Winter 2023

Fusion Fun

Words by Megan Felling  |  Photos by Josie Henderson

Coastal themes and mountainous scenes merge in maximalist style at this Lenexa home.

A

n artisan is a person in a skilled trade, especially one that involves making beautiful things by hand. This is a fitting description for B.L. Rieke Custom Homes’ first-ever entry into this past summer’s 2022 Artisan Home Tour, hosted by the Home Builders Association of Greater Kansas City.

“This house has features everywhere,” says builder and developer Bruce Rieke. He and his wife, interior designer Toni Rieke, knew they had to “do it up right and go over the top” with their design choices.

“It’s packed with incredible architectural details and one-of-a-kind finishes,” Bruce adds. “It was built for entertaining, functionality and relaxation.”

The Pensacola is a prime example of the builder’s signature style: a harmonious blend of natural and unique details while still being practical. A fusion of various design styles, the home is handcrafted with organic elements and textures, including rough-sawn beams, stone accents and solid wood details.

“It’s an eclectic mix of modern, contemporary, mid-century and rustic,” Toni describes.

The Bahama shutters on the outside, for instance, are reminiscent of the coastal Florida resorts that served as inspiration for the original design, while the location on a wooded corner lot feels reminiscent of Colorado’s mountains.

Toni followed her gut instinct on the interiors.

“What would people really use, and how would I want to live in the space?” she asks. “That’s also really important to think about.”

Throughout the home, she repeats patterns, colors and other features to create a Zen-like and comfortable experience. “This house feels homey; we merged warm earth colors back into the design scheme to achieve that.”

Soaring ceilings showcase a suspended staircase with live-sawn oak and walnut accents, cable railings and a light fixture containing 27 LED spheres, all hung by hand at various lengths.

The living room features an exotic marble-encapsulated floor-to-ceiling fireplace that Toni designed using two bookend-matching slabs. The fireplace extends the view to the dramatic vaulted ceiling with beams and up-lighting. The flooring is live-sawn white oak planks with an eased, chiseled edge and an oiled finish, which the couple discovered on a trip to Pennsylvania with their flooring subcontractor.

White oak was also used for the kitchen cabinets—along with quartz countertops, shimmering backsplash tile and a hand-forged metal range hood custom-made in Colorado. The core feature of the space is the island top, with a solid-walnut countertop extension piece that functions as a serving area for large gatherings.

The hardware finishes were significantly upgraded and include black stainless steel, polished nickel, matte black and finely brushed brass.

“I love to mix metals,” Toni says. “Everything doesn’t have to match; it just has to feel right.”

A fully finished and entertainment-ready lower level impresses with its wine room backlit by a vertical agate slab, curved banquette seating, and walk-out access to the lower patio and backyard.

“The outdoor living package we had in mind included plenty of places to entertain,” Bruce says. “The setting on the lot couldn’t have been better.”

It definitely has that wow factor … every detail is tailored for easy living and at-home leisure.”
~ Toni Rieke, Interior Designer

Outdoor living space is a recurring feature in all Rieke-built homes. The Pensacola’s main-level deck space was designed for maximum comfort and luxury leisure time with a motorized screen to create privacy as well as to keep the space cool from the sun. It also conveniently houses an outdoor grill.

At ground level, the future homeowners can enjoy the custom firepit, water feature, outdoor kitchen, lavish multi-level landscaping set off by mountain boulders, natural stone pathways and a built-in garden bed.

Rieke’s residents also have access to the Timber Rock development’s amenities, including a resort-style pool, clubhouse, sport courts and walking trails.

“Our homes are a product of hard work, innovation and an amazing collection of talented craftsmen—each one an artist,” Bruce says. “We bring the talent together and guide the ship.”

A tribute to the excellence of their work and crew, Bruce and Toni accepted two awards in the Fall 2022 Parade of Homes: the Pick of the Parade Gold Award and the Distinctive Plan and Design First Place Award.

“Our goal,” Toni says, “is to always build a house that just feels good.”

For the couple who built their first house for themselves as 22-year-old newlyweds, in over three decades and 1,300 more homes, some things haven’t changed.

@ BLRiekeCustomHomes

Resources

Architect: Thomas P. McDonough of KC Architecture 
Interior Designer and Contractor: B.L. Rieke Custom Homes 
Engineer: Apex Engineers 
Landscaper: EPIC Landscape Productions 
New Home Community: Timber Rock Development 
Real Estate Agent: Weichert Realtors, Welch and Company 
Appliances and Plumbing Fixtures: Ferguson Enterprises 
Cabinets: Miller Custom Cabinets 
Closet: California Closets 
Countertops: SCI Surfaces 

Electronics: Pro Technology Solutions 
Hardwood Flooring: SVB Flooring 
Hardware: Locks & Pulls 
Lighting Fixtures: Rensenhouse of Lights 
Paint: Millennium Painting Company 
Siding/Stucco: BSM 
Roofing: Imperial Roofing 
Windows: Andersen; Owen Lumber 

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