“Come/Home.” – George MacDonald
This, the shortest poem in the New Oxford Book of Victorian Words, says a whole lot, don’t you agree? Come: visit, arrive, enter, approach. Home: Abode, dwelling, realm, source, cradle, stomping ground, love, wanting.
Cavanaugh Front
Cavanaugh, a dreamy Mediterranean home from Frank Snodgrass at Living Concepts Home Plans, is home. While it is a larger plan at almost 5500 sq. feet, it’s 5 bedrooms and 4.5 baths in a 2 story (and lower basement level), is still welcoming, a place to arrive, an abode, a place to cradle friends and family, make memories and enjoy daily living. Mediterranean homes can be formal but comfortable, light and airy, and inside spaces that blend seamlessly into outdoor spaces. Symmetry is common here. This home style has large, open windows that will enhance your view and create spaces where living and nature are harmonious.
The impressive curb appeal has both a covered front porch and an upper covered ‘watching’ porch. With many windows, and large ones at that, the outside will come in giving your home an open and bright feeling.
Cavanaugh – Welcome
Beautiful double doors at the front of your home warmly ask you to come in. A small foyer leads to a long gallery (hall) that will get you through the rest of the main level. Two large open walls with columns frame your dining room to the right. While the dining room isn’t overly large, it will fit a table for a great meal, any day of the week, for any occasion. Perhaps a round one with seating for 6-8 and great artwork on the wall is what you have in mind.
Master Suite
Head down the gallery hall to the left and your master suite encompasses the whole left side of the house. This is a private, protected, great space to make your own oasis and retreat. First, a set of double doors opens to a small foyer-like space. To the left of that, another set of double doors open into your spa bathroom. This space is perfect. How you ask? Well, there are two sinks – in separate vanities. NO elbow bumping, no mirror sharing, no toothpaste clumps in the sink, unless you leave them there. Also, the large soaking tub is separate from the large glass shower. The toilet has its own door for privacy. See? This is a perfect space.
Walk from the bathroom to the bedroom area. Once is this long (almost 20 feet) room, a walk-in closet is to your left. The bedroom has a bay wall and a lot of windows. This room will surely bring in all the weather views – from bright sunshine to rain showers and maybe even snow. It is a wonderful place to watch Mother Nature’s skills. Put a king-sized bed on the long wall and you get views out every window.
The bonus to this, already great room, is the door that leads out to the upper, open terrace.
Deck – Living Room
Centering this house is the living room. It is large and happy to entertain all your friends and family. This space also opens to your large outdoor, uncovered terrace. Ok, let’s talk about the terrace and just address this space right now….it is beautiful. Yes, there is plenty of space for an outdoor kitchen, a dining table, and pots for flowers and herbs. This is also a lovely spot for chaise lounge chairs for reading, napping, watching the view (especially if this is a build on a golf course or waterfront location), AND dining, on a smaller table.
The living room can be as formal or relaxed as you wish. Put a grand piano in here or make this a cozy living room with soft couches, a television or a well-hidden drop down screen for larger-than-life movie nights. With proximity to the kitchen and snacks, this room would make an ideal, fun, surprising movie/sports watching area.
Kitchen – Eating – Gathering Room
Between the living room and this area, are stairs that go up to the second floor and down to the exposed lower level. Enter the kitchen area and the eating area, ideal with a round table and angled banquette seating, is another door out to the upper terrace. This eating area opens right into the gathering room, with the best straight shot view of the fireplace. Chili and cornbread anyone?
Love to cook? Bake? Cater in and entertain? THIS is your kitchen. This kitchen has a wonderful abundance of counter and cabinet space. There is also a pantry for items, like cleaning, large pots/pans, containers of ‘staples’ like beans, rice, flour, sugar, chocolate…
An island is ideal for food prepping or sitting around. Have you seen the ‘waterfall’ style countertop/side of island covering? Gorgeous.
Down and Out
From the kitchen, a hallway/path leaves to a powder room and a large, very functional, versatile space and laundry room. This space is your ‘dumping’ ground to be kept in neat order for the beginning and end of each day. With 2 closet spaces, bench seating, under the bench storage or counter space and under storage, you can bring in groceries, have kids’ shoes/backpacks/sports equipment stay here and not ‘mess’ with the rest of the house. Now, here is also your door out to the three-car garage.
Up and At It
Let’s go upstairs, so back to the living room space we go. Now, head upstairs. At the top stoop, a step down to the left takes you to a full bath and two bedroom suites. While both suites have their own walk-in closets, only one has pocket door access to the full bath. Hidden in the back of one of the walk-in closets, is a door that swings open into a very large attic storage space (which is above the garage).
There is a balcony that overlooks the living room and foyer. Down this way of the 2nd story, is another bedroom suite with a walk-in closet and personal full bath.
This home is ideal for a growing family, a family with college kids, a family with a lot of extended family. Can it get any better? Yes. Let’s go down, down the stairs.
Lower-Level Perfection
WAY down, in the lower level, you will find everything else you want, but don’t have on the main and second story of this house. A very large rec room and lounge area open to you as you come down the stairs. With a fireplace and so much space, where your favorite spot in the house is….will be a challenge to define. Yes, there is a ‘bar’ area down here. Into craft beers? Hello. Want a wall of chilled wine with spouts? Hello. That’s doable here too.
To the left of the stairs is a huge game room – so yes, but the tabletop Pacman, a few pinball machines, an air hockey game, and YOURS is the go-to place in the neighborhood. At the ‘front’ of the lower level is a very large mechanical/storage area. If you have a pool here, this is the space to store chemicals and pool toys. A hallway takes you to a full bath and another large guest suite. The backside of this home is wide-open window views. Every floor of this house has wide open, large, full widows for beautiful outdoor views. Enjoy them all.
Again, “Come/Home’ – it’s that simple. This home brings you everything. Cavanaugh is your family answer. The sun shines warm and bright in the Mediterranean, it will be warm and welcoming here too.
“Welcome Home”