Rachelle Norris, marketing manager for Heartland/Hawthorne Homes, says that as a more affordable builder, they were surprised to win in a category where they were competing with bigger and more expensive show homes.

“I was very surprised that the plan beat out the bigger homes,” she says. “I think that (what made the home an award-winner) would be the open layout and the unique interior design; the whole theme of the house was nice and cohesive and played through in a lot of the different elements.”

As soon as you walk through the door of the Addison, the beach theme is evident – from the unique rock floors, to the mellow shades of the walls, right through to the ornaments that have been hand-picked for the home. An archway between the great room and kitchen, and the curve of the eating bar both bring to mind dunes or waves. The colours on the walls, cabinets and counters are warm and suggest sand and driftwood.

The main floor is a wide-open living space, with the great room and dining room sharing a three-sided fireplace. The kitchen boasts a corner pantry for convenient storage. There is also an entrance to the unfinished basement, a small back entranceway leading to the deck and backyard, and a guest bathroom.

Stairs carpeted in creamy beige Berber lead up from the front entrance, with feature shelves at the bottom and top showing off treasures from beach trips past. Upstairs, two bedrooms and the main bathroom are situated along the hallway toward the back of the home, with the show-stopping master suite at the front.

In the master suite, a unique pebbled feature wall catches the eye, and the Berber carpet gives way to river rocks in the ensuite, where the feeling of tranquility creates a small but soothing getaway. A spacious, bright and open walk-in closet rounds out the master suite.

The beach theme fits perfectly in the lake community of Auburn Bay, which has been marketed as a “cottage country” community, with its 43-acre lake and 13-acre private beach and recreation area. There is also Auburn House, a 7,000- square-foot clubhouse featuring meeting rooms and multi-purpose rooms.

Auburn Bay is minutes from McKenzie Towne’s High Street, with all the amenities a person could need, and directly north of Seton, the future site of Calgary’s newest hospital.

The Addison starts in the mid-$300,000s. The Heartland show home parade is located at the end of Auburn Bay Green in Auburn Bay. NL

Take the Seton Blvd. exit from southbound Deerfoot to Auburn Bay and follow the signs. Show home hours are 2 to 8 p.m., Monday to Thursday and noon to 5 p.m. Fridays, weekends and holidays. Visit http://www.heartland-homes.com for more information.