“My ‘office’ was the dining room table, and Alex worked in the guest bedroom,” Shauna says.

Yearning for a home to put down roots, they eagerly traversed the city beginning in 2018, scouring options from the compact, urban sophistication of Beacon Hill to the patchwork of competitive alternatives in Fairway, Mission Hills and Prairie Village.

Guiding the couple’s house-hunting expeditions was the image of a home yielding a modern but warm aesthetic where they could balance daily living, work demands, raising a family and gathering with friends and family. Following a prolonged search in which nothing on the market struck the right chord, the couple discovered Homestead Court, which at the time had two of its eleven plotted homes completed and another under construction.

The decision was made: the Uppermans would build from scratch.

Developed by Evan-Talan Homes, the meandering cul-de-sac near Homestead Country Club offered the Uppermans a fresh, exciting blank slate to create a home that would achieve their distinctive design objectives. At the top of their wish list: dedicated office spaces for Shauna and Alex, well-appointed rooms for relaxing and entertaining, and an abundance of natural light.

Dialing things up a bit, Shauna envisioned a dramatic, floor-to-ceiling glass office on the second level, looking down into the main level, where she could immerse herself in the details of her e-commerce company and still feel connected to the heart of the home.

Walkability to The Shops of Prairie Village was an attractive amenity drawing the couple to the area, with this home adding the benefits of a generous backyard and mature trees. The slope of the street where their home is situated affords Alex’s main-level office—where he conducts his real estate investment business—lush and expansive views, skimming the treetops of nearby neighborhoods across Mission Road.