The TAMARACK on Lot 37, West Light. ~ For Sale ~

As our Design Team heads into a brand new season, we are taking stock of all the gorgeous colour palettes and design trends on offer right now! Here, we share a glimpse of our favourites with you…

First up: the latest exterior colours from James Hardie, our go-to source for beautiful, durable siding. Wilcor Homes is proud to showcase James Hardie siding on so many homes at SLR — it not only looks stunning, but it increases the value of our resident’s homes. The paint is actually baked into the siding board, which creates maximum durability and resistance to prolonged exposure to freezing temperatures as well as Alberta’s higher UV.

James Hardie has always had a phenomenal range of colour choices, but we are especially impressed by their latest offerings.

Here, we used Rich Espresso on The TAMARACK on Lot 39, Pelican Corner.

On this custom build on Lot 42, Raven Way, Wilcor featured Aged Pewter for the siding and Iron Gray for the trim. The gray-on-gray is so elegant! This combination is a trend that we feel will be timeless.

After all, it’s inspired by nature…

While these shades are from James Hardie’s latest collection, we also wanted to share a favourite from another palette: Mountain Sage.

We chose this colour for The TAMARACK (For Sale!) on Lot 37, WEST LIGHT. We knew it would do an amazing job of accenting this property’s surrounding mature trees.

See more details and photos of The TAMARACK on MLS here.

In other design trends, let’s talk FLOORING! The look favoured by many homebuyers these days is lighter than in years’ past, and we are embracing it.

Light oak floors are really popular, and we’re also seeing a whitewash stain being applied to flooring, which gives it a “Cape Cod” look.

What do you think? Are you a fan of the light flooring trend? It gives homes a more open, airy feel, which pairs beautifully with the oversize windows of many SLR designs. We will always love our classic darker flooring and continue to have it as an option for your custom build, but we are having fun experimenting with the lighter look as well! As always, it really comes down to personal taste. That’s what’s so fantastic about custom design — anything is possible.

Lastly, we are excited to share some LIGHTING wisdom from lighting designer Rebecca Walker. Rebecca is a lighting expert at B.A. Robinson’s Lighting and Bath, and took the time for a Q + A with SLR.

1. What is the most exciting trend you are seeing in lighting for Spring 2017?

We are seeing a lot of oversized fixtures and geometric shapes. I also notice creative and sculpturally innovative LED fixtures offering ample lumination in a less intrusive profile. In finishes, we are still seeing mixed metals, golds and brass along with blacks and graphites.

2. What advice can you share with people who want to embrace current trends but also want their home to look great in 2, 5, 10 years from now?

There is nothing wrong with embracing trends as long as they as easy on your time and wallet to change. Changing hardware and lighting fixtures is simple enough to switch and can have the biggest impact in a room.

When it comes to finishes though, beware. Some finishes can quickly go out of style so watch how much you are investing. Rose gold and yellow golds, both characteristically reminiscent of shiny brass, are a great examples of this. All are reflective and mirror-like and we are already seeing less of them.

So it it worth investing in them throughout your home? Probably not, but if you really have to have the look, touches can be added in other way like ceramic vases, metallic fabrics on throw pillows or DIY art work and picture frames. Some finishes are sticking around though. Warm, antiqued golds and brass seem to be here to stay for while so don’t be afraid to introduce them into your home.

Thank you, Rebecca!

The SLR team is always excited to talk design, so if you are interested in building at Spring Lake Ranch and want to discuss options, we invite you to book a complimentary consultation!

Call Sarah Corker at 780.288.9767 to book your design consultation. Learn more about building at SLR with Wilcor Homes here.

At Spring Lake Ranch we pride ourselves not only on our homes, but on the wonderful residents who live in them. They make the community such a special place to live! Here, they share what brought them to Spring Lake Ranch, what they love about their homes, and some of their favourite highlights of the community.

Hugh and Stephanie A, Owners of The HAWKSWOOD:

“We are in LOVE with our house! It is extremely functional for our family. We love the open concept layout, the beautiful view of the lake and forest, the walkout basement with the Jack & Jill bathroom connecting the two bedrooms, the large island in the kitchen and the laundry room! We’ve built twice and have never had such a positive experience. The Wilcor team has been extremely helpful through the whole process and has gone out of their way to make sure we are happy in our new home. They are truly amazing.

We love that we are so close to nature (the trails and lakes) but still just steps away from a playground for our kids. We have a large yard but also have neighbours close so we don’t feel isolated. It’s the best of both worlds.”

