Amid a reimagining of its brand, Tamarack Homes is creating a buzz with the opening of new model homes at two of its Ottawa developments — Findlay Creek Village and The Meadows.
It was time for a refresh, says sales manager Megan Van Rijt, but the activity also comes on the heels of a changing of the guard in Tamarack management. Last fall, Michelle Taggart and Steve Parkes took over as co-presidents of the company from their uncle Chris Taggart and Steve’s older brother Scott, marking the transition to the third generation of family leadership. Van Rijt and marketing manager Christie Shayler are also new appointees, bringing a fresh infusion of ideas to the longtime building firm.
While planning for the model homes preceded their appointments, it’s the new team that is seeing them across the finish line.
“It’s just a really exciting time for everyone,” says Shayler, listing off changes to the Tamarack brand and logo, updating of sales centres in both Ottawa and Kingston and the opening of new models. “We’re rocking and rolling.”
Findlay Creek models
Joining Tamarack’s four existing single-family home models at Findlay Creek Village in south Ottawa, four new townhomes have been built and styled by decorator Sarah Taggart. They replace a quartet of towns that were opened in 2022.
The popularity of townhomes in general and shifting buyer preferences prompted the new Findlay Creek town models. The existing single models, says Van Rijt, remain timeless and did not need updating: “When you walk into our singles, you would have no idea that they were done four years ago. They are pristine; they are gorgeous.”
The townhome floor plans that were chosen represent Tamarack’s most popular choices, Van Rijt says: two end units (the Harmony and Camden), the smallest in the lineup (the Abbey) and an interior unit with the bonus of a mudroom (the Samira).
“We wanted them to be timeless, fresh, new, but attainable, meaning people walk in and they don’t feel like they can’t afford it because there’s too many upgrades or the couches don’t look comfortable,” she says.
They’re also designed so that buyers can see what the homes look like with a range of upgrades, says Shayler. For instance, the first model, the Harmony, has the most extras for visitors to see, with each home that follows in the row having less. The Abbey, the smallest home, has virtually no upgrades, adds Van Rijt, to show particularly first-time buyers the quality of home they can get at a lower price.
Sarah Taggart describes their designs as a mix of modern influences, coastal, warmth and layered touches.
Van Rijt says of the style: “It’s really transitional, comfortable, livable, but still chic.”
The townhome models opened in February “and the feedback was really positive. People loved the layouts, the designs,” says Shayler. “They really enjoyed seeing all of the options available for them.”
Aimed at first-time buyers, professionals and young families, that’s also who is primarily buying the homes, Van Rijt says.
Key features of Tamarack’s townhomes, which are reflected in the models, include finished basements, nine-foot main-floor ceilings, quartz counters, main-floor hardwood, heat recovery ventilator, smooth ceilings and more. The homes are also Energy Star-certified, which opens them to the option of a 35-year green mortgage through RBC, Van Rijt says.
Launched in 2002, Findlay Creek Village now has about 3,800 homes built by Tamarack and sister company Tartan Homes with about 500 left to go.
The Meadows models
At The Meadows in Barrhaven, two new single-family home models offer a base for a revitalized sales centre in this 15-year-old development.
The St. James on a 44-foot lot is one of Tamarack’s largest and top-selling homes. The model shows the options of the main-floor guest suite (an increasingly popular feature that many builders are leaning into) as well as a bedroom and bathroom in the finished basement, giving the home six bedrooms. With the finished basement, the living space of the home jumps to 4,300 square feet. “It’s a biggie; it’s a beauty,” says Van Rijt.
Styled by Anna Riopelle, who designs for both Tamarack and Tartan, the model is a blend of traditional elements mixed with modern farmhouse, with priority placed on comfort, natural light and a more minimalistic-inspired esthetic, she says.
“I was going for a look that is ‘grown up,’ yet one that focuses on character, natural materials and European cottage influences rather than being excessive. This home is a dream for a large family and offers elegance, yet in an inviting, charming way.”
The other model is the 38-foot Payton II, a four-bedroom home with just over 3,100 square feet. Although it has an option for a main-floor guest suite, the model shows the standard layout, which is a living room (to complement the great room at the back of the home), powder room and larger mudroom rather than the guest suite.
The transitional styling uses rich warm woods, highly contrasting textures and naturally inspired interior finishes such as foyer tiles that appear to have embedded pebbles in them.
In this home, “decor focuses on personal expression and veers away from safe, resale-focused design,” Riopelle says. “The gentle palette of warm terracotta and caramels (is) contrasted with unexpected dollops of highly saturated teal, bringing colour into the space without being overwhelming.”
Like its towns, the singles are Energy Star-certified. They also come with features such as a higher basement ceiling, walk-in closet in the mudroom, double sinks in the ensuite, nine-foot main-floor ceilings, gas fireplace, heat recovery ventilator, smooth ceilings, quartz counters, main-floor hardwood and more.
A bonus extra in the St. James is a dedicated kids’ play area in the basement. “It’s almost like a play structure built into part of the house,” says Van Rijt.
The new Meadows models open April 25, when Tamarack plans an opening week promotion.
The Meadows launched in 2011 and about 900 of its approximately 1,100 homes have been built, Van Rijt says.
For details on visiting the models, see our Findlay Creek Village and The Meadows development summary pages.
This article ran in the Ottawa Citizen on April 25, 2026.
