Parkdale's columns add European flair

Two sleek columns lend a classic European look to the Parkdale, a contemporary ranch-style home with nearly 3,000 square feet of living space. The 14-foot columns support a lofty porch roof.

Just inside the door, two narrow columns echo their exterior counterparts while bounding the wide passageway that links the foyer and great room. Both of these areas, plus the dining room, have 10-foot ceilings.

Multipaned windows fill most of the great room's rear wall. A trouble-free gas fireplace is set between two tall banks of windows with transoms above. French doors that lead out onto a covered patio are also capped by a wide transom. A large home entertainment center spans most of one wall. On the opposite side, two decorative columns mark the wide opening to the dining room. This, too, is a naturally bright space. Glass fills most of one wall, one side is open to the great room, and a third side is open to the kitchen. Columns accent that opening as well.

A raised eating counter rims the kitchen's open side. Counters run along two walls, creating ample work and counter space. The central work island adds more of both. Appliances and a desk are built in, and a walk-in pantry is nearby.

Laundry appliances, a freezer, and a mini-bathroom are right around the corner, in a pass-through utility/mud room that links with the garage. Storage closets line the hall to the spacious owners' suite, which fills out the rest of the left wing. In addition to direct patio access, the suite boasts two large walk-in closets, a walk-in shower, dual vanity and private toilet. Two bedrooms, a den and a bathroom comprise the Parkdales right wing.