Kansas City Homes & Gardens Blog

KC Cares

It’s nice that in this type of economy, people are willing to put their own wants and needs aside to help those who are less fortunate. That’s exactly what NARI’s Kansas City chapter did for The Children’s Place (TCP) in Brookside. "The mission of The Children’s Place is to promote positive mental health and developmental outcomes through prevention, treatment and family support for young children who have experienced abuse, neglect or trauma," as their website states. This facility, open from 9 a.m.-3 p.m., cares for and educates children from 6 weeks to 6 years old, with more than 95 percent in the foster care system.

Since moving into their current location at 2 E. 59th St. in Kansas City, TCP’s general purpose room lacked major updates, had storage issues and electrical wires exposed. That’s when NARI members came to the rescue. Whether they donated time, money or labor, about 15 different NARI members (companies) added sheetrock, carpet, paint, storage room and a kitchenette with a refrigerator, bar top and coffeemaker,  transforming this old, blue room into one everyone can share — it’s not only used for board meetings (the ONLY meeting space in the facility) but is also the hot spot for holiday parties.

Wednesay, March 10, The Children’s Place and NARI held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to officially welcome the newly remodeled general purpose room. Many NARI members, TCP staff and students gathered for the big event. Take a look at the event pictures below.

The partnership between NARI and The Children’s Place will last all year long…and hopefully longer. A portion of the proceeds from NARI’s Remodeled Homes Tour, April 24-25, will also go to the children. For more information on these two great organizations, visit www.remodelingkc.com or www.tcpkc.org.

(second row, right) David Matson, president and CEO of TCP, welcomes everyone and thanks NARI for a job well done.

(third row, right) Jan Burchett, NARI executive director, thanks NARI members who contributed to the project.

Add comment March 10th, 2010 at 03:53pm Brooke

Good tomes for your homes

We adore the printed word and pretty pictures, especially when they feature our favorite topics: homes and gardens. Below we pick a few of our favorites that have come across our desks.

Prefabulous + Sustainable: Building and Customizing an Affordable, Energy-Efficient Home (available in April) by Sherri Koones, with a foreword by Robert Redford.

If you think prefabricated = low quality, you should see the 25 unique factory-built homes Koones profiles in this book. They vary in style, design, size and type of construction, but each is green, efficient, sturdy and more cost-effective than site-built homes. The book not only dispels the negative myths surrounding prefabricated houses but illustrates how beautiful these types of homes can be. It also includes a resource guide for builders. www.abramsbooks.com

27 Things to Feng Shui Your Home by Tisha Morris, a certified life coach and feng shui expert.

Feng shui has been around for centuries, yet it continues to intrigue homeowners to this day. When you move a couch, mirror or even a vase, for instance, the energy shifts in your home. Following the tenets of this ancient Chinese art, you can make sure that energy is positive. Geared toward beginners, this guide succinctly covers how to de-clutter, select colors, integrate the five elements, stimulate the senses, make repairs and improvements, and much more. www.turnerpublishing.com

The NEW Low-Maintenance Garden by Valerie Easton

Low-maintenance doesn’t have to mean lots of mulch and ugly groundcovers as the photography in this book proves. Hardscaping covers surface area for a user-friendly environment, and an appropriate plant palette can also help keep weeds under control. By following some of Easton’s maintenance-reducing strategies, gardeners can spend less time working and more time enjoying the scenery. www.timberpress.com

1 comment March 4th, 2010 at 09:57am Andrea

It’s Show(house) Time!

Welcome to the public’s first peek at the changes happening to the 41st Symphony Designers’ Showhouse! We all know it’s going to be a tour for the books, and we want to give you a first look at the transformation of this Ward Parkway home, originally built in 1922.

This is the "old" library that has already started its remodeling process with tile around the fireplace and floor buffing. We’re going to keep our eye on this room as some of the KCSA ladies think it could be the most transformed!

The purple on the sunroom walls (left) will spark imagination as the children’s playroom, which connects the boy’s and girl’s bedrooms. The photo on the right is a picture of Ethan Allen’s design vision for the little girl’s room. 

