Renowned builder’s ‘masterpiece’ now open in idyllic Lenexa community

Whether you’ve visited Cottonwood Canyon several times or you haven’t yet been to the community, now’s the time to put this Lenexa oasis at the top of your “must-see” list.

Renowned builder B.L. Rieke Custom Homes, a longtime staple of the Cottonwood Canyon building team, just finished an incredible new model home that brings the art of possibility to life.

The reverse 1½-story floor plan is the first of its kind from B.L. Rieke, which in and of itself is exciting for those who have followed the company’s work over the years. The home is also a breathtaking example of eye-catching architecture and thoughtful attention to detail, providing an excellent opportunity for the building team to debut new features and finishes.

“This home has some new looks for us,” said Bruce Rieke, president of B.L. Rieke Custom Homes. “We’ve done a lot of what I call ‘Western style’—this home has a few of those elements, but also new looks as well as grays, different ceiling and fireplace treatments, and better-quality product.”

High-end fixtures and finishes add enviable luxury to the spacious, airy home. A beautiful front door by Anderson is an eye-catching entry point, which leads to an open main level with soaring ceilings anchored by exposed trusses. Rieke said the home also includes “trim treatments you don’t normally see—we took everything up a notch in the fit and finish.”

That careful focus on every aspect of the home’s aesthetic is also reflected in the décor. Rieke credited his wife, Toni, as the creative force behind the home’s fully furnished interior.

“Toni is an extremely talented designer,” Rieke said. “We bought all new furniture, and she’s putting her signature on the interior. We used to do a masterpiece home every two years, and this new model home is what we’re calling our masterpiece. We’re trying to push the limits as far as we can without breaking the bank.”

One of the home’s more popular features is likely to be the sumptuous master suite, conveniently located on the home’s main level. Rather than have the master suite directly off of the great room, Rieke tucked it away in the home’s back corner, which he said gives it “a more private setting.”

Additional highlights of the new model home include a gracefully curving staircase, which appears to float to the home’s lower level. The staircase is flanked by a large wall of windows that overlook the green fairways of Canyon Farms Golf Club, giving residents a front-row seat to Cottonwood Canyon’s enviable views.

Outdoor living space is the perfect spot to relax amid the breathtaking scenery. A firepit awaits outside the home’s lower level, while the deck is ready for entertaining with a fireplace and built-in grill. A prime corner homesite is another compelling feature of the new model, which, in addition to being across the street from the golf course, also backs to the community lake. Many of these features, in fact, helped draw Rieke to the community several years ago.

“I’ve been building in Cottonwood Canyon since 2008 and that’s why I went there to begin with—the location, the beautiful golf course and everything else that came along with it,” he said.

Interested buyers are encouraged to visit Cottonwood Canyon and experience the newly finished model home firsthand. Angie Ripley and Nita Criswell, who market Cottonwood Canyon, can also provide information on available homesites, including the newest phase of homesites that opened earlier this year. In just one weekend, three of the 10 homesites were reserved, and the enclave-like community now offers just 30 homesites.

Outside the home, residents can take full advantage of the convenience of provided maintenance. The low homeowner association dues include snow removal, trash pick-up, and lawn maintenance, giving families more time to enjoy what they love in Cottonwood Canyon and the surrounding metro area.

That includes Cottonwood Canyon’s beautiful surroundings, which make the most of the rolling, treed terrain and natural features like creeks, small bluffs, and lush, native landscaping, including grasses and flowers. And, in the midst of it all, Canyon Farms Golf Club beckons with a course that’s as challenging as it is beautiful.

Rather than choosing convenience over peaceful seclusion, homeowners can have both, thanks to a location that’s within minutes of several highways, as well as attractions and recreation. With the recent completion of Mill Creek Road, homeowners are just a short walk away from the new Lenexa Civic Center, located within the broader Lenexa City Center and that’s scheduled to open later this year. The development will serve as a mixed-use hub that includes the newly opened Lenexa Public Market, indoor aquatic center, fitness facilities, and a public art gallery.

“Where else are you going to get golf, water, and be as close to the Lenexa City Center and all that’s going on there?” Rieke said. “Cottonwood Canyon is right in the middle of it.”

This story was originally published September 21, 2017 at 12:01 AM with the headline "Renowned builder’s ‘masterpiece’ now open in idyllic Lenexa community."