Rare combination

When it comes to unique new home designs, there tend to be two types. One is unique just for the sake of being unique, and may lack function. The other, while also unique, is expressly built to seamlessly weave function into its design. The designers at Broadview Homes made a concerted effort to accomplish the latter with the Cottonwood model at 331 Stan Bailie Dr., said Broadview Homes’ new homes sales consultant, Reinhart Wittmaier.

"It’s nice for a new home design to be different, but it has to be practical, too," he said. "Broadview’s designers did a great job of designing this home. It’s different, yet functional. It proves a home can have plenty of style and personality, yet be very livable."

Those three characteristics are evident the moment you walk through the front door. Whereas many new home designs feature a good sized foyer with hallway leading directly into the great room, the Cottonwood’s generous foyer opens to a partially-exposed formal dining room with a pair of cut-outs on its rear wall that add style and let in light from the adjacent family room.

"The floor plan is open, but maintains a sense of privacy," said Wittmaier. "The intention was for it not to be open-concept, but to be open enough to create a sense of space while retaining privacy. For example, when you have dinner with company, you’re separated from the family room, yet the cut-outs in the wall allow you to be able to monitor kids watching TV in the family room. The dining room also has an oversized transom window over the hutch area that lets in all kinds of natural light."

Speaking of natural, the wide-plank walnut hardwoods (or so they appear to be), which run through the entire main living area (foyer, hallway, dining room, kitchen, dinette area and family room) are, to say the least, striking. "We’ve had a lot of complements on them, and actually, they’re high-end vinyl plank flooring not hardwoods. They look and feel like real hardwoods because of their (distressed) texture, and variation in colour. While they’re an upgrade, they’re a very worthwhile one," he said.

Move from the dining room into the great room proper, and you find a design that’s equal part style and substance. The substance comes from a floor plan that features three well-proportioned spaces: an island kitchen, (surprisingly huge) dinette area and spacious living room. The kitchen features an eight-foot by four-foot white quartz island with double sink, eating nook for three to four, white cabinets, white subway tile backsplash and corner pantry defined by burnt orange paint.

Meanwhile, the adjacent dinette area —which was placed next to sliding patio doors and a huge window on the nearby wall — easily holds a table for four. And the family room is notable for a burnt orange feature wall with ribbon-style gas fireplace, TV niche, built-in cappuccino maple shelving and large picture window. It’s a great room that’s as bright as it is stylish, said Wittmaier. 

"The design gives you the best of both worlds — a perfect combination of openness, separation and plenty of natural light. It’s a very functional area with little in the way of wasted space," he said.

Another clever design feature — a sunken side entrance set down a hallway to the right of the foyer — adds to the home’s already high level of function. "You can use it as a separate entrance for a renter or relative to access a suite downstairs, or you can simply use it to gain quick access to the backyard. Putting the door in actually raised the home one foot out of the ground, which allowed for large windows downstairs. The result is a basement that’s naturally bright," Wittmaier said.

Head upstairs via an extra-wide staircase, and you find an imaginatively-designed, well-laid-out second level with three bedrooms, a loft and second floor laundry. "Use of space here is exceptional. There’s basically no hallway space, which allowed for a loft (next to the stairs) two kids’ bedrooms with (shared) Jack-and-Jill bathroom in between and a large, private master suite with three-piece ensuite and huge walk-in closet."

The wall facing the loft — which features two white bi-fold closets — is also loaded with utility. "One closet is a huge linen closet, while the other is a true laundry room that’s not just a laundry closet, there’s storage space, and you can actually walk in to do your laundry," said Wittmaier.

While the upgraded show home version of the Cottonwood is selling for just under $460,000, one with basic finishes — plus the handy side entrance — can be purchased for considerably less. "We can get a family into a home with basic finishes, side entrance, driveway and piles for approximately $411,174, and that includes land and GST," he added. "If you don’t need the side entrance, the price goes down to about $401,000. There’s another 537 sq. ft. of livable space that can be developed into a fourth bedroom, rec room, bathroom — plus a storage area that’s not included in the livable square footage."

The Cottonwood is a very versatile design, said Wittmaier. "It’s affordable, functional and stylish — a great home for a young family, or multi-generational family."

lewys@mymts.net