small but mighty

70 KC MAGAZINE | KCMAG.CoM

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It’s no secret that many people are choosing to downsize to

more manageably sized homes nowadays. The following spaces,

including this Waldo bungalow perfect for entertaining, prove that

small doesn’t translate to sparse or lacking in style.

Arlette Torres and Mary Davis chose a small, cozy bungalow in Waldo so that, as Torres

puts it, “We could fill it to the rafters with art and objects that carry deep personal meaning.”

And every wall and surface indeed is adorned with art and design books, antique Los

Castillo silver, Tarahumara woven baskets, Mexican geodes, cloissoné, Cameroon juju

hats, and works by Rufino Tamayo, Donald Sultan, Kiki Smith, Chucho Reyes, Vicente

Rojo and Magali Lara.

Since a coffee table was not an option in the long, narrow living room (opposite, top)—a

common feature of bungalows—the duo opted for extra seating, several accent tables and

a tufted linen ottoman on casters that can be rolled into action when friends come to visit.

Turns out, it is pressed into service quite often when Torres and Davis throw their regu-

lar “Culinary Cartel” dinner parties.

A long sofa from Restoration Hardware with a single bench seat also makes the living

room appear larger than it is. “Toss the loveseat!” Torres says. “It’s an awkward piece that

tends to cut off a narrow room.”

The sofa’s beige, Belgian linen slipcover serves as a blank canvas for Torres’ collection of

down-filled pillows covered in orange and turquoise embroidered linen, cashmere and

Suzani-inspired designs. In all, the compact room makes a strong statement, reflecting “all

the moments and the memories we’ve kept and collected along the way.”

Saturated colors and cheerful patterns continue in the dining room (bottom left), where

slipcovered chairs are draped in hand-rolled silk Pineda Covalin and Hermès scarves. Davis

selected the dining room table, handcrafted from reclaimed fir wood. A gray patina and

polished, ridged surface give it a casual, picnic table feel. “It’s 108 inches but can extend to

148,” Torres says. “Enough room for our Culinary Cartel dinner ‘posse’ and then some.”

Above a collection of white vases topped with sugarbush flowers hangs a framed giclée print on

canvas by Thom Filicia (bottom center). Created for Soicher Marin, it’s titled “Raise Your Glass,

Lower Your Standards.” “It sets a celebratory and fun and casual mood for our dinner parties,”

Torres says. “And [it] reflects my sense of humor: Life is short. Chill and have a highball!”

homeowners ARLETTE TORRES And mARy dAviSlocation WALdO

story by KERRy PiTT-HARTphotos by BOB GREEnSPAn

small but mighty

71Life’s better in KC


HOMEOWNER KYLE DANNERLOCATION RIVER MARKET

LOCAL ARTISTS CHINA MARKS, GERRY TRILLING, LEANNE DOLIJACSTORy by KERRY PITT-HARTpHOTOS by bOb GREENSPAN

Located in River Market, in what was formerly the service garage

for the MTSI Cab Company, is the home of Kyle Danner. The two-floor

loft features metal roofing, poured cement floors, track lighting and

original exterior walls and trusses that were cleaned during the

building’s adaptive reuse and then put back into place.

As with so many contemporary lofts, Danner’s living room (lower left corner) blends

into the dining room, and both are open to the kitchen (bottom). The room’s seating,

which includes a Room and Board leather and chrome-frame, two-seater sofa, visually

defines the different areas of the shared space, making it appear larger than it is. A

generously sized area rug helps with definition, as well, proving it wise to decorate a

diminutive space with the biggest floorcovering you can find.

The larger of the two bedrooms was meant to be the master bedroom suite. “[But] after

realizing that’s not how I really used the space, I flipped the rooms, so my office [top] is

now upstairs and my bedroom [center] is in the smaller, cozier space on the first floor,”

Danner says.

The result is a more private bedroom and a home office that is both functional and

stylish. Danner’s spacious desk is situated beneath a skylight window. Off to the side is

an inviting sitting area with an abstract pattern area rug, a Saarinen womb chair and an

ottoman from Design Within Reach.

On almost every wall and even suspended from the ceiling are paintings, mixed media

pieces and sculptures, including several by local artists Gerry Trilling and LeAnne Doljac,

and sewn drawings by Kansas City Art Institute graduate China Marks.

“Let go of the notion that art should be hung at eye level,” Danner says when asked

for tips on how to enhance a small space, and how to work with the challenges posed by

high ceilings. “Also, don’t be afraid to mix inexpensive prints or pieces with more refined

ones,” he continues. “If you see an interesting dish, an antique piece of hardware or a

children’s toy, go ahead and display it.

“More importantly, don’t be afraid to drive a nail into the wall,” he says. “You can

always patch it—or not.”

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artistic endeavors



Psychologist David Donovan has transformed his Quality Hill

apartment, tucked away in a brick and stone courtyard building,

into his own version of a Parisienne pied-à-terre.

Prior to moving in, Donovan’s entire apartment was painted by Bob Shepherd, who

Donovan says is “the best painter and all-around handyman and remodeler I’ve ever

used.” The living and dining room walls are Ralph Lauren Lamplight Grey, and the master

bedroom and bathroom is Ralph Lauren Boulder Grey. “This was the single most important

thing I did to help make the transition from house to apartment,” Donovan says.

With the walls freshly painted, Web Thomas and his staff at Frame Gallery performed

their magic and arranged and hung all the artwork, including a painting by Donovan himself.

“Because I moved from a house in Westwood Park to downtown, I had far more stuff than

I needed,” Donovan says. “However, I didn’t let the smaller space intimidate me. All the

walls became important for hanging art, even in the bathrooms.

“Big art and furnishings actually create the illusion of a bigger space,” Donovan says,

as does the clever use of a See All convex security mirror mounted on a dramatic yellow

stand designed by PK Steel Designs (not pictured).

“I like to create layered, eclectic visual tableaus that are interesting to me and to others,”

the doctor says. One such tableau (left center) is composed of a vintage leather Breuer

Wassily chair, a Judy Ross wood and copper totem, a charcoal drawing by local artist

Gerry Trilling, and a hand-colored, black and white photograph, found at the Plaza Art

Fair, called “John Taylor’s Shirts” by Cali Hobgood-Lemme.

Another eye-catching grouping rests beneath a photograph from Kimberly Austin’s

“Contra Natura” series (top left). The photo is of a young boy wearing opera length

gloves and is printed on layers of transparent silk and muslin. “Having art and objects

that mean something or just feel good is most important to me,” Donovan says. n

HOMEOWNER DAVID DONOVANLOCATION QUALITY HILL

LOCAL RESOURCES BOB SHEPARD (PAINT), FRAME GALLERY, GERRY TRILLING (ART), PK STEEL DESIGNS

STORy By KERRY PITT-HARTPHOTOS By BOB GREENSPAN

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tableaux fantastiques



small but mighty

Documents

torres collection

narrow room

dining room table

compact room

narrow living room

homeowners arlette torres

kcm apr11

kerry pitthartphotos