Harmoniously blending indoor and outdoor living spaces in creative, comforting manners is the mission of a new community development being constructed by Duke Homes.
Mike Duke, founder and president of Duke Homes, understands personally why more homeowners are searching for a community in which they can get closer to the roots of Greenwood and Bargersville’s agricultural heritage while still embracing planned economic growth and diversification in the area. The Duke’s newest planned community, Aberdeen, is destined to become Indiana’s first Wellness Lifestyle Community and Agrihood.
As a seventh-generation farmer, Mike has spent 37-plus years focused on responsible land stewardship as a developer of planned communities and as a custom home builder.
“We didn’t want to create a neighborhood where people drove into their garages and never ventured out. Providing neighbors with a variety of healthy activities and opportunities to connect with nature, their neighbors, and the community is one of the goals of Aberdeen’s active lifestyle,” says Mike.
Beyond the gated entrance of Aberdeen, this upscale community blends Mike’s love of agriculture with a host of wellness amenities, including 2.5 miles of trails, woods, green space, stocked lakes, community gardens and monthly programmed activities, plus a working farm.
Aberdeen Farms is at the heart of the farm-to-table community, calling residents to enjoy pastures with grazing horses, lowing cows, fresh-cut flowers, seasonal produce, an event barn, and a farm store opening this spring. Mike says future planned amenities will include Lakeside Park with a playground and sports courts, dog park and community center.
“My wife, Marcia, and I hold fast to the guiding principles of integrity, faith, heritage and our business mission: ‘To impact the communities we live, work and build into such a degree that they be recognized as places where residents love their neighbors as themselves better than anywhere else in the Midwest,’” states Mike.
Each home that Duke builds, both in Aberdeen and out, is known for combining timeless design and the highest quality craftsmanship. Coupled with uncompromising service to clients, Mike says his team fully embraces the philosophy of servant-heartedness. “It’s one of the reasons many clients and their families have returned to Duke Homes to build multiple residences over the years,” he adds.
Mike says the design of each Duke Home is like a fingerprint, as unique as the clients themselves.
Before the first planning line is drawn, Mike says his architectural team gets to know clients, their aspirational home style and desired design features before discovering how they envision using the interior and exterior spaces of their homes. From these conversations, blueprints are developed, revised and finalized over several meetings.
“Though each floorplan is unique, there are some elements that are the bedrock of a Duke Home,” Mike shares. “Custom Amish cabinetry, detailed trim work, copious built-ins and the finest quality building materials and craftsmanship are all present in Duke’s homes.”
More and more homeowners request homes designed around expansive outdoor areas for entertainment that work seamlessly to blend the indoor and outdoor living spaces, Mike says. Vaulted ceilings, soaring walls of oversized windows and sliding glass walls are keystones of these designs that provide captivating outdoor views and fill homes with natural sunlight. “Pools, poolside pavilions, heated outdoor patios with kitchens and fireplaces and enclosed with automatic screen walls all reflect our clients’ desires to be closer to nature,” he adds.
Demand for homes with multigenerational family living and features that allow aging in place also are surging. Mike says many Duke Homes’ clients design their homes with dedicated quarters for their parents to reside either seasonally or year-round. “Creating areas where each ‘family’ can have their own private living space, while still being part of the overall home, can prove challenging but satisfying once achieved,” he admits.
Local, younger Duke Homes’ clients also are planning so that as they age, they can continue to stay in their homes. Mike says additions of elevators/elevator rough-ins, zero entry showers, wider doorways and other accommodations can be incorporated during design and construction, so later in life homes can be adjusted to fit changing needs.
“Designing a house that will always be home for our clients is a truly rewarding endeavor,” assures Mike. “Our work is backed by our unwavering dedication to quality in all things, thoughtful land stewardship, and a focus on listening to and serving each client’s distinctive needs.”
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Providing opportunities to connect with nature, neighbors, community is one goal of Aberdeen’s active lifestyle.
"The design of each Duke Home is like a fingerprint, as unique as clients themselves."