Did any of you grow up looking at model homes on the weekend? I did. I thought that was a normal family fun weekend activity, but I now realize that's not so normal haha.
I've had strong opinions on floor plans, layouts, and design choices since before I could remember.
One year for Christmas, my parents bought me a "Floor Plan 3D Design Suite" program because I was always sketching out different floor plans on paper and in my mind. I had to have been at least 10 years old! I did a quick Google search and was able to find that same exact program on eBay for $49.99; this is it:
This brought back some memories! How 90's is this?! Haha! I think my parents saw my career trajectory 20 years before I finally did haha!
This past year Mattamy Homes rolled out some new builds just on the other side of the freeway from where we live. I try to keep close tabs on all the new builds within a 30-45 min drive from me for fun and work purposes.
Upon viewing these model homes, I was stopped in my tracks. Two floor plans have been crowned my all-time favorites!
First, The Martina:
There's so much about this house, but I'll keep it to my top 4 favorite things.
I ABSOLUTELY love the L-shaped living space. I also am a big fan of having one room off of the main living space as a flex room. The model home is staged with 4 chairs and a coffee table. I love that! A great space to recluse to without being disconnected from the main hustle and bustle. This is also a great space for an office, additional dining if necessary, or a piano/library area. It can sometimes feel claustrophobic when there is only one large open area to be in and nowhere else to run off to besides a bedroom. I know it's not possible to add corner bi-fold doors through the builder, but in an ideal world, I would add them on the corner where the dining room, living room, and kitchen meet. These doors are incredible for entertaining and indoor-outdoor living (which we do a lot of in Arizona). If you don't know what these doors are, here's an idea:
My second favorite thing is the "retreat." The model home staged this as the TV/Game Room, which is exactly how our family would utilize this space. In an ideal world, we wouldn't have a TV in our main living area but would have a separate movie room that would also double as a play/game room. I love that this space is more private, and away from the main living space so it feels like a true treat when the family can step away from normal activities and chores to enjoy a movie, games, or simply play together. I also love that if the playroom gets a little out of order, it's hidden from plain sight ;)
Lastly, I love that it's a single story and the owner's suite is on the opposite side of the house. My first preference is that my owner's suite is within earshot of my kids' room but still somewhat separate - this floor plan checks all those boxes. One strange thing I'm noticing as I'm writing this post is that I'm pretty sure in the model homes the entry to the owner's suite was more of a hallway rather than a door straight off of the living room (as the online floor plan shows). Maybe I'm remembering it wrong... It looks like I've got an excuse to go look at them again haha! A short hallway connecting the living space to the owner's suite is much more ideal! A little extra privacy for that room is a must if you know what I mean ;)
I love the courtyard! Socially, it's a fun "purgatory" as guests are coming and going. There isn't a harsh start and stop to you "welcome" or "goodbye." If you're anything like me, you say goodbye to your guests 2-3 times before they actually leave! This courtyard creates a fun space for you to walk your guests out and extend the visit a little longer. It's also a beautiful space for a morning drink, reading a book, and getting some fresh air (which we all love to do in AZ with the incredible weather!)
The Sunstone:
Wowza. This floor plan is incredible and offers sooooo much space! I have lots of things that I admire about this home and a handful of small nit-picks I have to share:
I think the floor plan has so much more to offer when it has the casita addition. I LOVE it when a home has a casita or a mother-in-law's quarters. It makes the homes multi-generational, which we are seeing more of. It also makes for an incredible hosting experience! I would love for people to feel like they can visit and stay comfortably at my home. What a dream.
My ONLY complaint about this home is that the living room is a little small for how large this house is. It doesn't feel proportionate. Even the single-story Marina has a larger living space by 1-2 ft on either side, and the Marina has less overall sqft. It's not a deal breaker for me, it just makes the walking space around the living room a little cramped and as an interior designer, I would think the architects would have designed that differently.
I love the den! Today, almost every family has one parent who works from home, so these "off-the-living space" dens are becoming more of a necessity.
I love that the laundry room is connected to the owner's suite but far enough away that you, hopefully, don't hear the machines going.
It must be acknowledged that the owner's suite closet is absolutely massive. I personally, would not need all that space and would prefer a 3rd of it to be allotted for garage storage. But, that's just me.
Once again, I love the L-shaped living space. No complaints there! Oh wait.. maybe I do have one...
I would prefer to see a butler's pantry between the kitchen and the formal dining room. That would make the formal dining space feel more connected, it'll likely get used more with a pass-through from the kitchen, and I think that's simply more functional and fluid. From the entry point, it would make the dining room feel less trapped/dead-end. Currently, it feels as though the dining room is staring at you as you walk by... It's slightly awkward. Adding a butler's pantry, however, could be an extremely easy fix.
Moving on to the second floor:
So many things to love, and I have no complaints or recommended edits to this upstairs! Haha.
First, I LOVE a good upstairs loft! This would be our TV/game room. I love that you'd be able to hear what your kids are doing or watching from the downstairs living space while also giving them some independent play by themselves or with friends. Like the Marina, I love that it's removed from the main living space! This loft is also big enough to have a homework area as well as a large sectional for a comfortable TV space.
These bedrooms are all a great size! 14-15 ft is a generous size.
I love that each bedroom has its own bathroom. The Jack and Jill bathroom on the left is a little mase-like however, it's a great way to give the children their own spaces to get ready - which I love! I also think it's great that the far-right bathroom is the designated bathroom from the loft with the perfect amount of distance to provide some privacy.
Love the massive storage closet. Storage is a must! However, considering the extra space in the garage (and owner's suite closet), this could also double as a reading nook or even bunk beds for cousins.
A little more about these homes
There are 9 different floor plans available ranging from:
Smallest: 2 Beds | 2 Baths | 1,695 Sq. Ft. | 3 Car Garage
Largest: 4 Beds | 3.2 Baths | 4,076 Sq. Ft. | 3 Car Garage
One of my favorite standard 3 bed 2 bath homes is the "Everly" with 2,000 sqft, an additional office/den, and a 2 Car Garage. The floorplan is open and the living space is wide.
There are 17 Quick Move-In's. These are homes that are already built and are move-in ready! Yes, the materials are already picked for you, however, you don't have to wait months and months for the home to be built.
Let me know...
...if you'd like to view these homes or if you have any questions about them! Please remember to ALWAYS have a realtor represent you when purchasing a newly built home - it's at no cost to you and is worth its weight in gold to have someone in your corner. If you are confused as to why I'm so passionate about this, HERE is a link to a recent blog post explaining 3 reasons why it's crucial!
Sincerely,
Jessica Doberneck of
