Builder: Mark and Ben Sumada
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When you think of a contemporary home, the words innovative and forward-looking often come to mind. The design of such homes, while somewhat complex in nature, is balanced with more of a free-form and artistic approach, taking cues from a variety of designs, rather than just settling on what is currently trending. Influenced by styles that came before it, a contemporary home marries both the exterior craftsmanship with large and spacious open floor plans where no single style or design element takes center stage.
Award-winning builder Mark Sumada, owner of Suma Design & Construction, Inc., is one such builder who excels at contemporary design while simultaneously leaning towards sustainability and energy-efficient homes that effortlessly partner form and function.
This stylish West Plaza home stands not only as a testament to Sumada’s talent and experience, but also to his legacy. Designed by his son, Ben, this 2,747 square foot residence, called The Newport, is of perfect design for the narrow lot upon which it sits.
“I designed this home for an urban setting where land is at a premium, requiring more of a vertical presence,” Ben explained. “I wanted a tall ceiling in the entry to provide more light and to make it feel more open.”
Ben designed this home several years ago for a downtown setting. When meeting with the clients for whom Suma Design is building this home, he showed them the plans and tweaked it to meet the clients’ needs. Ben, Vice-President of the company, worked his way to this position by honing his framing and design skills over the years. This particular plan truly showcases the talents he brings to the table.
“This home is unique in that the garage and front door are actually on the basement level,” he noted. “When you walk in the front door, you are basically in the basement. The staircase to the main level is on the right while the garage is to the left. There is a bedroom and a storage area to the rear. The home is three stories tall and features four bedrooms and four bathrooms. The open plan allows you to see to the top as you enter the foyer.”
The stylish glass and handrail on the staircase lead you up to a remarkable open space, featuring a dining room, kitchen, back bedroom and great room, complete with a cozy linear fireplace and a built-in bar with a custom metallic mosaic hexagon tile backsplash. The kitchen enjoys black walnut cabinets (which match the interior doors and the staircase) and a waterfall quartz countertop on the island. Hardwood floors dominate throughout the main living areas, with tile in the wet areas and carpet in the bedrooms. A cocktail deck is nestled above the garage, accessible from the great room through a 12-foot bi-parting slider door.
The master suite is on the top floor and boasts ample room for relaxation and comfort, standing 20 feet wide and 14 feet deep. With respect to the master bathroom, the homeowners decided to forgo a traditional tub and instead opted for a larger walk-in shower, accented with vertical stack tile and a sitting bench. The corresponding vanity is nearly 11 feet long.
The walk-in closet is accessible from the bathroom and has 130 feet of hanging space available in it. The closet then leads to the laundry room, which is outfitted with ample storage. Also on this level is another bedroom with its own bath and walk-in closet.
“This house feels really big,” expressed Mark. “It could also be built in a suburban setting by making a few changes, such as moving the entry and the garage up one level. We could put a two or three car garage on the side of the great room or to the right of the entry, giving someone a chance to have an urban design in a suburban setting.”
Mark confirmed having Ben on the team has put them at a great advantage.
“Ben fully understands the construction aspect and how a house has to go together in terms of framing and design,” he explained. “He doesn’t just present an idea that looks good conceptually, but also one that can be confidently built.”
Ben has followed his father since he could walk and is exceeding his own expectations.
“It’s truly a blessing having someone so knowledgeable and who incites fun creating and working for our company,” expressed Mark. “More than anything else, we appreciate our customers, the ability to serve them and their appreciation of what we create.”
