All photos by Paul Versluis
An 1885 house in Kansas City’s Westside has cast a lasting spell.
In 1996, master gardener and ceramicist Michele Polivka and master furniture craftsman David Polivka bought the home, which had been derelict. It needed everything—roof, walls, floors, wiring, plumbing. Room by room, the Polivkas brought the house and surrounding landscape back to life with the artistry and craftsmanship of their own hands. The Polivkas used reclaimed materials where they could, including flooring and beams from The Old Spaghetti Factory. Up went a birds-eye maple kitchen, handcrafted custom doors and windows from David; Michele’s handmade tiles surrounded the fireplaces, the yews and hornbeams she planted delineating the landscape she planned.
Years later, Jennifer Lapka, a nonprofit specialist, and her husband, Eric Pfeifer, the executive director of products at VML, also heard the lure of the home’s siren song. “It became our ‘dream home’ the first time we saw it,” she recalls, “and we’d drive by it often thereafter.”
Like the Polivkas, both Lapka and Pfeifer are self-described hands-on “project people” in addition to their own professional pursuits. She draws, paints, and designs. He helped restore a 1969 Chevelle pickup and plays heartland rock, country, and Red Dirt music in The Blaine Younger Band. They can turn their hands to almost anything.
In 2018, Lapka and Pfeifer bought the home. Says Pfeifer, “We’ve had the opportunity to live in England twice—first for Jennifer’s master’s degree, then for my work at the time—and while there, we traveled around Europe. So many European elements are recognizable in this home and garden, and the craftsmanship is unparalleled. During the purchase process, the inspector said he’s never seen a house so square.”
Soon after moving in, they began to integrate their own ideas. “We see ourselves as stewards of the Polivkas’ vision. Any alterations that have been made since we moved in were functionally necessary and balanced our taste with theirs,” says Lapka.
“I think about Michele often—her hand is felt everywhere in the home and garden,” Lapka continues. They kept her Craftsman palette of earthy green (Copley Gray) and terracotta (Montana Agate), both from Benjamin Moore. “We expanded her rock path design around the property, and we trimmed the hedges to her initial design. She diligently made hundreds of ceramic tiles at the former Red Star Studios down the alley from our home, and they still adorn the two fireplace surrounds.” They also added a custom iron railing for the kitchen staircase.
Pfeifer repurposed the late David Polivka’s drafting table by adding a marble top so it can function as an island in the hearth room kitchen. He also rebuilt the pergolas. Lapka added outdoor curtains…