Feb. 07, 2017 | Andrea Cox

Come sit a spell

Front verandas bring the elegance of the southern lifestyle to Calgary

Hughues Lefebvre and Rachel Malone enjoy the easy grace and relaxed living that southern architecture inspires.

Rachel grew up in Alabama, sipping lemonade in a rocking chair on the veranda of her family's southern home.

"That's my thing and it's hard to find here in Calgary," said Malone.

So when their daughter Melody was born 17 months ago and the couple began scouting for a larger, forever home to raise their family, architectural design was top of mind.

The couple fell in love with Trico Homes' Greenwood model, a four-bedroom, two-storey, 2,400 square-foot home with a front veranda. The home is part of Trico's Garden series in the northeast neighbourhood of Redstone, aptly named because the homes are designed to front onto landscaped green spaces.

CREB®Now chatted with Rachel Malone to get a few more details about the family's purchase.

CREB®Now: Why did you choose the Greenwood model?

Malone: One of the things that really draws me to a home is the facade – the look of the home. Most of the homes in the suburbs are designed so that you are looking at a garage at the front of the house. I don't like that – I like having a nice front porch and a nice place to sit.

We looked in a lot of areas in the north. It was hard to find that kind of design in our price range, so when we found these, we were thrilled.

There is still an attached garage, but when you walk out the front door you have this nice big front porch, big windows and lovely entry. We chose the home because of the floor plan, the layout with the courtyard and the park in front. It is just so unique.

"One of the things that really draws me to a home is the facade – the look of the home."

CREB®Now: Now that you are all settled in, how does your new home fit your lifestyle?

Malone: It's so great not to worry about streets. We can just open the door and run out into the park. Having a really big front porch to just sit there is really amazing and we have a back deck as well, so it gives a nice flow through.

The design works well for us. The fourth bedroom on the main floor turned out to be a really good option. We are using it as an office. It really adds value to our home, plus our parents are aging so it is nice to have that extra bedroom on the main floor without having the stairs for when they visit. And the kitchen is my favourite room; it's definitely the heart of our home.

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