Writer: Cathy Watts Publication: The New Homes Guide – The West Australian A rendered façade, raised portico entry, feature cladding, a planter box and a Colorbond roof all form part of the contemporary elevation of the Verve by Homebuyers Centre. An angled front door under a porch leads into the home, with the entry opening into an entertaining room which could be furnished as a formal lounge room or a theatre room or even both, with room for watching the latest blockbuster and entertaining. Homebuyers Centre sales and marketing manager Jared Stone said the Verve was one of the company’s bestsellers. “We have really had success with this layout,” Mr Stone said. Although the company designed for people buying their first homes, they had a lot of repeat customers, he said. That meant that the homes appealed to second and third-homebuyers and even retirees and down-sizers. “The objective when designing this home was to create a home that is not only affordable and extremely good value but must also be very versatile for couples and families”, he said. “It must make use of every single space, with no wasted areas and it must look good, so it will be great for resale.” A roomy main suite off the angled entry has two vertical windows opening to the front of the home and enough room for a couch or a couple of armchairs under the windows as a parent’s retreat. Access to the ensuite is through a short passage which divides the twin walk-in robes. The ensuite has a separate toilet and a long vanity with a big mirror. The open-plan living area has lots of floor-to-ceiling windows letting in natural light and has a glass sliding door opening to the alfresco area. A kitchen with a long island bench and breakfast bar is opposite the family area. The island bench has a double sink and room for the dishwasher underneath, while along the kitchen wall is the underbench oven, gas cooktop, hood and pantry. A shopper’s entry to the double garage is between the kitchen and the dining area. Off the living area is a passage that leads to three minor bedrooms, each with a robe recess, the laundry and bathroom. There is a generous activity room between two of the bedrooms. The bathroom has a bath under the window and a long vanity. A separate toilet opens from the laundry, which has a linen cupboard. Mr Stone said the layout of The Verve worked particularly well for families thanks to the separation of the formal lounge/theatre, open-plan living and separate children’s activity room. The Verve fits well on to a 16.9m-wide lot, but could fit a lot from 15.9m. It has 179.1sqm of internal living space and a total coverage of 246.74sqm.