NEXT-LEVEL LIVING
Standout spaces and high-end details deliver the wow factor in these five homes
Whether you're sitting back enjoying a glass of Cabernet on the deck, whipping up a feast for family and friends, or curled up with your kids watching a movie, life is just better in a home that promises maximal comfort, well-defined flow and deliciously inviting details.
Larissa Roy at Calgary-based Truman Homes suggests that in today's real estate market the stakes have shifted. “What truly makes a home drool-worthy and highly in-demand goes beyond the traditional aspects of size and location,” she says, noting that people are increasingly drawn to homes that stand out and bring a unique character.
Think gourmet kitchens, expansive outdoor spaces, main floor bedrooms with ensuites for aging in place, home offices, secondary suites for family or rental opportunities, and sustainable elements that lower energy costs and contribute to healthier living.
We've found five homes of all different shapes and sizes that express that “wow” factor.
We invite you to take a look and be inspired.
DOUGLAS HOMES:
ST. AUGUSTINE FUNCTIONAL SERENITY
Bright, open and brimming with all of the must-haves, this Craftsman-style semi-detached home by Douglas Homes offers luxury and affordability, all wrapped up in a beautiful package. At just over 1,500 square feet, the St. Augustine features spacious rooms with elevated design. Take for example, the large L-shaped kitchen — leathered granite countertops, full-height cabinetry, a walk-in pantry, two-toned soft-close cabinets (pewter-grey and creamy white) and a modern graphic tile backsplash make the space functional and fun. Other cool features in this three-bedroom, 2½-bath home (it's Douglas Homes' current show home in Cobblestone Creek in Airdrie) include a two-storey foyer with a stunning staircase as its focal point — sleek white railings and wrought iron spindles add elegance and drama to the look, as well as a modern and contemporary open-to-below bonus room space on the second level.
“This home is definitely a favourite because of its open-concept layout, effective use of space and its beautiful finishes — especially the graphic patterned backsplash (in the kitchen),” says Abby Mcgillivray, marketing and communications specialist at Douglas Homes.
THE KENTEN A HOME WITH A VIEW
Designed as the show suite for the soon-to-be completely redesigned and refurbished mixeduse condominium tower located at the confluence of Kensington Road and 10th Avenue N.W., this 2,000-sq. ft. “bungalow-inthe-sky” as the developer, Sam Boguslavsky, founder of Sable Group of Companies, refers to it, commands stunning views of the Bow River and surrounding green spaces, along with the downtown skyline to the east and the foothills to the west.
The architecture and interior design team — Davignon Martin Architecture and Interior Design — created something spectacular — a condominium with all of the appeal of a single-family home.
“We started seeing these homes as bungalows, rather than a piece of a condo building. In these homes, everything is just so spacious. This project just doesn't have any limitations,” says Doris Martin, principal at Davignon Martin Architecture and Interior Design.
The design incorporates plenty of high-end details from stone countertops with a three-inch lip and cascading waterfall edges on the 14-ft-long island to the glass door feature wine wall and the hidden butler's pantry with a secondary refrigerator, range and dishwasher. But the real standout feature is the vast expanse of floor-to-ceiling glass that retracts, opening up the wall to the terrace. It's inside-outside living at its best.
HOMES BY AVI: THE FINN SEMI SUITE
Nominated as a finalist for the 2022 BILD Alberta Awards, this 1,468-sq.-ft, three-bedroom, 2½bath duplex home, shines with thoughtful details. Its open-concept design and good use of space are just the beginning. This Homes by Avi showstopper is all about the small moments — vignettes are created with use of feature walls and textural materials, a technique that carves smaller more intimate spaces from the larger area. The home's signature feature wall colour — a soft card room green reminiscent of Victorian era interiors — sets the tone for subtle sophistication. Plenty of rustic wood — the cabinetry in the kitchen is two-toned using rustic barnwood and crisp modern white, while the flooring also presents as a version of textural wide-planked barnwood — white walls and large windows designed with plenty of detail offer a soothing and tranquil backdrop for whole-family busy living.
What really sets this home apart is the lower level, which offers an optional 474-sq.-ft. optional basement suite design with full kitchen, perfect for a mother-in-law suite, a university-aged child or for use as a rental suite.
TRUMAN HOMES: CUSTOM DESIGN SOPHISTICATED SERENITY IN TIMBERLINE ESTATES
This custom-designed reverse walkout home draws inspiration from seaside-inspired West Coast modernism blended with the hip architectural-styling of East Coast brownstone designs.
“We have similar floor plans available in our new communities of Crimson Ridge and Peaks of Aspen Woods; however, this specific model was really designed to accommodate its unique backto-front graded lot,” says Larissa Roy, digital marketing manager at Truman Homes, the builder and developer of the property, adding that the home's exterior — draped in tones of ocean blue with hits of cedar and plenty of brick, accented with matte black details, sets the tone for the magic of the interior spaces to shine.
Inside, generous use of white and cream juxtaposed with dark brown cabinetry and white oak flooring channel beachy living with sophisticated undertones.
Thoughtfully laid out, the almost 3,000-sq.-ft home features three generous bedrooms, an upper floor bonus room, a main floor office and wine room, a vast cedar-covered deck, as well as a fully finished lower level with wet-bar and entertainment area.
JAYMAN BUILT: THE JAKE IN THE GREEN
An entertainer's dream, this unique split-level home plan by Jayman Built features a stunning 20-ft open-to-below foyer space, and a generously sized open-concept gourmet kitchen that spills into the dining and great room.
Other headliner features include a hidden room in the lower level, tucked in behind doors disguised as cabinetry. This secluded escape offers a cosy den (it even has an electric fireplace) to get away from it all, unwind and watch movies — definitely a favourite space with the kids.
Moody colours, plenty of textured and colourful wall paper and architectural features like tray ceilings make the Jake pop with interest.
But this home takes five stars not only for its beauty, but also for its sustainable features — it's a home that is both beautiful and good for our planet and the people living in it.
Threaded throughout the home are Jayman's Core Performance Standard inclusions — triple-pane windows, a high efficiency furnace with an ultraviolet light air purification system, an active heat recovery ventilator, tankless hot water heater and 10 solar panels. Michael Klassen, sales manager at Jayman Built, says that these standard features pack a powerful savings punch
“Homeowners save up to 50 per cent on their electricity bills and up to $900 annually on energy costs,” says Klassen, noting that all of Jayman's homes can also be built as a net zero certified home, “assuming that the lot orientation is appropriate for the solar panel configuration.”