Wednesday, June 16, 2010

“Adjustments make 'cozy' home plan”

“Adjustments make 'cozy' home plan”

Adjustments make 'cozy' home plan

Posted: 16 Jun 2010 06:02 AM PDT

Angie Klein doesn't anticipate selling her home, but she made sure to think ahead just in case.

For instance: Lots of closet space, a bonus room above the garage and a first-floor master bedroom.

Klein had built a home before, but she was more involved this time in the process that began in December 2008.

Klein, 19-year-old daughter Avery, a Missouri State University student, and 15-year-old son Logan moved into the cozy and open-floor-plan home in August 2009.

"I took this (design) I had found that worked for our family and made ... a few minor adjustments," says Klein, a kindergarten teacher at East Elementary School in Ozark.

Originally from the Kansas City area, Klein and her late husband, Rodney, moved to the Ozarks not long after they married. After more than 20 years teaching rambunctious little ones, Angie knows what keeps her going.

"You just get the patience of Job," she says, smiling. "But I love them. I wouldn't teach any other grades."

The Klein home is all Angie, from the warm colors to the furniture to the abundant and soft lighting.

"This is mine, a reflection of who I am and what I like," she says. "It's very French country. ... It's a style that good for us three. It's very homey. We spend a lot of time at home when we're not running around and going to sports events. ... I really enjoy being here on the weekends."

No detail escaped Angie's attention, from the granite countertops in the kitchen to the window treatments designed with help from a friend.

Angie made a few adjustments, such as creating extra closet space in Avery's room and eliminating the open railing upstairs that would have looked down into the family room, and she made sure Logan has a bonus room above the garage for studying and spending time with friends.

With Angie's bedroom downstairs and the kids' rooms upstairs, there's space for everyone.

"It's very cozy, and it's just enough to spread out when we're all here together," Angie says.

Most of the furniture downstairs is new, except for a bookcase that belonged to Angie's grandmother, who was also a teacher. Angie refinished it -- a first-time endeavor -- and it looks new.

The kitchen makes great use of a smaller space and flows into the family room on one side and the dining room on the other.

Angie originally planned to use the dining room as a sitting room, largely because she didn't think she could find a formal table set that was the correct scale. Many current styles still trend larger, but Angie was successful in finding something that works.

Avery's room is a feminine blue, brown and silver, while Logan's room reflects his appreciation for the Kansas Jayhawks.

Angie drew on magazines, open houses, friends' homes and her mother's penchant for decorating when designing her own home.

"I can honestly say I don't regret anything. It just took a lot of careful planning."
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