Meritus Homes Makes Holiday Entertaining Easier than Ever with Modern Design Features

As homeowners prepare to play host for family gatherings and out-of-town guests during this holiday season, they find themselves better equipped than ever to entertain with ease thanks to modern design features and amenities included in today’s new-construction homes by builders such as Deerfield, Ill.-based Meritus Homes.

“In this age of HGTV, Pinterest and Houzz, homebuyers are more savvy about what they want in a home, and in response we’ve really upped the ante in recent years with floor plan elements, features and finishes that we not only offer through our semi-custom design process, but even include as standard elements in all of the homes we build,” said Brian Brunhofer, president of Meritus Homes. “Many of those features not only translate into better function and ease in day-to-day living, but also result in homes being well-equipped to comfortably handle large holiday gatherings.”

Brunhofer noted the kitchen, frequently the center of holiday activity, is one area of the home where homeowners enjoy an abundance of features that are ideal for hosting.

“The trend in modern home designs is to make the kitchen as much a living space as it is a functional area for preparing meals – which is as beneficial for holiday entertaining as it is for family time,” he said.

For example, he pointed out that every home Meritus builds features a kitchen that is open to the family room, a layout families appreciate all year long, but especially at the holidays.

“No one wants to be stuck in the kitchen tending to the turkey while everyone else is watching football or visiting with relatives they haven’t seen in a long time,” Brunhofer said. “All of our kitchens also feature large islands, which offer great additional prep space when guests want to help in the kitchen. They’re also a nice spot for people to sit and keep their hosts company as they work. Of course, the island is also a great solution as a ‘kids table’ if you need extra seating.”

He added that all Meritus Homes kitchens include 42-inch cabinets, which create more storage for specialty serving dishes and glassware, and that many buyers also opt to add a butler’s pantry to their kitchen design.

“For a casual buffet, the butler’s pantry adds a nice expanse of counter space, away from the activity of the kitchen, where you can set up a bar or serve appetizers or desserts,” he said.

Also making homes more functional for entertaining is the rise of practical spaces such as mud rooms and large pantries.

“The challenge of entertaining isn’t just having a lot of people in your home – it’s also where to put all the stuff that comes with those extra people, from coats and luggage to the additional supplies of food and drinks,” said Brunhofer. “Many of the features we put in homes to help families stay organized can also keep holiday hosts on track and the party zone clutter-free.”

He noted a large pantry, which is included in all Meritus Homes floor plans, allows homeowners to shop in bulk for holiday food and drink items, and store those extra supplies near the kitchen itself. “Our plans also have a mud room or laundry room off the garage, which is the perfect place for stashing extra beverages or serving as a staging area for caterers,” he said. “And just as the mud room keeps clutter to a minimum for families on a daily basis, it can also be a drop zone for collecting coats during a party or organizing boots and outerwear for overnight guests.”

For these guests, Brunhofer said many of Meritus’ most popular floor plans feature a secondary bedroom with a private bath that can be an ideal guest suite. “Many parents like this layout for their teenagers, and the bonus is the setup also works well to give overnight visitors some extra privacy,” he said. “Buyers also like our floor plans with a first-floor den and often choose to add an adjacent full bath, so that they can use the space for guests and not have to displace their kids when they have visitors.”

Meritus Homes is currently building semi-custom single-family homes at Greenbrook, the builder’s exclusive neighborhood of 22 single-family homes within the master-planned Highland Woods development on Elgin’s west side, and The Reserve of St. Charles, a community of semi-custom and custom homes just three miles north of downtown St. Charles. Visit www.MeritusHomeBuilders.com for more information, or call 847-877-1123 for Greenbrook at Highland Woods or (630) 549-6486 for The Reserve of St. Charles.

About Meritus Homes
Meritus Homes was founded by homebuilding veterans Brian and Karen Brunhofer. The couple has more than 30 years of combined homebuilding experience, during which time they led teams that delivered more than 10,000 homes to the Chicago area. Meritus Homes has built homes in many of Chicago’s most sought-after communities, including St. Charles, Elgin, Long Grove, Park Ridge, Wilmette, Winnetka, Northbrook, Inverness and Naperville.