Ranch-style Anniston designed for family life

Brick detailing, multipaned windows, shutters and varied roof lines draw the eye to the Anniston, a mid-size ranch-style home with a three-car garage.

Gathering spaces are at center, creating a natural buffer between the master suite and secondary bedrooms. Formal rooms and a home office or guest bedroom are in front, while the comfortable kitchen and family room combo spreads out across the rear.

Glass in the kitchen, the nook and the family room provides so much natural illumination that artificial light is rarely needed during daylight hours. Sliders open onto the patio, and a fireplace adds color and warmth when the skies turn gray.

A large pantry adds to the already ample storage space, while the big work island allows several cooks to work together without getting in each other's way. The small bathroom is close to everything, as are the basement stairs.

In the master suite there's a huge walk-in closet and a private bathroom. A sliding door sections off the shower and toilet for steam containment and added privacy, while glass block windows bathe the tub and basin in natural light.

Both of the secondary bedrooms have boxed out window seats, great for reading or collection display. The laundry room and a two-section bathroom separate the two bedrooms, and the hallway is well-supplied with storage space.

The office (or guest room) is accessible from the bedroom hallway as well as from the Anniston's foyer. Stacked windows in a boxed-out bay brighten the vaulted living room/dining room to the right of the foyer. This sunny bay could be fitted with a window seat.