Every now and then, a truly special project comes along, and this was one of those projects for our team. The beautiful home was passing hands. This historic home had been our client’s grandmother’s residence for the past 62 years. As she transitioned into new living arrangements, the home—rich with memories and love—was ready for a new chapter. Our clients, eager to move their family of five into the cherished space, wanted to make some updates to better suit their lifestyle before the big move. Kelly Summers, Lindsay Brungardt, and Leslie Hatfield worked with them to make this charmer fit their busy family’s needs.
This home recently won a Gold and All-Star REMY award and Honorable Mention designKC award.
The Existing Prairie Village Home
As you might expect from a home built in 1933, it wasn’t exactly ideal for a modern family with three young children. The three-bedroom, three-bathroom Cape Cod style house was highly compartmentalized, featuring an awkward entry, a compact kitchen, and an almost unusable mudroom. The home had undergone loving updates in the 1980s but had seen no major changes since. It still boasted blue shag carpet, blue tile, floral chintz wallpaper, mismatched stained and painted trim—everything you'd expect from that era.
The Family’s Wish List
While aesthetics were important to our clients, functionality was their top priority. They wanted a spacious kitchen with an island for seating, a coffee bar, a practical mudroom, laundry on the main floor, and a large dining room for family gatherings. Additionally, they hoped to update the powder room, upstairs bathroom, staircase, flooring throughout the home, light fixtures, and the family room. They also wished to add a deck to the back of the house.
The Remodeling Plan
Kelly, Lindsay, and Leslie worked closely with the family to understand all their needs. The first thing they did was reorient the entrance with it opening into a large, open kitchen. The kitchen included a breakfast area and coffee bar. They then expanded the mudroom just off the kitchen and relocated the powder room. Rather than having two separate living spaces, our clients opted to transform the formal living room into a large dining room, where they could host family gatherings and celebrate holidays in a space filled with memories. She recalled spending time in her grandmother’s home and the formal living room was an unused space, it now serves as the heart of the home for special occasions.
Upstairs, they reworked the bathroom and bedrooms to better accommodate their three children. This gave the girls’ shared room a larger closet and made the kids' bathroom more functional.
While the exterior wasn’t a primary focus, it did require some attention. Our clients wanted to preserve the home’s Cape Cod charm and honor the essence of what their grandmother had lovingly created. We reroofed the home, installed new gutters, exterior doors, and several windows. Both chimneys also required masonry repairs, which we discovered while installing the new roof.
Before Plan, After Plan, & Elevation
The home originally had two front entrances, but the family room entry didn’t function. The primary entrance led directly to a view of the staircase, and from there, a narrow hallway provided access to the dining room, kitchen, family room, and powder bathroom. To create a more open, functional layout, we relocated the main entry, which now opens into a spacious area with views of the kitchen. We removed the small hallway and multiple room entrances, opting for an open-concept design.
To accommodate a larger kitchen and a new powder bathroom, we repurposed part of the expansive family room. The mudroom was reconfigured for a more practical flow, and we removed the wall between the former dining room and kitchen to create a single, open kitchen and dining area. The previous formal living room was transformed into the formal dining room. Lastly, we added a large deck spanning the back of the home, accessible through a new sliding door in the kitchen.
Floorplan Before
Floorplan After
The Kitchen Design
Our client, a lover of bold color, wanted to bring personality into the design while still respecting the home’s traditional Cape Cod style. One of her key requests was to avoid an all-white kitchen. To meet her vision, we reviewed several inspiration images, noting elements she felt drawn to.
We started by selecting navy base cabinets, which created a striking foundation, and complemented them with warm butcher block countertops for a cozy, inviting touch. To balance the richness of the navy, we paired it with soft white upper cabinets, ensuring the space felt open and airy.
For the backsplash, we chose brick, which added a vintage feel and paid homage to the home's Nantucket roots. Our client and her mother personally selected both the wallpaper and the handcrafted hexagon tile, ensuring these key design elements reflected their taste and connection to the space.
To inject even more character, we pulled a pop of yellow from the wallpaper to paint the pocket door, adding a subtle yet playful nod to nautical influences.
