Behind the Design of the Caraway

Located in Mahogany, Manotick, the 2021 Minto Dream Home was designed by Minto Communities’ product development team in collaboration with long-standing partner Tanya Collins Design. Inspired by Mahogany’s natural features and community pond, the 4,603 sq. ft. home delivers an outside-in approach to design.

Crafted with care, the Caraway gives hope a home while satisfying the desire for simplicity and style. The home is based on a bungalow design, with the primary bedroom on the main floor, a smooth-flowing floorplan and low-profile, clean-lined furnishings.

Tanya Collins describes the theme of the interior as “a modern desert with references to mid-century modern and Scandinavian design.” The exterior reflects the Arts and Crafts movement present throughout Manotick Village.

The Caraway was built to connect you to nature and daily wellness, featuring innovative technology inside and access to green space outside. Let’s take a closer look behind the design of this year’s Minto Dream Home for CHEO.

A trendy yet timeless exterior

The exterior design of the Caraway combines brick and stone with board and batten siding and silver metal roofing. It embraces white-toned greys in the siding mixed with darker shades in the brick and stone – it’s muted down, not bold in colour, to create an understated look of elegance.

Remarkable tapered beams frame the large wrap-around porch, while an impressive display of windows line the home to offer picturesque views of the community and Mahogany Pond. The white siding is bookended by dark brick and grey stone, and the circular window on the second floor makes an immediate impact. A three-car garage featuring front and back overhead garage doors complements the design nicely.

The Arts and Crafts style is sure to resonate, and the beautifully landscaped oversized corner lot is the perfect parcel of land for the home. The abundance of outdoor space sets the stage for a backyard oasis complete with a fully furnished patio, cedar deck, fire pit and greenhouse. The Caraway has great curb appeal with the oversized lot backing onto green space. As a Net Zero Energy home, it meets the demand for better living, while the gabled roof provides the perfect pitch to accommodate solar panels without broadcasting them on the front of the home.

Originally designed as a true bungalow, the Caraway was transformed into a bungalow with a loft to allow for two secondary bedrooms and loft space. The result is a unique home that combines the best of a single-level floorplan with the space of a two-storey design. This includes the two-bedroom loft, two-storey ceilings, and the main-floor primary bedroom with a large walk-in closet and ensuite.

Where clean lines meet clean design

The three-bedroom, four-bathroom Caraway is both contemporary and luxurious. The interior design features neoclassical elements with rich accents of burgundy, clay and shell tones, while the clean lines and simplicity of the rooms are a nod to Scandinavian design.

The floorplan offers a space for everyone to enjoy quiet time alone or gather together for a night in. The towering ceilings in the foyer and great room add brightness to the home, while a stunning geometric-patterned floor welcomes you at the door. To the right of the entrance is the dining room, featuring an elegant coffered ceiling and three windows; to the left is the den, which is the perfect place to work from home or enjoy some privacy.

A uniquely designed railing guides you to the second floor where the loft overlooks the two-storey great room and offers a spectacular view of the fireplace and surrounding windows. Upstairs you find two sizable bedrooms – each with their own walk-in closets – along with a three-piece bathroom.

The kitchen is one of the most notable spaces in the house. It features a restaurant-bar-like concept with mirror-backed modular shelving, and a full bank of cabinets stretching to the beautiful and rustic wood ceiling. The oversized island in the centre provides the ideal spot to prepare meals or gather the family, while the windows from the connected great room flood the space with light.

The two-piece powder room is located next to the kitchen, and despite its modest size, it contains one of designer Tanya Collins’ favourite elements – a custom-designed, marble vessel sink.

Finally, the Caraway comes complete with a fully loaded basement, featuring another three-piece bathroom, a gaming room, gym and a home theatre. It also includes a hobby shop equipped with a work bench, cabinets and tools provided by Home Depot.

The Caraway is truly a multi-functional home where you can live, work and play while making the most of your time inside and out.

Fully electric and energy efficient

As a Net Zero Energy home, the Caraway produces as much energy as it consumes. It generates enough electricity to run the home’s superior mechanical systems, while being completely electric and eliminating the need for fossil fuels and nuclear power. The home lets you drive better, too, with an electric vehicle charging station powered by an energy management system. Other advanced features include:

• Superior insulation throughout the home
• An energy recovery ventilator (EVR)
• A high-efficiency hybrid electric water heater
• A high-performance heat-pump heating and cooling system
• LED lighting
• A drain water recovery unit

Extra insulation and triple-pane windows offer greater comfort and resiliency year-round – helping you stay cooler during the summer, warmer during the winter and conserving energy at the same time. Plus, the home remains heated up to three-times longer if the power goes out amidst frigid temperatures. These features also create an airtight living space with fewer drafts, reduced noise from the outside, and uniform surface temperatures indoors.

The Caraway also comes equipped with a home wellness system. This innovative technology monitors and regulates air quality, and purifies the home’s drinking water.

From added comfort and sophisticated living areas to energy security and fixed hydro fees, the Caraway delivers peace of mind to the lucky grand prize winner of the Dream of Lifetime Lottery. It’s a beautiful home in a beautiful community with plenty of green space, multi-use pathways and everyday essentials close by.

Take a virtual tour of the home today, and view new videos and photography. Stay tuned for up-to-date information including the availability of in-person viewings. And remember to purchase your tickets for the Lottery before they sell out!

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