Layered Living

Winter 2025-26

December 11, 2025

Featured

Inspired by Texas Hill Country style, B.L. Rieke’s model home transforms a wooded Lenexa lot into a livable work of art.

Words
Savannah Newson
@sociablysavvy

Photos
Josie Benefield
@josiedell_photo

Contractor/Interior Designer
B.L. Rieke Custom Homes
@blriekecustomhomes

Architect
KC Architecture
@kcarchitecture.biz

rom the timeless works of Mozart and Van Gogh to the cozy warmth of hometown desserts and winter wardrobes, the world’s finest masterpieces and our everyday comforts share a unifying thread: purposeful, thoughtfully constructed layers. These layers of construction, whether composed of flavors, textures, or melodies, establish a profound sense of dimension and depth, heightening our experiences in the moment while leaving an enduring impression.

Home building—especially in the realm of high-end custom design—is no exception. Intentional layers of detail create substance, richness and character, elevating rooms from blank canvases to immersive, beautifully livable works of art with true wow factor. It’s a transformation that Bruce and Toni Rieke, the husband-and-wife team behind B.L. Rieke Custom Homes, bring to life again and again. This time, it’s with the Pensacola Hill Country model.

Set high on a wooded daylight lot within Lenexa’s Timber Rock community—Bruce’s highly successful first foray into real estate development—the residence commands attention with its inspired elevation and undeniable curb appeal. It impressed during its debut in the Spring 2025 Parade of Homes, earning both the Pick of the Parade Gold Award and First Place for Distinctive Plan & Design. The residence, however, is much more than an award-winning showpiece—it’s a layered story of architecture, landscape, and lifestyle woven together in seamless fashion.

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B. L. Rieke Custom Homes President Bruce Rieke and Co-Owner & Lead Designer Toni Rieke join designKC Magazine Publisher Keith Sauro to go beyond the pages of designKC’s winter issue. Use promo code “MYKCLIVE1″ to get a 1-year subscription for only $15 or promo code “MYKCLIVE2″ to receive a 2-year subscription for only $25.

Drawing inspiration from Texas Hill Country architecture with a touch of Frank Lloyd Wright, the Pensacola’s exterior pairs native Kansas limestone and hand-scraped timber posts accented by custom iron brackets with expansive black-framed Andersen windows and signature metal awnings. Oversized soffits and a low-pitched roofline introduce geometry and proportion, while the interplay of stone, wood, metal, and glass strikes a balance between natural and contemporary.

“It’s a layering of materials, visual interests and ambiance,” says Toni, the interior designer of the home. “We carefully blend them so they’re not in your face. People see [the details] but they don’t really know why the house is different unless they truly study it.” The couple’s harmonized design method applies to everything from lighting to stone selections.

Even the entry sequence reveals a deliberate moment.

“You’re immediately drawn to the outdoor living features as you first enter the home,” Bruce illustrates. “You cross the threshold, and right away you see the blazing fire pit out back… It’s a big focal point.”

An ode to Frank Lloyd Wright’s mastery of organic architecture, the contemporary front elevation captivates attention with its low-pitched roofline and oversized soffits. The native Kansas limestone was custom-cut to specific thicknesses, lengths, and heights, then finished with a distinctive heavy-pitched capstone. Metal awnings, hand-scraped timber posts with custom iron brackets, and dramatic day-to-night lighting are hallmarks of B.L. Rieke’s signature style.

Left and below: The backyard unfolds like a private destination—nestled among native cedars and framed by layered and lit landscaping—featuring multiple seating areas, self-watering planters, and a custom Core-Ten steel fire pit (complete with its own gas line). Sightlines from the patio all the way to the front door reinforce the home’s natural flow.

Complementing the home’s geometric architecture, the backyard landscape feels wholly organic—its stone paths, winding walkways, and native timbers accentuating the natural contours of the terrain.