Kyle Wells’ design for the living room (left) will energize the room with vibrant colors, all while keeping the original crown molding intact (right).

Today all the floors are being refinished; who knows what next week will bring. Stay tuned as we follow along!

1 comment February 24th, 2010 at 03:17pm Brooke

Dual Action

Nowadays, homeowners are looking for furniture pieces that are both eye-pleasing and functional. The Temple Day Bed by The HomePort Collections is brand new, debuting for the first time at the end of January at the New York International Gift Fair.

Also eco-friendly, the day bed is made of mahogany and maximizes space by acting as a couch during the day but reclining into a bed at night. It includes 4 bolster pillow surrounds and 2 Kapok pillow mattresses. (Too bad the dog isn’t included, too.)

Add comment February 17th, 2010 at 09:04am Brooke

Ditch the brown paper bag for this

Recently, we visited Off the Vine Design & Cellar, located in Hawthorne Plaza at 119th and Roe. After picking up a couple bottles of wine reserved from our first-ever Cooking School, we took a look around the gifts and decor section of the store. It has almost anything wine-related you could want, but what stuck with us were these cute faux-leather wine purses! Apparently, they are the hit of the season, and perfect for transporting a favorite wine to a party.

Usually $39 each, they are currently on sale for $33. I’m just hoping they’re in stock later this year, too; I have some friends who would absolutely love them! (And my birthday is in April, in case anyone’s wondering…)

Add comment February 10th, 2010 at 09:04am Brooke

Invite an artist to dinner

Entertaining is a huge part of many homeowners’ lives. That means there’s great need for a good set of dinnerware (or two or three…). Why not make one of them a set of these hand-thrown and painted ceramics by artist Robert Siegel? Choose from five lines or customize your own by picking a color to match your dining room chairs or a design that mimics your drapes. Since each piece is made without a mold, shape, size and color will vary slightly, adding the elusive element of true artistry to your table.

Add comment February 3rd, 2010 at 12:37pm Andrea

3 French Hens launches online store

Remember this fabulous cover? The tree design was by 3 French Hens, a holiday decor store at Town Center Plaza in Leawood. But we’ve just received word that it’s no longer just a Christmas store anymore. Co-owners Sherrie, Daniel and Matthew just launched an online store, offering many of the same great products plus new items for every day, and moved locations (now next to Restoration Hardware, a few doors down from the previous location). To celebrate, stop by the store every Thursday this month for a complimentary happy hour from 5:30 until close. Use the coupon code "grdopn" at the store checkout to get 30 percent off your entire order.

Add comment February 2nd, 2010 at 09:57am Andrea

Top Shelf

Add comment January 27th, 2010 at 03:27pm Andrea

“Bang for Your Buck” coming to town

Have you recently renovated your basement? If so, HGTV wants to know asap."Bang for Your Buck," which airs Friday nights at 8:30 p.m., is looking for fun and enthusiastic homeowners in the Greater Kansas City area to feature on an upcoming show. Each episode will tour three similar remodel projects at similar price points, with design and real estate experts determining how the renovations impact the homes’ values. Taping begins soon, so if you’re interested, send photos of your basement and request an application by calling Brooke Schledewitz at 303.712.3168 or emailing her at bschledewitz@highnoontv.com.

Add comment January 20th, 2010 at 02:12pm Andrea

Bringing in Nature

Inspired by nature’s simplistic and cozy elements, we came across Stone Forests’ Wooden Inspiration Collection, which offers different furniture pieces, such as pedestals for the bathroom and garden benches, with unfinished edges and clean lines to provide an organic, modern look. Designed from sustainable hardwood, each piece is handmade, so no two are alike.

The L-Slab Pedestal (below left) shows its individuality with unique knotholes and striations when crafted from its original state. This particular one is featured with the Bronze Zen vessel. The Windsor Back Bench (below right) is a durable bench with intricately carved spindles for comfort and functionality. It’s definitely eye-catching and looks great in the garden. For more of nature’s products, check out www.stoneforest.com.

Add comment January 12th, 2010 at 09:22am Brooke