PARADE OF HOMES GRAND WINNER IS GRAND INDEED

The Fall Parade of Homes, sponsored by the Greater Orlando Builders Association, brought out the best of the best and was, as usual, highly competitive. But the Grand Award in the Custom Home Showcase category was spectacular, even by the event’s traditionally lofty standards.

The Castellina by Castle Rock Custom Homes, the local Arthur Rutenberg Homes affiliate, took both the Grand Award as well as first place among custom homes in the $1 million-plus category. 

And it’s easy to see what wowed the judges. Rutenberg’s newest model is a spacious 4,950 square feet, with four bedrooms, four full bathrooms and two half-bathrooms. It’s priced as shown at $1,775,000, fully furnished. The base price, excluding the homesite, is $900,700.  

This iteration of the Castellina, located on Lake Burden in Windermere’s Casa Del Lago, could be described as contemporary due to its lack of superfluous ornamentation. Yet it boasts just enough Craftsman-style detailing to keep it from looking institutional.

On the first floor, the open floorplan features a large den directly off the grand foyer, and a great room that joins the gourmet kitchen, dining room and morning room, all of which flow seamlessly together. 

The kitchen has a large island with a seating bar and a walk-in pantry. A wet bar and a wine room serve the great room and dining room. 

Among the cool interior features are a decorative ceiling over the great room, dining room, master suite and kitchen. The same ceiling can be found upstairs in the club room.

At the right rear is a posh master suite that features a stand-alone tub between his and hers vanities, a walk-in vertical spa shower and a custom closet that can hold a huge wardrobe. Another bedroom is on the opposite side, adjacent to the kitchen.

The outdoor living area, accessible through 90-degree sliding glass doors, boasts a well-equipped kitchen as well as a lavish pool, sun deck and spa. An in-pool bartop is adjacent to the fire pit and seating area. 

The second floor encompasses a spacious game room, wet bar and media room along with two additional bedrooms. The club room and one of the upstairs bedrooms open onto a covered balcony overlooking the lake.

The Castellina would look great anywhere, but the Casa Del Lago location really shows it off. At 40 acres, Lake Burden is a picturesque body of water, part of the Windermere area’s pristine Butler Chain of Lakes.

The community, with a gated Spanish-style entry, has just 88 homesites, 23 of which are on the water. Residents get a social membership to the Golden Bear Club at nearby Keene’s Pointe Country Club. 

For more information about the winning entry, visit paradeofhomesorlando.com. For more information about this and other homes, visit arthurrutenberghomes.com. 

IN BRIEF

• Builder: Arthur Rutenberg Homes/Castle Rock Custom Homes

• Model Name: The Castellina

• Community: Casa Bel Lago in Windermere

• Square Footage: 4,950

• Bedrooms/Bathrooms: 4 bedrooms, 4 full bathrooms, 2 half-bathrooms

• Price: $1,775,000 (as shown, furnished); $900,700 (base price)