The home’s most appealing space is definitely the kitchen, a huge room with features that will get any gour­met cook excited. The room boasts two stacked wall-mounted ovens, a dual-temperature wine fridge, gas range, a large island and a walk-in pantry that is spacious enough to park the Smartcar Homes By Us is raffling off in (more on that in a bit). With granite counters, dark hardwood floor and cabinets and stainless steel appliances, the room is stylish, modern and welcoming, perfect for family gatherings. The adjoining great room, with its stone fire­place and custom cabinets, flows seamlessly from the kitchen, and the towering windows offer a stunning view of the valley and mountains in the distance that, thanks to the area’s location at the top of a rise, will never be blocked.

“I just like the openness to it,” says Homes By Us sales associate Darlene Kuhn. “The open concept is great for entertaining larger groups of people.” She also points out that the granite counters, hardwood flooring and stainless steel appliances are actually standard features in all their homes, unlike many other builders, who consider these upgrades. It’s one of many touches of luxury that can be found in the home.

The upstairs features three bedrooms and a large laundry room. The master bedroom has a vaulted ceiling and custom shelving which frames the doorway, a unique idea that accentuates the shape of the room and provides space for books, pictures or other trinkets.

The ensuite holds a soaker tub and a substantial shower, separate vanities and a walk-in closet. The walkout base­ment contains a fourth bedroom and another full bath­room, a wet bar with a second fridge and dish­washer and a games/rec room with a pool table and a second fire­­place with a flat screen TV mount­ed above. One fun feature is the addition of three small­er flat screen TVs on the opposite wall, so sports fans can watch several games at once, making the room feel like a sports bar.

With downtown a quick drive up 17th Avenue, the Westhills shopping centre nearby and a new one currently being developed, plus plenty of park space and pathways to explore, the advantages of living in Aspen Woods are numerous. Kuhn also points out that the community is close to several prestigious private schools, an appealing factor for families whose children are already enrolled or are considering attending.

And then there’s the Smartcar. Homes By Us is hold­­ing a draw for the car from among its homebuyers, which means residents will have a one-in-17 chance of driving away with the fuel-efficient vehicle. Kuhn says it’s partly to draw attention to the builder’s membership in Built Green Alberta™, a pro­gram that encourages builders to use environ­mentally-friendly and energy-efficient construction methods and appliances.

With only a dozen or so homes left, the first phase of Aspen Woods is selling out quickly.

“We can get you in your home in five to seven months, the price is guaranteed and the standard package is awesome,” says Kuhn. Prices range from $800,000 up to $1.4 million for the showhome. NL

For show home hours or to find out how you can become Aspen Woods’ newest resi­dent, visit http://www.homesbyus.ca