Hound QuarTerS – Cont'd from page 99
"Another great feature: They put a huge
long window in the kitchen so when
you're at the sink or if you're doing things
you've got a beautiful view of the lake."
Brown says one of the great advantages
of custom-built homes is that they can
be specially designed to fit each buyer's
lifestyle. And busy homeowners are giv-
ing more thought to small conveniences
that make a big difference in their daily
lives. That includes everything from in-
stalling built-in garbage and recycling
centres in kitchens to adding mudrooms
with cubbies for children's gear. And
more homeowners are adding an extra
entrance to the lower level off the ga-
rage so there's no need to troop through
the house to store camping or sports
equipment.
Brown says he's never seen a family build
a home around pets in the past, but he
can see the advantages of including ex-
tra features such as a designated area for
cat litter boxes, or storage for large bags
of food and other pet gear.
Planning a custom home lets buyers
consider how their house will accom-
modate the needs of every family mem-
ber, and increasingly, pets are included
in that category.
"They add so much to your life they
become like my kids," Brown says of his
boxers. "I would incorporate some sort
of dog feeding system. I'd build in a
feeding station."
'Another great feature: They put a huge long window in the kitchen so when
you're at the sink or if you're doing things you've got a beautiful view of the lake'
A rustic, sliding barn door is a dramatic focal point that adds char-
acter and function, providing an air of intimacy in the dining and
family room when it's closed.
"We had to find it and get it totally custom built," Brown says.
100 Parade of Homes Spring 2015
