Living in Color - Kansas City Homes & Style

With an inspiring palette of bold and fun-filled hues, this vibrant home delights in revealing its true colors.

Story by Ann Butenas | Photos by Laurie Kilgore Photography

It has been said a house is successful if it is pleasant to live in. If that assumption is correct, then this Overland Park, Kansas residence has realized a crowning achievement in terms of interior design and style. Through the use of layers of elements, such as lighting, colors, hardware, furniture and décor, the spaces within can have a dramatic and positive influence on those who live here.

Built by BCI Bowen, this home suggests how attention to the important variables, proportions and materials create a unique and inviting perception of the interior living spaces. When the Lindstrom family decided to purchase this home (with the assistance of real estate agent Shannon Stumpenhaus) while it was already under construction, they decided to incorporate their own unique style into the finished design before moving in. As an interior designer, Maureen Lindstrom instinctively knew the feelings and emotions she wanted this home to inspire.

“I wanted it to be casual and inviting but colorful enough to make a statement,” expressed Maureen, who has a knack for embracing fun and bold elements that give this home its own unique personality. During construction the builder had been working with another designer, so the tile, paint colors and flooring selections had already been determined. However, Maureen arrived on the scene with perfect timing to complete the picture with her own personal touch.

“All of the hardware, plumbing, furniture and décor were changes we made to the home,” explained Maureen, who created an interior voice that not only expresses who this family is but also what they love. As a beach-loving family, the coastal flavor this home offers is reflected in the pops of blues and whites, which dance in harmony with some daring displays of emerald greens.

Almost as if providing a free-flowing exchange of upbeat emotions, one can roam room by room and feel embraced by authenticity of its style. Boasting roughly 4,200 square feet which includes five bedrooms and four-and-a-half bathrooms, this story-and-a-half design was the perfect slate from which Maureen could work her magic.

“I fell in love with this home when I first saw it,” she smiled. Although the family lived just one block away before relocating to this home, it checked myriad boxes in terms of what they desired and needed: a home office space; a master bedroom on the main floor; an auxiliary kitchen; and additional space to accommodate Maureen’s growing interior design business. Because the pandemic of last year required Maureen and her husband to work from home, as well as her kids to engage in remote learning, this house offered numerous solutions to their needs.

Unafraid to attempt the daring, Maureen incorporated appreciable amount of wallpaper – which is making a comeback – in the powder bathroom, the office, the living room and in a couple places in the master suite.

“I love the color, patterns, texture and ‘wow’ factor wallpaper brings,” she emphasized. “I am most passionate about wallpaper and lighting. I custom-selected all the lighting fixtures and really love brass. It adds beauty and warmth, making it almost like jewelry to the room.”

The vignette that stands in the entryway of the home was the perfect place to showcase a blue grasscloth credenza, a piece that originally did not feel right at home in their former residence. The natural presentation of this piece and its surrounding appointments offer a sneak peek into the home and reflecting the vision Maureen had for it.

“I had been designing and decorating the new home in my head as it was being built and saw it as a fresh, clean palette into which I could incorporate lamps, pops of colors and interesting details,” indicated Maureen.

Although Maureen tended to stay with her overall transitional style in most of the house, she deferred to her more daring side in the master bedroom.

“The emerald green patterned paper on the walls is definitely out of my box, and we even put green grass cloth paper on the ceiling, as it draws your eyes up and is so unexpected,” she said. “I also finally had a place to put the floral print pillows that I knew I wanted to use in this house.”

The master bathroom was originally designed with dark hardware and plumbing, which Maureen switched to brass. She also changed the lighting to invoke more of a spa-like atmosphere. Where there was space originally built for a free-standing tub, Maureen swapped that out for a vanity, providing additional storage. A standout in the room is the quarter foil shaped light, which creates a veritable ‘wow’ factor of its own.

In the kitchen, Maureen opted for a clean and pretty presentation.

“I love the open feeling, as it is warm and inviting,” she said. “This is where everyone gathers and because it opens to the dining room and living room, it is cohesive and easily flows.” Plus, the auxiliary kitchen behind the main kitchen is the perfect place to hide various smaller appliances while maintaining the clean and free-flowing appeal of the main kitchen.

The powder bath on the main level catches the eye with its scenic wallpaper and jeweled sconce, creating a world in and of itself. Even the doggie bed located in the mudroom assumes its role in the layers of elegance and charm this home promotes with its charming gold screen doors, making “Teddy” feel like king of the castle.

Upon entering the living/great room, one almost instantly feels a sense of warmth and relaxation. With copious natural light and layers of soft elements that abound, you are easily encouraged to stick around awhile.

“I love that it is open to the kitchen so we can all be in the same space but not on top of each other,” said Maureen. Outfitted with a navy blue sofa, a couple of swivel chairs and ample amounts of pillows, the obvious attention to comfort is in the details.

And speaking of details, this is the design language that Maureen fluently speaks. Even down to the bar cart located next to the dining room table. Adorned with accessories, this piece draws your eye to the space.

“I don’t believe a home is finished until you have all the accessories in place,” noted Maureen, who enjoys mixing in different things (like her penchant for ginger jars) special to her family to make it warm and cozy.

In the office, eye-catching curtains punctuate the room, adding an expressive finishing touch with an element of softness.

“The white, linen panels with the decorative tape on the ends provide a fun detail,” commented Maureen.

One of the family’s favorite spaces is the upstairs loft. Bright, colorful and cheerful with hot pink pillows and navy cabinets, this room offers what the current unfinished basement does not: a place to unwind, watch a movie or game, and simply spend time together as a family.

“We actually had the same media center built in the basement of our other home and had the cabinet maker redesign it and bring it here,” said Maureen. “I love the big hardware on it, which makes it more like a piece of furniture.” Maureen even created the design of the upstairs landing contiguous to the loft to provide a welcoming entry into the area.

If interior design is truly about making the best possible use of the available space, then Maureen and her family have captured not only the essence of their home but also the spirit of who they are.