Harris Custom Builders showcases a $3.3 million gem
Looking for your dream home? The McHenry County Medley of Homes and Lake County Tour of Homes features 53 homes scattered throughout the two counties for home buyers to visit. Builder members of the Home Builders Association of Greater Chicago present model and spec homes that show the quality construction and craftsmanship of their work.
One of the featured homes is the Geneva Chateau by Harris Custom Builders at 80 Geneva Court in Inverness, which is also for sale. This mansion serves as Harris' custom model home and office where potential clients can see the type of home the company builds as well as the exterior and interior architectural design work for which the company is known.
"I am the only custom builder who maintains a huge model in the upper bracket price range," said Evan Harris, president of Harris Custom Builders. "This upscale model is my showcase house boasting quality construction, meticulous detailing and the latest product trends -- characteristics that have built our company's reputation during the last three decades."
With a $3.3 million price tag, the Geneva Chateau is a 9,500-square-foot English country style estate with 17 rooms set on a 1½-acre home site. The home features five bedrooms, state-of-the-art technology integrated into each room of the home, walkout lower level, three patios and a five-car side-load garage with finished interior.
The builder provides amenities galore including a home theater, sports court, exercise room, large recreation area, lower family bar as well as a large kitchen where people tend to gather. The home can easily accommodate 40 to 60 people for a large party. "This is a family home with a children-friendly design," Harris said. "The home is not just made up of rooms; there's a reason for each room."
A brick, stone and stucco exterior offers low maintenance and durability, while inside, Old World charm and unique architectural features take center stage. The home features 10-foot ceilings on the main level, Brazilian cherry floors and custom and faux finishes throughout.
Highlights of this crown jewel include the grand two-story foyer showing marble flooring with green slate accents and a distinctive chandelier with a remote control lift to lower it for easy cleaning and light bulb changes.
Straight ahead sits the French country-inspired showpiece kitchen with hand-rubbed antique glazed cabinets topped with white speckled granite with triple pencil edge. Top-of-the-line appliances include a 30-inch double convection self-clean oven, six-burner professional gas cook top. 48-inch sub zero refrigerator, two built-in dishwashers, microwave and warming drawer. A six-foot granite-topped island offers a breakfast bar for quick meals.
Entertaining will be a breeze with the adjoining butler's pantry with wine refrigerator and sink connecting the kitchen with the dining room.
The kitchen along with the adjoining breakfast area and sun room offers a large open space for entertaining. Two stately pillars and an arched opening separate the kitchen from the oversized breakfast room while the sun room with nine arched windows opens to a two-story wood deck that overlooks a pond and gardens.
Upstairs, the octagonal master bedroom retreat features a tray ceiling with indirect cove lighting and upscale marble fireplace with custom millwork. The private bath covered in Travertine has an ultra air tub, arched corner spa shower with etched glass doors and inserts, his and hers vanities and a giant custom walk-in closet. The room also includes heated flooring and heated towel rack.
This level also houses the four secondary bedrooms each with a walk-in closet and private bath with heated floors.
The walk-out lower level is an entertaining paradise with a private Sony home theater with 110-inch screen and theater-style leather seats, 500-bottle wine gallery with wooden wine racks and tasting table, full entertaining bar with cherry cabinets and granite counters and family room with fieldstone fireplace and plenty of room for a game table, sectional sofas and large screen TV. There is also a glass-enclosed exercise room and spa bath with steam shower.
The home also includes a formal dining room, great room, library, first-floor formal and informal half baths, first- and second-floor laundry rooms, mud room and an optional outdoor swimming pool.
Abbey Woods of Barrington Hills is Harris Custom Builders' newest community where 14 1½- to two-acre heavily wooded home sites are available.
Each custom estate home will feature Old World architecture and a walk-out lower level with lakefront and water views available, Harris said. "Topography will dictate the positioning of each house on the site, which means some homes may be angled on the property or facing different directions."
The community features 22 acres of natural rolling terrain with four natural preserves, native trees, bushes and wildflowers and 8,000 wildflower plants along the perimeter for their benefit of beauty and ecology.
Other amenities include city sewer and water, curb and gutter streetscapes, homeowner association and covenants and premier Barrington schools. The ideal location north of the intersection of Barrington and Palatine roads is just minutes from community golf courses, major retail centers, Metra and entertainment and dining.
To visit the model, take Palatine Road west, right on Barrington Road, right on Bradwell and another right on Geneva Court. Sales hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. For more information on the Geneva Chateau or Abbey Woods, call 847-382-2210 or visit www.harriscustombuilders.com.