Making a Difference: Home makeovers for Ketch

by Paul Petitte, KSN News2006-05-18

WICHITA, Kansas, May 18, 2006 -- When "Extreme Home Makeover" came to Rose Hill last year, almost everyone wanted a look. Well, about the same time, another home makeover was quietly taking shape and the finished product is making a difference for some of Wichita’s neediest residents.

You won’t see it on HGTV or read about it in Better Homes and Gardens but the Ketch home makeover is building a brighter future for some of Wichita’s residents.

"Ketch helps people with disabilities who live and work in the community," said Laura Roberds, Ketch Community Services.

This time, Ketch is helping the disabled by fixing up their homes.

"They don’t have the ability to go out and buy new furniture or to put in new flooring or to change the window treatment in their home or just paint," said Roberds.

So here was the plan: Makeover three disabled group homes. Here was the problem: Do it on a very limited budget.

"We started small potatoes, thinking $1,000. What can you do with $1000?" said Roberds.

Plenty, once Wichita-area designers and suppliers stepped in.

Ketch to a cue from the HGTV show "Design on a Dime" and approached several professional Wichita designers. These people are used to working with six-figure budgets but couldn’t resist volunteering their time to make a difference.

"I said, ’if we’re going to do it, lets do it right. Let’s not try to do it for some piddly little amount -- lets do it for free and see all that we can get accomplished,’" said Bill Little, Accent Interiors.

From there, it took off. The designers recruited other designers. They, in turn, contacted their vendors. Soon, other area businesses and installers joined in to help.

"Their thoughts were: Here we could do something for those who can’t afford to do any of it and why shouldn’t they live in a nice home as well as everybody else," said Kim Roskam, Ketch Community Relations.

Three design teams met with those living in the homes. They went over color, layout, furniture and decor.

"Some of the individuals use wheelchairs or walkers and new flooring just made it easier for them to get around," said Roberds.

"One of the homes, all girls live in and it could have used more frills," said Roskam.

With that information, the designers came up with two color boards for each home. The residents chose their favorite. Then it was time for the makeover.

With a little sweat and a lot of work, white walls turned to faux finishes, outdated sofas to fine leather, wood paneling to a tranquil mural -- all within a matter of weeks.

"They were just like, ’Wow! This is so incredible.’ Just the look on their faces when they walked in after the work had been done," said Roberds.

"They were in awe over the fact that people cared enough about them to do this for them," said Roskam.

On a $1,000 budget, making a house a home seemed impossible. But when hearts and minds come together, the results are priceless.

"These people are great people and they deserve to have great homes to live in. They really do," said Little.

Along with Accent Interiors, Star Lumber and independent designers Bari Garst and Sara Gann played a big role. Ketch hopes to do a second makeover, only this one will take a cue from HGTV’s "Curb Appeal" show by fixing up the disabled group home exteriors.

Star Lumber has already agreed to help.