Bringing the Kitchen to Life Through 3D Design
With the layout finalized and selections in place, the next step was to bring the design to life with a 3D rendering. Katy Culwell on our Design Team was the mastermind behind this rendering. Seeing their future kitchen in such a realistic way gave our clients reassurance in both their plan and design choices. When our clients viewed the renderings, they were thrilled with the results and eager to begin the project!
Dreams in Construction
Trevor Gariety and Andy Gower took the plans from the design team and made our client’s dream a reality! Here’s a few pictures of the construction and progress.
First up was demo. Due to the sheer amount of demolition of this project we first brought in our Handyman Services team to tackle the majority of it.
Gerard working on demo
The entire home's electrical had to be updated as it was knob and tube, this requried pulling down all the ceilings. Knob and yube wiring was used between 1880 - 1940 and is characterized by porcelain knobs that support the wires and porcelain tubes that protect them. Unfortunately, it doesn't meet modern electrical codes and had to be updated to keep the family safe from electrical issues.
So much demo!
Knob & Tube Wiring
Kitchen after demo
The kitchen and mudroom during framing.
Jason Wright's crew installing the new electrical
The sink alcove starting to take shape
The team reviewing things during a weekly mtg
Cabinet Installation
Unboxing light fixtures
The Renovated Prairie Village Kitchen
What the kitchen previously looked like.
The new kitchen is truly unrecognizable from its former self. Previously compact and closed off from the rest of the home, it has now more than doubled in size, offering an open, inviting space with every modern amenity—a true dream kitchen for our client.
The combination of navy and white cabinets, warm butcher block countertops, brick backsplash, and playful tile accents honor the home’s traditional Nantucket style, while adding a fresh, contemporary twist. All base cabinets are finished in navy, with butcher block countertops on the perimeter for a cozy, organic feel. To give a design change up and give the island a bit of durability they opted for a quartz countertop, perfect for low-maintenance daily use.
Our client specifically requested a single-bowl farmhouse sink, and we love how it complements the navy cabinetry, butcher block countertops, and brass accents. The brass bridge faucet adds an elegant touch, perfectly tying together the warm, classic palette.
Pops of Color in the Kitchen
Our client, with a love for color, wanted to incorporate playful accents into the design, and the pocket door became the perfect opportunity. While the door remains open most of the time, when closed, it introduces a cheerful pop of yellow, adding a burst of sunshine to the space and injecting a sense of fun.
We added a touch of character by wallpapering the entire front wall and wrapping it around the adjacent wall that meets the kitchen.
Breakfast area and Coffee Bar
Previously, the dining room was separated from the kitchen, but we combined the two spaces to create a more open and functional layout. We also replaced the original bay window with a sliding door, giving the family direct access to the deck—a decision they’re thrilled about. Now, it’s the perfect spot for letting the dog in and out, and the kids use it to easily head outside and play in the fenced yard.
We kept the charming arched doorway and the steps leading down into what is now the formal dining room, preserving some of the home's original character. Another special request from our clients was to have a dedicated coffee bar. After assessing the flow of the space, we determined that the perfect location would be in the dining area, just outside of the high-traffic zone in the kitchen. This placement allows the coffee bar to be easily accessible without interfering with meal prep or other kitchen activities.
We carried the navy from the lower kitchen cabinets to the coffee bar. For the upper cabinets, we went with glass-front doors to reflect natural light from the adjacent sliding doors, enhancing the sense of openness and brightness in the room. The glass also adds a touch of elegance, showcasing neatly arranged pitchers, bowls, and coffee essentials.
A Dining Room Made for Hosting
Our clients didn’t want a formal living room that would rarely be used. Instead, they envisioned transforming the space into a formal dining room where they could carry on their grandmother’s tradition of hosting large family gatherings. Though the room may look similar at first glance, it underwent several significant updates to meet their needs. We removed the wallpaper, cleaned and painted the walls, refinished the hardwood floors, installed new baseboards, and installed new lighting. This dining room transformation created a welcoming, elegant space that’s ideal for hosting family gatherings and special occasions, while still maintaining the home’s charm and tradition.
