Cicero contemporary is warm and welcoming

Gina and Bob Piper's contemporary home at 8763 Wedgefield Lane, Cicero, on the market for $244,000, shows that creative use of color and texture can complement the clean lines of contemporary design to create a family friendly, warm and welcoming living space.

The 2,424-square-foot, three-bedroom, 2 1/2-bath home was built nearly 26 years ago, just blocks from the southwest shores of Oneida Lake. Bob said that although the home's construction pre-dated Energy Star standards, the couple, concerned even then about energy efficiency, upgraded the project with walls built of 2- by 6-inch lumber, heavier insulation in the ceilings and walls, and double pane, low-E casement clad windows.

One of the hallmarks of contemporary homes is their connection of indoor and outdoor spaces, which the Pipers maximized. Skylights, nearly floor-to-ceiling windows, transoms and glass doors invite views of the property's park-like setting inside. A covered front porch and a partially covered, multi-tiered wood deck on the back provide snug spots from which to observe nature or to just chill out.

"We've loved having porches on the front as well as the back," Bob said. "We sit out there with a glass of wine, and sometimes even drag the TV out back and watch Yankees baseball."

The home accommodated the active Pipers and their two children -- now grown, with families of their own -- as well as Bob's contracting business, Upstate Painting, which he runs out of his basement workshop and the oversized two-car garage.

"The kids would come in after cross-country skiing on nearby snowmobile trails or canoeing on the lake, and they could just go straight downstairs to the basement from the garage to put their clothes in the laundry," Bob said. The wide cellar stairs also accommodated Bob's all terrain vehicle, allowing him to store it in the basement.

The 600-square-foot eat-in kitchen has a walk-in pantry, recessed and under-cabinet lighting and an abundance of work space on laminate countertops. A large island surrounds an electric range with a down draft vent, grill and griddle. There is a dishwasher and a built-in wine cooler. An adjoining powder room and a glass door to the back deck make the space work well for entertaining.

"We're kitchen people," Gina said. "This is where we do our entertaining. Everyone gathers in the kitchen. It's the original kitchen, but it's in perfect shape."

The open-plan carpeted dining room has a triple width sliding glass door that opens to the deck. A half-wall divides the dining room from the sunken living room, which has a marble-faced, wood-burning fireplace with a marble hearth. One half of the ceiling is vaulted and has track lighting.

The adjacent foyer's oak floor extends into a walk-through closet, with access to the kitchen and the garage on the other side. A double-door entrance in the foyer opens to a home office, also with oak floors.

A carpeted staircase to the second floor has a landing with two tall picture windows. The bottom window frame edges are flush with the landing's floor - a perfect spot for a dog to lie in the sun while watching over the front of the property and the neighborhood beyond.