Beautiful houses come from great designs that get are crafted in various ways. Sometimes it is one person who is solely responsible for the birth of a floor plan, and other times it is a com­bined effort. Either way, the design is paramount in creating the perfect home, and when a buyer is given a chance to be involved in choosing some of the details, it’s a plus. Sam Ahn, drafting manager for Cedarglen Homes, knows all about customizing designs to please homebuyers.

Sam discovered his interest in home design while still in high school, where he took the drafting program. “After high school I attended SAIT and I graduated from the Architectural Technologies program around 1991,” says Sam. “I started working in the industry as soon as I graduated.” He started out with a small home builder, as one of the first to start in its drafting department, and moved later to Cedarglen Homes. “I’ve been with Cedarglen for coming up on 15 years,” says Sam. “They’re a great company to work for and the grass isn’t greener anywhere else.” Sam became drafting manager about six years ago. One of the floor plans Sam and his team like working with is the Cabriolet II, one of the most popular models in the Carma community of McKenzie Towne, which was inked in 1995.

The Cabriolet II offers a total of 1,916 square-feet and it is as versatile as it is attractive. "While personally design the original, we customize it for homeowners,” says Sam. “This is easily our most popular plan in Prestwick, due to the ease in which it can be individually customized for owners’ personal tastes.” Cedarglen’s niche in the housing market has been carved out of allowing customers to make changes to their home designs. “You won’t find too many of our homes that are identical,” says Sam. “With the Cabriolet II, there are three different archi­tectural styles to choose from when it comes to the exterior, and many options are available when it comes to customizing the interior.” The Cabriolet II is a design that doesn’t take away from the home’s front elevation with a garage; instead it incorporates a full-length porch, offer­ing great curbside appeal. In keeping with Prestwick’s architectural guidelines, houses in this area share a neo-traditional appearance reminiscent of a time when neighbours were friendly with each other, and you were greeted on the streets with smiling, familiar faces.

Of course, with this plan also comes the option of a rear parking pad, detached gar­age in the back laneway, or a rare rear-attached garage. Currently Cedarglen Homes has a pro­mo­tion in which a rear two-car detached garage is included.

Of course design options don’t stop at the door. As you enter the front foyer, you are greeted with a room on either side. One side offers a den with an attractive archway, the other a formal dining area with double French glass-inset doors—a very flexible room that could also serve as the front parlour, a music room or feature area with a grand piano, or pretty much whatever the owner can envision, Sam says. As you move further into the interior, you will find an open-concept area boasting a spacious kitchen, nook and great room, and the U-shaped staircase to the upper level. Large sunny windows abound throughout much of the home, and the bright landing of the stairway is no exception. One of the more appealing features of the home is the layout of the upper level. With a very large upper foyer offering access to all the rooms, the circular design is quite spacious and ultra-functional. There are no long hallways or corridors, and the bonus is the upper-floor laundry room.

But the piece de resistance of the upper level has to be the large master bedroom, complete with its unique layout that sees a luxurious ensuite granting access to the walk-in closet, and a separate water closet with shower designed for optimum privacy.  NL