ARBUTUS ELEVATES THE BI-LEVEL
‘Ultra’ open concept plan features soaring ceilings, inviting kitchen
While Saskatonians have had a long love affair with the bi-level, this style of home isn’t as prevalent in other parts of the country. “Bilevels aren’t typical in B.C., for example,” says Jody Minakakis, sales manager with Arbutus Properties.
Arbutus has just unveiled a bilevel home designed specifically for the Saskatoon market: The Brady. The 1,475-square-foot, three-bedroom, two-bath modified bi-level is located at 295 Eaton Crescent, in the Arbutus masterplanned community of The Meadows, in Rosewood.
“This is the first-bi-level model that Arbutus has developed. We’re really happy with it,” says Minakakis. “It took us a couple of years to draw up the plans and get it just right.”
Arbutus set out to achieve several objectives in the design of its first bi-level home. Having an open concept floor plan was at the top of the list.
“We knew that people like open concept design. With The Brady, we went kind of ‘ultra’ open concept, starting with the main floor ceilings that are 10 feet, seven inches high,” says Minakakis.
In the foyer, the ceiling soars to 20 feet, accented by a striking chandelier.
The lofty great room extends the full length of the main floor, centred around an inviting gourmet kitchen with an eight-foot, sixinch extended island.
The crisp white Shaker-style cabinets are enhanced with crown moulding. Sleek quartz tops the island and counters. The Brady comes with a Frigidaire stainless steel appliance package.
On one side of the kitchen is a flexible dining space, easily able to accommodate a large family-size table.
“We added a bow window in the dining area to maximize the intake of light. Because the windows are at different angles, they bring in light at different times of the day. We also added a bench-style window seat,” says Minakakis.
On the other side of the kitchen is a large living room, culminating in an eight-foot wide, three-panel garden door. “It creates the look of a curtain wall along the back and lets in lots of light,” says Minakakis.
The Arbutus design team selected a pleasing West Coast contemporary decor theme for The Brady. “The finishes are from the Arbutus Classic Selection, including Torlys wide plank laminate, quartz countertops and ceramic tile floors in the bathrooms,” says Minakakis.
Two bedrooms are located on the main floor, on either side of a fourpiece bathroom.
The master suite occupies the bonus space over the garage, just a few steps up from the great room. At the top of the stairs is a convenient laundry closet.
The master bedroom is supersized for style and comfort. Staged with a king-sized bed, additional furniture pieces can be easily accommodated with lots of room to spare. Here again, Arbutus has made prolific use of windows.
In the large ensuite, a quartz-topped double vanity offers an abundance of cabinets and drawers. The walk-in closet will handle any size of wardrobe with ease.
“The other thing that’s unique about this plan is that we designed it to accommodate an optional two-bedroom basement suite. There’s a separate side entrance that would lead directly into the suite,” says Minakakis.
The Brady was designed to appeal to every demographic, he adds. “It could be a first-time homebuyer who is looking for a mortgage helper with a basement suite option. It could be a young family who wants to develop the basement to expand their own living space. We’ve also had interest from empty nesters who don’t need the extra space but would like to bring in a bit of extra income from a revenue suite in the basement.”
The Brady is priced at $449,900, including a double attached garage, paved front driveway and landscaped front yard.
“We are in the planning stages right now for two more Brady homes. If someone buys early enough, they can sit down with our designer and customize their decor. Or if they want a move-in ready house, we’re going to have a couple of these in inventory within the next couple of months,” says Minakakis.
Located at 295 Eaton Cres., The Brady is open for viewing this Saturday and Sunday, from 1 to 5 p.m. For details, visit www.meadowsliving.ca.