4900 Central, Kirkwood

Unit 501

Gary Seaton downsized from his Lakewood home in Lee’s Summit two years ago. “I wanted to live in the city, and I’d always lived in the ’burbs,” Gary says. “I knew if I was going to move out, it would be to go to the Plaza.”

He purchased his unit on the fifth floor before the building was complete, giving him the opportunity to fully implement a design strategy for the corner unit featuring large windows on two sides and a terrace spanning the entire unit to the north. Gary worked with Lori Schiefen of Nearing Staats Prelogar & Jones on the interior design and with Lisa Jensen on the decorating. Most of the furnishings moved with Gary from his house, although not everything would fit and some had to be repurposed, such as the armoire in the living room. He pursued an eclectically traditional style, with dark hardwood floors and neutral walls paired with pops of color like the glass tiles in the kitchen backsplash and the curving track light fixtures snaking down the hallway.

The ceilings are impressively tall at 11 feet and stand out with large moldings that Gary designed himself. The floor plan is open like in many of today’s newer homes, with a galley-style kitchen overlooking space for dining and living. Since it’s one large area, space is sectioned off by area rugs and furniture placement. The oval-shaped rug that emulates the outline of the glass dining table was custom-sized so that the chairs would always stay on top of it. A separate room closed off by French doors is where Gary and his son watch TV and display books and art. Here, you’ll see various pieces of his personal travels, from a photograph of the Sistine Chapel to an Indian chief sculpture from the Yucatan Peninsula. There’s more art to look at in the wide hallway with room enough for three lit curio cabinets displaying the remaining Iladro figurines that his daughters haven’t scoop up for their own homes. He does, however, still have the first piece he ever bought his late wife.

Even though Gary has less square footage to work with, nothing was left out. The hallway packs in a walk-in coat closet, full bath and laundry room, plus access to Gary’s son’s bedroom and his own commodious master suite with a giant closet and “indestructible” granite and slate bathroom featuring a steam shower and soaker tub.

Gary has his favorite spaces, including the master’s sitting room and the kitchen bar top, but tour-goers might be most impressed breathing in the fresh air on the balcony, which is decked out with an arbor, fountain and planters, plus a grill and plenty of durable seating.

4900 Central, Unit 306, Kirkwood

Tour-goers will find this residence to be just as luxurious and with a completely different floor plan. This 1,800-square-foot, two-bedroom, two-bathroom condo is a new model decorated neutrally so visitors can imagine themselves living there. The soothing color palette reflects the building’s quiet and laidback feel. This floor plan is set up more like a home than an apartment, according to Steve Johnston, director of sales for Kirkwood, because of its size and layout. Each room is spacious enough to hold regular-sized furniture that residents might bring from their previous homes.

The entry begins with a full bath and access to a galley-style kitchen, featuring granite countertops, marble floors, double ovens, gas cook top, quiet dishwasher and raised panel French glazed cabinets. Though definitely beautiful and functional, many residents choose to eat out on the Plaza or have concierge order delivery instead of cooking. A signature feature of this floor plan is the Palladian wall in the guest bedroom/office; an outside terrace with gas outlet is another.

4900 Central, Unit 401, Kirkwood

In the unit one floor up and on the other side of the building, the Palladian wall is in the living room, with a card table set up there to enjoy the view of the city. Interior designer Caroline McAlistair gave the unit a fresh, almost country look, to show off the building’s diversity. Natural light from northern and eastern exposures brightens the interior’s 1,430 square feet and balances the dark-stained oak cabinets and flooring. The kitchen is smaller than the last, but the terrace is twice the size. The two bedrooms are on opposite ends of the floor plan, with the master suite containing its own full bath, wardrobe closet, walk-in closet and access to a full-size washer and dryer. This residence, along with every other one at Kirkwood, is pre-wired to be a “smart building,” meaning residents can set up personal intranets and perform technological functions away from home.