Article Susan Fotovich McCabe | Photography Brian Turner
At one time, Jeff and Christine Kinney’s unfinished Leawood basement served their four children well. It was the perfect setting for indoor skateboarding and roller skating. But as the kids got older and Jeff and Christine yearned for a more refined lower level, the Kinneys got to work on a new look and purpose.
The purpose was to serve all the Kinneys, whether it was holidays with family, girls’ night in, a Sunday of football with the guys or kids and their electronics. They recruited a trusted partner in the design and construction of their finished basement—Brian Siegrist of Siegrist Construction. Siegrist has worked with the Kin- neys on other areas of their home in years past. This time he was starting with a blank slate.
“The biggest challenge in the design and construction of this space was finding the right com- bination of materials which would deliver the rustic look and feel they desired,” says Siegrist. “It was a fun project and I felt privileged with them allowing me to be a part of making their dreams a reality.”
For a little more than two years, the Kinneys clipped photos from magazines that represented the look and feel they wanted.
“We really started from scratch. It looked like a basement. But that’s what sold us,” says Jeff of the pre-construction transforma- tion. “Now, we find ourselves down here all the time. It really gives us room to spread out.”
The term “basement” hardly fits this warm and inviting space that’s large enough to provide for a generously-sized guest bedroom, a spacious bathroom with room for a stacked washer and dryer in the closet, room for a long
table and chairs, a cozy sitting area, a game area and a small kitchen and bar. The door to the guest bedroom is a replica of a vintage barn door that immediately catches your attention as you descend the staircase into the lower level. The entire 1,800 square-foot lower level is so versatile; the family was able to comfortably host a 60-person family birthday gathering.
In addition to the photos, Christine’s Italian ancestry influenced their decorating decisions as well, she says. The result is a mix of stunning, natural materials, like stone walls, cedar-planked ceilings and beams, travertine tile floors and warm hues throughout.
“Jeff and Christine gave me pictures with their ideas for the lower level. They showed me pictures of an old barn style door that slid on an overhead rail, a herringbone-pattern tile floor, stone walls, and they especially concentrated on the cedar planking, with post and beam effects. We talked through some ideas and jointly developed the plan to utilize each of these. The project came together very well and each idea was incorporated enough to provide the rustic look and feel they desired without overpowering the area,” says Siegrist. “As a bonus for me, they allowed me to build their barn door in my cabinet shop using some 40-year-old cottonwood from my grandpa’s saw mill.”
Add Christine’s personal decorating flair and her love of all things Nell Hills (the popular, local home décor retailer in Atchison and Kansas City), and the finished look is exquisite.
“I love Mary Carol Garrity [Nell Hills founder] and her entire look,” says Christine, who filled the lower level with furniture and furnishings from the store. “I also get a lot of ideas and products from Etsy.com.”
The Kinneys turned to Nebraska Furniture Mart to help with their audio-visual needs. The newly- designed space has three televisions, as well as an outdoor TV—an important part of the Kinney family’s passion for college and professional foot- ball. Jeff played for the University of Illinois and is the son of former University of Nebraska and Kansas City Chiefs Running Back Jeff Kinney.
While the space itself is inviting, there’s a unique addition that brings kids (and even grown-ups) to the Kinney house—the handcrafted pop-a- shot basketball game. Many families have the same game made of less expensive materials. The same was true for the Kinneys, as well, until their first and second models broke. While working on the lower level construction, Justin Lom- bard, of Siegrist Construction, asked Christine
if she wanted him to make a sturdy version of the game. She agreed and Lombard successfully created his first handcrafted pop-a-shot. With a real wood floor, personalized with the Kinney name, and a thick wood frame with wrought iron details, this game can take a beating and will eventually become a family heirloom.
Just outside the Kinney’s comfortable lower level is a walk-out entrance to a beautifully-treed lot. But even that, says Christine, needed some TLC. In fact, there were so many trees (many of which actually damaged the soil), that the sun wasn’t reaching the Kinney backyard. Jeff and Christine hired Rosehill Gardens to provide some landscape guidance, remove 20 trees and build a beautiful patio, complete with a cozy firepit. The patio also includes a built-in, oversized grill and cooler for entertaining large crowds, as well as that outdoor TV designed to withstand the elements.
“We use our outside so much more now, because it’s so great for entertaining,” says Christine. “And we’re out here even in the cooler weather enjoying a football game and cookout!”
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