A Staircase Update
The staircase was a hallmark of 1980s design, complete with blue shag carpet and floral wallpaper covering every inch of the walls. While the railing had a more traditional look, the true gem was the curved staircase itself—a feature rarely seen in homes today. We had a hunch that the shag was hiding hardwood beneath, and we were thrilled when that turned out to be true. Not only did this discovery save on costs, but it also allowed us to preserve an authentic piece of the home’s history.
Randy Shepherd meticulously crafted the beautiful railing and spindles based on inspiration from a unique grid pattern our client had found and loved.
The entry way with a view into the dining room. Absolutely love this shot!
A Brand-New Powder Bathroom
The powder bathroom was shifted slightly to the left to accommodate the new front door location. This room includes some really fun design touches! The floor features the same brick tile used in the kitchen backsplash, creating a cohesive design element throughout the home. We laid the tile in a herringbone pattern for added texture and visual interest. The wainscot paneling was salvaged from the family room, allowing us to repurpose a bit of the home’s original charm.
The Mudroom – The Remodel Must Have
While the home was fortunate to have a mudroom, it was incredibly compact. With three young kids, a properly functioning mudroom was high on our client’s priority list. To deliver on a more functional mudroom, we reoriented the mudroom’s layout, widening the room to create more space.
One of the key priorities for the new mudroom was to create a space that could handle the daily hustle of a busy family. Hooks and corresponding drawers were added for each child, giving them a dedicated space for their belongings. The closed drawers were designed to store the family’s abundance of shoes, keeping them neatly tucked away and the floor clutter-free. Above the lockers, cubbies with baskets were perfect for organizing smaller items like hats and gloves.
We were able to add pops of color in this room including the turquoise hexagonal tile floors and multi-colored hooks. The new mudroom is not only functional but stylish and practical, meeting the family’s needs perfectly.
Family Room Updates
The family room went through it's own update. It was reconfigured to expand the kitchen and new front entry. We also removed the second, non-functional entrance and replaced it with a new window, which improved the natural light and made the space more practical for furniture placement.
While the room initially felt dark and dated, we saw its potential with a few thoughtful updates. First, we painted over the dark paneling with fresh white, instantly brightening the space. The built-in bookcases also got a refresh with a soft robin’s egg blue, adding a subtle pop of color. To give the shelves extra character, we introduced an arch detail above them, which ties in beautifully with the arched doorways seen throughout the rest of the home. The existing brick fireplace remained intact, but we added a new wood mantel to enhance its presence and warmth.
Upstairs Bathroom Remodel – Perfect for the Kids
The previous bathroom layout was far from ideal, and it lacked a shower—something the family really needed.
Kelly, Lindsay, and Leslie completely reimagined the layout. We placed a shower/tub combo beneath a newly installed picture window. The new double vanity provides ample countertop space and drawer storage, giving the kids plenty of room for their morning routines. Plus, we kept the original linen closet, ensuring plenty of storage for towels and other essentials.
To make the bathroom both functional and kid-friendly, we chose materials that are durable but also playful. White hexagon tiles were selected for the floors, adding a timeless yet fun element, while classic white subway tiles line the shower walls for a clean, bright look. The vanity, designed to resemble a piece of furniture, features beaded recessed doors in Niebla Azul, a soft, light blue, and is topped with crisp white quartz counters for a sleek finish. To contrast the lighter tones, we opted for matte black hardware and fixtures throughout the space, adding a modern touch.
Exterior Updates – A New Roof & Symmetry for the Win!
We relocated the front door to center it on the front porch, flanked by two equal-sized windows, creating a striking symmetry that enhances the home’s curb appeal. We removed the old cedar wood shutters and replaced them with new vinyl board-and-batten shutters that closely match the original design. The new front door was painted to perfectly coordinate with the shutters, tying the whole look together.
To prepare the home for our young family, we also replaced the roof. The existing wood shingles had reached the end of their lifespan, and we wanted to address this proactively to prevent any larger issues down the line. Additionally, we installed all-new gutters and downspouts for improved functionality.
Our clients absolutely love their “new” home. It carries all the wonderful memories of their past but is set up to support their lifestyle now and into the future!
Ready to fall in love with your home? Let’s design your dream space together. Contact us today!