DESIGNED FOR LIVING
Kinsmen Home Lottery grand prize in Varsity View avoids over-the-top opulence, Jeannie Armstrong writes.
Lottery homes are known for their over-the-top opulence. They are the homes that most people can only dream of owning, often more lavish than livable.
When Mark Kindrachuk and Ryan Keeping, co-owners of On The Mark Homes, had the opportunity to build this year’s Kinsmen Home Lottery grand prize home, their philosophy was simple.
“All too often, the lottery homes seem to be a little over-the-top and people end up selling them,” said Mark Kindrachuk. “We wanted to provide people with a different feel, a different look and to build a lottery home that people want to live in.” The furnished home, valued at $1 million, also includes a $50,000 cash prize.
Even the choice of neighbourhood for the lottery home reflects its livability. Located on a corner lot in Varsity View, at 1301-11th Street East, the home is near the University of Saskatchewan, the Broadway business district and downtown Saskatoon.
The builders teamed up with Oxbow Architecture on the design of the pleasing modern farmhousestyle home, which offers 3,660 square feet of developed living space on three levels. With four bedrooms and four bathrooms, the home is very accommodating.
The home’s interior embraces the Scandinavian hygge design movement, featuring natural woods, a clean colour palette of white and grey tones and minimalist yet functional decor pieces. Furnishings were selected by In Fine Order from Anthology in Riversdale.
Wood headlines the decor story in this lottery home. “The wide plank floors are white oak. We used white ash on the 20-foot high vaulted ceiling in the living room and had it milled locally into tongue and groove planks. The wood ceiling adds a cosy feel to this room,” said Kindrachuk. “All of the wood is clear-coated so you can see its natural tones and grain.”
Kindrachuk says many people have commented on the large windows that flood the space with natural light. “We used more of a commercial-grade fibreglass window. The fibreglass allowed us to install larger windows than we could have by going with conventional PVC windows. It allows for a nice, open view.”
The galley-style kitchen features a nearly five-metre-long quartztopped island. A custom-designed maple and walnut cutting board can slide along the length of the island for convenient food preparation. Superior Cabinets dressed the kitchen in floor-to-ceiling white Shaker-style cabinets. The island cabinetry is in a contrasting shade of denim blue.
A three-metre closet-style pantry is adjacent to a large mud room and spacious main floor laundry. Throughout the home, On The Mark has incorporated clever built-ins crafted from white ash that further boost the home’s storage capacity.
“We also added an extended bench-style window seat along the back wall of windows,” said Kindrachuk. The window seat looks out onto the two-tiered cedar deck, covered by a custom-made powder-coated metal canopy.
The main floor powder room is notable for its artistic Venetian plaster walls, created by Drywall by Design. The walls resemble marble, the result of six coats of plaster with a wax finish.
The home’s second floor is home to three bedrooms, each with charming dormer windows. “We didn’t want there to be dressers in the bedrooms, so we did built-ins, again from white ash,” says Kindrachuk.
The master suite features a lavish ensuite and a walk-through dream closet that leads to a balcony overlooking the main floor living room.
The home’s lower level has also been tastefully developed, featuring a huge family room, a fourth bedroom, a workout studio and an additional full bathroom.
On The Mark Homes says it is pleased to have built the lottery home in support of the Kinsmen Club of Saskatoon. “We know what the Kinsmen Club does to give back to the community. Their motto is to serve the community’s greatest need. On The Mark Homes also wants to give back to the community any way we can,” says Kindrachuk.
Response to this one-of-a-kind lottery home has been overwhelming; 75 per cent of the available tickets are now sold.
The Kinsmen Home Lottery grand prize show home is open for viewing from noon to 5 p.m. on weekends and holidays, and from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays.