The Connellys and Boulder Creek Neighborhoods team at the construction site of their new home.
SUPERIOR – Pat and Linda Connelly’s search for a home was thorough. After both of their boys graduated from college (one from CU), they decided they were ready for a change of scenery, themselves. Longtime residents of Chicago, they chose Colorado in order to be closer to family.
Their former house in Chicago was built in 1925. “There were things that always needed to be done to it,” Linda said. The electrical wiring had to be updated. Pipes rerun. Flooring, fixtures, you name it. While they loved the house, they also put a lot of work into it.
When they began their search in Colorado, they initially expected to find something similar. “We didn’t start off looking for a new home,” Linda explained. But the reality of laborious upkeep set in. The Connellys decided they’d rather spend their retirement years engaged in fun activities instead of never-ending maintenance. So they adjusted their search and began looking at new homes in Boulder County.
But there was still a problem. “The realtors kept showing us big houses,” Linda said. Neither she nor Pat wanted something small, per se, but the two of them simply don’t need five bedrooms. So they asked to see something with less square footage and began looking at patio homes.
Their home search continued, seeing homes either too labor intensive, too big, or too small to fit their lifestyle. For one and a half years, they looked. And then they discovered Boulder Creek Neighborhoods.
One day they were out viewing homes in the area when they zeroed in on exactly what they were looking for. Their realtor suggested they check out a Boulder Creek neighborhood, commenting that one of the builder’s townhomes sounded like a perfect fit. They visited two Boulder Creek neighborhoods the following day, one of which was Calmante in Superior.
“Almost immediately, I said, ‘Oh, I like this!’” Linda recalls.
The differences were profound the moment they walked in the door. First, there was more space than they’d seen in the patio homes designed by other builders. The master suite is on the main floor, which means less going up and down the stairs all day. The living room and kitchen are arranged in an open style, but separate enough that both feel like distinct spaces. And there’s plenty of additional room for their sons to visit without having unnecessary space.
“We were impressed in the quality and floor plan,” Pat summarized.
Pat Connelly looks at the construction of her new townhome at Calmante.
If you’re familiar with Boulder Creek Neighborhoods, those reactions probably won’t surprise you. Boulder Creek has a reputation as a creative, committed, competent builder because their name is synonymous with both craftsmanship and lifestyle-focused living. Each and every design is the result of meticulous research to introduce home designs that truly fill a gap in the market.
Their mission, as lofty as it may sound, is to create homes that make the residents’ lives better. After all, you spend a lot of time in your home. It should be a space that enhances your lifestyle rather than getting in the way of it.
Linda’s description of the low-maintenance lifestyle put it best. “I left my snow blower in Chicago,” she joked. The majority of the outdoor maintenance is taken care of on their behalf.
And that’s just the beginning. Inside the home, everything is about comfort and convenience. Daily necessities, like the master suite, living room, kitchen, and laundry room, are all on the main floor. Even the outlets on the walls are slightly higher than normal, making them easier to reach.
Throughout the home, style and practicality abound. And speaking of style, Linda and Pat got to enjoy a unique perk of buying a new home. “Guess who got to pick out all the colors?” Pat teased.
“That was fun!” Linda said.
Both Linda and Pat enjoyed the process of selecting all the finishing touches for their new home, from flooring and paint to fixtures and countertops. They had nothing but positive feedback about Boulder Creek’s design center and personnel. Given the number of choices before them, that speaks volumes.
“They were very much on top of things,” Pat said. In fact, the Connellys have been impressed by everyone they worked with at Boulder Creek, from the sales team to the construction team at Boulder Creek.
Of course, the Connellys didn’t live in a townhome back in Chicago. One can’t help but wonder if the shift to living in a townhome has any downsides. According to the couple, absolutely not.
“I don’t feel like it’s a townhome,” Linda said. “It just feels big and spacious to me.”
Coming from an older home, this is a change she and Pat can really feel. Not only are the bedrooms and common areas spacious, but there’s plenty of storage, as well. Even in the guest bedrooms.
On top of all of that, their new home is in the beautiful Calmante neighborhood in Superior. The community boasts hiking and biking trails, as well as over 10,000 acres of open space. Access to I-70 is close at hand, too, which makes it a near-perfect location. Plus, the community is a nice mix of people at all stages of life. After attending a recent neighborhood open house, they were once again assured that they made the right call.
“These are people we want to go out with,” Pat said of their new neighbors.
If you’re currently thinking about a change in lifestyle that a low-maintenance home can enable, now is the time to act. The Calmante neighborhood in Superior starts in the high $600s, and is down to the final 9 homes available. Currently, Calmante offers a beautifully finished quick move in home with a main floor master, and only just a few more remaining homes with walkout lower levels. With so few homes available, it’s difficult to say if your favorite floorplan will be around for long.
For more information about Calmante, call 720.459.6262 or visit LiveCalmante.com.
By A Martin, At Home. Photography by Timothy Seibert
