Sunny Santa Maria is open, accessible

Wheelchair accessibility and a large home office with a private entrance are two noteworthy features of the Santa Maria. But you needn't be in a wheelchair, or have a home business, to appreciate this plan.

Both the front and office entrances are equipped with ramps. At the rear of the home, sliding French doors in the master suite and family room open onto a screened porch at ground level. Interior halls and doorways are designed for ample clearance. Stately columns mark the boundaries of the formal living spaces, creating an open feeling that is enhanced by 10-foot-high ceilings in the living room and foyer.

A graceful arched window brightens the office, while leaving plenty of wall space for desks, files, bookcases, or display cases. This room could also be put to other uses.

The sunny nook expands a kitchen that comes equipped with every convenience and is open to a spacious skylit family room. An open stairway leads to a 300-square-foot bonus room over the three-car garage -- the only room you can't get to in a wheelchair.

Luxury features in the master suite include a huge walk-in closet, a skylit master bathroom with twin basins, and an enclosed toilet and shower. This space could be left open.

The bathroom shared by the Santa Maria's secondary bedrooms is also wheelchair accessible. A pocket door in the front bedroom provides direct access -- convenient if a disabled child or aging parent occupies this room.