Picture this: You're driving in a rural setting dominated by Manitoba's Prairie attributes -- wide-open fields, endless blue sky (rare as it's been of late) and a gentle breeze blowing.
Yet -- though you feel like you're outside city limits -- you're actually less than 20 minutes from Portage and Main and about 10 minutes from all the amenities Kenaston Boulevard (and south St. Vital) have to offer.
Where is this place? It can be found off Wilkes Avenue on a 21/2-acre lot at 1948 Loudoun Rd. in southwest Charleswood. As you drive up the long driveway -- which features an ornate fountain at the centre of the roundabout at its end -- you realize this is no ordinary Prairie dwelling. What we have here, folks, is no little house on the Prairie.
Rather, it's a Mediterranean-style home on the Prairie, a design that seamlessly blends old-world artistry with the straightforward, linear beauty of Manitoba's Prairie grasslands.
"First of all, the location of this home is amazing," says Royal LePage's Chris Pennycook. "You get to enjoy the privacy and space of a two-and-a-half acre lot inside the Perimeter, yet you're close to downtown and the south end of the city. Then, there's 4,135 square feet of a home that features incredible attention to detail in every aspect of its design."
While the home -- custom-built in 2004 by Parkhill Homes -- is unmistakeably Mediterranean in its design origins, it nevertheless looks right at home in Manitoba's wide-open spaces. Thanks to a plethora of large windows and doors, the home's interior is bright. Most importantly, it provides incredible views of the outdoor settings, and lots of places where you can sit outdoors with a favourite beverage to savour the setting.
"The main floor is open-concept from front to back -- in the great-room area, there are three massive windows and double doors to a balcony (which spans the width of the home) out back where you can enjoy the view by yourself or with guests," he says. "More light then enters the area from the front entrance, where a door with a glass centre is surrounded by even more glass. It makes for a very airy interior feel."
The wide-open interior feels that much larger due to another clever design feature: 10-foot ceilings. Add in a textured tan porcelain tile floor that runs from the wide foyer throughout the spacious great room -- in true Prairie style, there's plenty of elbow room here -- and you have a two design themes that work in harmony with each other.
"I call it an ideal combination of space, artistry and function," says Pennycook. "At the front of the home, you get a pillared formal dining room with gorgeous chandelier and garden doors that lead to the front balcony. The pillars also work to neatly separate the dining room from the living room. It's a great house for entertaining with the open-concept design."
No kidding: For starters, a huge gourmet kitchen with angled island (with double sink and raised eating ledge) provides ample room for the home's resident chef to engineer creative culinary concoctions without feeling boxed-in. There's also a large dinette area that can comfortably house a table for six -- a bonus for those who like to feed multitudes of guests (or famished kids, for that matter).
Once in the living room, it's easy to kick back and enjoy the view, light a fire in the wood-burning fireplace (with its rich tile surround) or maybe watch some sports or a movie on a big-screen LCD TV.
"The living room has it all -- fireplace with oak mantel, pot lighting, built-in, arched niches with lighting, huge windows that let in an abundance of natural light, and the high ceiling. It's a great space," he adds.
A separate bedroom wing then brings two key elements into play: luxury and privacy. Due to the home's wide footprint, space abounds, says Pennycook.
"There's so much room that you get three bedrooms (with hardwoods), a den (with porcelain tile floor and balcony door) and a huge four-piece bathroom (lined with swirled medium and chocolate brown tile) -- and all the rooms are larger than normal. So much so that one of the secondary bedrooms has its own jetted tub and balcony doors."
Understandably, it's the master suite that gets the lion's share of the room -- and amenities. How about having garden doors to the deck (with non-slip acrylic surface), and an ensuite that's a literal work of art.
"Porcelain tile flooring, a walk-in shower with angled glass block walls (with granite detailing), and jetted tub set in ceramic tile make it an incredible spot to relax," he says. "It's simply spectacular."
Finally, there's the walk-out lower level that features a huge rec room, two more bedrooms, a four-piece bathroom, mudroom and tons of storage space.
"If you're looking for a unique, functional home in a location that offers not only beauty and privacy but quick access to the city -- and is great for entertaining and family life -- this could be the home for you."
lewys@mts.net
DETAILS
Address: 1948 Loudoun Rd., Charleswood
Size: 4,135 sq. ft. (with developed lower level)
Year built: 2004
Style: Raised bungalow
Lot: 2.5 acres
Bedrooms: 5
Bathrooms: 4
Price: $995,000
Contact: Chris Pennycook or Lori Hopfner, Royal Le Page Dynamic Real Estate @ 989-5000
