Capacious yet cosy
There are times you walk into a home, and a certain design detail immediately catches your eye.
In this case, as you step into the foyer of Hearth Homes' spectacular bungalow show home at 29 Sarsprilla Bend in Sage Creek, you can't help but notice the flooring which appears to be engineered walnut-hued hardwood. But that's not actually the case, says Ryan Miller, a key member of Hearth's design team.
'It's actually a new type of laminate plank flooring we recently started using,' he says.
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The 1,589-sq.-ft. Sherwood model was designed to be a calming refuge.
'Not only does it have a lot of wonderful colour variations to it, but it's also very water-resistant and durable. Unlike other laminate plank flooring, heavy furniture or pets won't cause any chips or divots.'
Miller says having the flooring installed through the entire dwelling creates a different — and very positive — dynamic.
'Choosing to run the flooring through the home, I think, made it feel bigger,' he says.
'The continuity from space to space creates a great feeling of flow that makes an already spacious home feel even bigger. At the same time, it also gives the home a nice, cosy feel, which is what we were trying to achieve.'
It would be no exaggeration to say the home possesses a certain serenity that allows the day's stress to lift from your shoulders the instant you walk in the front door.
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Rich walnut-style laminate plank flooring endows the home with a welcoming sense of warmth the instant you step inside.
Earthy colours — taupe and white make up the main colour palette — combine with wood accents in the foyer (lower-level staircase railing) and great room (mantel beneath the electric fireplace and TV niche) — to create a pervasive sense of calm.
'That's what the home is all about,' Miller says of the Sherwood, which checks in at 1,589 sq. ft. 'We wanted to it to be cosy and calm. With that in mind, we added other colours, like Prairie-forest green.'
The result is that each space exudes serenity and warmth, as well as functionality.
A prime example is the kitchen, which resident chefs will appreciate for its stylish look and practical layout.
'The shade of the cabinets is softer, with two-tone light-taupe and grey-taupe cabinets meshing beautifully with veined, off-white quartz countertops, a simple light-taupe tile backsplash and high-end stainless-steel appliances, which include a slide-in range and commercial-style fridge,' Miller says.
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There's plenty of space to create in the stylish and highly practical island kitchen.
Meanwhile, a glass-filled rear wall, consisting of a large window in the great room and a sliding patio door with transom behind the dining area, floods the main living area with natural light.
'They get a lot of light in here, while a 10-foot ceiling increases the sense of space,' Miller says.
'Combine that with a very efficient floor plan, and the main living area is tremendously functional. We took this floor plan from an existing home and made it even better.'
That enhanced functionality is reflected in the placement of the dining area and great room.
The dining area was positioned to the rear next to the patio door, not only giving it seamless access to both the living room and kitchen, but to a large composite deck in the backyard.
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A calm, cosy feel pervades the beautifully laid-out main living area.
Then, there's the great room.
'As I mentioned earlier, we added splashes of Prairie-forest green to the colour scheme to complement the other soft, calming hues,' Miller says.
'The routered backdrop behind the TV looks amazing with its herringbone pattern, and the soft-green colour fits in perfectly. It's bright, spacious, relaxing and perfectly placed.'
He adds that the Sherwood offers more bedrooms than its predecessor.
'This model has three rather than two bedrooms, unlike the older plan it was modelled after,' Miller notes.
TODD LEWYS / FREE PRESS
Entertainers will love the layout of the dining/kitchen area in Hearth Homes' Sherwood model bungalow in Sage Creek.
'The two secondary bedrooms on either side of the foyer — one bedroom with a full bath next to it to the left, and another next to a laundry room and mudroom to the right — are very well positioned.'
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Likewise, the primary bedroom's placement is exceptional.
Tucked away down a private hallway next to the great room, it exudes a wonderful sense of isolation and luxury, occupying about one third of the home's footprint.
'You just need to close the door, and you're in your own private retreat. The bedroom is generous, and the spa-like ensuite offers a tiled walk-in shower and big soaker tub. The walk-in closet is perfectly placed, too,' he says.
'The Sherwood offers a perfect blend of functionality and tranquility, making it an ideal retreat for those seeking a peaceful and relaxing place to live.'
lewys@mymts.net
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An elegant Prairie-forest-green feature wall behind the bed adds a sense of calm to the well-isolated primary bedroom.
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The spa-like ensuite comes with a gorgeous, tiled walk-in shower and deep soaker tub that's a perfect retreat at the end of a long day.
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I immediately felt chic when I put on this velvety, can't-go-wrong red; very French, very Emily in Day Surgery. The colour is luscious — not too pink, not too orange. Major points for weightlessness; I often forgot I was wearing it. Though not 'transfer-proof,' it definitely stayed put better than most of the lipsticks in my rotation (I often wear a bold lip). Unlike a lot of matte shades, this one isn't drying, though I recommend starting out with a moisturized and exfoliated lip — and don't mush your lips together too much before it sets. It doesn't need a lipliner. Wore really well through meals. Removal was easy, just a couple swipes of micellar water and every trace of it was gone. I'd give it a perfect score, but it's scented, which makes it feel grown-up and vintage, but also gives it a bit of a flavour. HHHH1/2 out of five lipsticks — Jen Zoratti AV KitchingReporter AV Kitching is an arts and life writer at the Free Press. She has been a journalist for more than two decades and has worked across three continents writing about people, travel, food, and fashion. Read more about AV. Every piece of reporting AV produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
