KEEPING ON THE SUNNY SIDE
Baywest Homes uses large windows to bring the outside into its Dahlia show home
Volume and natural light is an invigorating combination in a home. The two characteristics almost simulate the mood-elevating experience of being outside on a sunny afternoon.
This is the sort of feeling one can enjoy in the great room of a new show home by Baywest Homes. The 2,289-square-foot Dahlia single-family model is displayed in the new southeast Calgary community of Rangeview.
Supporting its residents' love for the outdoors, Rangeview will have community gardens managed by its homeowners association.
Sun and scenery are a big part of the Dahlia's great room, as well. It stands two storeys tall with the majority of its rear-facing wall covered in large windows. This setup pulls blue skies and other visuals from the outdoors into the great room like a piece of art.
Windows on a side wall, flanking a towering fireplace, support input of natural light into this space, too. The fireplace is rectangle-shaped and surrounded in tile.
An elegant chandelier is used to emphasize the impressive volume of this room.
From the adjacent dining area, sliding glass doors step out to a spacious deck. In the show home, this deck is staged with several pieces of outdoor furniture, demonstrating its fit as a spot for entertaining guests, when weather accommodates.
The great room and dining area have different depths, adding to the visual interest of the open-concept back stretch of main level, while making each room feel more defined.
Central on the main level is an L-shaped kitchen featuring an island with a sink and eating bar that seats three people. Its ability to be accessed from multiple sides help support circulation and the ability for more than one person to use the space at the same time.
Spacing of the appliances helps with this, as well. The fridge and oven are on separate walls, allowing different people to be using these appliances and not feel cramped.
Another strength of this kitchen is storage space. There is a valuable selection of cabinets and shelves, along with a handy walk-through butler's pantry. This pantry includes shelves, cabinets and a long stretch of counter space.
From the front entrance, the only sight line within the home are stairs to the developed basement. This staircase can also be accessed from a side entrance to the home.
People who rent their basement to a tenant would find the side entrance particularly valuable, as it gives the renter an access point that does not require them to walk through other parts of the main level. This enhances the degree of privacy enjoyed by the people who occupy the first and second level of the home.
Just off the foyer is a nine-foot by 10-foot office. It is shown with a desk with shelves and cabinets.
On the second level, a bonus room separates the rear-facing master bedroom from every other room along the front. Among the spaces along the front are two identically sized secondary bedrooms positioned side by side.
In the 12-foot by 15-foot master bedroom, there is an abbreviated hallway between the entryway and the sleep space, itself. This creates a buffer, limiting the chance of disruption if the children of the family use the bonus room and stay up later than the heads of the household.
Along this small hallway, there's access to both a spacious walk-in closet and ensuite. The ensuite boasts a glass-encased shower, free-standing tub and vanity with two sinks beneath a full-width mirror.