You’ve just found yourself with a surplus of cash, whether from a bonus, an inheritance, or savings from playing it safe for the last few years. You won’t be able to afford that villa in Provence (le sigh), but there’s enough dough to finally take that dream trip, renovate a space in your home, or indulge in a week at a spa. Here are a few suggestions along with a gentle reminder that it’s perfectly okay to splurge right now. We’re officially calling 2024 the year of self-love.
Cook Up a New Kitchen
Rachel Sexton’s friends admire her personal style and sense of humor. She tapped into both during a year-long kitchen renovation of the Brookside Colonial she shares with her husband and five kids. She loves to entertain and says, “With the old galley kitchen, anytime we had company everyone clung onto one tiny section of countertop space like it was Rose’s floating door in Titanic.” The key to success was finding a contractor and tradespeople willing to tackle unusual requests, like upholstering the doors in leather with nailhead trim or choosing historically accurate tile colors for the circa 1922 home. Bold wallpaper and a powder-blue stove may not be wise resale choices, but Rachel’s advice is “Design a kitchen that makes every surprise—and there will be surprises!—and dollar worth it to you.”
Personality also came into play for South Kansas City homeowners who hired Stumpff Homeworks to transform an all-white kitchen to one with knotty alder cabinets, a hammered copper apron sink, and leathered granite countertops. The result of the three-month renovation is stunning. Tom Stumpff also created a kitchen for an artist who loves color. His team painted the existing cabinets a sunny yellow and installed a blue range.
Meanwhile, Karin Ross Designs says falling in love with your kitchen again doesn’t have to be an extravagant renovation. Upgrading on a budget might include two areas that provide the most real estate—and potential wow factor—new counters and backsplash. Her website’s blog provides other tips for refreshing the heart of your home, along with examples of recent projects that prove that natural wood is back in a big way.
Or visit Portfolio Kitchen & Home’s showroom where you might just say, “I’ll take that one” while checking out the working kitchen displays. Geri Higgins and her design team are known for creating every style imaginable from graceful traditional to sleek standouts.
Find a Retreat for Body and Soul
Mii Amo in Sedona, Arizona, part of the award-winning Enchantment Resort, beckons with a three- to ten-day stay to relax, renew, restore, and revive (around $1,250 per night). You might see Jennifer Aniston or Gwenyth Paltrow on a vortex hike where the red rock cliffs rise like a copper crown. Choose a casita with an outdoor fireplace and whirlpool where you can plan the day starting with a massage, classes on birdwatching or sketching, mindfulness lectures, or hiking miles of trails. Meander through the sensory garden where the chef picks fresh herbs for the health-based menu. Take advantage of nearby excursions including a private tour of the Grand Canyon.
For a resort that’s closer to home and budget, there’s Cedar Crest Lodge in Pleasanton, Kansas, set in 100 acres of a Certified Wildlife Habitat. Arrange for an artisan-cheese picnic lunch before calling dibs on a hammock or paddleboard on the 27-acre lake. The rooms offer lovely views of the countryside; opt for breakfast in bed or join others to admire the chef Laura Cunningham’s creations. She might offer poached pears from the trees right outside the front door. Spa treatments, a sauna, and hot tub all beckon you to an extended stay option that includes breakfast and dinner for two for $400.
Take a Dream Trip
Kathy Sudeikis of Acendas Travel says 2024 is the year for cruising and with nearly a dozen new ships launching for both ocean and river voyages, it’s easy to find one to match the destinations and level of luxury you crave. She’s excited about Royal Caribbean’s city-sized Utopia of the Seas (serving 7,800 guests) with eight pools, 18 slides, endless entertainment, and 40 dining options. Kids have their own water park.
Kevin Hobbs and his husband, Jim Crist, chose a more intimate new ship, the Viking Saturn, for a January vacation. With just 930 adults-only guests, the travel-savvy couple was treated to elegant surroundings, afternoon tea service, and—instead of a DJ on the dance floor—a pianist playing classics in the light-filled atrium. The Mediterranean itinerary included Naples, Sicily, Crete, and Athens after a three-day stay in Florence. Hobbs plans to paint some of the stunning vistas when he returns to his Kansas City home studio to add to his Flint Hills landscapes shown at Prairebrooke Arts.
