The Lap Of Luxury Thanks To Its Vast And Tantalizing Selection, Idaho’s Parade Of Homes Gives Visitors A Taste Of The High Life

Though patrons of this year’s Parade of Homes in Post Falls pretty much know what they’re going to get, the show does resemble a box of chocolates.

There are those middle- to upperclass show homes with the smell of potpourri wafting through the halls decked in designer furnishings. Kind of like those caramel-filled jobbers in the typical box of sweets.

There’s a more affordable development of homes that do more with slightly less. Reminds you of those orange and creme-filled little gems that are the favorites of some.

But then there’s the truffle- and liquor-filled behemoth about as big as your fist.

The grand finale of the Parade of Homes is nestled between golf holes on the Highlands Golf Course. At 15,000 square feet and valued at around $1.5 million, The Glen Garry Estate qualifies as more of an mansion than a home.

For that kind of money, the owners - Post Falls’ Coles family - get a few frills with the big brick beauty. A safe in the basement with gold lettering proclaiming it “Fort Knox” and a wine cellar framed by fine redwood, for starters.

That’s right next to the elevator and art gallery. From the lowest level head up the spiral staircase toward the 24-foot-high ceiling in the living room and a master bathroom big enough to lose your children in if you’re not vigilant.

Don’t forget the home gym featuring a Jacuzzi with a fairway view, a lounge and pool table area bigger than many bars in town and a Dolby THX sound system home theater at the very top floor, complete with laser-disc imaging and cushy leather couches.

“We thought it would be a good draw for the show,” said Dirk Scott of Pioneer Title in Coeur d’Alene and a co-chair for the Parade of Homes. “This is really the first time we’ve had a home like this one in the show.”

Kootenai County has several whopper-size homes, but Scott said the Coleses’ sumptuous dwelling outshines anything he’s seen.

“I know there are probably bigger homes out there, but I just haven’t seen anything like it,” he said. “And I’ve seen a lot of homes.”

The level of detail elevates the Coleses’ home from simply being colossal to a positively palatial existence. The Chinese symbol for “Double Joy” greets entrants on the intricately tiled foyer, and the symbol appears elsewhere in the home.

Rich cherry and maple woods complement chandeliers and other niceties in what builder Riley & Ritter Construction Co. calls a “Midwestern contemporary” design.

The Coles will enjoy great views of golfers shanking approach shots on the 14th hole into the huge cementlined pond in back. And when their two Great Danes frolic a bit too much in the muck, there’s a special dog-bathing area in the utility room.

The Coleses’ consented to having between 8,000 and 10,000 people tromp over their new carpets during the next week because they decided to give something back to the industry that gave them so much, Scott said.

The Spokane Showcase of Homes took a similar tack last month by including a $1.75 million mansion among its 19 homes. People lined up for nearly an hour at times to tour the sprawling estate.

For about $1.3 million less than the Coleses’ spread, you could have one of the Riverside Harbor homes in the show.

Sorry, the other featured home there has been sold. Copper Basin Construction’s “The Saba” combines angled entryways and creative ceiling treatments to make a truly interesting home.

Next door at Viking Construction’s “The Viking 95,” liberal amounts of hardwoods create a rich, luxurious feel. The landscaping for both these residences alone is worth a gander. The two homes would sell for $214,900 and $227,000.

A home built by Volking Construction near the two Riverbend Homes will also be available for viewing but won’t be part of the parade guides and literature because it joined the show a bit too late.

A few blocks to the west lies Timbercrest, a smaller home development built by Crescent Homes and Mort Construction. Tucked in a quiet Post Falls neighborhood, Timbercrest homes are more modestly priced.

Five homes at Timbercrest will be open, said Corlis Sexton, Realtor at Coldwell Banker/Schneidmiller Realty. They’re roomy and have some nice attention to detail throughout.

Unique floor plans take advantage of angled entryways that cut down on useless hallway space in the three models Sexton shows.

The homes range between $137,000 and $173,000, though only the model home at the development’s entrance remains unsold.

With the average price of a home sold in Kootenai County this year being $111,000, these border more on the realistic for home-show goers.

From Timbercrest, visitors will be asked to weave up to the Highlands and snake around the golf course and sizable homes to The Glen Garry Estate. And prepare to be dazzled.

The parade this year seems more convenient for the folks who pay $5 to go. Instead of scattered sites around the county, the three stops on this year’s parade are all within a couple of miles’ drive.

Spokane’s Showcase of Homes had nearly a 100-mile routing throughout the area, albeit for more than twice as many homes.

Parade visitors get to vote on the best homes in several categories. Each ballot goes in a drawing for a weekend vacation for two in Victoria, British Columbia, a prize put up by sponsor North Idaho Building Contractors Association.

Organizers ask that you start your tour at the Riverside Harbor development. Patrons will find refreshments available for sale, vendor displays and even a play area for kids who aren’t so excited about the smell of new carpet, Scott said.

“That’s something we haven’t been able to offer before,” he said. “It’ll be a place where families can have everything and see the whole show, too.”

For five bucks, it’s a pleasant box of chocolates. Just save room for the big one at the end.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: 4 Photos (3 Color)

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: Parade of Homes locations What: 1995 North Idaho Building Contractors Association Parade of Homes Where: Three sites in Post Falls When: Saturday through July 30; hours are 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturdays, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Sundays, 3-9 p.m. weekdays Cost: $5, $4 for seniors Directions: Exit I-90 at Rathdrum/Spirit Lake exit and go right to light at Seltice. Go through light onto Ross Point Road. Turn left onto Ohio Match Road. Turn right into Riverside Harbor Drive. Follow until Riverside Circus, turn left to Riverside Harbor Drive East. Look for red Parade of Homes signs. Riverside Harbor: The Saba: 4309 River Place The Viking 95: 4311 River Place Volking Construction: On River Place (street number not available) Timbercrest: MacKenzie: 412 Greenbriar Ct. Wenig: 413 Greenbriar Ct. Veranda: 2399 Stonebridge Ct. Walnut: 2311 Timbercrest Poplar: 445 Glenwood Dr. Highlands: The Glen Garry Estate: 676 Coles Lane For more information, call NIBCA (208) 773-2021. Eric Torbenson