Naturally Influenced Modern Farmhouse - Kansas City Homes & Style

For a look both fresh and lived in, this southern Johnson County home partners a modern farmhouse vibe with unique rustic elements.

Story by Ann Butenas | Photography by Matt Kocourek

This custom-built modern farmhouse nestled on nearly an acre of land in an exclusive southern Johnson County neighborhood reflects impeccable design and quality at every turn. From the custom cabinetry and stylish flooring to the open, flexible floor plan that begins in the foyer and leads to the breath-taking great room and the covered deck beyond, a certain casual elegance lends itself to the overall ambiance. Anchored by the warmth of a fireplace and brightened by light colors and a wall of windows leading to a covered deck, this home offers the perfect flexibility for a cozy night in or a fun weekend of entertaining family and friends.

The unique interiors of this home rely on a blend of textures and materials to create a relaxed, organic vibe. Located in an intimate neighborhood known for its attention to captivating architectural touches, all of the homes are crafted with an artisan touch reflective of a unique historic time period and feature Victorians, Southern Colonials, Craftsmen styles and more. This particular home pushes the design envelope in this arena with its own style. Built by Troy Moore, owner of Madi Mali Homes, this home stands out on so many levels, most notably for the people who live in it.

“The homeowners are such a great couple, and we had fun every time we went to pick out something,” expressed Moore. “Our main job is to make their dream come to life, and as a custom home builder, this home was no exception. It is our job to make sure every surface is custom curated, which was accomplished with this project.”

This home checked all the boxes and met all the criteria for innovation, overall design, attention to detail, artisan appointments and total functionality. The end result of this successful and creative collaboration between builder and homeowners brought to life an old farmhouse approach with modern influences inside.

A 4,500 square foot masterpiece, this two-story residence boasts eight-foot double front doors, six bedrooms, six bathrooms and also includes a finished walkout lower level. A few of the bedrooms have been converted to accommodate an office, a craft room and a guest room. Moore and the homeowners worked in collaboration with architect Bruce Hollenbeck to fulfill their vision. They showed him pictures of the design ideas they liked and over a period of 18 months saw that vision come to life.

“We used to live in a split-level home in Olathe that was roughly the same in terms of square footage, but this home, with its wide stairs, open floor plan and high ceilings make it feel much bigger,” indicated the homeowner. “We chose this neighborhood because we wanted more land and more garage space so we could store our vintage Ford Bronco.”

When focusing on the overall design and aesthetics of the home, the owners leaned towards light colors with a rustic accent. In other words, they wanted a new house with worn elements. The mantle above the great room fireplace, for example, came from Brett Porter, an individual who tears down old barns and repurposes the wood.

“We dug through all of his wood pieces and landed upon this one for the mantle,” expressed the owner. “Brett then cut it down and finished it. We also got the wood that wraps around the beams in the great room and the entry way from him. All of them are wood pieces from old barns. You can see the red paint in some of the beams, and that is the distressed look I wanted.”

Keeping the originality of each piece was important to the homeowners, as well. They didn’t want perfection. They wanted distressed and original, not matching pieces of wood. In some instances, a lighter-colored, distressed piece of wood was placed next to a darker, grainier one. Even the wood shelving in the kitchen came from old barns.

In keeping with the wood appeal, the tile in the master bathroom was created to look like wood. It is gently complemented with navy-colored cabinets and further accented with a shiplap accent wall, white quartz countertops (which are found throughout the home) and a custom-made barnwood frame for the mirror.

“I like to marry nice, new and lighter-feeling things with distressed elements,” emphasized the owner. “Troy was amazing in this regard. He knew what I wanted and helped me figure it out.”

A professional artist, the homeowner (owner of Lily Cole Designs) was unafraid to incorporate a DIY mentality during the construction of this home, infusing it with personality and her own unique artistic touches throughout the spaces. She provided her own personal stamp to the home, the most intriguing of which involves the hand painted tiles in the powder room situated just off the kitchen. Distinguished as “the most used bathroom in the home,” the owner wanted to ensure it stole a part of the overall spotlight. In addition to selecting the wood grain counter slab, the owner hand painted each individual tile on the wall, which was no small feat.

“I had a specific vision for that wall and saw it as an accent wall,” she noted. “I actually bought white glossy tiles at Home Depot and transformed them by creating my own stencil and hand painting over them. Each tile is different.”

The craft room is another favorite of the owner, as it allows her to pursue her artistic and creative endeavors with ease. There is plenty of light and a built-in counter to accommodate large projects. The flooring is made of LVT (luxury vinyl tile), which allows for easy clean-up should any mishaps with glue and paint occur. Other nods to the artistic influences from the homeowners include various works of art from their young children that punctuate areas throughout the home and even an original macrame design by the owner hanging above the bed in the master bedroom.

Other highlights include the covered deck, located right off the great room, that has become a familiar gathering spot for the family on mild days and evenings. Screened in on three sides, it is outfitted with heaters, a giant fan, and a television. A wood burning fireplace stands as a focal point in the great room and is the perfect place to unwind and warm up on cold nights. The shelves next to it house decorative wood to complete the desired relaxed and rustic look.

Not to be outdone by the rest of the home, the kitchen holds its own as it basks in relaxed sophistication. The pantry doors are made of stained glass, designed by the owner and complemented by hickory wood, which also comprises the island. The backsplash tile behind the range is a form of subway tile with a matte finish. Each piece is a variation of color and the edges have darker grey and browns, each of a different shape. Again, a nod to the subtle imperfections in design desired by the homeowners. White grout was also used to enhance the beauty of the tile and not to just highlight the grout color. The light fixtures in the kitchen include a chandelier over the eat-in area and a larger one over the island. All of these fixtures have a rustic vibe to them, some even with scraped paint, about which the owner was very specific.

“We knew it would be our forever home and we wanted to make it the way we wanted it,” smiled the homeowner.