Contemporary Missouri Farmhouse Case Study:
A Photographer’s Dream Kitchen
A Midwest Farmhouse Kitchen: Sustainable Materials, Careful Craftsmanship
When Kim Wade and her husband bought 10 acres in Boone County, Missouri, from friends who run a small organic farm, they were realizing a long-held dream: land of their own and a solar-powered house to go with it. The former grazing land is being replanted with natives and food-focused hedgerows for foraging, by wildlife and the couple alike.
The newly completed home is about 1,800 square feet of contemporary, open-concept living, with concrete floors, east-facing windows, and a butterfly roof that rises to roughly 14 feet above the kitchen. Kim, a longtime professional photographer, wanted the kitchen to feel open and clean, but also cozy and connected to the land outside.
To save money for priorities like the solar panels, the couple chose IKEA cabinet boxes. The fronts were another story.
“I just wasn’t seeing something that I liked that felt like it fit with our aesthetic and a more natural feel,” Kim said. “I didn’t want a cookie-cutter look.”
That’s where Kokeena came in.
After learning IKEA cabinets could be paired with third-party fronts, Kim started researching. The first company she found was large, and she doubted she’d get the personal attention a new build demands. Kokeena stood out for our small team, its customer service, and its commitment to sustainability, which mattered to someone with a background in environmental policy.
Her first conversations with Kokeena sealed it. “I felt like we were in good hands,” Kim said.
The Kokeena Difference
The concrete floors were practical: affordable and nearly indestructible on a property with plenty of mud, garden traffic, and a dog. But Kim didn’t want the house to feel industrial. The kitchen needed warmth.
She found it in two Kokeena finishes. After ordering samples, she chose fir fronts line the uppers and lowers along the walls, their warm red tones playing against the gray-blue concrete. The island got Kokeena’s Terracotta, a burnt-orange, clay-like color that was brand new at the time.
“The terracotta color was fabulous,” Kim said. “I hadn’t seen that anywhere else.”
A new build always brings surprises: the non-IKEA sink needed extra space, and a few fillers hadn’t been planned for. A quick second order took care of it.
For installation, the couple brought in a local cabinetry specialist who spent days leveling and fine-tuning every box and front. “There is no way we could have done this ourselves,” Kim said. He also checked the edges for clean cuts and called the quality excellent.
Meeting Challenges
Warm, natural, and made to last
The finished kitchen does exactly what Kim hoped. Under the butterfly roof and morning light, the Fir and Terracotta warm up the concrete and clean lines, making an open, modern home feel cozy. It’s built for muddy boots, garden harvests, and a dog underfoot.
“I love working with a smaller company who puts attention into the quality of the manufacturing process, the sustainability of the materials and the quality of the customer service and attention to detail at every stage in the process,” said Kim.
Her advice for anyone considering the same route: “If you want a custom product that is not a cookie-cutter look, I cannot recommend Kokeena enough.”
STATS
Name of project: Contemporary Missouri Farmhouse
Completion date: Summer 2026
Products:
Kokeena Cabinet Doors: The Standard - CVG Fir, The Minimalist - Terra Cotta
Photography:
Silverbox Photographers