New Homes
New Homes
Celebrate season by thinking of renovating
With all of the hustle and bustle occurring this time of year, it may seem odd that I'm talking about renovations, more planning and detail and spending money. However, when you think about it, this is the perfect time to get those creative juices flowing. Opportunity is never greater.
Whether it's celebrating Christmas, New Year's or any other occasion, this is the time of year that we all go to numerous house parties. It could be a dinner, a drop-in reception or some other function, but we do quite a bit of visiting.
Every house visit invariably comes with a house tour. If it's a new house, you're going to see the latest in house design and there will be something that would be absolutely perfect for your place. If it's an older home, in all likelihood they've recently done a renovation that they want to show everyone.
Most house parties have a huge congregation of people around the kitchen area. That's often where the food and drink are located and, even if they aren't, we tend to gather there. Cupboard design, appliances, counter tops, sinks, tables and chairs and the big window outlook to the backyard all are conversation topics in that one room.
Everybody loves to talk about the kitchen and what can be done to make it a more useful and inviting room.
At some point in the evening, you are likely to need to use the bathroom. Without being overly nosy, you can't help but notice the low-flush or dual-flush toilet, the sink and faucets, the cabinets, a tub or shower and numerous decorating techniques.
If the downstairs bathroom is occupied and you're fortunate enough to be directed to the ensuite off the master bedroom, you'll also get the opportunity to see what they've done to another room of the house.
Invariably, upon being complimented on their lovely home, the hosts will want to talk about their renovation and the process they recently experienced. The plus side is that not only do you get great ideas from the hosts, but everyone else jumps in with their thoughts and plans too.
The next month is the perfect time to see what's out there to make your home even better. Take advantage of the opportunity to better prepare for your next renovation.
Mike Moore is president of the Manitoba Home Builders' Association.
New Homes
When a Castle is a home
With four elevations, A&S Homes' New Castle II can sport a variety of looks.
According to Ken Smith, A&S's sales representative for 222 Tychonick Bay, the fourth or D elevation version of the 1,778-square-foot two-storey home may be the best of the bunch.
"The biggest difference between this version and the other three is that you get three extra windows going across the rear wall of the ensuite," he explained. "It might seem like a small difference, but it adds light. That not only makes the space brighter, but also makes it feel bigger."
That's good news for pooped parents, who after a long day at work (or, alternately, carting the kids around to various activities) require a respite.
"The layout upstairs is just excellent," said Smith. "The master suite is set off by itself off the stairs, well away from the kids' bedrooms (two of them, plus a four-piece bathroom with soaker tub) -- mom and dad are on one side, kids on the other. Its ensuite has a six-foot jetted tub, four-foot shower (next to the tub), a dark oak (java) vanity with makeup bar and beautiful faux tile (vinyl) floor. The bedroom itself is huge, and there's also a large walk-in closet."
Turns out 222 Tychonick's upper level is a prelude to the main level in that it's spacious, well-laid-out and bright, three features that are a requisite for harmonious family living. Though this version of the New Castle II is "only" 1,778 sq. ft. -- plus another 800 sq. ft. of space to develop downstairs -- it's a home that feels perceptibly larger than its listed square footage.
That feeling of volume is owed to two factors, Smith said.
"I think the first thing to note is that the ceilings are nine feet high. That feature alone makes every space feel larger than it actually is, especially when you combine big windows with the high ceilings," he said. "The second factor is the home's layout, which is very logical. A lot of thought was put into it, something that's evident from the foyer on through the rest of the home."
In essence, the New Castle II's floor plan deftly balances segmentation and space. An example is the foyer, which is neatly divided from the formal dining room to its right by a curved one-third wall with dark oak capping. At the same time, the dining room opens up the area, ensuring visitors don't enter the home via a potentially claustrophobic front entrance.
Of particular note is an oak-trimmed, tempered-glass cutout that ties the dining room to the family room behind it, letting in natural light while keeping the two spaces separate.
"I like the fact that when you come in, the home opens up but only a bit. I call it a peekaboo shot -- you can see a bit of the home's rear portion from the foyer, yet there's enough division that you don't walk into a big open area."
