Peter D. Bowden
Residential
Designer

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Location: Cape Cod, MA

Style of Home: Greek Colonial

Built: 2003

Living Space: Approximately 3,000 square feet

Highlight: A two-car garage located on the same level as the living areas of the house

Favorite Room: Kitchen with adjoining family room

Wife’s Hobbies: Cooking, gardening and the grandchildren

Husband’s Hobbies: Gardening, sports and the grandchildren

Building Tips: Take all the time you need in planning for your new home. Too many people rush the process and end up with regrets. Also, involve everyone who will be living in the house in the planning. Find out what their priorities are. Make it a family project.

Creature comfort… ease of mobility… attention to detail… All of this went into the design of our featured home – the “ideal house on the Cape” -- a retired couple had long dreamed of building. Although they had many ideas in mind, they needed to hone in on a specific plan. With the help of Home Plan Designs, a solid, workable set of blueprints was created with enough flexibility to accommodate a few changes before construction would begin.

The largest priority for these homeowners was being able to safely and comfortably navigate their way about the house. The husband, who uses a cane, wanted a two-car garage that would enable him to enter the house without the use of stairs. That was a bit of a challenge for Home Plan Designs, seeing that the house was going to be built on a hill. Nevertheless, by executing a plan that would have the garage actually built atop the hill and behind the house, Home Plan Designs was able to position it at the same level of the home’s living areas. The couple simply drives up the hill to reach it.

Another must-have was a pantry, which was created from a small room ideally located between the back entrance and the kitchen. “I don’t know how people live without a pantry,” the owners comment.

They also wanted utility and convenience for exercise and recreation. Their home has a small “suite” that includes a private kitchenette, along with other living amenities. And because this couple believes that quality rides on attention to detail, they carefully shopped around, took tours of new homes being built, and studied décor magazines until they found the exact kitchen cabinets they wanted. Additionally, they hired an artist to design their kitchen tiles and used the specialized services of an electrician to install an in-home intercom and music system, along with, of course, a home security alarm.

Because the owners took the time to fully consider their needs and preferences in the design and planning of their new home, they feel they got a happy ending.

The husband says it best: “My wife and I now live in the beautiful, finished Cape Cod home of our dreams.”