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for colours and flooring styles, etc. At Mattamy it’s all in one place,” Ashley says. It took the pair three hours in one shot to choose colours, cabinetry and surfaces, and they were done. Ashley laughs about how the jocular Tyler feels about the mahogany-hued laminate floor. “The first two weeks we were here, he’d be sweeping the floor and going ‘I love this floor. I just love this floor.’” After looking at several different options, the pair picked the Wilmont because of its main floor plan. Walking into a nice-sized foyer with a generous front closet, past a powder room with a sleek pedestal sink, the main floor opens to an all-in-one living room, kitchen and dining area. Espresso cabinetry with brushed nickel pulls, granite-look laminate countertops, black appliances, a large island, and modern frosted glass and nickel light fi xtures give the space an upscale feel. Tyler and Ashley are still getting to know their new city, but they love what they’ve found and experienced in Airdrie so far. “Ever since we’ve moved to Airdrie, I almost refuse to buy things in Calgary,” Tyler laughs. “He has a lot of Airdrie pride,” Ashley adds. Tyler says he can’t wait to get little Kadia involved in local children’s programs such as sports. And he’s already found some favourite food haunts in the area, including Nathan’s for the cheesesteak sandwiches, and Sophie’s Pizza, and they will be sampling sushi joints to add a new favourite. “We’ve also got really awesome neighbours, which is really helpful, and the block is nearly done, so we don’t have to worry about looking at open excavation,” Ashley says.
lifestyle
although their new home is considered a starter model, Tyler can envision staying beyond their loosely-planned five to 10 years before looking to move up. They do, however, get to look at a lovely pastoral scene of nature reserve and farms in the distance, in a space between houses that leads to pathways that link to an extensive city system. The pair paid $316,820 for their new home, which included landscaping and about $8,000 in upgrades. The second floor of the house features a main bath and three bedrooms — two of which are currently dedicated to Kaida for a bedroom and playroom. The sizeable master bedroom includes a walk-in closet and an ensuite featuring a “super shower” — a five-foot wide tiled stall with a raised showerhead. A small alcove, perfect for bookshelves, stands in place of the second-floor laundry found in the plans. Ashley says she’s a traditionalist, and prefers to have her laundry room in the basement, close to her crafting area — she is a gifted seamstress. They both love the attached garage, as both are avid motorcyclists, and wanted a place to Tyler, Ashley baby Ashley’s vintage 1970 Triumph Tiger and and Kaida Tyler’s 2007 Suzuki Boulevard. Although their new home is considered a starter model, Tyler says he can envision staying beyond their loosely-planned five to 10 years before looking to move up. And considering how in love Tyler and Ashley are with their new house, that’s no surprise. NL
February 2014 NE W HOME LIVING
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