"PEOPLE LOVE the openness when they walk in – it feels like a much larger home than just 28 feet wide,” says John O’Conner, co-area manager for Greenboro, who shares the helm in the Estates of Westmere with Lee Ann Lenko.

A two-storey foyer provides plenty of room for meeting and greeting, whether ushering in friends and relatives from far-flung locations or more formal introductions for business meetings or soirees. And for those who work at home, an up-front flex space is ideally poised for a formal office just to the right of the entry.

The main floor was inked with entertaining in mind, from its V-shaped island sized to seat the whole crew around a raised eating bar, to a bright and roomy nook and generous great room, complete with a fireplace for cosying up to on cool winter evenings.

“The living room is great for a casual sitting room, and there’s also an upstairs bonus room that’s really inviting where you can watch TV or let the kids play,” says Lenko.

Stainless steel appliances are juxtaposed beautifully against maple cabinetry in the culinary hub, which includes a plethora of counter workspace and cupboards for stowing resident chefs’ tools of the trade. A dropped bulkhead mirrors the island, serving up a delicious focal point and some welcome task pot lighting overhead.

“The nice thing is just about everything is standard you see in the showhome – they’ve upped the specs to include quick a bit,” says Lenko, stainless appliances and 500 square feet of tile or hardwood, which just about covers what’s shown in the Calloway, are standard to the plan.

A staircase leading to the second level was upgraded at the top to iron and wood spindles, at a cost of less than $4,000, to open up the upstairs and reinforce the home’s stately appeal. The benefit of locating the staircase to the left of the main floor as opposed to a central point provides a virtual carte blanche for developing an open basement floorplan, adding even more living space to the 2,300-square-foot abode in the future.

Once upstairs, through an elegant barrel arch is a bonus room sure to be a favourite of every household member, big or small. While would-be residents can opt to add a fireplace, the room boasts ample warmth already, thanks to a wall of windows inviting in natural light. Kids will adore its location, as will parents, whose master suite is comfortably away from teens’ chatting about crushes or filling the room with video game or movie sounds.

Kids will enjoy space to claim in generous secondary quarters and a bathroom to share, while moms and dads net their own suite deal spanning the width of the upper level. Designed for duelling routines, the master bedroom is well sized for two and boasts a walk-in closet separate from the ensuite, which  includes a closed-off water closet, sumptuous tub and glassed-in shower, and built-in make-up desk.

While the showhome and all its furnishings are sold, the Calloway can be built in Westmere from $395,000 including lot and GST, and a triple-car garage. Lots in the lake neighbourhood, which average 46- to 50-foot widths, are currently priced from $68,000 to $175,400 – the latter being a 60-foot wide pie-shaped parcel with lake access via a gate on the property.

“The great thing about this home is it’s relatively narrow, so you can put a triple-car garage on it, which is great for people who have boats or recreational vehicles,” says O’Conner.

Calgarians are flocking to the area in droves for the larger lot sizes, small-town appeal of Chestermere, newly-opened schools and – of course – the lake.