Scott and Kerri J, Owners of a Custom Bungalow:

Scott: “For several years, we wanted to find the right acreage property and we believed that the selection and discovery process would take years to complete. Not so! The beauty of Spring Lake revealed itself through the newly developed area at Spring Lake Ranch. Instantly, we fell in love with the west-coast designs of Wilcor Homes and the possibility of waking up to the pristine serenity of the lake. We were sold! Wilcor Homes simplified and personalized the process of creating our custom built home.

Kerri: “I fell in love with Spring Lake Ranch. I was already enamoured with the ranch-style homes, rolling hills, and beautiful views, and then when frogs jumped across my sons’ feet and an owl landed on a treetop, I was sold. We have looked at many other lakeside communities within 45 minutes of downtown Edmonton and none compare to the beauty and serenity of Spring lake Ranch. We had spoken to various builders in the area but it was very clear that with Wilcor we have people we truly like, who take pride in the homes they build, and who love the community. Our experience has exceeded our expectations.”

Meghan and Murray H, Owners of The LAKEWOOD:

“SLR was so appealing because of the close proximity to schools, strong sense of community, mix of young families in the area, outdoor activities available and the absolute beauty of the neighbourhood.

We love everything about our new home. From the oversized windows in the great room, to the forest at the back of our lot and the bright and inviting kitchen to the high ceilings throughout the home. The attention to detail and the quality of materials and craftsmanship made it a very easy decision to buy in SLR.

We were also impressed at the thought and detail that went into the layout of the community. Ensuring that each lot maximizes the beauty of the area, the addition of walking trails and leaving as much of the natural landscape as possible during construction are a few of the highlights. As residents that are moving from out of town, we are excited for our family to not only be moving to a new home, but to a vibrant new community.”

Garnet + Darla D, Owners of The Meadow View:

“We knew we were wanting to move to the Spring Lake area, and had been looking at numerous houses. My wife thought, why not build and get all that we want. With Spring Lake Ranch being a new area, we took a closer look, and immediately knew this was the spot. Overall the best part has been the ease of dealings with Wilcor.”

Kim and Mike N, Owners of The CEDARWOOD:

“Spring Lake Ranch offers an active lifestyle with quiet walks, skating, and a playground for the kids. We love our home’s vaulted ceiling and natural light. Living here makes us feel happy, at peace, and proud of our community.”

Sam and Graham P, Owners of The Timber-frame Hybrid:

“It doesn’t matter how busy the work day has been, arriving at Spring Lake Ranch triggers the ‘relax” button. The community is friendly and offers privacy, fresh air and beautiful views. We love our home’s stone fireplace and exposed timbers. Living in a spacious, peaceful yet non-remote community is the ideal combination for us.

“The Wilcor team guided us through every step, translating our ideas into practical solutions that enabled our vision to come to life. They worked closely with us, listened to what we wanted, and created a fantastic design which we are really happy with. We’ve found our forever home.”

Chris and Angela G, Owners of The Lakeview:

“The first few days in our new home we quickly noticed how quiet it is at Spring Lake Ranch. We love how all we can see is the lake and beautiful trees out our windows. The play areas in the Village of Spring Lake are impressive and is a feature you would not find in other acreage developments.

The walkout bungalow design is what we have always wanted and to get it with a lake view is a serious plus. The Lakeview design compliments the lot and enhances the view with the big windows.The curved stair case, stone fireplace and custom cabinetry are features that we could not find when looking at other builders homes. After searching in Spruce Grove and Stony Plain we could not find a lot size that appealed to us. This lot size is perfect, big enough to run around in but not so big that the yard work will be overwhelming. We look forward to having campfires with friends and canoeing on the lake.”

Noel and Erin C, Owners of The RIVERSTONE:

“Driving out here we have the feeling of knowing this is where we belong. We have had this feeling since the first time we came to Spring Lake Ranch. The feeling of finding home. It’s like being on a vacation, surrounded by peacefulness, beautiful scenery and a house that is cozy and feels like home.

Shawn and Michelle B, Owners of The JASPER:

“We were being transferred through our work to the Edmonton area from Sylvan Lake, Alberta. Close friends of ours already own a beautiful home in Spring Lake Ranch and suggested we take a look. We did and we fell in love with the community.

We loved the small lake town feel, like a secret gem. When we finally sold our home after nine long months, we knew exactly where we were headed. The Jasper floor plan is perfect for us and Wilcor hasn’t missed a detail or cut any corners. We can’t wait to start exploring the awesome outdoor trails and take our 3 boys fishing!”View more homes here and book your tour at 1.888.867.1055. Or visit during OPEN Hours, Saturdays, 12-5 pm. Find directions here.

Want to learn more about building with Wilcor Homes? Right this way.

See you at Spring Lake Ranch!

Home Design Trends for 2017

Meet the Residents of SLR! (Here’s What They Say…)