VIEW ALL FALL 2017 ARTICLES

Oasis at Home

After working full-time in a demanding, yet rewarding field for thirty-five plus years, it is a good feeling when you know that your hard work has paid off when you are able to retire in style.

Heather and Kelvin, formerly of Winnipeg, have done just that. They bought property in rural Manitoba, retired, left their fast-paced life in the city to spend their golden years in a beautiful, brand new home overlooking a scenic valley. They call it their oasis.

Their 2700 square foot home (on the main level), with an additional four season sunroom is situated south of Rivers, in the Riverdale Municipality. The new homeowners worked with Westman Premier Homes to literally build the home of their dreams.

With a walk-out bungalow floor plan, the homeowners took full advantage of their gorgeous south facing view with an open concept living space and an abundance of massive windows to take full advantage of the scenery and local wildlife.

Scott Bromley, General Manager of the residential division for Westman Premier Homes said while this was a big project in terms of square footage, it was an absolute pleasure planning and executing the build with the homeowners.

“They were awesome to work with. They spent a lot of time planning and carefully thinking through exactly what they wanted in their retirement home. They were very organized and often exceeded the timelines that we had set at the beginning of the project,” said Scott.

While builders don’t often have the luxury of building a home over an extended period of time, for this project Westman Premier Homes had one year to complete the build and the homeowners moved in right on schedule this past June. They are slowly settling in, unpacking boxes and basking in the awe of their new home.

“Sometimes having the pressure is better, but being able to take your time, weigh decisions and carefully consider various options also pays off; as it did with this house because it is stunning,” said Scott.

The home has a main floor laundry room complete with a pooch wash station, an office, master bedroom, a four season sunroom that is adjacent to the hot tub deck, a family room, formal dining area and a kitchen that would make most professional chefs green with envy.

The maple cabinets have a cherry finish which are set off by the quartz countertops that are brown and grey with specks of silver that complement the small tile backsplash. The large island serves as the hub for baking and meal preparation with a built in cooktop.

The drawers and cabinets open from both sides, providing easy access to utensils, spices and everyday ingredients.

The kitchen also features a spacious, walk-in food pantry, an additional buffet area for entertaining, a casual eat-in space and a barbecuing deck. Nu Trend Kitchens worked with the homeowners to create a kitchen that is modern and functional, that ties in beautifully with the rest of the living space, and will stand the test of time.

Another highlight of the home is the master bedroom complete with a 225 square foot en suite with a luxurious walk-in closet/dressing room. The closet has custom shelving and cabinetry and a separate section for linens. The en suite has a walk-in shower with multiple, spa-like shower jets, heated ceramic flooring and a spacious make-up vanity all offset with crystal lighting that adds a touch of bling.

“It is like living in a resort. We worked hard in our careers with the railway and we were able to save and we’re so proud that we are able to be living this dream. It’s so relaxing and stress free. It’s good for the body and we feel blessed that we have such a space,” said Heather.

As you make your way down to the lower level of the home (2270 sq. ft) you soon discover that it is as spectacular and spacious as the main floor. The focus of the games room is a custom bar ideal for entertaining and socializing with an inviting and unique, curved counter and feature wall of stone.

There are also two bedrooms, a complete work out area, a den, craft/hobby room and utility room that houses the geothermal heating and cooling system, electrical panels, a security system, the hot water tanks, a central vacuum system and the air exchange unit.

The quality building materials for this home were supplied by South End Lumber in Brandon. The high end finishes through out the home stand out and bring everything together.

With an earth-tone colour palette highlighting shades of green, purple and taupe throughout the house, this new home has the feel of an ultimate retreat. An additional feature that the couple is especially enjoying is the music system that they installed throughout the entire home.

“We love music, so it doesn’t matter where you are in the home you are able to listen to whatever you want to at the level that you want. We love it,” said Heather.

The exterior of the home has low maintenance PVC decking, an attached two-car garage with in-floor heat, a stucco finish and complementary stonework done by Brooks Masonry & Acrylics Ltd.

The homeowners were nothing but pleased with the quality of workmanship and how positive the experience was in building their retirement abode.

“It sounds funny, but I feel like I’ve inherited a new family,” said Heather.

They are excited to put the finishing touches on the house and to invite family and friends to visit so they too can enjoy all that this fabulous home has to offer.

By Wanda Kurchaba

OTHER ARTICLES