Oakshire is ideal for entertaining

Linked gathering spaces, awash with natural light, fill the core of the Oakshire, a single-level shingle-style home with plenty of room to spread out. Three bedrooms and two bathrooms, including the luxurious owners' suite, fill the left wing.

This plan is ideal for families that like to entertain. The large great room flows into the dining room, with only a change in ceiling height to mark the transition. Then the kitchen is open to the dining room across a gracefully curved and raised eating/sitting bar.

When the weather is mellow, meals can move out onto the partially covered patio. It is easily screened, to keep out pesty insects.

Chilly days allow appreciation of another notable feature: a two-sided fireplace. The warmth and color of its flames can be enjoyed from either the den or the great room. The den, immediately to the right of the front door, is also in an ideal location for use as a home office.

Both the great room and dining room are richly windowed at the rear. Standing at the kitchen sink or cook-top range, you can keep an eye on the gathering areas, both inside and out. The cook top is built into a long work island, rimmed on the dining room side by the eating bar.

A large utility room and a small bathroom are right around the corner, along with a mud hall that links with the garage. The hall's bench is ideal for shucking off muddy foot gear. Storage cabinets or shelves fill the walls to the left and right of the bench. A workbench could be built into the extra space at the rear of the Oakshire's garage, or it could be used for storage.