Although the great room sector isn't massive in size, the aforementioned high ceiling and a series of large windows along the rear wall, culminating in a huge picture window in the family room, makes it feel substantially larger. Another factor that makes it feel larger is each space -- the island kitchen, dinette area and family room -- is in proportion to the other and isn't cluttered.
"Take the kitchen," Smith said. "Even though the (brown/black) granite island is eight feet long, it's not terribly wide; the result is aisles that are extra wide, which promotes good flow. At the same time, the dinette area, which was placed next to a deck door and large window, has room for a table for four. The family room is then defined by beige carpeting to segment it from the kitchen and dinette, which are defined by dark oak hardwoods."
Meanwhile, the rest of the finishing materials in the great room are impressive. Brown/black granite countertops are complemented perfectly by a tan tile backsplash, while dark oak (java) cabinetry looks sharp paired with the lighter tones of the countertop and backsplash. Cabinet and countertop space is ample, while all the light that pours in from the windows on the rear wall ensures the area is as bright as it is warm. Then there's the well-appointed family room.
"It's beautifully finished with a built-in oak entertainment unit," he said. "It's an upgrade, but it's well worth it -- the oak shelving (with hunter green background) and gas fireplace (with copper-tinted) tile surround look incredible."
Other logical -- not to mention stylish -- main-floor features include a huge main-floor laundry/mudroom with faux tile floor and handy powder room in a private wing by the stairs, an enchanting staircase with chrome spindle railings, and a three-piece bay window placed over the stairs with a two-tiered display area.
The lower level finishes the home off in well-laid-out style, Smith said.
"The mechanical area is off to the side, and there aren't teleposts everywhere. You can easily put in a fourth bedroom, bathroom and wide-open rec room. Like the rest of the home, the layout maximizes space. That's what families are looking for."
Builder: A&S Homes
Model: New Castle II
Style: Two-storey
Size: 1,778 sq. ft.
Bedrooms: 3
Bathrooms: 2.5
Address: 222 Tychonick Bay, Kildonan Green
Lot Size: 42' x 118'
Price: $408,993 (including lot & GST)
Contact: Ken Smith, Century 21 carrie.com, at 477-4700
New Homes
Manitoba takes a back seat to nobody
Last week, in the business section of the Winnipeg Free Press, there were two articles regarding the new home industry side by side.
The first was a national article that reported a large, one-month drop in activity from October of this year. The primary culprit was the multi-family sector and the single-family detached market remained robust.
It went on to state that two-thirds of the multi market decline was due to inactivity in Toronto.
Of course, it didn't say that Toronto was experiencing one of its best years on record for the multi-family sector in 2011. This "one-month emergency" or brief snapshot in time was just that.
This Canadian Press article went on to speculate about corrections, a drop in prices, the U.S. housing market and over-evaluations. It concluded by stating that Canada has been experiencing a robust housing market and that our market has avoided the housing bubble that hit the U.S. A chief economist then went on to say that these lower numbers are hardly troubling and not at all surprising.
Right beside this article was one by Murray McNeill. It reported Winnipeg's new home industry was soaring towards a 22-year high in single-family detached housing starts. Quoting Diane Himbeault from the CMHC, he stated that multi-family starts were even stronger, more than doubling the number in the previous month.
Especially satisfying was the fact that row homes have more than doubled over last year, thereby demonstrating local focus on housing affordability.
It was an excellent article that reported our local scene as strong and thriving, without any attempt to undermine our economic success by way of fears elsewhere.
As has been stated in this column many times, national organizations often depict Canada as being nothing more than two or three major urban centres. It is much more than that. It is a collection of big cities and small towns.
Manitoba and Winnipeg may only represent 3.5 per cent of Canada's population, but we take a back seat to nobody when it comes to economic and housing success. We will continue to grow and thrive.
The difference in new-home start trends from other parts of Canada only serve to further demonstrate this is where people want to live and raise their families, in an affordable and friendly province.
Mike Moore is president of the Manitoba Home Builders' Association.
