Featured Communities

By Teresa Kenney
Contributing Writer

For homebuyers who want to live in Kirkland but fear they can't find something in their price range or size, Sundquist Homes suggests they revisit Kirkland and take a look at the town's newest collection, Garden Gate.

The intimate collection of 24 homes is priced from the low $600,000s, yet offers 2,781 to more than 3,000 square feet of living space. And that's just inside the homes.

"With some brand-new communities, homeowners have to sacrifice outdoor space if they want to live in a close-in neighborhood. But at Garden Gate, our homes offer oversized backyards that are perfect for everything - warm-weather entertaining, gardening, tossing the ball with your dog," says Larry Sundquist, president of Sundquist Homes. "You wouldn't expect to find a prime opportunity like this - at a price like this - in Kirkland."

The cul-de-sac neighborhood has three home plans to choose from: Verbena Jade, Royal Plum and Wine Berry.

The Verbena Jade design is a three-bedroom home with a vaulted ceiling in the dining room, butler's pantry, a private sitting room in the master suite and a den off the family room.

"This plan really makes optimal use of space," says Sundquist. "The master suite has a sitting room that can be used as an in-home office or a quiet library, and the den off the family room is adjacent to a bath with shower, so it's a perfect guest suite. This plan also includes the ever-popular second-floor laundry room."

The Royal Plum is a four-bedroom home that features a den in the front of the home, a two-story foyer and formal living room, butler's pantry and a studio-sized walk-in closet in the master suite.

"This design is a host's or hostess's dream home. The dining room has classic wainscoting and crown molding for a truly elegant setting," says Sundquist. The third plan, the Wine Berry, is the largest of the three. Featuring an open great room design, the home has four bedrooms plus a bonus room and laundry room on the second floor, as well as a den off the entry. Vaulted ceilings in the master suite and bonus room amplify the space. "The bonus room in the Wine Berry can be used as a media or game room. It's huge; big enough for a pool table," notes Sundquist.

All of the home designs include a family room fireplace surrounded in granite tile and framed with a timeless mantel, five-piece master baths and kitchens with built-in desks for checking recipes online. Throughout the homes, windows and skylights were placed to allow natural light to fill the rooms. Each home includes a two-car garage.

Homebuyers have four color schemes to choose from, each offering a rich palette of materials. Extending from the entry into the kitchens is polished pre-finished birch hardwood flooring. Lush Shaw Green Edge carpeting - Shaw's eco-friendly product line - graces entertaining spaces and the second level. In the contemporary kitchens, sleek slab granite countertops and kitchen islands harmonize with oversized 13-by-13-inch tile backsplashes, alder wood recessed cabinetry and a chic stainless steel appliance package.

"The kitchen islands include an eating bar, so everyone can hang out together while preparing meals or grabbing a quick snack," notes Sundquist. In the master suites and baths, a grand entry, crown molding and deep soaking tubs bring the luxury spa experience home.

The homes at Garden Gate feature a number of environmentally friendly features inside and out, including energy-efficient forced air gas heat, 30-year warranty roofing, 2-by-6-inch exterior wall construction (for added insulation) and permeable sidewalks.

"In place of a community detention pond, we created rain gardens of native landscaping. The pervious sidewalks and gardens filter toxins from water run-off," explains Sundquist, "and they cut down on the pollutants reaching our creeks and streams."

Garden Gate is located within easy access to state Route 520. The Kingsgate park-and-ride lot is around the corner for a stress-free commute. Shops, schools, restaurants and services are just blocks away.

"Kirkland is a wonderful city to live in - the schools, the shopping, the restaurants, the waterfront, the parks, the proximity - it's the whole deal; and Garden Gate is the community's best value," says Sundquist.

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