When Pam Besheer eyed this vintage Tudor-style house on Zillow, she had a strong inkling it would be exactly what she and her husband, Jay, had been looking for.
Set back from the street and close to their current home, the home in the Sunset Hills West neighborhood, due east of Mission Hills, was also exactly where the Besheers wanted to live. “We love this neighborhood,” says Pam, who, along with her husband, grew up in the area.
The dated, 4,200-square-foot-house was hidden behind an unkempt and overgrown yard, but the Besheers weren’t deterred. “Once we went inside, we saw great opportunity,” Pam says. They also thought it would be a great project for nationally known Kansas City-based designer Tamara Day.
The Besheers have long been fans of Day’s Magnolia Network television show, Bargain Mansions. When Day saw the Besheers’ new house, she knew she could create the space they craved.
Although the Besheers are now empty-nesters, they still wanted space to host visits by extended family. They also like to entertain. But they weren’t actively looking to move from their long-time family home.
“We decided to move when we saw the house,” Pam says. “It’s in a beautiful location.” The house already had “so much personality,” Day says. She knew it would be a perfect house to showcase on Bargain Mansions. The episode featuring this house aired for the first time on November 11.
“I love a Tudor-style home,” Day says. Despite its “choppy” floor plan and mid-eighties kitchen remodel that included green appliances, Day thought the 1955 house had lots of potential. She has always been drawn to renovating older homes. “I like things that have meaning and story behind them,” Day says.
Day was not able to start work on the house right away, but the Besheers, who bought the house mid-pandemic and didn’t have to move, were patient. When renovations did begin, they went fast. Day and her team started the project in March of 2022 and finished it about eight months later. Here’s a look at the details.
Living room
The living room’s original soaring ceiling, beams and stone fireplace gave Day and her team a great canvas to work from. To create a modern look, the house’s original French doors were replaced with sleek black sliders, and the entire room was given a fresh coat of white paint. The ceiling beams were painted black, contrasting with the white ceiling, and simple, modern burled maple oak cabinets and open shelving were built on each side of the fireplace.
Modern farmhouse
The house’s exterior was transformed from a butterscotch-colored Tudor into a modern-ish farmhouse. Day achieved this look by painting everything but the home’s original limestone work a dark, dusty charcoal black. The original brown roof was also replaced with a dark metal roof, creating a modern aesthetic.
Master bedroom
Day, a huge fan of wallpaper, used the master bedroom as an opportunity to showcase an unusual paper that reminds the Besheers of geodes. The master is another example of a layered and eclectic space, where furniture from a variety of genres has been mixed. Day used soft, neutral colors to pull everything together.
Kitchen
Another area that was completely reconfigured was the kitchen and breakfast nook. Day created several kitchen spaces to accommodate entertaining and living.
Facing the large living area is a sleek, modern and glamorous kitchen area with bleached white oak cabinets and refrigerators to match. The range hood matches the marble backsplash, so much so that it is almost imperceptible. This is where people gather, almost as if in an open restaurant kitchen. The space connects to the informal eating area.
Around the corner, slightly hidden, is another sink and oven. This workspace is a bit less glamorous but completely functional.
Dining room
Day chose to make a statement in the dining room with a wallpapered landscape mural on one wall in soft blush tones and dusty grays. Her inspiration to install a mural came from murals she saw in a historic home in New York’s Hyde Park years ago. “They were so stunning, old world and timeless,” she says.
With its soft brush strokes, the wallpaper has a Chinoiserie look, and Day upped the drama by adding a pair of beaded chandeliers reminiscent of festive lanterns, giving the space an exotic feel. The entire room, which combines a traditional rug and dining chairs with a modern sleek table, speaks to Day’s “layered and intentional” design aesthetic.
