Home Services

Tricks, Treats, and a Clean Retreat

Halloween night in Johnson County has a rhythm all its own. Kids racing from porch to porch in Olathe and Overland Park cul-de-sacs, parents trailing behind with flashlights, and a front door that swings open a hundred times before the porch light finally goes off. It's one of the best nights of the year. It's also one of the hardest on a house.By the time the last trick-or-treater heads home, there's a trail to follow: a melted chocolate bar pressed into the living room rug, face paint smudged...

Travel

Tuscany's Timeless Wine Retreat

Gratitude for the land, the history, and the guests who come: the spirit of Dievole." Article by Eva Williams | Photography by Provided A gentle sense of reprieve greets visitors the moment they arrive at Dievole Wine Resort. Situated among the rolling, sun-drenched hills of Tuscany’s Chianti Classico region, the estate immerses guests in the rich food and wine culture that sets Italy apart. Created by the Alejandro Bulgheroni Family, this historical setting offers a sense of gratitude as...

Entertainment

A Holiday Tradition Aglow

The Overland Park Arboretum’s Luminary Walk invites visitors to experience the gardens in a whole new light. Article by Lauren Powers | Photography by Provided Each holiday season, the Overland Park Arboretum & Botanical Gardens glows with thousands of twinkling lights. Yet amid the colorful displays and festive performances, it is the warm flicker of candlelight that gives the annual Luminary Walk its unmistakable charm. “The candlelight is really what sets the Luminary Walk apart,” says...

Home + Design

Balloons KC

Photography by Janie Jones What started as a way to stay busy during COVID has grown into a creative business helping people celebrate life’s biggest moments. For Ryan Bates, owner of Balloons & Beyond KC, working with balloons began with a simple kit, an air pump and a desire to make her daughter’s first in-person Girl Scout event after a year of virtual gatherings feel special. “I remember the reactions of the parents and the girls at this event,” Bates says. “Their faces lit up with smiles...

Food + Beverage

A Slice of Tradition

Article by Angela Broockerd | Photography by Janie Jones A visit to a neighborhood bakery should feel welcoming from the moment you walk through the door. At Upper Crust in downtown Overland Park, that feeling is part of the experience. Since 2005, the locally owned bakery has been making pies and cookies from scratch, building a loyal following with recipes, traditions and hospitality that make customers feel right at home. “Our mission is to make pie as good as grandma’s, maybe better!” the...

Home + Design

Why Winter Is a Good Time for Pest Prevention

Photography by The Quinn Studio When temperatures drop, homeowners naturally spend more time indoors, and pests are looking for many of the same things people are: warmth, food, water and a comfortable place to settle in. While outdoor pest activity slows during the colder months, some pests become more likely to find their way indoors. That makes fall and winter a smart time to focus on prevention. “Cold weather tends to push rodents, cockroaches, spiders and other pests into warm homes that...

Home + Design

Home Court Advantage

Redstone Homes Builds an NBA-Ready Retreat Article by Allison Swan | Photography by Janie Jones Creating a custom home is always about bringing a client's vision to life. But when that client is an NBA player looking for a place to train, relax, and entertain, the project takes on an entirely new level of creativity. That's exactly what custom home builder Jim Kostusik, owner of Redstone Homes, Inc., set out to accomplish with this remarkable home for a professional basketball player. Since...

Home + Design

Harvest Bloom

How to Make a Pumpkin Vase Centerpiece Article by Angela Broockerd | Photography by Janie Jones A trio of cream ceramic pumpkins, brimming with rust, orange and green, makes a Thanksgiving table that looks like it came from a florist. This season, skip the formal vase and fill a ceramic pumpkin to the brim with a variety of flowers. Make one for a side table, or create a trio in graduated sizes to run down the center of the table. What You’ll Need 1 to 3 cream ceramic pumpkins in...

Home Services

Your Home's Fall Reset

Summer leaves its mark on a house. Grass clippings and dirt tracked in from the backyard. Sunscreen and bug spray rubbed into the couch cushions. Pool towels dropped on the carpet, popsicle drips by the back door, and a few months of open windows letting in pollen and dust. Then fall arrives, the windows close, and the house becomes the center of everything again. It's the perfect moment for a reset.Clear Out the Summer Before You Seal Up for WinterOnce the weather turns, Johnson County families...

Real Estate

The Appeal of Lock-and-Leave Luxury Living

Luxury living does not always mean having the largest home, the biggest yard, or the most rooms to maintain.For many homeowners, true luxury is beginning to mean freedom.Freedom to travel. Freedom to spend weekends at the lake. Freedom to visit family. Freedom to enjoy a second home. Freedom to leave town without worrying about every detail waiting back home.That is why lock-and-leave luxury living has become so appealing.For Johnson County homeowners and buyers across the Kansas City luxury...