Featured Homes
More Room to Grow
The Jacobos, a Northland family recently featured on ABC’s “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,” have finally settled in their new home.
BY
Brooke Pearl
PHOTOGRAPHY
Alistair Tutton




Life is somewhat normal again for the Jacobo family. The boys are off to soccer practice; Jessica’s into cheerleading; and Natalie attends Missouri Western State University. But when they all arrive home, they’re no longer greeted by a confined 912-square-foot home with linoleum floors, beige walls and unsafe living conditions. Rather, they open the door to a Latin-inspired, 5,396-square-foot place they can finally call home.

The colorful Spanish-influenced interior is cause for commotion — different than what the old house mustered. “It was just a really plain house,” says Michelle, a stay-at-home mom. “It didn’t have any texture or volume to it,” which is certainly not the case with the home replaced by Kevin Green Homes. “I was shocked to see all the different colors and that they look so nice together,” Michelle says. The entryway shines in a blue Venetian plaster, while the living room sports an AquaStone one-layer terra-cotta glaze. The dining room boasts a three-layered textured finish   that’s glazed and gold, and the kitchen is distinctive with its handmade red craft paper walls that look like bamboo. To  this day, Michelle still stops to admire the textured walls, ceiling beams and all other interior surroundings, right down to the candle stands, because she knows it came from the heart.

Staying true to the family’s background and heritage, the designers created an alcove located at the top of the stairs that contains a photo of each family member, all surrounding a cross, along with additional literature and images that represent the family’s religion. Michelle has taken “Kodak moments of every minute of their lives,” and some are displayed within the alcove.
 
The three-level home includes an open floor plan, seven bedrooms, seven-and-a-half bathrooms (their old home had one), an outdoor kitchen and playground, and dining and living rooms big enough to seat the whole family. “In our old house, I had three different shifts for meals,” Michelle says. “The little kids would eat first, then the bigger kids, and then Jesus and I.” That’s why the spacious dining room is one of the family’s favorite spots to congregate. The kitchen, another key feature in the home, is fully equipped with tile countertops, two refrigerators, two ovens, two garbage disposals, a main sink, prep sink and an island with two bar stools for those who are learning to cook on their own. The cabinets, quarter-sawn recessed panel oak doors with a peppercorn finish, provide enough storage space to feed a growing family. “I just love the design of the kitchen and how it’s all open,” Michelle says.

But that’s not the only room she loves. “I love everything in the laundry room,” she adds. “That’s where I spend most of my time. That’s my praying time; I fold laundry in there and pray.” Even Gypsy, Jessica’s Chihuahua, prefers to sleep among the laundry. Jesus, on the other hand, enjoys their master bedroom, which is quite different from their former sleeping quarters — the garage. “Our  master bedroom has a lot of room and space,” he says. “The closets, the showers — everything is so nice.” Their bedroom reveals an accent wall colorfully painted in shades of green, orange, blue, brown and red, and comes with matching bedding. Its hardwood floors lead into a tiled master bathroom with natural marble countertops, double vanity, hickory wood cabinets with a natural finish, Jacuzzi and a see-through fireplace that’s shared with the bedroom, something Michelle and Jesus have always wanted. A nursery, which was Ty’s secret project on the show, is hidden behind two intricately detailed wooden doors within the accent wall in the bedroom. Even though Merriam doesn’t stay there anymore, Michelle is keeping the nursery for future grandkids.

The eight Jacobo children, bouncing in and out of the house at all different times, also have their own favorite spaces. Natalie, the oldest daughter who, as a child, dreamed of having a big house full of brothers and sisters, has a secluded room downstairs that she returns home to on a regular basis to sleep in her own bed. “My old room was the storage room, so this room’s a lot bigger and nicer than my old room,” she says.” Anthony’s room, which is Grandpa Ray’s old room, resembles the Midwest’s countryside. It’s seasoned with painted cedar plank walls, rowboat armoire, space heater and a large pebble rock accent wall that’s surrounded by tree branches adorned with festive lures. Sometimes three of the boys — Anthony, Joshua and Tyler — can be found fast asleep within the all-natural wooden bed frame, snuggled in a fleece blanket.

The soccer room, home to Joshua, sports a blue and green color scheme, numerous pairs of cleats, an extra bed for sleepovers and a mural of a Wizard’s soccer player. The aviation center, however, gets the attention of Tyler and Gabriel. It has a real-life cockpit and weather map that the future pilots can play with and is enclosed by a tin ceiling and Marmoleum flooring. The girls, Angel and  Jessica, share a room with iridescent pink wallpaper, while Brittany’s room features X-ray machines, stethoscopes and an inspirational poster for the future nurse.

All bedrooms are specifically designed to fit each personality and style — a dream come true for everyone. The neatly tiled bathrooms, one in pink, one in purple, one in yellow and some with neutral colors, also brighten the home and those they belong to. Because each child has his or her own space, Michelle says they all have gained a sense of independence and responsibility, which is something they were lacking in the former home. 

