The front entry path, from Marine Drive, leads towards a sheltered, flush entry door flanked by columns set in a stone base. The stone accents the exterior finish of what, at first glance appears to be stone, complimented by siding and a natural cedar roof.

Actually, HardiplankÒ fiber-cement exterior siding, which is an attractive alternative to traditional wood composite siding, was chosen for the User Friendly Home because of its durability in our ‘wet-coast’ climate. Combining the look and warmth of natural wood with the durability of fiber-cement, HardiplankÒ resists damage from extended exposure to humidity, rain, snow, salt air and termites. With the co-operation of Griff Building Supplies Ltd., James Hardie Building Products Inc. supplied this exciting product. It is dimensionally stable and under normal conditions will not crack, rot or delaminate. HardiplankÒ installs just as easily as natural wood siding - but offers a lifetime of low maintenance backed by a 50-year product warranty.

The combination of siding with a rough stone look provides an aesthetically pleasing exterior finish. Cultured Stone® distributed through Alpine Stone, provides a durable (50 year guaranteed) finish to any home. A manufactured stone, it is easy to install and is available in over 22 textures and more than 60 colors. It is featured here in a blended texture of chardonnay country ledge stone and chardonnay dressed fieldstone.

The western red cedar roof shingle, supplied by Port McNeill Shake & Shingle Ltd., is preferred for its natural and tailored appearance and is 100% edge grain, 100% all clear and is made of 100% heart wood. Certi-label cedar shingles were chosen because they are lightweight and natural decay, wind, and impact resistant. Best of all, these shingles are approved by the Cedar Shake and Shingle Bureau, which upholds the highest of grading standards.

Once inside the elegant double entry doors, which were glazed by Joel Berman Glass Studios Ltd., we see a palette of naturally inspired colors selected by Interior Designer Bruce Forster of Preston’s Interiors Ltd. The vaulted two level entry foyer, bordered by more Joel Berman art glass panels, accents an elegant lantern by Progress Lighting, one of North America’s largest manufacturers of residential lighting. Through their local distributor, Pine Lighting, Progress lighting fixtures were used both inside and outside the residence.

Acer Ceramica is a well known supplier of premium quality ceramic and porcelain tiles. Their showroom offers a diverse, premium quality selection for both the standard and custom builder through their imported products from all over the world. The multi-toned slate flooring chosen by Bruce Forster carries the natural, warm tones of the outdoor stone into the interior and is represented in a variety of stunning styles and patterns throughout the dwelling.

Entry

To the left of the foyer, your eye will be drawn up the grand main staircase which features safety tread lights and is accented by metal railings created by R.S. Custom Ironwork.. On the landing above, a tall feature window, from Allied Windows, illuminates the intimate living room with hand dyed wallpaper from Peter Gorman and Associates and a river rock toned ceiling.

Dining Room

To the right of the foyer, a regal dining room in rich loganberry tones showcases a coffered ceiling where rich moldings reflect the accent trims on the interior door frames from Sauder Industries.

The choice of hardwood flooring appears ingrained (excuse the pun) with the User Friendly concept. The american cherry hardwood with walnut inlay and border designs provided by Shadow of Grain Hardwood Flooring Inc. , is not only majestic but has a hypo-allergenic surface that repels dirt and irritants with its easy-to-clean sealed finish.

Kitchen

From the cherry-floored front rooms, a wide doorway leads into the spacious kitchen. Custom cabinetry was designed by Columbia Kitchen Cabinets Ltd. to meet the universal design specifications of the architect and to accommodate the divergent uses of a multi-generational family.

This feature provides a distinctive ambience in terms of comfort and style. Columbia Kitchen Cabinets has been dedicated to building superior custom made cabinetry for over thirty years and is the largest cabinetmaker of its kind in western Canada. Top grade maple doors were used for the kitchen, the adjoining family room’s entertainment centre and similar quality features and materials throughout the house.

Unique kitchen features you will want to check out include:

roll-out cabinets,

adjustable shelving,

multi-level countertops and

a removable kick plate beneath the sink to accommodate use from a sitting position.

In addition a window-sized passthrough connects with the garage -- so unloading groceries is a snap.

The cabinetry accents the backsplash tiles and co-ordinates well with the sprig green walls and glazed porcelain tile flooring. The stainless steel and black General Electric appliances from Camco Inc. also add a modern, uptown feel to the kitchen. A cozy breakfast nook nestled into a bay window overlooking the garden provides the transition from the kitchen workspace to the adjoining family room.

ADT’s home security system links through the home’s entertainment system, located in the family room, to allow for fingertip access from the heart of the home. To make it not only efficient, but also intelligent, fibre-optic wiring as well as AG6 cable wire and level five grade telephone wire was installed. This means the house is equipped to handle ADSL, ISDN and other high speed Internet accesses. With this form of advanced technology, lighting, security systems, heat, phone and appliances can be set up to communicate with one another.

This advanced technology is even more ingenious with the inclusion of the innovative electrical panel developed by Cutler Hammer. The panel’s use in the User Friendly Demonstration Home makes it the smartest house in the world! Along with its low voltage network, this electrical panel allows access to all forms of technology and safety measures. Load-shedding, a feature of the panel, is a way for hydro companies to avoid building more dams by making the network we all use more efficient.

