INTERIOR DESIGN

Midwest Maven on the Move.

Restauranteur Jo Marie Scaglia serves up midwestern hospitality with a modern dash

Jo Marie Scaglia opened her first restaurant, The Mixx, in 2005. Through economic downturns and upswings, she’s stayed the course. Ten years later, she opened a second Mixx location at 119th and Roe. Her toddler, Caffetteria, launched in Prairie Village in 2018, just in time to gain a following before the COVID-19 virus changed everything.

But even before the stresses of the pandemic set in, Scaglia was planning a rural escape.

“I’d been obsessed with finding a farmhouse for 10 years,” she says. “This house in Weston came up for sale before and someone bought it right way. But in the end, it needed a lot

of work and they decided not to move forward.”

When the house was listed the second time, Scaglia snapped it up. She knew it was going to be a big project.

“I wanted a project. I knew the plumbing was collapsed and the electricity was all cobbled together,” she said. “But I thought I was going to be replumb and rewire and move my antiques in and have a cute and charming cottage.”

As it turns out, it was not quite that simple. While friends and relatives suggested she tear down the house and build new, Scaglia was committed to the renovation.

“As we were cleaning things up and taking things apart to be repaired, we found so much that I saved. There were old salt and pepper shakers in the ground, amazing window weights

and old axes. I’m planning on using everything. They may be in a collage or something.”

Scaglia is passionate about repurposing.

“I’ve had a 100-year-old white milk-glass light fixture in my basement for 20 years. Someone gave it to me because it was in the La Rocca Italian grocery store in the River Market. It was old school, with dry goods on the shelf.”

The fixture will now light the way for visitors as they come into the main room.

“I found a 1920s Missouri school map in the house. I know there are new replicas, but I wanted the old one. I framed it in wood the color of the barn. It’s huge.”

Beyond what Scaglia has discovered and reused in the house, her new neighbors have brought things that they bought at the estate sale to her as house-warming gifts. This growing sense of community and continuity that she felt as she began to renovate and reclaim this house spurred the idea for Midwest Maven.

“I see Midwest Maven as a broadening of the brand and a way to tie all the companies together. I’ve been thinking about doing that for five years, and 2020 seemed like the right time.”

Scaglia started an Instagram account at @mwmaven and began a visual journal of renovating this house. She feels this move makes sense personally and professionally.

“I’ve been creating menus, creating a vibe, and creating space for years. Maven ties it all together. It’s my alter ego. When I designed the kitchen, I designed it with the thought that we might be filming up here.”

White backgrounds outside and in are punctuated with linear black accents, as crisp and clean as an architect’s sketch come to life. Refined natural wood and the occasional dash of brass and galvanized metal add warmth and texture.

Outside, Scaglia reused brick on the property for the chimney and what she calls “the conversation patio.” This space and the new screened porch provide ample outdoor living spaces to make the most of her time at the house, both by herself and with friends.

Scaglia’s daughter, Star, did not share her enthusiasm initially.

“She said, ‘I’m allergic to wheat and I don’t like the country.’ So, I knew this was not the kid who was going to be digging for worms. But she did want to have her friends come up and watch movies, so we set up a 100-inch movie screen and brought a projector for the backyard.”

This is exactly how Scaglia had envisioned living in the house.

“This house is meant for entertaining and sharing with my family. I want my mom and my sister and friends to come up and play cards. People are asking if I want to do small group dinners. I think that would be great.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Patricia O’Dell started the lifestyle blog “Mrs. Blandings” in 2007. Her curiosity led her to write about designers, artists, business owners, and industry leaders. She’s been published in Architectural Digest, Elle Decor, Chicago Tribune, Flower magazine, Kansas City Spaces, and The Kansas City Star, as well as archdigest.com and elledecor.com.

ARISTOCRAT MOTORS IS GRATEFUL TO BE PART OF HISTORIC LEE’S SUMMIT.

Lee’s Summit is one of the fastest growing communities in the Kansas City metropolitan area and we are proud to be a new part of it’s history. We are grateful for the warm welcome by our new friends and neighbors. David Hughes, our General Manager, and his professional staff look forward to meeting you and presenting a wide variety of pre-owned cars, trucks and SUV’s.

Starting your search for your next vehicle? Stop in for a COMPLIMENTARY VEHICLE APPRAISAL AND CAR WASH.

PRE-OWNED SALES LEE’S SUMMIT

704 SE Oldham Court | Lee’s Summit, MO 64081 (816) 434-4050 | aristocratmotorsls.com Member of the Soave Automotive Group

David Hughes General Manager