A prairie village stunner
"I now understand that decorating is about layering texture, color and pattern. I mostly just want to be surrounded by things that make me and my family really happy and evoke memories of our favorite experiences or allow for making new favorite memories." - Kristin Searle @searlegirls
We couldn't have said it more perfectly than this month's Inspired Conversations featuring Kristin Searle, a wife, mom of two and realtor with West Village Realty. We share a similar philosophy at Gather and it's no wonder we wanted to move in with Kristin and her sweet family after touring and learning about her home. You will want to join us, too, after taking a look at the photos! Kristin and her husband went through a challenging renovation, but the finished project is nothing short of perfection.
GH: How would you describe your design aesthetic?
KS: I’ve always loved fashion and décor – they go hand in hand for me – it’s all an art form! My design aesthetic is boho meets mid-century modern meets vintage/thrift/flea market treasure. Is that a style? Ha! My eye is always so drawn to clean and modern but I love color and trinkets and plants too much for it to be my authentic style.
At the end of the day I always try and choose super classic and timeless finishes in kitchen, bathrooms and floors. Light fixtures, hardware, paint and décor can always be refreshed to reflect the trends.
GH: You recently remodeled. What was the most important thing to you when planning out your space?
KS: We reimagined and remodeled our home a couple years ago. We really needed an additional bathroom and more square footage. Our architect was amazing in helping us design the added space for an office, bedroom, closet and bathroom. We ended up doing more work than initially intended that resulted in some additional windows, a pantry, and a ½ bath on our main level. We lived in our house for ten years and truly knew exactly what would benefit our family and that’s exactly what we got. When I chose finishes for the space I wanted to keep it classic. I just kept asking myself, in 10, 20 or 30 years if I were to sell this house, I want it to stand up to the test of time. You can never go wrong with quality materials and the money went into those items. Cabinets, countertops, tile were at the top of the list for us in cost. Also, our ONE absolute must was to make sure it felt like the addition had always been there and I think we achieved that and did justice to the home.
GH: How does your family play into the way you design/decorate?
KS: My family plays a huge role in the design/décor of our house. Two growing daughters (Amelia, 15 and Julia, 12) and two dogs (yellow lab, Midge and French bulldog, Smalls) have an impact on what purchases are made and ultimately lands in the house. My husband Chuck definitely has an opinion too. “I love this and kinda hate that” all at the same time, but he definitely puts balance and much needed masculinity into certain rooms.
My daughters also have strong opinions about what their rooms should look like, and well, if I had a huge budget for each room, they’d get their way. So we compromise and mostly I’ve given up and let them choose what they want. Julia wanted boho a year ago and has suddenly professed her love for the preppy style. When shopping for Amelia’s room she BEGGED for a bed with no headboard (which I absolutely hated) but she got a bed with no headboard. And now she wants a new bed.
Mostly, we are still really “hard” on most of our furniture which is where that quality on a budget come into play. Honestly, we use every square inch of our house and nothing goes untouched so we take that into account when purchasing and know that most things we have now will have a shorter lifespan.
GH: How has your style evolved since you decorated your first home?
KS: I loved our first home so much, but I pretty much picked up a Pottery Barn Catalog, scavenged the sales when they had them, painted the walls the same colors as in the magazines and hit up Nebraska Furniture Mart for the look-a-likes. It’s really all I knew how to do at that time. There was an entire design world that I didn’t even know existed when we purchased our first house in our 20s (pre-social media). All that to say, my style has evolved tremendously over the past 15-20 years.
With more life experience, I feel like I’m constantly pulling inspiration from numerous places. I now understand that decorating is about layering texture, color and pattern. I mostly just want to be surrounded by things that make me and my family really happy and evoke memories of our favorite experiences or allow for making new favorite memories.
GH: When decorating your current home, what did/do you use as inspiration?
KS: Instagram, Catalogs, and touring beautiful homes! As a real estate agent, I’m so lucky to show (and experience) inspiring spaces with clients on a frequent basis. There are some incredibly decorated homes and very talented stagers in Kansas City. I carefully collect and curate lots of images to refer to and then try to recreate and personalize my favorites within my own house.
GH: What is your favorite room in your home?
KS: It’s hard to pin down just one. Our primary bedroom/bathroom is at the top of my favorite spots. It feels like a retreat. I love the fireplace, built-ins and our bathroom feels like a spa. My second runner up would be our pantry that we added two years ago. Seriously the most functional and visited space in the house. We also spend a ton of time in our cozy den watching movies. It’s moody with dark paint on the ceilings, walls and window frames and I love it!
GH: Do you have a favorite piece of furniture, art or décor?
KS: Reclaimed farm table which is truly the heart of our home – it’s where homework, eating, drinking, hanging and celebrations all happen.
How Did We Get Here Art from @braxtonjfuller (local artist). Lip prints in the bathroom (inspired by the Parker hotel in Palm Springs). The green Anthropologie chairs that anchor the table are also a favorite and the classic leather chairs in the den.
Other favorite things within our space are some of my kiddos art pieces – they are really talented! Vintage blankets from my grandmother I received after she passed away – they are perfect for the patio on chilly nights around the fire.
GH: What is your philosophy on new and old when it comes to furniture? Or splurge pieces vs. affordable?
KS: I think it’s important to blend it all. With old comes history, stories and often times unmatched quality. With new purchases sometimes quality is sacrificed in materials - they really don’t make them like they used to. But, much like fashion, I think it’s important to have a mix of splurge and affordable, with a keen on choosing the affordable that looks high end. My style is always evolving. I have commitment issues because I know I might want to refresh things in five years, so I try to stick within a budget and when the time comes for change/upgrade I won’t have guilt! I also believe that reusing/repurposing of vintage helps the planet. Win-win!
GH: Is there anything you are still on the “hunt” for?
KS: I’m always on the hunt, for what I couldn’t tell you! The hunt is my favorite part. I was born a shopper. I’m am currently scouring wallpaper. It’s a HARD decision but I think one of those choices that will elevate certain rooms in our house.
GH: When designing your home, who or what do you use for Inspiration? We’d love any resources you’d like to share.
KS: My all-time favorite designer on Instagram is Natalie Papier or @home_ec_op. Her funky design and use of art and color make me want to be bold! @TheMakerista is the best place to go for inspiration on how to make vintage special. @annieandersondesign is the ultimate stop for classic design. @beeorganized is the best place for organizational tips that will help each space in your house have a purpose. This is one of the most important and unspoken parts of the design process.
GH: Where are your favorite places to shop for furniture and décor in Kansas City?
Textured Décor | re:imporium | The Painted Sofa | River Market Antiques
Urban Mining | @CollectedKC | Golden & Pine | Growing Days Home
GH: Anything else you'd like to share with us about you, your ideas on decorating or design in general?
KS: Do what YOU LOVE so YOU WILL LOVE YOUR SPACE! Reach out to professionals for help – they are worth their weight in gold. Hit up Pinterest and create a board that will easily help someone achieve your end goal.
