A Beautiful Prairie Home

By Kristy Cameron, Kristy Cameron Design

When I met this special family for the first time back in 2015, I was in the process of moving from the Chicago area to Springfield. Originally from Sullivan, moving here for us was all about coming home (after having been gone for 25 years) and being with family so it was truly serendipitous meeting this incredible family as faith & family is the very heartbeat of their lives.

To say I was over the moon excited to be chosen as one of the first to take this journey with them was an understatement. I couldn’t wait to get my family moved down here & get my hands on it! Now years later, after the dust has literally settled on this rustic but chic modern prairie style home, I’m happy to report that not only did it not disappoint but in turn was a life-changing experience for me as an interior designer.

This home, similar to others I’ve been lucky to work on, was on a grand scale due to the sheer size and attention to detail yet it always proved to have that warm and cozy feeling through every stage of its birth. From the first meeting with the team in April 2016, the focus was on truly “living” in this home, this was not to be a museum. My design mantra is always to bring the client’s dreams to life … to truly make this home their happy place, a place where their children would grow up, run, play and pray and where friends and family would gather to share this beautiful life we are all so very blessed to share.

Each design decision kept the focus on simple elegance and while we loved the whirlwind of design in this family playground, we always had our sights set to be mindful of the balance between needs and wants. Simply and appropriately … the plans were adorned with the homeowner’s vision – a favorite bible verse … “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:18NIV and also with a quote by the homeowner, “Create environments to foster & grow relationships”.

With such an idyllic beautiful location, it seemed essential to not only enjoy God’s beauty from the inside out, which we achieved by choosing a floor to ceiling windows but also by bringing the outside in, creating many outdoor spaces to enjoy & a saltwater pool for summer fun.

We wanted this forever home to be functional, durable and low maintenance. We were designing spaces that the homeowners would use every day not just to place furniture in and breeze by with the exception of a Holiday. An open floor plan was created to flow from the spacious entry right into the great room/breakfast area/kitchen and then into all of the other specialty “niches” of the house (Den, DR, Laundry Room, Mud Room, Exercise Room & even a Doggy Room!).

One of the most important considerations in designing for clients is always making a point to understand how my clients live and how they want to feel in any given room. With all of that in mind, we chose a classic & soothing color palate & furniture pieces that would not only be timeless in design but also stand the test of time. We chose items from reputable retailers that I have a long-standing relationship with … Arhaus, Wisteria & Crate & Barrel to name a few and also some of my favorite trade lines that I can offer to clients … Gabby Home, ModShop, Uttermost to name a few.

We wanted comfort first and foremost but let’s be honest, we also wanted to bring the homeowner’s many Pinterest & Houzz ideas to life. From the start, we were immediately on the same page regarding the design and it seemed like such a perfect marriage not only between myself and the homeowners but also with each and every contractor that was able to realize our vision and add their expertise to finish our puzzle.

I am always extremely selective in recommending contractors that I choose to bring into my client’s homes and as “the new girl in town”, I must say that I was delighted to see such a strong work ethic, talent and an organic ability to truly understand & implement the desires of this family’s from these contractors. I truly believe this was a Springfield Dream Team! From working through the plans with star builder Andrew Cochran (Construction) to choosing the lighting with Springfield Electric, to the very last detail of outdoor furniture by Marx Fireplace, everyone worked together in perfect harmony! The homeowners were focused on using locals and the best of the best & I feel so blessed to have worked on such an intimate level with these consummate professionals.

Some specifics I will share from the homeowner regarding the energy efficient focus of the home:

2×6 exterior walls w/spray foam insulation
Anderson 400 series windows
Geothermal multiple zone heat/ac
In floor radiant heat w/tankless boiler
Tankless domestic water heater
Solar panels
All LED lights

Kristy’s Springfield “Dream Team”

Construction Company – Cochran Construction Andrew Cochran
Electrical – Edge Electrical Solutions Inc Daniel Edge
Plumbing – Sparks Plumbing, LLC Cary Sparks
HVAC – Glisson Heating & Air Inc Gibbs Glisson
Material Supplier – Carter Bros Lumber Tony Rottinghaus
Material Supplier – Prairie Wholesale Supply Co
Stone Supplier – Woare’s Inc Paul Bateman
Insulation – Prairie Insulation Fiore Belmonte
Foundation – Jones Concrete, Inc Jeff Jones
Mason – Prior & Sons Masonry Rod Prior
Solar panels – Wind Solar USA Michelle Knox
Audio/Visual – Fox Audio Visual Mike Fox
Landscape Architect – Massie Massie Associates
Landscape – Illinois Forestry Products
Pool – M&M Pools Casey Finley
Countertops – US Marble and Granite
Cabinets – Prairie Sales Nellidene Sutherland
Flooring – Staff Carpet Kim Staff
Paint & Wallpaper – Don Smith Paint
Painting – Dan Deweese Painting and Wood Finishing
Painting – Fine Finishes Incorporated Kenneth Piek
Lighting – Springfield Electric Scott Germeraad
Wallpaper – Brad Bachtold Wallpaper Installer
Closet Installation – The Closet Guy Heather Sherell
Garage Doors – Midwest Garage Door
Upholstery – Ash Street Upholstery
Roof – Beechy’s Construction Siding & Overhang