Brick and stone exteriors with covered front porches provide eye-catching curb appeal.

An enviable location, surrounded by nature yet close to urban amenities, has proved to be a winning combination for a new West London active lifestyle community. Sifton Properties’ Whispering Pine at Warbler Woods received the Project of the Year award from the London Home Builders’ Association’s 2021 Awards of Creative Excellence (ACE).

The development was one of seven Sifton projects awarded in the annual program that recognizes creativity, innovation and design in new-home construction and renovation. Whispering Pine checks all those boxes and then some, says sales associate Barb Owens.

The location is a major attraction, Owens says. She cites the appeal of nature in neighbouring Warbler Woods, a protected woodland with hiking trails and wildlife watching opportunities. The area also boasts nearby health, retail and entertainment services, just up the road at Sifton’s West 5 community. There is also a nearby new commercial hub by York Developments.

“The amenities are fantastic,” says Owens. “In the immediate area, you’ve got dentists and veterinarians, yoga and wellness, restaurants and grocery stores. The whole lifestyle that Sifton has created at West 5 is very good for the Warbler Woods community.”

She describes the neighbourhood itself as friendly and sociable. “Homeowners have good relationships with each other, largely because of the walkability. People get out and meet their neighbours. The homes clinch the deal. “When clients walk into the model home, they tell me they can feel the quality it exudes,” Owens says. “It is stunning.”

Dinettes overlook the homes’ backyards.

In fact, the model was also awarded town home plan of the year as the ACE best multi-family home over $650,000 She gives credit to Sifton’s décor studio designer Gabi Brown, who she describes as “extraordinarily talented with a universal flair for design (and) a trendsetter with very imaginative ideas. She creates a following with our homeowners.

Dining area's adjacent stairway leads to the lower level, ready for further expansion with roughed-in plumbing and large windows.

Owens also acknowledges the contributions of Grant Meagher of Meagher’s Drafting and Design, as well as Toby Stolee, Sifton’s director, housing operations, who both played integral roles in the design of the condominiums.

A spacious foyer hallway leads to the living area at the rear.

A number of features set the homes apart. The one-floor, two- and threebedroom condos, some with dens, range in size from 1,470 to 1,741 square feet, making them larger than those offered by many competitors, Owens says. High ceilings, at nine feet and extending to 10 feet in tray ceilings, plus transom windows and sidelights on front doors, add to the spacious ambiance.

All the homes include laundry rooms with built-in cabinetry, gas fireplaces and generous decks off the great room or kitchen. Primary bedroom retreats include walk-in closets and ensuite bathrooms with showers, which may be modified by adding stand-alone tubs and double vanity basins. Basement levels offer further opportunity for expansion, incorporating plumbing rough-ins and full-size windows.

Expansive primary suites, with ensuite bathrooms and walk-in closets, are located at the back of the home for additional privacy.

Owens notes that Sifton is known for customizing home interiors to a client's tastes, depending on the stage of construction at the time of purchase. “We can do any number of changes to the interiors to make them unique.

The homes include full laundry rooms with built-in cabinetry.

We have in-house designers for décor and for drafting, so we’re set up for that,” she says. For example, a recent Whispering Pine buyer combined the dining area and great room and moved the laundry room to create space for a butler’s pantry off the kitchen.

In keeping with Sifton’s commitment to sustainability and environmentallyfriendly characteristics, the Whispering Pine condos are ENERGY STAR rated and incorporate a variety of green features.

Some plans include dens, which can double as home office space.

These include installation of a dedicated HRV duct system. Owens explains this eliminates the need for exhaust fans, replacing them with wall vents. Fresh filtered air is circulated throughout the home in 20- to 40-minute cycles. This compensates for the tight insulation, which completely seals everything from wall studs to light fixtures.

Maintenancefree living is offered with easy-to-care-for materials in bathrooms, including the ensuite shower.

Owens says Whispering Pine buyers are equally comprised of locals and out-oftowners. Local buyers tend to be retirement aged and looking to downsize to one-floor living. Those from elsewhere run the gamut from first-time buyers to retirees, generally attracted by the price point.

All residences include generous backyard wood decks off kitchens or great rooms.

“Jobs are here and with the option of working remotely, it’s a great opportunity for an affordable, wonderful, high-quality lifestyle,” she says. “We can’t build the homes fast enough.

In addition to recognition for Whispering Pine, Sifton also won awards for other communities, including its Clear Skies neighbourhood in Ilderton, now building in Phase 2. Its model there took best new single-family home under $750,000. The developer was also named Builder of the Year for the second year running.