But attitudes in the community south of Calgary are beginning to change after Kelly and Paul Bellissimo of Homes by Bellia decided to build the Florence show home, which opened its doors to the public in January 2008 and has been a changing attitudes since.

The Bellissimos knew they were taking somewhat of a gamble in the town’s housing market when building a home like the Florence—but now the home has become a major hit and the talk of the town, raising the standard of housing in High River to a new level.

“High River is a beautiful and expanding town that deserves a home like this. It shows what we can do and what we have done for years,” says Kelly, who designed and built the home with her husband, Paul. “We went for it and we are very proud of what we did. I feel really good about this home and we are very confident in it. It makes us smile every time we step inside.”

The Homes by Bellia show home, set against the backdrop of the spectacular Rocky Mountains in High River’s newest neighbourhood of Montrose, is truly a masterpiece that should be viewed by all.

Guests who step inside the 2,362-square-foot home are instantly encompassed by an enormous sense of space in the front entrance, which boasts vaulted ceilings, a beautiful wood staircase accompanied by a huge window that allows for plenty of natural light—a common theme throughout the entire home, listed at $729,000 with furniture.

The plank hardwood floors lead guests into the gourmet kitchen, dining and living room, which features an elegant gas fireplace, nine-foot ceilings and plenty of space for entertaining, which is exactly what Kelly had in mind when designing the perfect kitchen.

Granite countertops offer all the counter space one could ever possibly need, showcasing the beautiful maple cabinets with crown molding, under-mounted stainless steel sink, full-height tiled backsplash, and stainless steel appliances, which include a double-door 23-foot cubic fridge, dishwasher with touch pad, space saver microwave and gas top range stove.

Perhaps one of the most unique features of the kitchen is the built-in swivel stools—mounted right onto the island so they can also be easily tucked away. There’s no doubt Kelly hit the nail right on the head when serving up the word “perfect” to describe this gourmet kitchen. “We really wanted a place for entertaining so we wanted to have as much counter space as possible,” says Kelly, who included large windows throughout so homeowners could enjoy the beautiful mountain views from the comforts of inside their home. “We wanted a clean look that’s classy and elegant and I think we achieved that.”

The Florence’s upstairs has no shortage of elegance and class. Another oversized window brings plenty of sunlight into a large bonus room, which is accompanied by two bedrooms and a master suite that hardly goes unnoticed.

Stepping into the master suite is like setting foot in a luxurious room at a five-star hotel. The ensuite is, no doubt, the ultimate place to relax at the end of the day with a roman jetted tub, granite counter tops, under-mounted porcelain sink, antique bronze faucets and two-sided gas fireplace perfect for curling up beside with a good book and unloading the stresses of the day.

Even though the show home is loaded to the max with all the bells and whistles, showing an 11 out of 10, Kelly says it’s the overall quality that truly is the shining star.

“I think homeowners deserve the best quality because it’s such a huge investment and we want to show what quality means,” says Kelly. “We put a lot of our hands-on work and craftsmanship in the qualities in there and it definitely gets noticed.”

After 15 years of experience in the construction industry, Paul and Kelly, high school sweethearts hailing from Toronto, decided to venture out on their own and created Homes by Bellia about five years ago. According to Kelly, Paul has a natural eye for design and is always striving for the best quality possible. Together, the pair truly make a winning combination as they continue to raise the bar when it comes to creating some of the finest homes in Calgary and the surrounding area.

The show home is located at 1404 Montgomery Way in High River’s Montrose, a community by Dundee Development Corp.