Prairie Legend Idea Home 2003

(ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2003)

What could top last year's Idea Home?
Why, two homes, of course.
We started with houses on the drawing board in Overland Park, Kansas (metro Kansas City), and Apple Valley, Minnesota (outside the Twin Cities). Then, editors toured model homes and met with local design pros. We hashed over where to put tables and couches, moved a door here, a window there, till everything was just right. And here they are: an elegant Arts and Crafts two-story and a charming farmhouse, full of ideas you can work into your home!

Then, like Goldilocks, we poured over plans, checked out products, tromped through models. We tweaked the plans until they were just right. And here they are: a charming country farmhouse and an elegant Arts and Crafts two-story. Both brim with dozens of ideas you can incorporate into your own building, remodeling or decorating project.

Whether you're building a new home, remodeling, or just needing a new paint color, check out the inspiring ideas in this special section.

Arts and Crafts styling of grand old homes in Kansas City's Country Club Plaza area inspired our 6,000-square-foot two-story home, with a walk-out lower level. Charles Kraft, Jr., a third-generation home builder, incorporated authentic details inside and outside. "The appeal is in the wide soffits, ornamental brackets, stucco, and shingle-style siding," says architect Scott Bickford, AIA.

Prairie Legend Idea Home Ideas

Elegant, sophisticated rooms on the main level exude welcoming warmth in a palette of rich, natural tones spiced with hearty dashes of paprika reds. Interior designer Linda Carroll went well beyond the predictable in the formal great room and dining room. Modern furnishings contrast with traditional trim in the great room fireplace and the dining room columns.

A kitchen for a crowd, a room that functions as a family center, and an entertaining hub-those were our goals. This inviting room is our result. Cabinet configurations, along with custom details such as spice drawers, compartments for wine, glass-front cabinets, recessed lighting and a wooden backsplash, reinforce the Arts and Crafts style. Granite on the island and counters adds hardworking elegance; legs on base cabinets recall fine furniture. Stainless steel Jenn-Air appliances combine beauty with performance: The 36-inch cooktop is the most powerful noncommercial grade available.

A space to gather near the kitchen, often called the hearth room, is as traditional as Kansas City barbecue. Put-up-your-feet-style makes this a place for relaxing or visiting with the cooks. Dining area windows recall sunrooms that were staples in early 1900s homes.

Quiet time for business or homework is as easy to come by as slipping shut the glass pocket doors of the study. At the center of the main floor, the foyer, with its grand, 20-foot-high ceiling, ushers guests into the study, formal dining area, or the great room just down the hall.

A pampering master suite even has a sitting room that can be closed off with French doors. This haven also includes a roomy bathroom, his-and-her sinks and a dressing table. A closet as large as many bedrooms affords expansive space for dressing and storage.