Franklin Massachusetts, a City that still officially calls itself a “Town”, is the home of 55 single family homes in The Village at Cooks Farm condominium. Twenty acres of former farmland and part of a golf course have been laid out as a Traditional New England Village. The 55 individual homes are each a unique design, a variation of one of six concept homes that began the development. The individual home sites are laid out to feature homes of 28’, 30’, 32’, 35’ and 40’ widths.
Balancing disparate goals of individual personalities fitting gently into a coherent neighborhood was the overriding design force as the community takes shape. Buyers need to know how the finished community will look and feel, while each wants the ability to personalize the features and look of their home.
Success comes from developing a theme with a wide range of complimentary options. Colors and trim are chosen to harmonize or blend with neighboring homes as each new residence is completed.
Each residence has a garage facing the service road and a formal front on a street or open common. Private patios bring light and outdoor living to one side of each home while high set windows let in light on the privacy walls abutting neighbor’s patios. Open plan living is the common theme. Formal foyers often access dens, home offices, or first floor master suites before opening into the main living space. Options include front and side porches, sunrooms, screened rooms, formal dining rooms, upper level porches, open lofts, car lifts, etc. The list is long.
Kitchen designs are customized for individual home owners as well, more variations on a theme. Back halls are thoughtfully provided with two inside stairs, keeping the outside stoop close to the driveway elevation. Garages are set to have at most, one step, into the entry hall. Front porches are prominent on almost all of the homes, reinforcing the traditional feel of a village street.
Golf Club members were offered advanced sales, it also seems the club got a few new members from buyers who wanted a part of that!