Through this panel, the homeowner can designate certain power sources, such as the hot tub, dishwasher and other major appliances that are power hogs, to be shut off through the phone lines during peak load times. This allows the hydro company to re-direct the power back onto their network, thereby avoiding grey-outs and brown-outs. By coupling a home energy management system to your Cutler-Hammer Advanced Power Center, you can:

determine which appliances or devices are consuming the most electricity and program their use for the lowest rate periods;

automatically turn off major appliances when they are not needed to reduce energy usage as well as extend their life;

reduce your overall cost of home ownership through the resultant energy efficiency!

Cutler-Hammer’s newly released arc fault circuit breakers, also installed in the house, guard against overload and short circuits and when specified, ground faults, and further protect against potential fire hazards, which can result from arcing faults.

Family Room

The outstanding feature of the family room is the Lennox fireplace surrounded by built in cabinetry and a big screen television wall.

The family room opens out through elegant french doors into the garden where the generous south facing patio is embraced by the main wing and garage. Venturing onto the patio even on a cool day is a delight as a Hydrowest Products luxury gas barbeque and a patio heater warm the area. The patio overlooks a soothing pond and fountain set into lush lawns and landscaping.

Home Office

Directly across from the family room is a bright den/guest room. A bathroom, with the trademark zero threshold User Friendly Shower, separates the family room and the office. Across the hall is the second staircase, which provides an alternate route to the upper level.

Climb the Stairs

You’ll note that the straight run staircase is six inches wider than a standard staircase and could accommodate a chair lift should an alternative assistive device be required. The stairs also have no overhangs on which to catch your toes. Both are standard features of a User Friendly Home.

Laundry & Hobbies

Directly across from the top of the stairs is a well appointed laundry/hobby room serves a home’s routine and creative needs. A beautiful row of detailed windows from Allied Windows provides light, ambience and architectural detail in the room seen from the front entrance below.

Master Suite

A three-foot wide door (standard throughout the home) leads to a warm, blush-toned master suite. A walk-in closet and a classically proportioned sleeping area with vaulted ceilings and a perimeter bulk head with recessed lighting enhance the atmosphere of this well appointed boudoir. Note the extra outlets located on either side of the bed. Another User Friendly idea!

A cozy sitting room with bay windows and additional closets extend this adults only sanctuary. French doors lead to a small balcony, which is protected by Ensurco Duradeck’s waterproof vinyl flooring in a colour called custom wedgewood. Better than the old liquid-applied concrete topping products, it’s safety and durability is in keeping with the User Friendly concept.

For safety, the shower has no threshold and taps are placed conveniently close to the outside wall instead of directly below the showerhead. Peter Austin of MPH Plumbing Supply says that the drainage pipes and Gerber plumbing fixtures are standard but it is how they are installed that makes this home User Friendly. Canadian Aqualine Sales Inc. provided most of the plumbing fixtures for the house.

In all of the bathrooms you will notice a wall outlet beside every toilet. This simple installation makes it possible to add a toilet seat with power assist or warm water and soft warm air… something greatly appreciated for aging or arthritic bodies.

In addition, blocking made from 2x12 lumber is installed behind all showers and toilets to facilitate installation of safety bars at a later date should they be needed.

The positioning of waste pipes on the sinks at 12 inches instead of the standard 18-inch height ensures that if the counter ever needs to be lowered for a person to sit at, this modification can be an affordable one. Again, these are the types of simple modifications that can be made to any home, townhouse or apartment during the construction phase.

2^nd & 3^rd Bedrooms

Down the hall is a second bedroom followed by a charming child’s bathroom accented brightly with a skylight, Designer Ceiling and tiled walls and flooring all boasting a colorful, playful pattern.

The hallway extends to a third bedroom over the garage, which has been painted a delightful green almond. This room has dormered windows and it’s own large ensuite with walk-in shower.

You’ll note the use of built in desks and wall units in virtually every room. Such space saving features give you and the children more floor space to play games and students a quiet area for study.

Coming back from the third bedroom to the top of the main staircase, a quiet alcove invites you to sit and enjoy the light from the vaulted entry and the main staircase landing. At this juncture you can decide to descend to the main floor via the staircase or take the electric lift provided by Chimo Lifts Inc.

Available through a stacked closet feature, recommended by User Friendly Homes Ltd. we believe the Chimo Lift is the best product in both price and quality on the marketplace at this time. It has a lifting capacity of 500 pounds and is offered in a variety of attractive finishes. By the way, it is simple to install. Powered by a 12 volt D/C system, it assures total independent operation even when hydro is interrupted. Safety features include electrical and mechanical door lockout, soft edges, back-up lighting, a power reservoir, and an emergency phone and braking systems. We chose to install an elevator in this demonstration home to ensure that, unlike so many so-called dream homes, everyone who comes to visit us will be able to see the entire house.

Back on the Main Level

Completing the tour, we pass a hall closet and utility room (see the separate article detailing the home’s HVAC system on page ) and ultimately enter the generously proportioned (900 square foot) workshop and two car garage. The southwest wall facing into the interior courtyard is filled with windows making the area where we will showcase our sponsors and hold seminars light and bright and cheery.

We think you will agree when you’ve completed your tour of the Demonstration Home that it is truly a home of form, function, and progressive change...it’s why we call it User Friendly Housing for the new millennium.