High-profile builders join Rodrock at Summerwood Estates for Artisan Home Tour

Discerning homebuyers have embraced the bucolic setting and creative design found in Summerwood, one of Rodrock Homes’ premier communities in Overland Park.

Located within the top-rated Blue Valley School District, the congenial neighborhood boasts a private stocked fishing lake with fountain, kid-friendly sports court, more than two miles of nature trails, zero-depth entry lagoon-style pool with cabanas, scenic views and spacious home sites surrounded by more than 50 acres of natural green space.

Summerwood Estates, the final phase of this amenities-rich community characterized by abundant open spaces, is being showcased during the Artisan Tour with a trio of stunning custom-built homes. The exquisitely detailed Treviso by Covenant Homes focuses on family-style living; the reverse 1 1/2-story Quintessa by J.S. Robinson Fine Homes features transitional design with modern accents for gracious living and entertaining; and Rodrock Homes’ Telluride is a modern mountain-inspired residence that defines rustic elegance.

The builders were invited to join the inaugural Artisan Home Tour, a ticketed event benefiting Ronald McDonald House Charities Kansas City and highlights the best-of-the-best in the city’s custom home building.

“We are proud to not only have been selected to participate, we are honored to have some of the area’s most well-regarded and high-profile homebuilders here,” said Brian Rodrock, president of Rodrock Homes. “Covenant Homes and J.S. Robinson Fine Homes represent elevated home design, superior workmanship and state-of-the-art products.”

And just as homebuyers are attracted to Summerwood Estates, builders such as Covenant Homes and J.S. Robinson Fine Homes find the location appealing for myriad reasons.

“Summerwood Estates has plenty of open space and beautiful, spacious home sites,” said Michael Menghini, owner of Covenant Homes. “Wherever we build our criteria includes location, community amenities and the developer’s reputation. We found it all here.”

Menghini, who launched his building business in 2003 with his father, notes that Rodrock Homes delivers from start to finish — not just to homebuyers, but also to builders who choose communities such as Summerwood Estates.

“Brian and his team have the resources to do a new homes community on an impressive scale that gives buyers an unusual opportunity for an exceptional investment,” Menghini said. “Their experience and dedication to quality and integrity were important factors when we decided to build the Treviso here. They do an A-plus job in delivering exactly what they promise.”

Jeff Robinson, owner, founder and president of J.S. Robinson Fine Homes, says Summerwood Estates fulfills his company’s mission of providing clients with beautiful things in a well-executed environment.

“This community embraces the good life with its serenity and beauty,” said Robinson. “It’s ideally situated in the suburbs — lots of open space, a retreat atmosphere, and features such as walking trails and little outdoor nooks that are perfect places to pause and reflect. But it’s close by to the best that Kansas City has to offer in terms of dining, shopping and entertainment. It’s a soothing and relaxing place to call home.”

Punctuated by a private retreat ambiance, Summerwood Estates is a jewel in Rodrock’s thoughtfully curated collection of new homes communities throughout Johnson County.

“We don’t just sell homes in Summerwood Estates,” Rodrock said. “It’s a way of life in this community. And to have Michael and Jeff and their impeccable quality here is truly a dream come true for not only my company, but for potential buyers.”

Old-world craftsmanship. The trio of builders agrees that the Artisan Home Tour and their exclusive designs bring a level of collaborative craftsmanship that will resonate with homebuyers.

“The word ‘artisan’ to me means the very best,” Robinson, a 20-year veteran of the building industry, said. “It’s an opportunity to perhaps do something we don’t get to do every day. Our home is the result of inspiration from a hand-selected team of contractors, designers and experts. The Quintessa shines in Summerwood Estates — on approach, there is a sense of arrival. It’s surrounded by beauty.”

According to Menghini, Covenant Homes’ Treviso is a result of “creativity unleashed.”

“Tour-goers are in for a treat when they view the Treviso,” he said. “From decorative ceiling treatments to the unique stone stairway wall and a wood wall in the master suite that lends life, color and texture to the space, this is a home built on a foundation of quality that is also highly functional. It will be exciting to see the response to this special home.”

The Telluride, Rodrock’s Artisan Home Tour entry, incorporates extensive and innovative use of natural, hand-chosen materials including reclaimed wood from a 1920s Missouri barn, native stone, wavy lap cedar siding, metal and iron. Acclaimed interior designer Kristen Ridler was handpicked by Rodrock to capture the vision of gracious living in an heirloom estate home.

“The Telluride captures the essence of artisan with multi-species floors throughout and a timeless blend of glass, stone and wood in every meticulously designed room,” Rodrock said. “And the reclaimed wood from a 1920s Missouri barn used in the study’s ceiling gives the house an authentic, emotional sense of place.”

Rodrock is at the helm of a company known for creating premier communities and homes in Johnson County where lifestyle is just the beginning. Its progression into the custom home market means buyers can build an estate home, such as the Telluride, on a site in a Rodrock community loaded with amenities or in a handpicked neighborhood anywhere in the Kansas City area. A collaborative partner, Rodrock works with architects and interior designers to complete a custom home project.

“We don’t just build structures, we imagine places where families can live and share and dream,” Rodrock said. “And having builders such as Covenant Homes and J.S. Robinson Fine Homes join us is the pinnacle of that vision and for me, personally, the highlight of the Artisan Home Tour.”

Make plans to visit today. Tour the Treviso, Quintessa and Telluride between noon and 7 p.m. today. And tomorrow these beauties will be open again during regular hours from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

This story was originally published September 19, 2015 at 7:00 PM with the headline "High-profile builders join Rodrock at Summerwood Estates for Artisan Home Tour."