Calgary home design trends in 2023

Like everything in life, home designs evolve. It changes with the homebuyers needs, market conditions and lifestyle demands. Calgary’s homebuilders have always been agile in developing their different home styles to conform with changing needs, and at the start of 2023, Calgary New Home + Condo Guide takes a look at the new designs for townhomes, duplexes, laned homes and front-drive garage (FDG) homes.

TOWNHOMES

Townhomes are offered in a wide variety of styles that work for different kinds of lifestyles. They may be stacked on top of each other; or sitting side-by-side in a row; they can offer single-level living or a three-storey lifestyle; they can have condo fees and there are those that don’t.

StreetSide Developments is one of the most reliable townhome builders in the city offering traditional and no-condo fee models. They are gearing for 2023 with a slate of new townhome designs.

Kimberly Orr, senior marketing specialist, says StreetSide is introducing three new models to their popular Evanston Park townhomes in the northwest. It’s the final phase of this popular development and the final opportunity to get Evanston Park before their gone.

“These homes appeal to a wide target with three- to four-bedrooms, single and double car garage models and come with our most popular upgrades made standard,” she adds. “We’ve also added some optional walk-out hoes backing onto ample park space.” New showhomes will be introduced here in the summer.

As for new design, Orr says StreetSide has been focusing on creating kitchens that offer more flexibility. “We’ve been focusing on our kitchens as the focal point of the home by creating workable spaces for families to gather with an abundance of counterspace, storage, and large breakfast bars.”

StreetSide is also launching in February its newest model in Red Embers Point in Redstone – which is also similarly the final opportunity to buy a new home in this northeast community.

“Our Executive No Condo Fee townhomes are also proving to continue to be very popular in Hudson in Pine Creek and Harmony which offer large square footages and detached 2 & 3 car garages.”

Find out more of what they offer at streetsidecalgary.com.

DUPLEX HOMES

A duplex (also called semi-attached, or paired home) is a single structure featuring two residences, each with its own private entrance and one shared wall (there is a gap between homes to lessen sound transfer). Each home is individually owned, and unlike townhomes, have no condo fees. It’s twice the nice at half the price.

Cedarglen Homes has always distinguished itself in its innovative processes and their new line of paired homes in the northwest community of Glacier Ridge sets the bar even higher.

“Our paired homes are perfect for growing families as all of our models feature three bedrooms, two-and-a-half bathrooms and plenty of functional entertaining space on the main floor,” says Glacier Ridge Area Sales Manager, Crystal Chu. “With the opportunity choose a walk-out basement lot and add a detached garage, these homes are able to check off every box on a new homebuyers’ checklist while still staying priced starting in the low $500,000s.”

Cedarglen Homes’ paired homes here range from 1,321 to 1,816 square-feet, a very good size for what many choose as their first home.

The Clyde 17 showhome’s kitchen just sparkles with ingenuity, as the galley layout with lots of storage options leaves plenty of functional space to work in. The larger Columbia 17 brings an added lifestyle component to the layout.

Find out more from Cedarglen Homes at cedarglenhomes.com.

LANED HOMES

Laned homes have often been referred to as the Goldilocks of homes. They’re not too small, they’re not too big – they are just right. No wonder it’s the home type that many first-time homebuyers, young families, and even those with changing lifestyles choose.

Laned homes are detached single-family homes with rear detached parking backing onto a laneway, and they are red hot in Calgary’s surging new home market.

Trico Homes has provided some of the most exciting laned home designs in the city with versatile and flexible plans that accommodate different needs.

Their new laned homes can come with flex rooms that can be used as a home office or even as a fourth bedroom with full bathroom suite. Spice kitchens are available, as are extra loft space. Side or rear entrance to give developed basement suites extra privacy, and functional floorplans that come standard with large windows, wide hallways and large bedrooms.

The Bravo, Trico’s 30th Anniversary model released last year, is making waves.

“We have created this model with multiple options to accommodate different demographic needs,” says Trico Homes director of Marketing, Glenda Schwartz. “The base plan started off at 1,600 square-feet and have options that could expand the living space. Base plan featured a long 10-foot island and a pantry room and large window at the stairwell, upper floor with large walk-in closet to master bedroom with dual vanity ensuite.”

The Bravo can come with a spice kitchen. “This enclosed second kitchen accommodates cultural cooking to contain all fragrance and oil from the rest of the living space,” she says.

The Bravo can also come with main floor bedroom & full bath option. “This is designed for multi generation living and big family or simply a guest bedroom. A third option is to give additional space for family gathering. Having the stairwell located at rear allows for easy access to the basement for the Secondary suite – Secondary suite features 2 bedrooms, kitchen with living area and in-suite laundry area.”

Trico’s laned homes are found in Seton, and Wolf Willow in the southeast; Glacier Ridge in the northwest; Cornerbrook and Homestead in the northeast; Midtown in Airdrie; and in Dawson Landing and Chelsea in Chestermere. “We are building new laned homes in Seton – the Bravo and our current best-seller, the Raeya,” Schwartz says.

More information on Trico Homes’ offerings at tricohomes.com.

Front-drive garage homes

The front-drive garage (FDG) home is as ubiquitous as the suburbs they are generally found in. They are at the apex of the home-buying cycle. It is the home most everyone who has lived in an apartment suite, a duplex, or a townhome, aspire to live in eventually. Especially when they have children, and they see their families grow.

FDG homes come in many forms. In Calgary, they are usually two storey homes with three-bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths, and a basement development options, and of course, a garage to fit two cars – or more.

For more than four decades, Shane Homes has been building some of Calgary’s most distinguished homes and their line of FDG homes are designed to answer the family’s wants and needs.

Duc Le, Senior Architectural Technologist/Designer at Shane Homes says flexibility is key in the design of their FDG homes.

“There is always plenty of rooms for growing families, main floor lifestyle room and powder room can be customized to grandparents bedroom with full bath. Walk through pantry with spice kitchen options are available. All our new models designed with side entrance in mind for future legal basement suite. There are many options to ‘Love it or Customize it’ to your needs.”

For 2023, Shane Homes is introducing the Saffron II. “This has been created with customers desires in mind – large sitting room by the foyer for a family gathering, built-in full bath suite on main which is connected the Lifestyle/Bedroom. Four- to five-bedrooms home with four full bathrooms is standard for this model,” Le says.

Also popular at The Emerald and The Moraine. “The Emerald has four- to five bedrooms with a family room between the owners’ suite and the children’s bedrooms. “It has a spacious kitchen with island overlooking the dining nook area, and brings the architectural feature of the stair in place.”

While The Moraine is a traditional three-bedroom home but each one has its own walk-in closet. “The family room is symmetrical with the U-shape stair which creates a larger space with a vaulted ceiling that can be added. Dining nook and living room side-by-side are perfect for a family gathering.”

Shane Homes’ FDG homes can be found in Belmont, and Aspen Spring Estates in the southwest; Cornerstone in the northeast; Glacier Ridge, and Ambleton in the northwest; and Cobblestone Creek, and Midtown in Airdrie.

Go to shanehomes.com for more.