We’re so excited to share this Kansas City home renovation! With Louisiana roots, the homeowner’s have an astute sense of style with Southern flair and their home reflects it throughout. The young family moved into the beautiful house near Loose Park in 2016 and quickly found the layout wasn’t suiting their lifestyle. While space was ample, the rooms were choppy and the kitchen was an enclosed room without any natural light. They realized they needed to re-do the main floor layout and their primarysuite needed an update as well. We’ll be sharing the renovation in two posts and you’ll be able to see the primarysuite in our next one!
They looked to Schloegel for help with their project. Ensuring their project was completed on time was a must! The homeowners planned to move out for the summer months and move back into their newly remodeled home at the start of a new school year. They knew Schloegel’s design-build process was best suited to get their project done, as they would be able to go through the process and have the major decisions made prior to construction and receive consistent communication throughout the process.
The Existing Home Layout
Donna Kirsopp worked with the homeowners to create a floor plan that would suit their busy lives. The home built in 1963 had been previously remodeled which included a large family room addition on the back of the home, a powder bathroom and laundry room. The powder bathroom’s door opened directly into the kitchen which wasn’t exactly ideal, especially for guests. The laundry room was very tight. Additionally, the basement door opened right into the kitchen.
On the reverse side, the family room was very large and closed off. The living room was also very large and underutilized. The homeowner’s hoped they could take advantage of some of that space to create a dining room and open up the kitchen.
A New Layout
The homeowners had a wish list of things they wanted to achieve within their existing home footprint. They wanted a kitchen and dining area that could accommodate family, as well as larger casual gatherings. Near the top of their list was also a desire to have a drop space for keys, jackets, backpacks, mail etc. when coming into the house.
First on the list was opening the wall between the kitchen and family which presented several mechanical challenges. Next, a new wall was added to create a hallway to the basement and the office without all the traffic going through the kitchen. This new wall also provides ample space for the focal point of the kitchen; the cooking area. A new island/peninsula separates the kitchen from the family room. It allows uninterrupted sight lines from the family room doors and windows through the kitchen. A built-in banquette was added into the family room creating the perfect place for breakfast and shelves for storage.
Another wall was opened between the kitchen and living room helping define a dining area right off the kitchen and again helping the natural light flow from the back windows and doors throughout the entire first floor.
The entry into the home from the garage was also reconfigured. The new design has the entry land into a hallway. The powder bathroom was moved to one side of the hallway where a door was previously. They were able to work in the charming leaded glass window which serves as a focal point in the new bathroom. The laundry room stayed in its existing location but now expands into the previous bath area. Every little bit of space helps while getting the laundry done and this was a definite improvement.
The Home Renovation
The homeowners and Donna made some amazing selections giving the home its own unique style. The cabinets may be white but they’re anything but basic. The soft white cabinets are mixed with the black island and inset cabinet doors on both sides of the range. The warm and luxurious quartz counters soft gold veining tying in perfectly with the brushed gold cabinet hardware. A patterned concrete tile backsplash, custom hood, and midcentury pendant lights are the perfect finishing touches. It’s black and white done so right.
The built-in banquette provides the perfect place for family meals and helps define the space. The newly created dining room seems as though it was always meant to be there. The entire floor now feels open and light.
The new entry hallway has built-in cubbies complete with electrical outlets and a place for the dog food bowls. The home command center. The hallway also has a magnetic chalkboard which conveniently is right next to the fridge. Sometimes when you see such beautiful, perfect spaces you forget people actually live in them and those small details are huge for day to day life.
Powder bathrooms are a great room to add a little extra design punch and this powder bathroom takes it to the next level. The existing stained-glass window was the starting point. The fun bird wallpaper perfectly tied in the window colors. A live edge slab is used as the vanity top with a marble backsplash. The gold birdcage light fixture and mirror pull out the warm tones of the wallpaper. The bathroom is the perfect play on colors and materials with a touch of whimsy.
The home renovation turned out beautiful and the homeowners are thrilled! The new layout turned their new home into their dream home.
Donna Kirsopp, CKBR
Donna has been with the SDR team since 1999 and in the industry since 1982. She has been recognized by NARI and KCH&G as an award-winning designer for 15 consecutive years. “I am so fortunate to get up every morning loving what I do.” Donna, a native of Pittsburgh PA, has one grown daughter. “In my spare time, you can find me in my garden or on the golf course.”
Are you thinking about a home renovation? Give us a call to talk to a Schloegel expert.