Stampede Rotary Dream Home holds a world of wonders

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Stampede season has arrived and for those who love homes and design that means one thing: the 2024 Stampede Rotary Dream Home is open for viewing. And, what a showstopper this year’s home is.

“I don’t know how we do it, but each and every year the home just gets better and better,” says Julie Punter, interior design manager for Homes by Avi. This is the 23rd Dream Home the Punter has worked on and the 28th home that Homes by Avi has designed and built. It’s estimated that 100,000 people will walk through its doors this year to glean inspiration and design tips.

With its clean lines and Zen-like appeal, this year’s $1.38 million Dream Home features a “natural luxury retreat theme” with plenty of soft colours, textural elements and moments of moody drama.

The two-storey, 2,456-square-foot farmhouse design exudes sophisticated simplicity in its exterior detailing — gabled rooflines, large windows and board and batten accents. Carla Dean, Homes by Avi’s designer of product development and designer of the home’s floor plan and exterior, calls the look “a more modern and non-traditional spin on the classic white farmhouse.” 

“It’s not fussy,” says Dean.  “I really wanted to play off of the interior decor concept of ‘Natural Luxury Retreat’, so I used warm, earthy neutrals.”

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Hardie board and composite metal siding designed to emulate the colour and texture of blond wood tie into the softness and earthiness of the natural design elements used inside the home. Grounding the look and adding “a clean and elegant contrast to the neutral siding,” the windows, railings and metal posts are clad in matte black.

Inside the home, the soft colours and open flow of the floor plan create a sense of ease and relaxation. In the foyer, a biophilic design piece — a large built-in planter with plants and cacti — are juxtaposed with a hand-carved floating wood bench setting the Zen-like experiential tone.

Natural materials abound from the light-stained wood plank flooring to the smoky stained cabinetry and use of textured tile. Floral wallpaper feature walls and hits of moody dark chocolate-grey tones add interest, while gold and alabaster fixtures and matte black plumbing add some sparkle and drama.

The unique two-storey floor plan features three bedrooms and an open-to-below bonus room upstairs, a flex room on the main floor with a large closet (perfect for a main floor bedroom, craft room, home office or hang out space for the kids) and an expansive great room with double-height ceilings and three walls of windows.

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Dean says that the central staircase provided the opportunity for a more open concept and circular flow around the house.

“Spaces are then defined by volume or ceiling treatment instead of walls. For example, in the two-storey living room and the backlit tray ceiling in the dining room,” she says.

The great room’s two-storey high fireplace feature wall that plays with linear shapes, materials and textures, creates a pause moment, one that catches you by surprise, as does the upper-level 10-foot Juliet-style curved balcony that overlooks the room.

The kitchen also has several show-stopping moments, with two islands, one a four-foot by three-foot prep station, the other an 11-foot-long central island, both clad in a creamy quartz. The central island offers a curved eating bar, mirroring the shape of the Juliet balcony above. Bertazzoni appliances, a commercial Kegerator, brewing kombucha tea and a stunning floor-to-ceiling display wine rack crafted from black metal and leather add to the over-all ambiance.

Upstairs, the master ensuite is a definite highlight, one that takes concept of “spa-like” to the next level. A fireplace, a cedar-lined sauna with tempered glass front, a steam-shower and a deep soaker tub all set the scene for relaxation.

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Peppered throughout the home are more than 30 works of art by this year’s Dream Home artist, Shawni Tolman. (Her work will also be on display at the Calgary Stampede Art Show at the Western Oasis.) Punter describes her work as “the perfect fit.” Tolman’s unique style utilizes earthy moody colours and a technique that creates touchable moments in three dimensions.

The home will be on display throughout the Stampede from July 5 to 14. Post-Stampede, the home will be moved to the award-winning community of Rangeview by Genstar in Calgary’s southeast, a feat that takes plenty of orchestration and that factors in to the home’s design process.

“The house has to come apart in order to relocate it,” says Dean. With that in mind, the home was designed to come apart in seven pieces — the main floor, second floor, two porches and three roof sections and will be recomposed on a generous corner lot in Rangeview in time to hand over the keys to the new owner/lottery winner at the end of the year.

“We’ve come a long way from the first Stampede Dream Home we built in 1995, but the enthusiasm and excitement within our team still remain strong. The absolute joy is the anticipation leading up to the reveal and the heartwarming reaction from people visiting the home during the Calgary Stampede. It truly is an honour to be part of the Stampede and be able to do what we do best, build beautiful homes,” says Vered Amir, director of sponsorships and community engagement with Homes by Avi.

But she also says that the Dream Home is more than just a beautiful home.

“It is a true testament to our partnership with the Calgary Stampede, Rotary Club of Calgary at Stampede Park, and all of our skilled trades, who have come together to support local organizations to continue their vital work within our community.”

For more information on the Stampede Rotary Dream Home and to purchase tickets, visit homesbyavi.com/dreamhome.

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