal can be attributed to both factors.

“This home (which was erected in 1984) was built like the Rock of Gibraltar, and features a floor plan that was clearly ahead of its time,” he says. “It’s an incredible layout; the whole house just flows together. That makes it a great home for family living, or entertaining.”

Just as importantly, the outgoing owners made a point of updating key areas of the home. The result was a fresh, livable feel.

“They re-did most of the kitchen, the wine room (off the living room), the bathrooms and most of the upstairs,” Hirsch adds. “When you add that to the fact that the floor plan is almost open-concept, you’ve got a very livable home.”

Like most of today’s contemporary designs, 580 Cloutier has the kitchen, dinette area and family room located all in one big space. Unlike many mid-1980s designs, however, the interior is brighter — and roomier — than normal. That’s due to an array of bay windows placed along the home’s rear wall in the family room, kitchen and dining room.

“It’s an unusual, yet wonderful, feature,” he says. “That’s because the rear of the house faces south. Today’s cloudy, but it’s still bright in here; you should see it on a sunny day. And the bay windows not only let in additional light, but they add extra space to each of those three areas.”

Essentially, the kitchen — which has new granite counter tops, a marble tile backsplash, tan ceramic tile flooring and oak cabinets — is the main floor’s hub, with the (roomy) dinette area and family room (which is set two steps down and has a garden door for deck access) on one side and the formal dining room/living room on the other (both placed beneath an open beam vaulted ceiling).

The peninsula kitchen is highly functional, while the family room — with its Tyndall stone fireplace/entertainment unit and teak hardwoods –makes for a rustic spot to relax after dinner.

“The ambience is incredible — there’s loads of light, and the earth-tone colours and finishing materials give the area a real warmth. And the fireplace can even heat a good portion of the home,” he says.

Should the family room and living room be filled with guests, there’s one other area where they (or residents) can repair to, adds Hirsch: a huge four season sunroom set between the dining room and living room.

“It’s an amazing space with all the sunlight, heated slate tile floor, wet bar and garden door to the deck out back. All these different features make you feel right at home the moment you walk in,” he says.

Flow to the 2,600-square-foot home’s upper level, meanwhile, is seamless thanks to a staircase that’s at least four feet wide. Three bedrooms — all with oversized windows — then fan out around a generous landing.

“There’s lots of space up here — you don’t feel crammed in,” says Hirsch. “Like the main level, the feel is bright and spacious. The two bedrooms are a nice size, and the renovated main bath is gorgeous, with a deep soaker tub set in greyish blue tile. As good as that is, the master suite is even better, with double doors to a private balcony, three-piece ensuite and a huge walk-in closet.”

Set on a mature lot that’s nearly half an acre in size — and close to south Winnipeg — 580 Cloutier’s setting and location is also hard to beat, he adds.

“This is a tastefully renovated family home on a big, park-like lot with mature fruit trees. Yet, it’s close to all the amenities out on Pembina Highway and south Winnipeg. All you need to do is move in and enjoy.”

lewys@mts.net