Thoughtful design, charming style and luxurious amenities meet the needs of a growing population.
Property Profiles
Patent-Worthy Design
Attached cottages for empty nesters offer the feeling of a single-family home at The Cottages at Woodridge.
BY
Megan Felling
PHOTOGRAPHY
courtesy of The Cottages of Woodridge

With all the seemingly endless choices in the  marketplace today for a maintenance-provided community, The Cottages at Woodridge has managed to do something unique: come up with a design to distinguish itself from the competition. The building design even has a patent.

Why? Developer Reveda Homes created a neighborhood within a neighborhood. Five distinctive homes are contained in each building, four of which are interchangeable within the five-plex, each fitting together like building blocks. According to Richard Eisner, Reveda president, “the archtype can be broken down into a four-plex, duplex or even has the potential to be a freestanding single-family home, which allows us to maximize the site to a total of 49 homes and gives us the flexibility to respond to the needs of the market.”

Reveda has gone to one of the best-known local residential architects to design the actual elevations and floor plans: Wolfgang Trost. With each home facing in toward a courtyard, Richard has recreated the sense of an English village by incorporating stucco and stone exteriors and cobblestone-like driveways; a gazebo and statuary define a place to sit and visit with neighbors. Pitched roofs with ridge vents, which are actually 40-year composition shingles, have a slate look, adding Old World character.

“The revolutionary nature of this product is that within each building, each home has three full exterior walls and three directional light sources. This allows us to create a home with the look and feel of a single-family home,” Richard notes.

Because many people considering multifamily living are concerned with privacy and noise, Wolfgang crafted floor plans that never connect living space to living space between neighbors.

“Another thing that’s distinctive is that when you come into one of our homes, your eye travels out into the home. The floor plan is very open and contains a lot of natural light. From just about any point, you can pan around and see windows. We try to vault almost every room, providing cubic dimension and as much light as possible,” Richard adds.

Cottages available include two or three bedrooms plus a sunroom or den. The single-story plans range from 1,560 square feet to more than 2,200 square feet. Eat-in kitchen nooks, as well as formal dining areas, are incorporated into the functional layouts, and gas log fireplaces create a focal point in the great room. The living space is extended outdoors through the sunroom onto a private patio, continuing the open feeling. Cathedral ceilings, arched windows and doorways, plus the frequent use of French doors add charm.

Granite countertops are standard in kitchens and baths, 42-inch-tall maple cabinets provide extra storage space, and all appliances come with the home, including the refrigerator. Bathrooms feature ceramic tile flooring, large tiled showers and private water closets. Base prices for the all-electric homes begin at $234,900 and go up to $299,900 for the largest plan.

Upgrades are available to customize each home to the buyer’s personal style. For example, a pantry closet can be upgraded to a desk area, and laundry sinks may be added.

“In master baths, you can choose from a bath, whirlpool, closet or vanity. If someone wants a bath, they certainly can have it, but it is surprising how many people prefer not to have a tub since one is included in the guest bath,” Richard says.

Storage is abundant in these space-efficient homes. A 15-foot wall of floor-to-ceiling pantry cabinets connects the kitchen with the laundry area in many of the plans. Linen closets are provided in addition to large walk-in closets. Two-car garages are finished with a pull-down stairway to an additional 80 square feet of attic storage. 

“With more and more potential buyers being empty nesters, we have employed universal design principles such as extra-wide doorways and lever door handles, and going from the garage into the home, you don’t have to navigate steps,” Richard notes. “These small details make the home attractive to a variety of buyers.”

The Cottages at Woodridge are conveniently located just northeast of 135th Street and Antioch in Johnson County. The homes association includes lawn maintenance and snow removal, water, exterior maintenance, trash removal, fire and hazard insurance, and property management services. Monthly fees range from $185 to $225, depending on home size.
   
913.244.2778
www.revedahomes.com