The outdoor living areas extend the home’s nature-loving embrace. Dual sliding doors open to a covered lanai paved in porcelain, mirroring the front entry for continuity. A honed marble fireplace, granite countertop, and built-in grill elevate the experience, while thoughtful touches like self-watering planters, natural stone pathways, and a Core-Ten steel fire pit with a dedicated gas line enhance functionality. The landscaping, artfully crafted by Epic Landscaping Productions, further grounds the retreat in its setting.

“We nestled [the outdoor living space] into the trees and natural setting of the lot,” Bruce says, adding that trimmed up and thinned out trees made way for the design.

The result, as Bruce describes, is “resort living at your own home”—an al fresco retreat where architecture and nature flow together in harmony.

The lower level continues this intentional layering through texture, geometry, light, and a few hidden gems. A rounded wall of vertical glass panels frames the game niche, guiding visitors into a whiskey-and-wine room outfitted with floating iron shelves, custom wine racks, and subtle libation-themed details revealed only at certain angles—a playful addition by iron artisan Jack Brock. A comfy barside lounge and adjacent theater are anchored by individually cut and painted wood slats, adding dimensional warmth. Triple picture windows flood the space with daylight, while ceiling accents, uplighting, and repeating geometric motifs ensure cohesion.

The great room offers a graceful midpoint between the home’s main living areas. Vaulted ceilings, abundant natural light and solid white-oak floors with an oil finish infuse the space with warmth and character, while a sleek, linear fireplace adds a balancing touch of modern edge. Dual sliding glass doors by Andersen extend the space outward, forming a seamless indoor-outdoor connection.

Striking from every angle—even curbside—the light-filled stairwell curves around a cascading chandelier, all while the staircase itself appears to “float” behind a two-story wall of black-casement windows, creating a dramatic display—especially after dark.

Geometric motifs throughout the kitchen echo the home’s architectural thread. Troy Lighting’s Origami pendants and gold detailings lend a note of warmth and artistry. The two-toned oak cabinetry provides a rich backdrop for the room’s main attraction: a soft green, T-shaped quartzite island with a custom-fabricated metal base.

Anchored by expansive black-casement windows and a raised roofline, the front office serves as both a functional, flexible workspace and an architectural statement. “The front office is kind of a signature feature,” Bruce explains. “It gives the elevation its character.”

The primary bath is accessed through deep-blue barn doors from the suite or via the adjoining primary closet and connected laundry room. A spacious walk-in shower and freestanding soaking tub, set against a natural stone accent wall, create a soothing focal point.

The floating two-tier vanity mirrors the kitchen island’s quartzite countertop, hardware, and richly stained wood detailing, all softly illuminated by LED.

One of the most popular features of the Pensacola Hill Country is its lower level—and understandably so, with its bright, inviting ambiance and relaxed sophistication made for effortless entertaining. The space offers something for everyone, featuring a suave bar with a glass-front Monogram fridge, and floating glass-and-iron shelves, a striking whiskey-and-wine room, and multiple seating areas.

Defined by a rounded wall of frameless vertical glass panels, the game table niche offers a view into the whiskey-and-wine room beyond. The fully custom, stone-clad enclosure features underlit wood shelves and artisanal iron wine racks crafted by Jack Brock of Custom Products.

Discreetly tucked away are two more surprises—a cozy under-stairs hideaway and a crafting/safe room—demonstrating how even practical spaces can carry layers of creativity and charm.

“It doesn’t feel like a lower level,” Toni reflects. “It’s full of light, texture, and visual interest. Everything is open but sectioned. It’s not just one big open room—you still feel the spaciousness while having organized living spaces.” The layering of recurring design elements, along with the visual connection to the outdoor living areas, ties it seamlessly to the rest of the home. “We try to keep a continuation of things—a thread through the house,” she adds.

Her words echo the very essence of the Pensacola Hill Country, where every space is orchestrated in layers—stone and timber, light and landscape, design and detail—woven together to welcome its new owners.