Paige Worthy Steve Sanders

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In the coveted Sunset Hill neighborhood of Ward Parkway mansions, a cozy stucco home stands out among its austere stone and brick neighbors. Its red clay roof tiles, ornate wrought-iron railings and a door-knocker in the shape of a seashell give it an unmistakable Mediterranean character.

Inside, a recording of "A Kiss to Build a Dream On" plays softly through speakers wired throughout the first floor. The song is a fitting soundtrack for owners Joe and Patty Cambiano, the couple who purchased the home with the understanding that there was much work to be done. Patty was instantly enchanted with the house's character, but her husband needed a little more convincing.

"There are two kinds of people," Patty says. "There are dreamers, and then there's Joe."

Dave Dussair, who owns Design Build Team with his wife, Merejo, walked through the house with the Cambianos before they bought it. Joe says he was more at ease after hearing from a professional that all the things his wife wanted really could be done. Most of the remodeling ideas came about during that first walk-through. The house was tight and congested, especially through the kitchen and eating areas on the first floor, and the upstairs floor plan was cluttered with a maze of small closets, Dussair says. It needed only to be opened up and simplified.

"The house had some flaws," Dussair says. "But beneath the flaws was a house with some really nice details to play up."

The Cambianos were drawn to the vaulted ceilings, hardwood floors that had been buried under carpet and linoleum, and architectural quirks such as arched doorways and hand-crafted wrought-iron gates, which the previous owner told them dated back to the sixteenth century.

After construction began, workers encountered a few unexpected hurdles: Water and structural damage had ruined much of the stucco work and parts of the roof, and the plumbing and wiring were outdated and needed replacing.

Patty remembers inviting friends over for a "before" party when much of the house had already been demolished — the kitchen was first to go, so they had to order in pizza. It had rained just before the party, and the basement had taken in so much water that it gushed like river rapids. The couple's friends were shocked at the house's state of disrepair, she says, but none showed any outward signs of doubt.

"Nobody let on that we were crazy," Patty says. "We had a great support system."

A year and two months later, a project that Joe says required "the patience of Job" was finally finished, and the cozy house Patty dreamed of transforming had become a home perfect for empty nesters who love to cook and entertain guests.

The Cambianos spend much of their time in the kitchen, which before construction was cramped and lit only by a corner window. Now, modern influences and airy design mingle with the couple's love for Italian food and culture. A shocking yellow glass ventilation hood — to which Patty credits HGTV for its many design ideas — is the room's focal point, and black granite countertops flecked with gold are a sharp contrast to the light wood cabinets filled with bottles of olive oil and spices. The control pad that operates their oven is smudged with fingerprints from frequent use; their Viking cook top can accommodate even the biggest pasta pots; and a huge stainless-steel sink is big enough that Patty can clean her cookie sheets easily. Handmade Murano glass lights illuminate the island, across from which is a clear view through the dining room and into the living room at opposite end of the house.

What appears to be a painstaking effort to match the home's original quirks with furniture and dècor they already owned was actually far simpler than expected, Patty says. Most of the furniture was brought from their previous home. Swinging wrought-iron gates leading into the dining room from the foyer and an ornate railing overlooking the living room look natural with the dark hardwood floors and bright, light-colored walls. Every door in the house has been flawlessly refinished, and the pewter handles and skeleton-key locks are all original.

Round pieces of amber-colored "bottle glass" set into the living room's tall, narrow windows cast a warm light onto the two loveseats near the fireplace, and a baby grand piano fits snugly into the corner of the room. Past the living room, a reading room painted a pumpkin color is peppered with framed photographs Joe took in Italy.

At the top of the wide staircase — the front door is halfway between the first and second floors — the upstairs rooms flow into one another, the original mess of closets replaced with one enormous walk-in. A guest room painted buttery yellow and decorated with a rabbit motif leads into an exquisite mossy-green bathroom. Iridescent pastel glass tiles capture all attention until Joe turns a knob and water cascades from the ceiling to fill an infinity tub in the opposite corner. Through the next door is a "man's room" with a plasma TV and an autographed photo of the Beatles adorning its walls.

Completing the circle around the upstairs, the master bedroom is tranquil and Zen-like in comparison to much of the house's cheery Mediterranean feel. The clean lines of the furniture and the walls' pale colors are instantly calming, and a pair of French doors opens onto a sunset deck with a small table and chairs. In nicer weather, Patty says she likes to leave the doors open to let in the breeze and the hum of traffic somewhere beyond the trees.

Though the Cambianos' lives changed dramatically as each of their three children grew up and moved out, Patty says the opportunity to downsize while creating something to fit that new lifestyle was a dream come true.

"This is the first house we could do just for us," she says.


Resources:


Architect/Remodeler: Design Build Team

Excavation: Bill Payne Construction

Foundation: Stafford Construction Co.

Framing and Trim Work: Design Build Team

Lumber: Teague Lumber

Insulation: Hayes Insulation

Sheetrock: Steve Ferguson Drywall

Roofing: Bordner Roofing

Guttering: Town & Country Guttering

Painting: Vannostran Painting

Cabinets: Towncraft Wood Products

Countertops: RBC Tile & Stone

Appliances: Factory Direct Appliance

Hardware: Locks & Pulls

Custom Closet: Space by Design

Kitchen/Bath Tiles: RBC Tile & Stone

Flooring: Acme Floor Co./Armstrong Floors/Cornerstone Hardwood Flooring

Carpeting: Bruce Young Carpeting

Glass & Mirrors: Olathe Glass

Heating & Cooling: City Wide Sheet Metal

Plumbing: Michael Hough Plumbing

Plumbing Fixtures: Dorfman Plumbing & Supply Co.

Electrician: Integrity Electric

Masonry: Dan Brotherton Masonry

Sandblasting: Arrow Painting & Sandblasting Co.

Light Fixtures: Western Chandelier/ The Light Shop

Audio/Video: Stereo FX

Garage System: Radio Controlled Door

Garage Door: Raynor Garage Door

Trees: City Wide Tree Service

Tree Care: Hendrickson Tree Care Co.

Deck/Patio: Design Build Team

Iron work: Austin's Ironworks