Brookside features family-friendly layout

Tapered columns set on stone veneer bases give a classic Craftsman look to the country-style Brookside. This two-story, midsize plan has an open, welcoming exterior, and a family-friendly interior.

Entering, you step into a foyer with an arched opening on the left that leads into a room with many possibilities. Designed for use as a dining room or parlor, it could just as easily become a home office, family study area, or you name it.

Day-to-day meals and activities center around the vaulted great room, which slopes up to the two-story ceiling and is wide open to the nook and kitchen. This is clearly the heart of the home. Two tall windows flank the gas fireplace, while wide sliding glass doors in the nook provide easy access to the partially covered patio.

Kitchen amenities include a large work island, roomy pantry, and built-in appliances. The desk that nestles into an alcove in the nook could be built with either shelves or cabinets above. Standing at the kitchen sink, you can gaze across the patio to watch the changing seasons, or keep tabs on activities and conversations in the nook and great room.

Laundry appliances are nearby in a utility room, complete with cabinets, folding counter, and deep sink. A handy powder room is just across a hall that provides direct access to the two-car garage.

A spacious owners' suite fills the right wing of the Brookside. Its bathroom boasts a dual vanity, oversized shower, and totally private toilet. The window seat in the large walk-in closet is an ideal spot to savor some alone time, curled up with a book you just can't put down. Two more bedrooms, a bath, and a bonus room are upstairs.