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home homeowners ARLETTE TORRES And mARy dAviS location WALdO story by KERRy PiTT-HART photos by BOB GREEnSPAn
small but mighty It’s no secret that many people are choosing to downsize to more manageably sized homes nowadays. The following spaces, including this Waldo bungalow perfect for entertaining, prove that small doesn’t translate to sparse or lacking in style. Arlette Torres and Mary Davis chose a small, cozy bungalow in Waldo so that, as Torres puts it, “We could fill it to the rafters with art and objects that carry deep personal meaning.” And every wall and surface indeed is adorned with art and design books, antique Los Castillo silver, Tarahumara woven baskets, Mexican geodes, cloissoné, Cameroon juju hats, and works by Rufino Tamayo, Donald Sultan, Kiki Smith, Chucho Reyes, Vicente Rojo and Magali Lara. Since a coffee table was not an option in the long, narrow living room (opposite, top)—a common feature of bungalows—the duo opted for extra seating, several accent tables and a tufted linen ottoman on casters that can be rolled into action when friends come to visit. Turns out, it is pressed into service quite often when Torres and Davis throw their regular “Culinary Cartel” dinner parties. A long sofa from Restoration Hardware with a single bench seat also makes the living room appear larger than it is. “Toss the loveseat!” Torres says. “It’s an awkward piece that tends to cut off a narrow room.” The sofa’s beige, Belgian linen slipcover serves as a blank canvas for Torres’ collection of down-filled pillows covered in orange and turquoise embroidered linen, cashmere and Suzani-inspired designs. In all, the compact room makes a strong statement, reflecting “all the moments and the memories we’ve kept and collected along the way.” Saturated colors and cheerful patterns continue in the dining room (bottom left), where slipcovered chairs are draped in hand-rolled silk Pineda Covalin and Hermès scarves. Davis selected the dining room table, handcrafted from reclaimed fir wood. A gray patina and polished, ridged surface give it a casual, picnic table feel. “It’s 108 inches but can extend to 148,” Torres says. “Enough room for our Culinary Cartel dinner ‘posse’ and then some.” Above a collection of white vases topped with sugarbush flowers hangs a framed giclée print on canvas by Thom Filicia (bottom center). Created for Soicher Marin, it’s titled “Raise Your Glass, Lower Your Standards.” “It sets a celebratory and fun and casual mood for our dinner parties,” Torres says. “And [it] reflects my sense of humor: Life is short. Chill and have a highball!” L i f e ’ s b e t t e r i n KC
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HOMEOWNER KYLE DANNER LOCATION RIVER MARKET LOCAL ARTISTS CHINA MARKS, GERRY TRILLING, LEANNE DOLIJAC STORy by KERRY PITT-HART pHOTOS by bOb GREENSPAN
artistic endeavors Located in River Market, in what was formerly the service garage for the MTSI Cab Company, is the home of Kyle Danner. The two-floor loft features metal roofing, poured cement floors, track lighting and original exterior walls and trusses that were cleaned during the building’s adaptive reuse and then put back into place. As with so many contemporary lofts, Danner’s living room (lower left corner) blends into the dining room, and both are open to the kitchen (bottom). The room’s seating, which includes a Room and Board leather and chrome-frame, two-seater sofa, visually defines the different areas of the shared space, making it appear larger than it is. A generously sized area rug helps with definition, as well, proving it wise to decorate a diminutive space with the biggest floorcovering you can find. The larger of the two bedrooms was meant to be the master bedroom suite. “[But] after realizing that’s not how I really used the space, I flipped the rooms, so my office [top] is now upstairs and my bedroom [center] is in the smaller, cozier space on the first floor,” Danner says. The result is a more private bedroom and a home office that is both functional and stylish. Danner’s spacious desk is situated beneath a skylight window. Off to the side is an inviting sitting area with an abstract pattern area rug, a Saarinen womb chair and an ottoman from Design Within Reach. On almost every wall and even suspended from the ceiling are paintings, mixed media pieces and sculptures, including several by local artists Gerry Trilling and LeAnne Doljac, and sewn drawings by Kansas City Art Institute graduate China Marks. “Let go of the notion that art should be hung at eye level,” Danner says when asked for tips on how to enhance a small space, and how to work with the challenges posed by high ceilings. “Also, don’t be afraid to mix inexpensive prints or pieces with more refined ones,” he continues. “If you see an interesting dish, an antique piece of hardware or a children’s toy, go ahead and display it. “More importantly, don’t be afraid to drive a nail into the wall,” he says. “You can always patch it—or not.” L i f e ’ s b e t t e r i n KC
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HOMEOWNER DAVID DONOVAN LOCATION QUALITY HILL LOCAL RESOURCES BOB SHEPARD (PAINT), FRAME GALLERY, GERRY TRILLING (ART), PK STEEL DESIGNS STORy By KERRY PITT-HART PHOTOS By BOB GREENSPAN
tableaux fantastiques Psychologist David Donovan has transformed his Quality Hill apartment, tucked away in a brick and stone courtyard building, into his own version of a Parisienne pied-à-terre. Prior to moving in, Donovan’s entire apartment was painted by Bob Shepherd, who Donovan says is “the best painter and all-around handyman and remodeler I’ve ever used.” The living and dining room walls are Ralph Lauren Lamplight Grey, and the master bedroom and bathroom is Ralph Lauren Boulder Grey. “This was the single most important thing I did to help make the transition from house to apartment,” Donovan says. With the walls freshly painted, Web Thomas and his staff at Frame Gallery performed their magic and arranged and hung all the artwork, including a painting by Donovan himself. “Because I moved from a house in Westwood Park to downtown, I had far more stuff than I needed,” Donovan says. “However, I didn’t let the smaller space intimidate me. All the walls became important for hanging art, even in the bathrooms. “Big art and furnishings actually create the illusion of a bigger space,” Donovan says, as does the clever use of a See All convex security mirror mounted on a dramatic yellow stand designed by PK Steel Designs (not pictured). “I like to create layered, eclectic visual tableaus that are interesting to me and to others,” the doctor says. One such tableau (left center) is composed of a vintage leather Breuer Wassily chair, a Judy Ross wood and copper totem, a charcoal drawing by local artist Gerry Trilling, and a hand-colored, black and white photograph, found at the Plaza Art Fair, called “John Taylor’s Shirts” by Cali Hobgood-Lemme. Another eye-catching grouping rests beneath a photograph from Kimberly Austin’s “Contra Natura” series (top left). The photo is of a young boy wearing opera length gloves and is printed on layers of transparent silk and muslin. “Having art and objects that mean something or just feel good is most important to me,” Donovan says. n L i f e ’ s b e t t e r i n KC
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