IT’S EASY TO SEE WHY THE MADEIRA IS A HOT SELLER

When the nation’s premier builder of luxury homes reveals its most popular model — in the region’s fastest-growing master-planned community — you’ve got to figure that it’s a pretty special home.

For Toll Brothers, the Madeira model is really clicking. It’s the company’s bestselling offering at Lakeshore in Horizon West, the huge mixed-use project that’s reshaping Southwest Orange County.

More about the Madeira in a moment. First, here’s a little background about Toll Brothers. The company, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, was recently ranked No. 6 on Fortune magazine’s list of the World’s Most Admired Companies — and No. 1 among homebuilders. Which is to say, this is a company that knows how to build a beautiful home.

The Madeira is a spacious 3,820 square feet with a 184-square-foot lanai and an 89-square-foot entry. But it’s what designers have done with the space that makes it remarkable.

The floorplan is open and airy — that’s been the rage for years — but it’s the details that set the Madeira apart. For example, it boasts coffered ceilings and arched openings like you’d typically find in a much more expensive custom home.

It’s got a three-car garage with a huge combined great room, breakfast area and gourmet island kitchen at the back. Both open onto the covered lanai. There’s a walk-in pantry and an optional butler’s pantry that could be used as a technology center. And there’s a formal dining room adjacent to the downstairs bedroom, which has a private bath.

The Madeira’s master suite is upstairs, and it’s magnificent. It opens onto an optional exterior balcony, and the bathroom features dual vanities, a private toilet area and a walk-in closet as big as some rooms. The laundry area is also on the second floor. Most eye-popping is the loft, which overlooks the downstairs and where you can opt for a wet bar.

Depending upon the configuration, the Madeira can have five to seven bedrooms and four or five bathrooms plus one half-bathroom. Other options include an extended kitchen and great room, and a cabana bathroom.

Priced starting at $484,995, the Madeira isn’t a starter home. But if you want a luxurious custom feel without the custom price, it’s a real value at that price point. And your Madeira might look quite different from someone else’s Madeira down the block. It comes in three elevations: Tuscan, Spanish Colonial and Palm Beach. Each has its charms, but we like the Tuscan’s use of stacked stone on the elevation.

Visit tollbrothers.com for more information on the Madeira and other Toll Brothers homes and communities.

IN BRIEF

• Model: The Madeira

• Builder: Toll Brothers

• Square Footage: 3,820

• Bedrooms/Bathrooms: 5-7/ 5.5-7.5

• Garage: 3-car

• Price: From $484,995

• Notes: The Madeira comes in three elevations: Tuscan, Spanish Colonial and Palm Beach. Options include an extended kitchen and great room, and a full cabana bathroom.