No deck chairs for Sandy and Christine Kemper. Instead, when this busy couple takes time off, you’ll find them on horseback at Rancho de los Caballeros, an 18,000-acre ranch in Arizona’s Sonoran Desert. Accommodations include luxurious lodging, a Western saloon, and a fine-dining restaurant. Or choose a cookout under the stars (where you can get your boots branded with the ranch logo). Activities abound, such as golfing, sunrise yoga, spa treatments, and horseback rides through cinematic landscapes, making this a grand retreat for couples, families, and girlfriend getaways.
Invest in a Home Sauna
Benefits of an infrared sauna include relaxation, increased metabolism, and detoxification and can help increase collagen and elastin, the building blocks of healthy, firm skin. Installing a unit at home from Sunlighten Sauna means you can loosen your muscles before a morning workout or shuffle straight to bed after a 30-minute session.
Saunas are available in sizes for one to four people and offer a variety of options. For instance, the mPulse Smart Sauna allows you to customize precise far, mid, and near-infrared wavelengths along with red-light therapy for optimal health benefits. The Amplify line helps you sweat more and recover quicker. If space and portability are a concern, choose the portable sauna, which Well + Good called the “Peloton of Recovery Tools.”
Make Over a Closet
New home tours these days often include two areas that can make you swoon: the gourmet kitchen and a primary bedroom closet the size of your first apartment. Walls of lighted, open shelves display shoes, an island holds velvet-lined jewelry cases, and hanging racks organize clothes by color. California Closets can create a customized storage system in your existing home, whether it’s a reach-in closet, a walk in, or you’re transforming a secondary bedroom into a dressing room (yes, please).
But before you invest in a new closet, audit your wardrobe to decide what stays and goes so you start with what consultant Leslie Cole calls your “sacred place” rather than a source of agitation or overwhelming negative energy. Abby Wood of Abby Wood Wear helps clients purge and curate clothes and accessories, creating look books of ready-to-go outfits depending on the event.
Joni Johnson, owner of Clairvaux retail shops, often assists clients with a wardrobe refresh. She starts by helping them identify their personal style, whether that’s classic, fashion forward, or eclectic. Steps include addressing each category, such as dresses, denim, and sweaters, and if an item is beyond repair, toss it. If it no longer speaks to your personal style, donate it. Then arrange your closet by category and color, which helps identify gaps in your wardrobe. When buying new pieces, avoid those that are strictly for work or a special occasion; choose items that can be adapted for a multitude of uses by adding accessories. “This way you can invest in better pieces,” she says.
If an item is in good shape but no longer fits or simply doesn’t bring you joy, take it to a consignment shop or consider donating it. Story Boutique in Leawood accepts designer labels, casual and activewear and accessories, then displays them in an inviting retail setting. Sales benefit Kansas City Hospice. Or donate unwanted items to Big Brothers Big Sisters Kansas City; the website lists several drop-off locations or how to arrange a pick-up.
Feed Your Creativity
Rather than spending your sudden windfall on external pleasures, consider learning a new skill. For instance, Kristopher Dabner, owner of The Greensman landscape company, has become so good at glassblowing that his vibrant glass globes hang above the bar at Enzo restaurant.
The Jewish Community Center offers several art classes, including beginning watercolor, painting on silk, ceramic wheel throwing, mixed media, and even phone photography. Working with accomplished teachers, students can boost their moods while gaining a sense of accomplishment.
Johnson County Community College provides instruction on knitting, jewelry making, drawing, painting, and creating silk scarves using colored pens.
It’s said that Dennis Hopper used to drive from Dodge City to take art classes at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. Whatever your commute time, you’ll find several ways to tap into your creativity with printmaking, bookmaking, bracelet beading (calling all Swifties!) and watercolors. Sketch classes gather in galleries to find inspiration. Kansas City Art Institute offers workshops for non-degree-seeking adults in areas including live-model drawing and painting, still-life painting, and color composition.