Property Week

Custom Built Contemporary Home - Meets All Your High Expectations!

The custom built contemporary home at 2 Karen Way in South Windsor makes an outstanding first impression. With its striking, balanced design, brick exterior, setback from the road, and large lot with professional landscaping and mature trees, it is beautiful to look at.

This raises high expectations, which are met by the interior. The floor plan is open and inviting and the home’s condition makes it seem brand new. The phrase “move-in ready” does not do it justice.

It is, however, features that are not immediately obvious that make this home really stand out. Among them is a highly efficient and nearly new geothermal heating and air conditioning unit, which was installed last November. It replaced the original geothermal unit that, “…still worked, but I thought a new owner would want a new one,” Henry Krasnicki, the owner who designed the home and had it built, said. So, he had it replaced,

Also present are a smart irrigation system that can be controlled by an app, smart thermostats, fiber optic connectivity, a security system, a central vacuum that does not need emptying — it flushes away dirt, and numerous other features that might not be immediately apparent but will add convenience and save money in the years ahead. There is even wiring in the oversized three-car garage for electric car charging.

First, however, it makes sense to take a tour. The entry hall, with its subtle pattern on the floor and vaulted ceiling are elegant and welcoming. From here visitors can get a glimpse of the windows facing south in the family room and the top of a spiral staircase that leads to the lower level.

French doors on the left access the formal dining room where the home’s 10-foot ceilings give an added feeling of space. To the right, more French doors access the formal living room.

Ahead is the central hall that leads to a kitchen that was designed for large get-togethers. Its layout and features make it ideally suited to handle both informal and formal entertaining. Granite counters and custom maple cabinetry grab the eye initially, but a visitor quickly takes note of the space around the large island, which can serve as a breakfast bar, or provide chefs with additional workspace. “We’ve entertained 30 to 40 people here,” said Krasnicki. The home could easily handle a larger gathering.

Across the kitchen are build-in microwave and double ovens. Circle around and there is a separate wet bar, ample space for a large table for informal dining and sliding doors leading to the elevated deck.

“The deck is made of Brazilian walnut, ipe,” he said. It has been allowed to develop a soft gray patina because “that is what my wife likes. But it could be power washed to bring back the reddish color of the wood.” Ipe is noted for its beauty, strength, and long life.

In addition to the dining room, the kitchen has a direct connection to the mudroom, which accesses the rear entry, attached three-car garage, a large laundry room, pantry storage, and a full bath that is just inside the rear door. It can be used for a quick shower after hard play or yard work.

The kitchen also connects to the large family room, which is two steps down and features a dramatic vaulted ceiling. This room also has ample windows facing south, which are in a curved back wall for added visual appeal.

The bedroom wing contains three bedrooms. The primary bedroom suite is spacious, has wonderful views of the woods, two walk-in closets, and a large bath that defines luxury. It has a jetted tub, separate shower, and a dual sink vanity.

The other two bedrooms, one of which has a private bath, are also inviting. In addition, this wing features a home office, which could become a fourth bedroom, another full bath and a half bath.

The highlight of the lower level is a large playroom. It has a fireplace and direct access to the rear patio with its extensive landscaping and stonework. The lower level also has a half bath and a very large basement area.

This home has one more delightful attribute. “It’s beautiful when everything blooms and is green,” Krasnicki said. Summer is coming.

Another upgrade that Krasnicki included when building the house was the use of spray foam insulation. This and other energy conservation upgrades have made the home exceptionally air tight. To keep the interior air fresh and healthy, there is an air exchanger that exhausts stale air while bringing in fresh air, but not before capturing much of the energy in the heated or cooled air that had been in the house. These are just a few of the features that have earned this home its Energy Star rating.

Counters along the perimeter of the kitchen have a surface cooktop, refrigerator, and a dual bowl sink that looks out over the home’s large rear deck and the back yard. The faucet here can be turned on and off by a simple touch. “It would even work with Alexa, if I had it,” Krasnicki said with a smile.

“The deck is about 100 feet by 15 feet,” Krasnicki said. A thin metal railing uses large expanses of glass in place of balusters to provide safety while giving an unfettered view of the back yard and the woods beyond, which are part of the property.