Built-in Comfort

An emerald green lawn and purple, orange, and yellow flowers frame this home in a quiet, new subdivision in Cape Girardeau.

Amid well-kept lawns, the neatly shuttered windows of the house lean against a clean, vinyl exterior.

Inside the two-car garage there is trimming as on the inside, and fluorescent lighting. The finished garage opens into the kitchen and dining room combination.

The kitchen floor is covered with light 12-inch ceramic tile, and custom-made oak cabinetry lies above and below the counters. Inside the door to the right, in the corner, is a vast pantry that can double as a utility closet.

White appliances include a side-by-side refrigerator with exterior ice and water dispensers, and built-in microwave and range. Six-inch white tile is on the wall over the double Corian sink. A vaulted ceiling rises over kitchen, dining room and living room.

Off the kitchen, an oak shelf juts above the main level laundry room. Behind white folding doors, the laundry room is equipped with white vinyl-covered wire shelving.

Two years ago, carpet was removed from the living room and hallway, and replaced by custom-made oak hardwood flooring. Down the hall from the living room are two bedrooms in the front and the master bedroom in the back.

All three bedrooms are newly carpeted with neutral-colored, flat plush carpeting. The two front bedrooms have picture windows and mirrors on the sliding closet doors. All the windows in the house have thick plantation blinds.

A vaulted ceiling is over the master bedroom, with a ceiling fan. Two picture windows brighten the room.

All three bathrooms in the home are full, with shower-bath combinations, and all have ceramic tile floors, oak cabinetry, and eggshell colored walls. One is at the end of the hall with one sink, one is in the master suite with his-and-her sinks, and one is in the finished basement.

The stairway entry to the basement is covered with oak caps, and the steps are covered with light Berber carpeting. The lower third of the basement wall is covered with custom processed maroon stripping.

In one corner is a built-in pool stick holder, and half of the recreation room is ideal for a pool table. Two windows in the basement keep it lighted during the day. Recessed lights are in the ceiling.

The walkout basement is ventilated the same as the upstairs, with vents distributed around the room, including one in the large bathroom. Built-in surround sound is installed in the basement, and the drop ceiling is placed high to maximize space.

A storage room in the basement provides an abundance of built-in shelving.

The yard is sodded and maintained by a professional lawn service. The back yard is spacious and almost entirely flat.