Split-level houses were all the rage for a portion of the 20th Century, but the style has fallen on hard times.
Split-level houses accounted for only 1 percent of the new homes built in 2003, according to government statistics. That might seem at odds with a survey by the National Association of Home Builders that indicates about 14 percent of buyers prefer a split-level plan.
A modification of the ranch style popular after World War II, the split-level house packs more living space under one roof than the ranch. The varying levels can, in some cases, provide the possibility for quiet and loud zones inside the house.
Today’s buyers see few split-level model homes in new developments, one of the reasons few buy– or even think to ask for– such a plan.
Wauconda-based Deer Point Homes is an exception. The builder has included a furnished split-level among the three models at Shepherds Crossing in north suburban Zion. It is one of 11 floor plans available at the development planned for 239 houses.
Sales manager John Ludo said the Galway plan accounts for about 20 percent of the more than 120 homes sold thus far. He believes one reason for its popularity is that the master bedroom suite is on its own level.
This is the model many budget-conscious first-time home buyers are likely to study when visiting the development. Priced from about $222,000 for 1,787 square feet, it is the most affordable of the models shown. It is the least formal floor plan and is decorated with young families in mind.
I was excited to learn about it, but I was less enthused about what I saw. A classic split-level can be comfortable for people of different ages because there are only a few steps between each of the two or three levels. And while I applaud the builder for taking the risk of showing a different plan, this home has so many levels owners will be climbing more steps, not fewer.
One other unfortunate difference from the classic split-level design is the garage jutting out in front of the house, not tucked under and flush with the front facade.
Visitors will walk the length of the garage to get to the front door. Once there, they will step from a tiny covered porch through the door into a small foyer and will face a coat closet.
To the left, the foyer opens to the living room, about 10 1/2 by 14 1/2 feet. Behind the living room at the back of the dwelling is the kitchen, 14 1/2 by 11 feet.
From the living room, there are several steps down to a lower-level family room, roughly 19 by 18 feet. A laundry room, powder room and walk-in closet also are on the lower level.
Up from the living room is a 9 1/2-by-19-foot open room dubbed a loft on the floor plan. The space is displayed as a child’s play area, but an optional fourth bedroom can be carved from the space.
Ludo says some people use it as a dining room. Also on that level are two bedrooms–one about 9 1/2 by 11 feet, the other 11 1/2 by 10 feet–and a bath.
Up half a flight of stairs is the master suite with a bedroom about 15 feet square, a large walk-in closet and a private bath. Those steps could be a hazard to groggy parents answering the cries of a child in the middle of the night.
Three of the levels can be seen from the kitchen, which means mothers preparing a meal can keep an eye on everyone, Ludo said. Perhaps, but when I looked at the view through two rows of balusters I felt like a Mom trapped in a playpen.
The openness of this particular plan means sounds of three levels–the television in the lower family room, the banging of pots and pans in the kitchen and the kids playing in the loft–are likely to mingle.
In contrast, the Dartmoor model next door is a home with a familiar but very usable floor plan. The living area is divided into formal rooms with some drama and a separate open, but cozy, informal family space.
To be fair, this is a bigger floor plan with 2,467 square feet and it’s considerably more expensive. The base price for the elevation shown is about $262,000 and the model has numerous upgrades including a super bath option and skylights in several rooms including a closet.
The stairs to the second floor and the basement are in the center of the house and the main floor traffic pattern circulates around this central core, which also divides the formal and informal portions of the house.
Visitors step from a small porch into a 2-story foyer with a small home office or den , about 10 by 9 1/2 feet, on the left. Beyond the door is a roomy coat closet with double doors. To the left are the stairway to the second floor and the living room, 15 by 11 feet, with a high ceiling and large windows on two walls.
To the right of the coat closet is a hallway with doors to the garage, family room, and a small powder room. The good-sized laundry room is at the end of the hall.
The living room has plenty of light and is shown as a formal area for conversation, not TV viewing. Behind it is the dining room, about 11 by 14 feet.
To the right of the dining room is the kitchen with a nicely-proportioned, not overly large center island with two stools. The adjacent breakfast area is big enough for a table for six without crowding.
Adding to the appeal of the space is a pantry and a built-in desk. The kitchen opens to the family room shown with an optional fireplace. The kitchen, breakfast and family room overlook the back yard. The combined area is warm and inviting, large enough for family living but not overwhelming.
Upstairs, there are four bedrooms including the master. It comes with a large walk-in closet and bath. There is a smallish bath for the three bedrooms, but a good-sized linen closet across from the bath.
The largest bedroom, 17 by 11 feet, is shown as a bunk room, an option that is a charming concept, but divides the storage in two quite small closets. One of the closets is a partial room divider; so two children sharing the room each could have a private alcove.
– – –
Shepherds Crossing
Address: 2409 Phillip Dr., Zion
Developer: Deer Point Homes
Phone: 847-746-5123
Web: www.deerpointhomes.com
Description: Ranch, two-story and split-level houses with two to five bedrooms, 2 to 2 1/2 baths and attached two-car garages, ranging from 1,575 to 2,467 square feet with base prices from $217,990 to $259,990. Annual assessments $200. Prices as of May 20.
Amenities: Carpeted living, dining and bedrooms, laminated kitchen countertops, General Electric appliances; vinyl flooring in kitchen and baths, laundry room. Cultured marble top and integral bowl in bath. Fully sodded lawns. Smoke detection system and sprinkler fire protection over furnace.
Neighborhood: Near high school and park, Lake Michigan beaches, shopping, restaurants, Interstate Highway 94 and Metra commuter rail station.
———-
sstangenes@tribune.com