After spending several years crammed together in a small house, the Jacobos continue to be a close-knit family. With Michelle’s new and improved kitchen, she loves to cook, especially Mexican food, for family and friends. The family spends a lot of time outside on the patio, surrounded by Jesus barbecuing (with Michelle’s help), the kids playing on the playground and Anthony telling jokes, as usual. On Sunday nights, the family gathers together in the living room in the basement to watch “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,” the only show that four-year-old Gabriel sits long enough to watch (he loves Ty). The dance floor, also in the basement, represents the place where Michelle and Jesus first met in May 1992. It’s also the place for birthday celebrations, complete with spotlights, a disco ball, loud music and piñatas.

When Michelle thinks back to the ‘Move That Bus’ day and the first time she saw the modish green exterior and neatly contoured landscaping, she remembers thinking about a doll house Natalie had when she was 5 years old. “When she folded it up, it looked exactly like this house,” Michelle says. And after many troubling years, the Jacobos’ wish of having their very own safe and stylish home finally came true. “When we walked in here, it felt like us,” she says. “It’s something we’ve always dreamed of.”

Resources:

Builder: Kevin Green Homes, Inc.
Architect: Wolfgang Trost Architects, LLC
Engineer: Apex Engineers
Landscape Design/Installation: Artistic Designs Lawn & Landscape
Demolition/Excavation, etc: Jim Kidwell Construction
Labor: Brackman Construction
Interior and Exterior Flatwork: Mead Construction
Flatwork Labor: F Winters & Sons Inc
Foundation Labor: Halley Northland Construction
Electrical Work: Cornis Electric, Teague Electric, Home One, Inc., Joe Kilowatt
Surveying: R L Buford & Associates
Utilities, Sewers, Rough In and Finish: Robertson Plumbing
Concrete Additives: Scotwood Industries Inc.
Rigging: American Rigger’s Supply
Concrete Pumping: Brundage Bone CPI
Utilities: Aquila, AT&T, Time Warner Cable, KCMO Water Department, KCPL, Missouri Gas Energy
Wall Panels and Trusses: Advantage Component Systems, Inc.
Power Sawn I-Joists: Anthony Forest Products
Insulation: Armour Insulation
Drywall Supplies: Arrowhead Drywall Supply
Sheetrock Finish: Complete Drywall
Concrete Material: Lafarge                                          
Framing Lumber: McCray Lumber
Framing: Advantage Framing Systems Inc.
Beams: Jones Iron & Metal
Install Prefab Flooring: Citywide Flooring
Trim: Dave Hawkins, Carlos Leipe, Lamb Custom Millwork
Trim Materials, Door Hardware, Doors, Interior and Exterior: McCray Millwork
Trim Labor, Hang Doors, Hardware, Misc Designer Work: Meadows Construction
HVAC: Midwest Heating Cooling & Plumbing
Appliances: Sears
Cabinetry: Quality Wood Products Inc., Kraftmaid
Cabinet Hardware: Locks and Pulls
Kitchen Countertop: Top Master Inc.
Vanity Countertops: Master Marble Inc.
Marble and Granite: Midland Marble and Granite
Plumbing Fixtures: Dorfman Plumbing, Kohler
Windows: Pella Windows
Blinds: All Kinds of Blinds LLC, Select Blinds
Lighting: Western Chandelier
Paint Supply: Sherwin-Williams
Painting: Kreimendahl Painting, Tom Hilton
Faux Painting: Magic Brush
Fireplaces: Complete Home Concepts
Fireplace Surround: ADI Designs LLC
Mirrors and Shower Doors: Hayes Insulation
Closet Organizers: Waters Inc.
Flooring, Interior Tile and Carpet Installation: Weber Carpet
Furniture: Crowley Furniture
Furnishings: Amini’s Galleria
Wallpaper: Astek Waverly
Floral Arrangements: Bill’s Greenhouse, Parkville Floral
Electronics: Factory Direct Appliance
Railing/Stairways: Quality Ornamental Iron
Iron Railings: Bob’s Ornamental Iron
Iron Grates: Heckert Sheetmetal
Waterproofing: Gordon Energy
Siding: Hardi Plank
Roofing: Bordner Roofing
Garage Doors: Renner Supply
Copper Gutters: Royal Seamless Gutter, Inc.
Copper Pots for Chimney: European Copper
Bleachers: North Kansas City School District
Cedar Privacy Fence: Guier Fence
Playground Equipment: Burke Premier Play Environments
Exterior and Interior Stone: Canyon Stone
Awnings: Kansas City Tent & Awning
Cleaning: L & L Hauling & Cleaning Inc., Noonshine Window Service, Inc.
Mailbox and Cleaning Supplies: Sutherland’s