Tuscany Residential Village gets cookin’

In Italy, the heart of any home is its kitchen, and the same is true of neighborhoods at the Italian-themed Tuscany Residential Village in Henderson. Developer Rhodes Homes puts the emphasis on kitchens with islands in nearly every floor plan, Rhodes Homes sales manager John Means said.

"Kitchen islands were once a luxury upgrade, but are now a must-have standard feature in most Rhodes Homes throughout the valley," Means said. "We have found that the islands serve several functions. They offer residents additional counter space for food preparation and display, storage space for linens and dishes and, of course, the perfect place for family and friends to congregate."

Tuscany's Zanetti is a neighborhood of single-story homes ranging from 1,264 to 1,781 square feet. Each of eight floor plans includes a kitchen island.

"Some are designed at chair height and some offer a place for taller stools," Zanetti sales agent Michael Blevens said. "They are all central features of the kitchens and often the kitchens are the central features of our homes.

"When entertaining, most people are drawn to the kitchen area of the home because that is where the conversations usually start," Blevens said. "Even family mealtimes center around the kitchen, so the island provides many functions with food preparation, display and a place to sit and eat."

Blevens also handles sales of remaining available home sites in Tuscany's La Piazza and Montebello neighborhoods.

"These homes offer the luxury cars of kitchen islands," he said. "Depending on the home, they include kitchen sinks, vegetable sinks, stove tops and dual-level countertops."

At the Melani neighborhood, four one- and two-story model homes range from 2,663 to 4,876 square feet. They are offered with three-car garages, many of which are situated on the golf course, as well as kitchen islands in each home.

Melani's Residence 4730, named for its square footage, features two freestanding islands. The food-preparation island is open to the home's great room and features countertop seating. Behind it is another island with dual kitchen sinks and a dishwasher.

At the Fiori neighborhood, three-story model homes each feature a kitchen island on the second level.

"Islands make the kitchens look so much more beautiful," Fiori sales agent Kerri Zimmerman said. "They also open up a lot of space in the kitchen. They are perfect for entertaining but also useful for storage purposes without needing more wall space for cabinets."

Select Fiori floor plans feature kitchen islands with cupboard space on the front and back of the island. "It's a great space saver," she said.

Tuscany Residential Village is a master-planned community developed by Rhodes Homes.

The centerpiece of the community is the Tuscany Golf Club, designed by golf architect Ted Robinson Jr. The 6,906-yard, par 72 course was recently named Golf magazine's No. 1 Golf Course in Las Vegas in its annual BBQ (Bang for the Buck Quotient) rankings.

Tuscany's 35,000-square-foot recreation center, La Vita Tuscana, includes a lap pool, lagoon pool, hot tubs, workout facility, aerobics room, indoor and outdoor basketball courts, racquetball and tennis courts, arts and crafts rooms, billiards and jungle gyms for children.

To visit the models in Tuscany Residential Village, take Lake Mead Drive past Boulder Highway to Mohawk Drive and turn left. Office hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

For more information, visit rhodeshomes.com.