Gladstone is naturally bright throughout

Plenty of natural light washes into the vaulted parlor of the Gladstone, through uniquely stacked windows that face the street. Openly linked gathering spaces form the core of this contemporary, cottage home, which is equally well-suited for empty nesters or families with children. Being all on one level (excepting the bonus room over the garage), this plan easily adapts to wheelchair accessibility.

After passing under the gentle arch that highlights the porch, you step into a foyer. Arched openings there continue forward and to the right. A parlor and two bedrooms, each with a direct entry bathroom, fill the right wing. The great room is ahead, and a hallway heads off to the left.

First along the hallway is convenient coat closet, and access to a mud hall with a long bench is next. This is a handy place for shucking off muddy footgear and stowing items out of sight. The mud hall also provides a direct link to the three-car garage.

Past the mud hall, the hallway comes to the kitchen, then continues on to a utility room and the owners' suite. In the kitchen, cabinets and counters wrap around three sides of a central work island with a flush eating counter fronting the dining area. Windows fill most of the rear walls there.

More windows run along the back wall of the great room, next to a gas fireplace nestled in the corner. Access to a wide covered patio sits at the juncture of the Gladstone's great room and dining area.

Amenities in the roomy owners' suite include a deep walk-in closet and a luxurious bathroom with twin vanities, a deep soaking tub, and a separately enclosed toilet and shower.