Hound Quarters – Cont’d from page 99
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.
“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.”
‘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.”
100 Parade of Homes Spring 2015
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