The luring power of the sparkling waters at Lake Lotawana drew in these Denver transplants almost immediately. When Chris Gunderson transferred to Kansas City in Jan. 2010 to become general manager for Brown Strauss Steel, he and his wife Lisa, and two daughters took on the city as tourists—exploring the geography, history and culture.
“We absolutely love KC,” Lisa says, “We were lucky to have friends at Lake Lotawana who had been inviting us out since 2010, so we’d been considering a lake house for years.”
Before retiring, the Gundersons, who live in Overland Park full time, contemplated purchasing a vacation home in a warm climate but decided a local lake house would be more practical for them and their now adult daughters who still live in the area.
“When we saw this house, we knew we’d make an offer even before we toured it,” Lisa says. “We contracted in pre-covid Feb 2020 and closed in apocalyptic March 2020. We didn’t even know if we could close the deal since the entire world had shut down due to the impending pandemic. We were so lucky. We spent that first year here a ton—it was like going on vacation mostly outside every weekend. It was such a gift to distract us from all the restrictions surrounding us and the rest of the world.”
Built in 1940, the 1,700-square-foot getaway has two bedrooms, two baths and two living areas, with original plaster-coved and beadboard ceilings. “We purposely chose to leave the house small and charming. We renovated it during the pandemic, finding great contractors and learning the art of shopping online.”
Every update fueled their desire for the next. They turned the dank, dark screened porch into an inviting sunny wall-to-wall windowed lanai. Wood floors were restored, and cold tile floors were replaced with a warm white oak. They brightened the kitchen with white waterfall quartzite and new appliances; renovated the cramped, awkward utility area; remodeled one bathroom and refreshed the other; and repainted throughout.
After blending in new furniture, including a U-shaped sofa/ottoman to convert the upstairs living room into a king sleeping area, they added whimsical art inside and outdoor pavers to extend the exterior living space. While the house is most often used during the summer and fall, they also enjoy the lake’s winter stillness warmed by their converted gas fireplaces.
“Our yard has a gentle slope down to the water, with a 1940’s limestone path to our sea wall and docks,” Lisa says. “Our next project is to replace the old, heavy wood deck railing with a lighted steel railing to increase the lake views.”
With views from nearly every room, it’s hard to choose a favorite spot, but Lisa says nothing compares to “waking to the sparkling golden sun rising over the lake and going to sleep under the twinkling light of the moon on the water.”
See it in person! This cottage will be on the Oct. 7, 2023, Lake Lotawana Home Tour. For more info, contact Janie at: jjclemow@gmail.com.
“We are very social and love to entertain, and our daughters love spending free time at the lake house. Lake Lotawana is a warm, welcoming, caring community filled with great neighbors and lots of social opportunities. Every day here is fun, with so many intriguing events planned by the people. We love the location with its closeness to the delightful downtown of Lee’s Summit.” – Lisa Gunderson