Butler's pantries within Tuscan Cliffs' designs deliver luxury

Whether it is used to store extra china for a dinner party or as a place to prepare a morning espresso, the butler's pantry provides a convenient staging area for serving meals, according to Rob Evon sales agent at Tuscan Cliffs, a guard-gated neighborhood of customizable homes within the Southern Highlands community.

According to Evon, the pass-through spaces are popular in the luxury home market.

Three of the four model homes at Tuscan Cliffs include the designed pantries, between the kitchen and formal dining room.

Each includes an optional pull-out warming drawer, storage for china and flatware, counter space and an optional built-in, stainless steel cappuccino maker by Miele.

"For homeowners who use their dining room frequently, the butler's pantry becomes quite a convenience," Evon said. "It's a place to keep the service sets close at hand and to put dinners together before serving them. In the models, we have ours set up for espresso and cappuccino service as well, which has become a popular feature to include in recent years."

Cabinets and countertops match those of the kitchen, including the addition of accent halogen lighting inside and below the upper set of cabinets.

In the Villa de Rafael model, the butler's pantry includes a small sink and glass inserts in select cabinets to display decorative sets.

The pantry of the Villa de Franchesca model provides access to the kitchen's regular pantry.

"Each of our homes is well-suited to entertaining large groups, be it friends or family," Evon said.

"The butler's pantry is one of those additions that experienced luxury-home shoppers look for when they imagine how they might actually use the home they are considering."

Tuscan Cliffs, developed by Pacific Southwest Development, will feature 155 luxury estate homes on lots measuring one-quarter acre or larger. Premium home sites, including mountainside parcels in future phase releases, are available.

Four two-story models are open for touring at the neighborhood. In their base configurations, the floor plans range from 4,328 to 5,441 square feet. Various design options can bring the homes to 6,000 square feet.

Each is designed for a high level of customization, allowing residents to add a range of spaces and features.

Standard amenities include paver stone driveways, sand-finished stucco exteriors, stainless steel appliances, 42-inch maple cabinets, granite counter tops, 6-foot garden tubs, wood-clad Andersen windows, exterior stone veneer, Kohler plumbing fixtures and structured wiring systems. Options are available for nearly every aspect of the home, including structured wiring systems and media networks, swimming pools, as well as decorator touches throughout.

In addition, each residence qualifies as an Energy Star home.

Pricing begins from $1.05 million to $1.15 million.

To visit, take Interstate 15 to the St. Rose Parkway exit and go west. Drive north on Southern Highlands Parkway and proceed to Stonewater Lane. Turn left and follow the signs. Office hours are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, except Monday, when it opens at 1 p.m.

For more information, call 228-8559 or visit pacificsouthwest.com.