One-of-a-kind Family Enjoys
One-of-a-kind Home in Lyons Ridge

COUPLE DESIGNS CUSTOM HOME OF THEIR DREAMS IN CARY


The Frankel family – (from left) Andy, son Nicholas, and Julie – had Verseman Development
craft them a custom home in Lyons Ridge.

They may not be artists, inventors, engineers or architects, but Andy and Julie Frankel certainly have a flair for creating something truly original. All they needed was the right custom builder to help them unleash their fertile imaginations.  

Indeed, the Frankels and their three-year old son Nicholas have landed in the home they always dreamed of—because they actually helped design it. The Frankels purchased a custom two-story, four-bedroom, four-and-a-half bath home in Lyons Ridge, a community of 28 upscale custom homes in Cary. By working closely with the builder, Verseman Development Company, they were able to craft a luxurious 3,900-square-foot home that they will live in and cherish for many years to come. 

“In designing our new home, we were only limited by our imaginations,” said Julie. “Since we made every choice ourselves, my husband and I have a great deal of pride in our home. Plus, we have the satisfaction of knowing that our residence is different from any other home.”  

Some beloved and unique features of their custom abode include decorative oval windows in the dining room and living room, French doors in their office that lead out onto their partial wrap-around porch, a side-loading, three-car garage, a finished English basement and plentiful windows. Bucking the design trend toward whirlpool tubs, the Frankels wanted an extra-large soaking tub and a large shower with four shower heads instead. They also created a very large island kitchen that boasts a vegetable prep sink, desk, walk-in pantry and a butler’s pantry. 

A good example of how Verseman Development customizes their homes is the elegant and comfortable window seat found in the Frankels’ master bedroom.  

“Julie and Andy showed me a picture of a window seat/built-in bookshelf combination that they really liked from a home design magazine,” said Jeff Holz, co-owner of Verseman Development Company. “We modified it to make it even more to their taste and added it to their bedroom’s design.”   

“While I love everything about our new home, my favorite feature is the huge window seat in the master bedroom,” said Julie. “I am looking forward to reading a book or snuggling up with my husband and son there really soon.” 

Another must-have feature was a guest bedroom with an attached bath. Their frequent overnight guests now will be treated to their own suite, which also will cut down on noisy late-night hallway traffic while their son sleeps.   

“The best thing about our experience is that we seldom heard the word ‘can’t’ from anyone at Verseman,” said Andy. “Every idea we had, even if it might have been impractical, was met with enthusiasm and complete professionalism. Also, our dream home came in on budget and on time—just six months after we signed off on the final design.” 

The Frankels sought a home in Cary because the community is family friendly, yet conveniently accessible to downtown Chicago via the Metra train. Lyons Ridge homeowners also can take advantage of a variety of Cary attractions, including tree-lined streets and plentiful parks, six shopping centers, easy accessibility to Crystal Lake shopping and Algonquin Commons mall, and an emerging downtown area on Main Street. Additionally, Lyons Ridge is located within Cary’s top-rated school district, which includes Cary-Grove High School.  

The newest phase of Lyons Ridge offers half-acre-sized homesites, city sewer and water service, an attractive land plan boasting scenic cul-de-sacs, sidewalks, a tot lot, and extensive neighborhood landscaping. A 100 percent custom residence starts in the lower $500,000s (all prices subject to change without notice). 

A completely custom builder, Verseman creates an original home design from scratch and can build to suit any preferred home style. Lyons Ridge homes include all the luxury appointments and extras Verseman Development is known for—such as spacious three-car garages, granite countertops, Jacuzzi whirlpool tubs, Pella windows, and generous landscape packages.  

For those who would like to move into Lyons Ridge this fall, one custom inventory home is available. Located at 950 Lyons Ridge Dr. and priced at $599,900, this unique two-story residence will include four bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths, three-car garage, large family room, formal living and dining rooms, full basement with 9’ ceiling and bath rough-in, gourmet kitchen with granite countertops, a half-acre homesite with landscape package, and 3,000 square feet.  

“The majority of new home builders offer only semi-custom or standard floorplan homes, with opportunities to choose only finishings such as tile, carpet or light fixtures,” said Holz. “We give families the opportunity to create a unique home from the ground up, from major decisions such as the number of rooms and their locations to the seemingly smaller decisions like the color of their kitchen grout.”   

More than six homes have already been sold and two others reserved at Lyons Ridge and first deliveries are now underway, according to Holz.  

Lyons Ridge is located on Three Oaks Road in Cary. Sales for Lyons Ridge are being conducted at Harvest Glen, Verseman Development’s other new community in Cary. Take Route 14 (Northwest Highway) to Three Oaks Road, go east three miles to the Harvest Glen entrance. A brand new, fully furnished model is open Saturday and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. or by appointment. For more information, call (847) 516-9277, or visit www.verseman.com.