Newport Cove offers many ways to customize

Home buyers purchasing homes at the Cottages of Newport Cove on Bluff Lake can add a variety of customizing touches that will stamp the homes with their personalities.

New American Homes is the builder of the 31 cluster-style single-family cottages within the master-planned lakefront community of 67 luxury homes, and the company is committed to working with buyers to create their ideal vacation homes or year-round dwellings

Bluff Lake is one of the many lakes forming the Chain O' Lakes. Newport Cove offers residents a marina with boat slips, a lakefront park and open space with walking and bicycling paths.

Two ranch plans and a two-story Cape Cod design with a first-floor master bedroom offer maintenance-free living, with prices starting in the mid-$300,000s.

The homes range from 1,670 to 2,218 square feet, with two to three bedrooms plus dens and tech centers per plan, two or 2½ baths, designer kitchens, full basements with 9-foot ceilings and garages large enough for two cars plus a golf cart.

Marisa and Mario Maselli are building the Moonriver design and have made several changes to the approximately 1,990-square-foot ranch plan. The Masellis also chose to have a walk-out lower level.

"We wanted to modify the floor plan a bit, and we were able to add space at the rear of the home that expanded both the main level and the walk-out lower level," Marisa Maselli said. "We also prefer Euro-style arched entryways, and we moved the fireplace in the great room and added a linen closet off the guest bedroom."

The Masellis also wanted to widen the staircase leading to the lower level and added a railing to replace a solid wall, opening up the adjacent tech center.

On the lower level, they have a mini-television room on one side and a large recreation room and workout room on the other with French door entries. They added a full bath with two walk-in closets on either side and a wine closet. The entire back of their home is glass with lake views.

Another recent buyer made changes to the Stillwater design, an award-winning 2,300-square-foot Cape Cod home with two bedrooms and den or three bedrooms, 2½ baths, loft and tech center.

The buyer expanded the home in the rear and opted for two fireplaces, one of which has a niche above and down the side for a television and other media equipment. The buyer customized the kitchen with a niche and shelf behind the stove, created shelf space for cookbooks and chose custom cabinets that extend to the ceiling with glass display areas at the top.

The home also has a walk-out basement, and the double-wide exterior deck will be half-screened and half-open.

The Cottages include many deluxe features in the price, such as 9-foot or vaulted ceilings on the main floor and 8-foot or vaulted ceilings on the second floor; custom moldings and trim; recessed and custom lighting; hardwood flooring in the foyer, great room, tech area, kitchen and breakfast room with carpeting in bedrooms and dens; and solid-surface countertops in kitchens and all baths.

Kitchens boast furniture-style cabinets with custom features and crown molding, under-cabinet recessed lighting, garbage disposals, and stainless-steel appliances including built-in stoves, microwaves and dishwashers. Popular tech areas include built-in desk cabinets, laminate countertops and Internet wiring. Walk-out and look-out basements are available.

Homes feature natural materials such as stone and concrete siding. Architectural shingle roofs will be uniform in color and have metal accents. The Cottages include flower boxes on windows and carriage-style garage doors. Strict architectural standards have been set, and crisp white trim and railings will be seen on all homes, docks, mailboxes and light posts.

The focal point of the community is the new marina with low-maintenance docks supplied with water and electricity, and built to accommodate shore stations. The boat slips are so abundant that each home can have two or three. The Army Corps of Engineers has mandated that no new docks can be built on the Chain O' Lakes, so the marina at Newport Cove is especially attractive to boaters.

New American Homes also is building some of the custom homes at Newport Cove. Custom home sites are available, including waterfront locations for homes of 2,500 to 4,200 square feet, graded for walk-out basements and priced from $375,000. Estate home sites, located just off the water, can accommodate homes from 2,200 to 3,500 square feet, with prices starting at $120,000.

The sales center is open daily noon to 5 p.m. Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday. To visit, from I-94 and Lake-Cook Road, proceed north on I-94 about 23 miles to Route 173; west (left) on Route 173 about eight miles to Route 59; south (left) on Route 59 about two miles to Grass Lake Road; west (right) on Grass Lake Road about one mile to Bluff Lake Road; north (right) on Bluff Lake Road to the sales center.

From Route 12 (Rand Road) and Lake-Cook Road, proceed northwest on Rand Road about 22 miles to State Park Road; north (right) on State Park Road about one mile to Grass Lake Road; east (right) on Grass Lake Road about five miles to Bluff Lake Road; north (left) on Bluff Lake Road to site.

For more information, call (847) 726-2727 or visit www.Newport-cove.com.