Renaissance reflects `new' European style

     Special to Real Estate
      The popularity of Pardee Homes' Renaissance neighborhood in Seven Hills has delighted Jeffrey Lake, the builder's vice president of architecture. Lake traveled throughout France, Switzerland, Belgium and Italy to research design ideas for the homes.
      "Renaissance has proved to be so popular that buyers are camping out to get the plans and lots they want," Lake said. "This could be a sign that the demand for new design is strong."
      The style of the homes at Renaissance, he said, reflects a move from an Italian-Mediterranean coastal look to one of an Italian hill town, or Tuscan. Design elements include rotundas, arched doorways, courtyards, wraparound balconies, porticos, masonry walls, and stairways with wrought-iron balustrades.
      "One of the newest trends is how you place the garage," he said. "For a long time, garages dominated home design because people obviously have cars and you have to deal with it. We can reduce the impact of these garages with solutions such as swing garages, two-and-one splits and the use of porte-cocheres. It not only brings more elevation detail to the street, but it also helps us to break down the mass of the house."
      Another element was designing the courtyard and yard areas to fit with the form of the homes, such as in the Plan Four. Lake said the home's L-shape allows for better utilization of the yard, and views to the rear and side of the home.
      Turrets are another popular feature, he said.
      "In Italian hill towns, turrets or flowers identify the center of town. Here they identify the entry to the home."
      Five single- and two-story floor plans are available, ranging from 2,700 to 4,600 square feet. Prices start from $256,950.
      All homes feature category 5 wiring for home networking. They also are built to the standards required to merit the Energy Star seal, which means they are equipped with specially treated windows that reduce ultraviolet light and vinyl window framing to reduce noise. Homeowners also will have lower energy costs.
      Renaissance is situated on an elevated site, as are the builder's Presidio, Riviera and Crescendo neighborhoods in Seven Hills.
      To visit Renaissance, take Lake Mead Drive to Seven Hills Drive, which is west of Eastern Avenue and go south. The sales office is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily except Monday, when it opens at 11 a.m.
      Pardee Homes has been active in Southern Nevada since 1952.

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