From a three-bedroom with 1,789 square feet to one with double the space and five bedrooms (plus a main-floor in-law suite), Minto Communities is showcasing the range of single-family model homes available in Barrhaven.
“These floor plans are what’s resonating in the market today,” says Karen van der Velden, Minto’s manager of product development, who has overseen the builder’s homes for close to a decade. “We’ve given a wide spectrum from the entry family home to the top dog.”
The five single-family homes, which opened last year, join four townhomes that were opened in February 2020, creating an impressive row of model homes to visit for inspiration and to help with buying decisions.
The single-family floor plans chosen are meant to add to the mix of models Minto has across the city and include two that have never been built as models before — the Clairmont and the Quinton with guest suite.
They also show a range of options available at Minto’s Barrhaven projects — Quinn’s Pointe and Harmony. Although Harmony is close to selling out, Quinn’s Pointe still has plenty of homes on offer. Minto is currently selling phase 4 of Quinn’s Pointe, which includes more than 300 homes to add to the 1,000-plus already built in the first three phases. There are also more phases expected.
For designer Donna Correy, whose KISS Design Group team was tasked with completing the interiors of the models amid the challenges of the pandemic, it became an exercise in flexibility that prompted her to work with what she could find and get delivered in time, much as the average homeowner had to. As such, the homes “reflect the most creative final result and we hope something that homeowners can relate to and emulate,” she says.
She also designed spaces being mindful of families struggling with the second year of COVID — “more areas for work at home, more areas as relaxing getaway spaces, learning for kids and spaces for extended family.”
Extra creative attention was paid to kitchen millwork in both design and colours “as this had to now be a major hub of the home, more so than ever.” She tended toward colours that were not only on trend but sent the message that “things are brightening up; life will be normal again, cheery, and your home can be fun.”
And furniture was chosen to embellish the themes of rest, relaxation, positive feelings and living in a home with more intended purposes than in the past.
Here’s a look at the five singles:
Kinghurst
Among the smallest of Minto’s singles, the Kinghurst is aimed at a buyer looking to move up from a townhome to a single. It’s on a 30-foot lot, has three bedrooms, a single-car garage and 1,789 square feet.
“The Kinghurst is one of our best sellers for the 30-foot product,” says van der Velden.
Designed with an eclectic, boho/contemporary flair, the home leans toward mid-century modern with earthy tones and textures and touches of teal.
It has an open-concept main floor, with kitchen, dining room, great room and den all defined yet linked. The kitchen features an optional layout that eliminates the walk-in corner pantry that comes standard in the home in favour of wrapping the fridge in floor-to-ceiling pantry cabinetry. The kitchen is also done in a fresh mix of teal and wood flat-panelled cabinets.
The Kinghurst also comes as a four-bedroom plan, although the model has been built to show the three-bedroom layout, with the primary suite stretched across the back of the home and the secondary bedrooms across the front.
One of the secondary bedrooms is decorated as an office, while the other boasts a walk-in closet. And in the primary bedroom ensuite, the included tub has been replaced with an oversized walk-in shower, something buyers prefer, says van der Velden. “This will fit that bill quite nicely.”
There is an option to finish the basement in the Kinghurst with a family room and three-piece bathroom, but this has not been done in the model.
MORE: Take a 3D virtual tour of the Kinghurst
Clairmont
The Clairmont is a move-up single aimed at families, with 2,171 square feet on a 36-foot lot. Brought into Minto’s lineup in 2017, “people really love this one,” says van der Velden. “They were anxious to see this one built; it has all your needs on the main floor.”
Available as either a three- or four-bedroom home, the model shows the three-bedroom option with a large second-floor loft, which has been decorated to include a study space, games table and area to relax.
“I love the bonus room and the main-floor flow,” says Correy.
The home features hints of an industrial esthetic, with mostly muted tones in grey, taupe and blue for a calming, airy feel. Yet there are also pops of plum to add some fun.
For growing families who need room to spread out but also like to entertain, the separated formal dining room and the upstairs loft add welcome spaces to gather or escape. In the model, the wall between the great room and dining room has been removed to show a more open-concept layout.
The kitchen is shown with the optional layout, which extends the island and the wall cabinetry into the breakfast nook for more counter space and storage. Done in a mix of grey Shaker and wood-tone flat-panelled cabinets featuring glass door accents and open shelving, the kitchen offers a high-end feel.
