The road leading up to Heritage Hills Drive is paved and though the trees are bare of leaves, it is easy to imagine how the whole development would look like. The Hillcrest, the show home of Assured Homes, is the first on the show home parade. Built along the Western Heritage Style, The Hillcrest has the appearance of an older western-style home with its verandah facing the boulevard. “You get an uninterrupted view of the mountains,” says Eva Machowski, new home sales consultant for Assured Developments Ltd.

Coming into the house, you get an unobstructed welcome from the open design of the main floor. From the foyer, you get a quick glimpse of the powder room, but it’s the three-sided fireplace that catches your attention.It’s a cheery welcome, yet it delineates the spaces between the great room, the nook and the kitchen. The maple colonial hardwood flooring in the main living areas helps create that lived-in feel. “People like the open, multi-function concept. You’re not compromising on the eating or seating spaces. So mom can cook and the kids can study,” says Machowski. The flex room right beside the kitchen also allows residents ways to further divvy up the spaces. “It calls to mind family living. It appeals to young families and baby boomers. You can turn it into a baby room, a formal dining room, even a home office.”

The clean lines of the Hillcrest extend to the well-appointed kitchen. The immense slab of granite provides lots of workspace for preparing meals, eating, studying or even entertaining. The five-piece stainless steel appliances are standard to the Hillcrest. The crown moulding, the maple cabinets, the Teflon-coated sink as well as the nine foot ceilings on the main floor all provide a handsome backdrop to this outstanding kitchen.

An open hallway leads to the mudroom, where there’s a walk in closet with lots of space to put up hats and coats without creating a mess. “It flows nicely all the way to the back and carries you right to the deck,” says Machowski. The deck out back opens to a wide berth before you get to the rear double garage.

Going upstairs, your eyes are drawn to three large windows along the stairwell. The warm wood tones of the balusters and the small niche draw kudos. Up the landing is a laundry area, easily accessible to members of the family. From the first bedroom you can capture a view of the foothills, while the full main bath and the other bedroom also gets lots of southern exposure.

The master bedroom is a private retreat, cosy and comfortable enough for a king-size bed. From the walk-in closet, to the extra large ensuite with its private water closet, a large walk in shower with a seating nook, to the soaker tub and the double sinks with its granite countertops, nothing was spared with the master’s retreat—with most of those featured included in the builder’s standard.

The beauty of the 1,896-square-foot Hillcrest is versatility of its main floor. And depending on which lot you pick, prices begin at around $475,000. “An Assured home’s upgrades start from the beginning. We call it non-compromising,” says Machowski.

For more information about the Hillcrest, visit their website at http://www.assuredhomes.com