Homes of the Year 2014

Growing up with a father who worked as a contractor, builder Jay Krause of Krause Construction figured he’d end up in the construction business. What he didn’t count on was being asked to build a 17,000-square-foot luxury home overlooking Table Rock Lake. 

Although he’d worked for the homeowners previously, this was the first time he’d built a home of that size. “I think they were attracted to the high quality we put out,” Krause says. “Customers want the best of the best, and that’s what we give them.”

Krause has owned Krause Construction in Kimberling City since 1990. For this project, he enlisted custom home designer Ron Hill to enliven the clients’ European-style vision.

Hill knew attention to detail was critical. Now, as the owner of Euro World Design, precision matters. “Our job is to take the family’s ideas from conceptual to buildable drawings,” Hill says. “We will create a home that specifically caters to your individual specifications.”

Euro World Design is known for architecture influenced by the rich history of Old-World home construction, which favors restoration over ruin. As a result, many of Hill’s plans incorporate changes in materials and shapes. This estate is no exception.

On the exterior, a round stone turret suggests French country, while sharp lines of timber add that mixed-materials effect. On the interior, beautiful post-and-beam work extends throughout the home’s seven bedrooms and 11 bathrooms, imparting a woodsy, cozy feeling, especially when combined with a warm color palette.

Krause is proud of his collaboration with Euro World Design and the finished product. “I think it’s probably one-of-a-kind in our immediate area,” he says.—Jennifer Adamson

When Rick Ramsey was in kindergarten, he loved to stack blocks. He also loved helping his parents as they built his childhood home. Sometimes, he’d discover scrap materials around the site and use them to make things. 

Fast forward to today, and you’ll find Ramsey at the helm of his own construction company, using skills he developed at a very young age to handcraft quality homes that reflect his clients’ characters and lifestyles.

“I started building rental homes 19 years ago and had several people inquire about buying them,” Ramsey says. “I started selling some and keeping some and honed my skills with smaller homes until I worked my way up into the custom market.”

Ramsey Building Company, established in 1995, engineers one-of-a-kind, made-to-order homes in many of southwest Missouri’s most prominent communities. 

Two years ago, Ramsey was commissioned to build a 12,000-square-foot English manor in east Springfield, one of his largest projects to date. The opulent plans were an exciting challenge, and he was eager to take on the job

“I enjoy the challenge of coming up with new ideas, finding the products and craftsmen to bring those ideas to life, and then putting it all together for a seamless finished package,” Ramsey says.

Last June, Ramsey handed over the keys to a stunning six-bedroom, five-bathroom house situated on a ridge overlooking miles of Ozarks prairie. In addition to clean lines and a neutral color palette throughout, walls of windows welcome natural light and call attention to the owners’ simple and classic aesthetic. 

Despite the estate’s grandeur, a sense of comfort is not lost, nor is Ramsey’s commitment to quality workmanship. “I strive to ensure that my clients are at ease with the process and enjoy their home-building experience,” he says.—Jennifer Adamson

In addition to custom-designed common living areas, this home was created to include multiple living spaces and entertaining zones. “The homeowners wanted different areas to entertain based on function,” says custom builder and home designer Adrian Rhoads of Rhoads Design & Construction. “They also wanted an open floor plan.”

With these goals in mind, Adrian Rhoads and his team got to work designing and building this ultimate four-bedroom, three-bathroom dream home that’s complete with a free-flowing living room and kitchen area, a basement with a wet bar and a dream-worthy outdoor space that includes two large screened-in porches, a beautiful covered deck, a concrete patio and an outdoor fire pit. “During the design process, we really focused on how the space would flow during an event, like a dinner party,”  Rhoads says.  “We kept in mind how it would flow from the inside to the outside.” 

To capitalize on the home’s open feel, the structure of the house was intentionally designed with steel beams, engineered I-joists and roof trusses, which not only minimized material costs and environmental impact but also allowed for the desired open floor plan to exist without the need for exposed beams or columns. And the interior’s open spaces are further emphasized by large window openings throughout the house, most of which provide views to the tranquil wooded surroundings. 

As for the exterior, the homeowners wanted to hint at an Old World style. Rhoads and his team successfully achieved this look by using a combination of brick, real stone and tasteful copper detailing. Now that it’s complete, the home proves to be the perfect place for both living and entertaining, which is exactly what the homeowners wanted from day one. “With any home we build, we try to really focus on partnering with the clients and working very closely with them,” Rhoads says. “That relationship is very important to us. The success of the project is often a result of that relationship."—Savannah Waszczuk 

Adrian Rhoads and his team worked hard to design and build this home in a way that would best take advantage of its open country setting. Sitting just west of Springfield on 10 acres, the house is carefully positioned to not only take in the best surrounding scenic views but also absorb the most sunlight. “A lot of times, you’ll have a lot that only has one spot where the home can really sit,” Rhoads says. “That wasn’t the case this time.” 

The four bedroom, four-and-a-half bath house features low-pitched roofs and an inset second floor, which helps with energy efficiency. The floor plan is open and free-flowing, featuring an exposed Douglas fir post-and-beam structural system that allows it to extend vertically from the main living area to the second floor. “The kitchen sits in between two large openings, and together it’s open, light and airy,” Rhoads says. And the flow is further enhanced through the clerestory windows and an integrated catwalk that connects each end of the second floor to the staircase. 

Two sets of barn doors fabricated from reclaimed wood highlight the recreation room, which sits near the main living area. “Now, it’s more and more common that people want their homes to be the chosen hangout spot for their kids and their friends,” Rhoads says. “This room was designed with that in mind.” The barn doors also allow efficient circulation into the adjacent living space, and they provide the option for privacy. “This room was also designed to be a support space for a possible future pool,” Rhoads says. “When designing and building, we try to think outside of immediate needs. Since the homeowners may add a pool one day, we made a space that would lend itself to that.” The space offers a wet bar and bathroom, and it’s directly accessible to the exterior. Topping off the gorgeous house is a dream-worthy outdoor space that includes a large screened porch with a stone fireplace, a covered walkway, a covered front porch and concrete patios for entertaining.—Savannah Waszczuk

When Doug and Diane Williams were ready to build their retirement home, they turned to Rusty MacLachlan of J. Russell MacLachlan Custom Homes. The couple has known MacLachlan for many years, and although they built homes themselves in the Joplin area, Doug always told MacLachlan he would have him build his house one day. “They had dreamed and planned for quite some time,” MacLachlan says. “They wanted it to be the nicest home they’ve ever lived in.” 

MacLachlan acted as both the designer and builder for the home, starting with an initial sit-down meeting where the clients expressed they wanted a home that would be timeless, practical and a sound investment. The Williams were after a home with an Old World look, and Doug had several wishes, including a heated shop and a man cave. MacLachlan was able to meet all their needs, creating a 3,130-square-foot dream home with four bedrooms, a bonus bedroom and bathroom, a man cave and a heated and cooled wood shop connected to the three-car garage. And as with many spaces, the beauty is in the details at this house, which features high-end custom-built cabinetry, vanities and bookcases, wood closet shelving, mortise and tenon beams, a custom-designed doorless walk-in tile shower, custom landscaping, custom copper roof vents and finials and much more. “This project is what can and should happen when builders and homeowners communicate open and honestly with each other,” MacLachlan says. “The Williams were open about their budget and prioritized what they wanted in their home. Their openness and willingness to look at all options objectively allowed us to provide them with nearly everything they wanted.”—Savannah Waszczuk