Every day more than 10,000 Americans turn 65, and this statistic will hold true throughout the next decade. With this growth in the empty nester demographic comes demand for smaller residential footprints that require less maintenance, waste less space, and offer easier mobility. However, many discerning home buyers that have lived in custom homes in the past don’t want to give up the craftsmanship and luxury features that they’ve become accustomed to while downsizing. In response, Bost Custom Homes has designed and built a home in the Chatham Co. development of Carolina Crossings, just West of Cary, that couples first floor living, plenty of storage, entertaining space, and luxury features and finishes with a floor plan that doesn’t quite hit 4,000 square feet. The result is an “upscale downsizer” estate that lives effortlessly, entertains graciously, and accommodates people in all stages of life. The home is rightfully named The Nest.

The floor plan of The Nest was developed after numerous conversations with empty nesters including a focus group, which revealed a common theme: many folks want to downsize while upgrading, and they want their “forever home” to be easy to live in as they age. Common floorplan requests include the elimination of formal dining rooms in exchange for larger eat-in kitchens, first floor master suites, back-kitchens known as sculleries to assist entertaining, and first floor studies.

The layout of The Nest reflects this feedback. We included an office with glazing to the front porch, and a large kitchen with breakfast nook open to a vaulted family room, perfect for entertaining. Tucked behind the kitchen is a spacious pantry with power supplied appliance shelves, including space for an extra full-size refrigerator, to help conceal the magic operation of a successful hors d’oeuvre party. Beyond the stone encased fireplace and rough-sawn mantle is the cased-opening leading to the owner’s suite, including a gleaming spa-like bath and pebble tile curbless shower for seamless access.

On the opposite wing of the home, also on the first floor, there’s a stately guest suite including a walk in closet and private bath with curbless shower. This bath has an exterior door leading to a landing that is connected to the back porch and the back yard, thus it can serve as a cabana bath and changing room for a future pool. Entering from the 3-car garage, the owner’s entry has a zero-rise doorway, meaning there are no steps between the garage and the white oak flooring of the home.  This coupled with a wide doorway ensures easy accessibility for wheelchairs, should owners or guests of The Nest have a disability or injury.

Though the first floor includes everything you need for daily living, there is a second floor with an expansive 28’ x 20’ recreational room that has been wired and outfitted with surround sound speakers for easy theater conversion, and features a wet bar. Completing the second floor are two more bedrooms with private baths and plenty of storage space within a spray foam sealed walk-in attic.

Find this home on the 2017 Durham-Orange-Chatham Parade of Homes tour under the name The Nest. It will be furnished for the tour and is available for purchase. For more information visit bosthomes.com/parade-of-homes/