THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE - HER LIFE Magazine

partner, to start a new homebuilding business in the midst of a recession—whichperhaps makes “visionary” a better term. “We reinventedourselves and adapted to the market,” she said of Allure LuxuryHomes, her new venture. “My family has a 50-year legacy of buildingthousands of homes in Kansas City and that matters to me. However,I’m reminded it is meaningless to dwell on past successes. We’vecreated a company that’s questioned everything and scrapped anyshred of ‘that’s the way we’ve always done it’ thinking.”Building the DreamAnticipating the next question, Lindy made it clear that she andher partners began their new endeavor with their eyes wide open.“We even asked ourselves if we were crazy. Who starts a new homebuildingcompany in this crazy market, when over 300 of our fellowbuilders in the Kansas City metro were getting out of the business?”Crazy? Maybe. But sometimes all it takes to turn a crazy ideainto a brilliant one is the knowledge and determination to make itwork—and a keen sense of what people want to come home to.“Our culture gravitates to sameness,” Lindy asserted. “We tendto shop in the same big box stores, wear the same fashions, etc., soone of the biggest rewards in what I do comes from creating livingspaces that reflect each buyer’s individuality. It’s fun to watch howempowering it becomes for clients to be involved in the process ofbuilding a home that’s made to order just for them.”Allure Luxury Homes builds homes unique to the buyer, Lindysaid—“no cookie cutter homes allowed!” But in order to do that,Lindy goes back to the lessons she learned from her father aboutinteracting with clients. “We ask what matters most to the buyers andhelp them define what they want, even when they can’t quite articulateit,” she said, adding, “Our real distinction is designing the homearound their unique ‘fingerprints’ through consultative meetings.”Though she doesn’t say it in so many words, it seems like thesemeetings are just as much of a benefit to her and her partners asthey are to Allure Luxury Homes’ clients. “As a builder, you gain realinsights into people’s everyday lives,” she said. “Life is hectic, and it’srewarding to know we’re making people’s lives easier.” In addition,she said, “Buyers are more specific now about what they want in their‘dream home’ than they were 10 or 20 years ago. They don’t want tosettle for someone else’s dream, but demand a home that’s uniquelytheirs.”Home is Where the Flow IsIn an industry that has seen its share of challenges over the pastfew years, Lindy keeps business strong with a laser-sharp consumerfocus, and a penchant for pairing beauty and practicality. “Thefeatures I find most important in a home,” she said, “combine bothfunctionality and design. No industry has been spared from a slowingeconomy—and there’s pressure to do more with less—but that’s ourworld and we’ve accepted it for what it is. We insist on a clearly definedmessage that appeals to the lifestyle of today’s buyer: homesthat are functional, but with a definite ‘WOW’ factor—or, as we like tosay, ‘where WOW meets function.’“For example,” she continued, “whose vacuum cleaner doesn’tget entangled with coats in the coat closet? While it seems obvious,we realized an appealing cabinet for storing a vacuum cleanerand long-handled brooms was all but nonexistent in homes. So weintroduced a ‘command center post’ off the garage entry that’s nowthe heartbeat of everyday living: seven-foot alder cabinetry for storage,a compartment for keys, drop zone and charging station forphones, built-in cubbies, lockers, desk and upper cabinets. And ourclients are finding new ways to make this ‘second foyer’ even morefunctional, with washer and dryer or utility sink located in the garage.No more dragging gym bags, dirty cleats and uniforms through thehouse!”So what does an innovative master builder like Lindy considerthe crucial elements of her own home? “A great kitchen is key,” sheinsists, letting her heartland upbringing show. “Let’s face it—it’swhere our family and friends tend to gather. I’m a fan of an open layoutthat flows into other areas such as a hearth room or screened-inporch. Again, while the kitchen needs to be functional, it should alsohave enough ‘WOW’ factor to create a space that you love.”Overall, though, Lindy insists that it’s all about the flow: “A keycomponent to great design is flow, and it’s often the one that is missing.Regardless of the specific architectural style, if a home has goodflow, the rest tends to fall into place.”Sounds very California, doesn’t it? Nonetheless, Kansas City iswhere this homebuilding legacy’s heart is. “I love this city, and whatI’m doing! I plan on staying here, and intend to continue buildingour business into one of the most recognized quality homebuildingbrands in Kansas City.”To find out more about Allure Luxury Homes,visit allureluxuryhomes.com, or call 913-851-4444. ■40 HERLIFEMAGAZINE.COM