Homes have changed over the years — three-bedroom, one-bathroom bungalows may once have sufficed, but today, home buyers know what they want and are determined to get it.

So, the advent of the bonus room, the main floor flex room, the great room, the ensuite.

And with the Stonebridge, Excel Homes has raised the bar yet again, showcasing an abode that suggests perhaps homes aren’t quite finished their evolution into a new realm of livability.

“In this home, the two main floor living areas are nice, the great room and kitchen are wonderful, but the thing that really sets it apart is the fact that we’re showing a four-bedroom option, and two of the bedrooms have ensuites,” says area manager Cathey Tracey.

Indeed, this 2,134-sq.-ft. home considers the new family dynamic. Kids aren’t moving out as young, and so a college-aged student may require a washing up space of their own.

Parents are working outside the home, and rather than send kids to daycare, having grandma or a nanny move in to care for them may be just the ticket — and if she can have a cushy room of her own, complete with an attached three-piece bath and walk-in closet, all the better.

“It’s become one of our best selling homes,” Tracey says. “It’s perfect for people who have large families or live with members of their extended family.”

Homeowners needn’t sacrifice luxury of their own,

either. The master suite still boasts a sumptuous five-piece ensuite, complete with a dual vanity, soaker tub and separate shower. Here, the look is a contemporary one, with oversized grey tiles in a grid pattern adding visual interest to the floor and tub surround, while chocolate brown Shaker-style cabinetry is a perfect match to that found in the L-shaped kitchen downstairs.

“The kitchen has a great workspace, with a corner pantry, a large island and lots of cabinet space,” Tracey says, adding the decor is eye-catching as well. Mushroomhued walls are set off by forest green feature walls (which create a striking look in the home’s welcoming two-storey foyer), while glass mosaic tiles in a variety of sizes and hues make a focal point of the kitchen’s backsplash.

Granite countertops, a raised eating bar and charcoal stained hardwood flooring are as functional as they are attractive, and in the great room, a newly designed custom fireplace lends an air of sophistication — abundant tile detailing and a streamlined, wood-trimmed niche creates a natural spot around which to gather.

“Once people see it, they want it in their home,” Tracey says. “The maple detailing, the tiles and the shelves are great for entertainment systems or display, and it just makes the great room look that much better.”

It’s a home, she says, that’s been well thought out, from layout, to decor, to location.

Set in the final phase of Martindale, the Stonebridge, along with Excel’s other double-attached garage homes, can be built on lots only steps away from the new Genesis Centre, which will be home to a library, YMCA, school, leisure centre and green space.

“That’s one of the reasons people want to live here,” Tracey says. “But it also has to do with the house itself.

People see it and they love it.”
FAST FACTS BUILDER: Excel Homes AREA: Martindale PRICE: Laned homes from the $370,000s; garage homes from the $450,000s DIRECTIONS: Take McKnight Tr. east to 36 St. N.E. Follow north to 64 Ave. Turn right. Follow to Martindale Dr. N.E. and turn left. Follow to Martin Crossing Dr. and turn right. CONTACT: Call 403-567-9573 or visit http://excelhomes.net