Formal meets informal in Manchester

Gables on all four sides give a high-spirited look to the Manchester, a large two-story home with formal rooms up front and informal gathering spaces at the rear. Keystones and decorative stonework add to its visual appeal. Families who enjoy entertaining will appreciate the spaciousness of this plan.

Stepping into the house, you find yourself in a vaulted entry. Dining room and kitchen are to the left, vaulted living room to the right. Directly in front of you is an elegant open stairway that leads to a bridge overlooking the entry and vaulted family room. A centrally located bathroom hides behind the stairs.

Passing under that bridge brings you into a dramatically spacious and naturally bright family room. A three-angled snack counter with overhead cabinets marks the kitchen boundary without impeding visual or conversational flow. Sliders on two sides of the nook open onto a large patio.

Counter space is abundant, and storage is more than ample. Laundry appliances are nearby in a large utility room that's equally handy to the three-car garage.

The lavish master suite has a 9-foot ceiling, a deep walk-in closet and a private bathroom with double door entrance. Luxuries include an exceptionally long double vanity, oversized shower, soaking tub, and private toilet. Diffused natural light filters in through glass blocks on exterior walls next to both the tub and the toilet.

Two bedrooms, a two-section bathroom, and a bonus room are upstairs in the Manchester. The larger bedroom has a walk-in closet and a cozy window seat with two storage cabinets hidden under the cushions.