The model also includes the optional finished basement family room and full bathroom.
“This is a really nice floor plan,” says van der Velden.
MORE: Take a 3D virtual tour of the Clairmont
Quinton with guest suite
If you need a lot of home, this is the one for you. Aimed at multigenerational families, this home has five bedrooms on the second floor, a main-floor suite, living room, dining room, den, family room and 4.5 bathrooms — all included in the 3,418 square feet. Plus, there’s the option to include a seventh bedroom in the basement along with a fifth full bathroom and a rec room.
“This has everything you’re looking for,” says van der Velden.
As Minto’s largest floor plan (not including homes available at the builder’s upscale Mahogany development in Manotick), Minto has chosen this floor plan as the starting point for this year’s dream home for the CHEO Dream of a Lifetime lottery.
“It hit the market so well when we released it that it just felt right” to make it a lottery home, says van der Velden. The Quinton was introduced in mid-2020, as the pandemic was in full swing and the importance of a flexible home became apparent.
The den is off the foyer, along with the powder room, to make working from home convenient and unobtrusive for office visitors. A full guest suite with reading alcove and three-piece bathroom is tucked behind the stairs for privacy yet easy access for family members who prefer one-level living. A large, combined living room and dining room allows for formal entertaining, while the open-concept kitchen/breakfast area and great room offer plenty of room for family living.
Upstairs, the primary suite gets a double-door treatment and extends the width of the rear of the home, while two of the secondary bedrooms share a Jack-and-Jill bathroom and the other two bedrooms share the main bathroom.
The basement, meanwhile, has been finished to show the optional seventh bedroom (decorated here as a yoga studio), full bathroom and family room.
Inspired by the modern farmhouse design, the home embraces a rustic decor with warm, earthy colours, neutral black finishes and hits of orange.
“It’s a home where multiple generations can live, work and entertain,” says Correy.
MORE: Take a 3D virtual tour of the Quinton with guest suite
Killarney
“This is our most sexy house,” laughs van der Velden. In effect a two-and-a-half-storey home, the key feature is the mid-level family room, which is situated halfway between the first and second floors with a ceiling that soars over 13 feet. It’s visible from both the second-floor hallway and the main-floor entrance.
“This gives you extra living (space) without being in the basement,” she says.
It’s a difficult floor plan to visualize on paper, so having a model of it is helpful. The home comes with three or four bedrooms (the model is three) and up to 2,461 square feet on a 36-foot lot. And the elevation chosen includes a balcony off the family room.
The home is aimed at growing families who like to entertain. As such, the model includes the optional kitchen layout, extending the island and cabinetry, the optional finished basement for even more family space and a second fireplace (with floor-to-ceiling surround) in the family room.
Standard features, meanwhile, include a study space nook on the main floor, separate dining room that’s still connected to the rest of the main floor and three large bedrooms. A bonus is the extra high ceiling in the basement, allowing for large windows and bright light to make the space feel like it’s on the main floor.
The decor has a West Coast vibe and shades of gold, charcoal, and cream. “This is easy, laid-back but elegant living,” says Correy.
MORE: Take a 3D virtual tour of the Killarney
Stanley
The Stanley is the second largest home in Minto’s 36-foot offering, coming in at 2,474 square feet with four bedrooms, a main-floor den, a curved staircase for a bit of drama and a separate dining room.
“This is a great home,” says van der Velden. “It shows really good value of what you can get in the 36-foot lot.”
Unlike the other four models, the Stanley includes a mudroom for a handy drop zone and the den is shown with French doors to allow you to shut out the rest of the house if you need a quiet workspace.
The main floor is open concept while still defining spaces and it’s decorated in soft neutrals that are peppered with geometric patterns, hinting at a retro influence.
“It’s a throwback to colours and design details of 1950s Palm Springs,” says Correy. “This home was fun and provides an easy livable elegance, on trend with all the mid-century vibes that are popular.”
Minto has chosen to finish the basement to show the optional rec room and bathroom and opted for the alternate kitchen layout, which extends the island and adds a floor-to-ceiling pantry.
MORE: Take a 3D virtual tour of the Stanley
Touring these single-family model homes
The models are located on Strandherd Drive in Barrhaven. The sales centre and models are open at various times seven days a week. Check our Quinn’s Pointe and Harmony development profiles for more information on these communities.
