Stunning Residence 2 at Christopher Homes' fast-selling Walden within the master-planned community of Harveston in Temecula is winning recognition for design excellence from value-savvy home buyers and the home building industry alike. Residence 2 recently received a finalist nomination in the category of Best Product Design Detached from 2,901 to 3,200 Square Feet in the 17th Annual Laurel Awards competition. Presented by the Inland Empire Sales and Marketing Council of the Southern California Building Industry Association, the prestigious Laurel Awards salute superior achievement in sales, marketing and merchandising excellence.

"Residence 2 captures the relaxed elegance and comfort that buyers have come to associate with the Walden lifestyle. In particular, the innovative layout of the gourmet kitchen addresses the needs of busy, active families without compromising a sense of gracious living. It's a very open design, with a large, informal eating bar that's oriented to both the family room and a formal 'greenhouse' dining room that is surrounded on three sides by expansive windows," commented Chris Gibbs, president of Newport Beach-based Christopher Homes. Walden also received a finalist nomination in the category of Best Brochure For Homes Priced From $450,001 to $550,000.

Boasting approximately 3,052 square feet with five bedrooms and three baths, versatile Residence 2 features such popular room options as an optional office/den downstairs, and an optional upstairs loft. The home's spacious master bedroom suite offers an optional fireplace, an elegantly appointed master bath with his and hers vanities, and a large walk-in closet.

Residence 2 is one of three highly livable floor plan designs at Walden. The homes are graced by eye-catching architectural styling in Spanish Colonial, American Farmhouse, Cope Cod and Italianate design traditions, and range from approximately 2,770 to 3,393 square feet with four to six bedrooms and two-and-one-half to four baths. Room options among the various floor plan designs include a master bedroom retreat, a loft, a den, a media room, or a super family room, depending on the floor plan design selected. Attached two-car-plus-storage garages are standard. Front-yard landscaping with automatic sprinkler system is included.

Lower-than-expected prices currently start from the low $500,000s.

Dramatic home interiors are defined by architecturally designed passages and volume spaces in entries, master bedrooms, and living and dining rooms in the homes, depending on the floor plan design selected. Additional highlights include woodburning fireplace and media niche in the family room, radius wall corners, raised panel interior doors, architectural recessed lighting fixtures, recessed-panel stained maple cabinetry with white laminated interior drawers in kitchens, baths and linens, ceramic tile entry flooring, elegant hand-finished maple handrails with enamel painted balusters, closets with ventilated shelving, interior laundry rooms with white painted cabinets with cultured marble top, plus two separate heating and air conditioning systems.

Gourmet kitchens at Walden feature premium Whirlpool appliances with five-burner cooktops, oversize island food preparation and eating bars (per residence), spacious pantry storage, ceramic tile countertops with full splash behind cooktop, dual cast iron sink, and under-cabinet fluorescent task lighting.

The 17-acre public Harveston Lake Park and Amphitheater includes a waterside gazebo, a tot lot, an outdoor amphitheater, and a lakefront trail. The public Harveston Sports Park, a 19.8-acre park provided with four lighted sports fields, restrooms, picnic facilities, tot lot and walkway. The Lake House is a private facility for the use of residents and their guests. This facility is planned to include a junior Olympic-sized swimming pool, a spa, a pool pavilion, children's spray park, a lakeside green for community events, and a view terrace. The Lake House building will feature an event room with kitchen, a board room and multi-purpose rooms.

Residents at Walden at Harveston are served by the academically acclaimed Temecula Valley Unified School District.

For additional information, please phone (951) 491-0953. Open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. To reach the beautifully decorated models and sales center, take Winchester Road exit (79) east from the 15 Freeway. Turn left on Margarita Road, left on Harveston Way and follow the directional signs.