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PLAINVILLE - For the past seven years, Brendan and Renee Lynch have enjoyed the cul-de-sac neighborhood where they chose to build their oversized Colonial in 1999 - so much so that they are building another home right next door.

With their two children, Alexandra and Derek, now 12 ad 14, the Lynches will be moving from 5 Oakridge Drive to 3 Oakridge Drive, where they are building a slightly larger Colonial.

"We liked the neighborhood so much we decided to stay in the area when we were planning a larger home," Renee said. "We love the neighborhood because it's quiet and everyone is nice. There are children all around for our children to play with, and we don't have to worry about traffic."

In addition, Brendan said he enjoys the fact that the children have always had access to the wooded area beyond their back yard, for dirt bike riding and other recreational activities.

While waiting for their new home to be completed, however, Brendan, an excavation worker for a company in Franklin, and Renee, a local waitress and bartender, are still enjoying their current home, which they designed with layout being a key feature both inside and out. Outside, Brendan situated the house on the nearly one-acre property in a way that maximizes the area's natural heating and cooling all year round. The sun rises over the back of the house first, warming the back deck and kitchen area in the winter when there are no leaves on the trees, while in the summer, the front of the house is kept cool from the shade of the surrounding trees.

Making the most of the property surrounding their current home, Brendan also created an extra driveway on the left side of the house for easy access into the mud area and kitchen when necessary, such as when bringing home the groceries.

There is also a driveway on the right side of the home, which leads to the garage the Lynches designed to be situated underneath the home in order to allow for a first-floor family room above - both of which contribute to the home's 2,400 feet of living space.

The front-to-back family room measures a spacious 14 by 24 feet and offers a view of three sides of the property, with two white-paned casement windows on the front wall, two on the back, and a large Palladium window overlooking the right side.

The family room also offers a high tray ceiling for an even more spacious feeling, and is carpeted in a beige Berber.

For a special decor, Renee has applied a special coating of red paint to the largest wall of the room, that bearing the Paladium window. The special coating is actually several coats of red paint, with a mahogany stain applied by cloth afterward to create the look of leather. Leaving that wall to stand out, Renee painted the two side walls a soft shade of beige.

Another special design feature the Lynches included in the home's interior was to have the family room completely open to the equally spacious eat-in kitchen.

Combined with the sliding doors of the kitchen, which lead to two backyard decks, a hot tub and swimming pool, as well as the open flow pattern of the rooms that connect to the front foyer, the Lynches say the interior layout makes for a great place to entertain large crowds.

The layout of the 14- by 22-foot kitchen itself was also important to the Lynches, as Renee says it is the most important room of a home.

As such, the Lynches have designed the kitchen with easy access to ample cabinetry, plenty of gathering space and plenty of lighting, both recessed and natural, for that special touch of warmth. The cabinetry brings its own touch of warmth to the room as well, made of natural red birch and accented with cranberry countertops, white porcelain knobs, glass-lighted display doors and crown molding.

The cabinetry, custom made by George Antonitis of New England Closet and Custom Woodworking in North Attleboro, also facilitates cooking and storage with spacious pantry closets and gliding pullout drawers.

The cabinetry also offers complementary appliances, a sand-colored Swanstone sink beneath a double casement window and is further complemented by an oak floor.

Continuing the open flow pattern of the home, a wide doorway from the kitchen leads to the dining room and a French door off the mud area to the right of the kitchen leads into the living room. Both the dining room and living room lead to the front foyer as well.

In the dining room, the Lynches have added another interesting ceiling, complemented with an elegant decor.

A large center square of the dining room ceiling was done by Renee using the same red leather technique she used on the widest family room wall. The red square is surrounded by wallboard, finished with a white textured ceiling, which creates a tray ceiling effect.

Continuing the elegant decor, Renee painted the upper walls of the dining room a sage green, adding a floral border at chair rail height, with a gold damask style wallpaper below.

Two front white-paned windows in here, as well as in the living room, allow front views of the front property and plenty of sunshine when needed. Both rooms also offer an oak floor, which flows from the front foyer.

The living room features a brick fireplace as well, with brick hearth and a pine mantel that the Lynches brought with them from the barn of their previous home.

When not needed as additional space for entertaining guests, the Lynches say the living room is a great place to enjoy a quiet moment, with French doors that close the room off both from the foyer and the mud area.

The first floor also offers a half bath and separate laundry room off the mud area, and the second floor offers four bedrooms, all carpeted in an oatmeal Berber, and two baths, with ceramic tile floors.

The property is listed for $499,900 with Pat Gazzola of Century 21, Ed Pariseau, Realtors, at 508-695-2511. The property can be viewed during an open house from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday.