site. Brooke said people from around the area would stop by the house to volunteer their services. Many of these people were history buffs who wanted to make their mark on the house. Or, they were simply local neighbors who wanted to see the house shine again. She said if the volunteers had been paid for their help, then it would have cost more than $1 million in labor alone. After everything was up to code, the house was essentially a blank palette for the Ricklefs to make their mark. They mixed a little modern with a little bit of old all while keeping the house’s history. It soon became the best of both worlds. “We did our best to honor the story of the house,” Brooke said. “The previous family deserved that. This was their life and we wanted to keep their life alive.” Pieces of the house’s old life can be found all over the home. When first walking into the house, guests are greeted with a grand dark-wood staircase that curves up to the sec- ond floor. Brooke said the 147-year-old staircase didn’t need any additional work, surprisingly. The staircase was so well- made that a structural engineer the family hired said he had never seen such well-thought out construction when it came
The kitchen is open and airy with dark-grouted tile, farmhouse sink, marble coun- tertops and butcher block island. The large marble slab accommodates all five of the Ricklef’s children.
23 vintagekc winter 2015
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