By Tara Williams
The 2026 Artisan Home Tour is KC's premier custom home showcase — 14 elite builders, stunning new builds, and a rare chance to tour $1M+ homes before they sell.
Every August, I clear my calendar for the same three weekends. I've been attending the Artisan Home Tour of Greater Kansas City for years — not just because it's my job, but because it genuinely gets me excited about this market all over again. There is nothing quite like walking through a brand-new, never-been-lived-in custom home designed by someone who poured their entire craft into every ceiling detail, every material choice, every square foot of thoughtful layout. It reminds me why my clients fall in love with building custom.
The 2026 Artisan Home Tour runs August 7-9, 14-16, and 21-23 — three back-to-back weekends spanning the entire KC metro, from Parkville in the north to Stilwell and Leawood in the south. This year features 14 of the region's finest custom builders, showcasing homes that represent the absolute best of what luxury construction in Kansas City looks like right now.
Whether you're actively planning a custom build, curious about what your budget can buy, or simply an architecture and design enthusiast, this tour is unmissable. Here's everything you need to know.
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What Is the Artisan Home Tour?
The Artisan Home Tour of Greater Kansas City is an annual event presented by Ferguson Home that brings together the metro's most talented custom home builders under one (very elegant) roof — or rather, many roofs, across many neighborhoods. Each participating builder opens their newest completed or near-complete custom home to the public for ticketed tours over three weekends.
What sets the Artisan Tour apart from other home events is the caliber of the builders. These aren't production builders dropping the same floor plan into a subdivision. These are craftspeople — many of them multigenerational Kansas City names — who are building truly one-of-a-kind homes that reflect their individual design philosophies and their clients' visions. You'll see homes ranging from transitional to ultra-modern to warm European traditional, spread across some of the most desirable addresses in the entire metro.
For me, the tour is one of the best research tools in real estate. I walk every home, take notes, talk to the builders, and come away with insights I simply cannot get from a listing sheet or a floor plan PDF. If you're considering building or buying new construction in the KC area, I strongly encourage you to go.
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The 2026 Builder Lineup
This year's tour features 14 exceptional builders. Here's a look at who's participating and what they're known for:
Casa Bella Construction — Russ Groshans
Based in Parkville, Casa Bella has earned a reputation for meticulous craftsmanship and homes that blend livability with architectural elegance. Russ Groshans is a hands-on builder in the best sense — he knows every detail of every home his company produces. Their 2026 tour home is in Copper Hill Reserve, a beautiful development in Parkville that's quickly become one of the metro's most-watched addresses.
Grace & Nell Homes — Lauren Browne
Lauren Browne brings a fresh, design-forward perspective to KC's custom building scene. Grace & Nell Homes is known for interiors that feel curated and personal — spaces with warmth and texture, where finishes feel intentional rather than just expensive. Their 2026 home in the Sanctuary is a must-see for buyers who care deeply about how a home feels to live in, not just how it photographs.
Helm Construction Group — David Helm
David Helm's company out of Lenexa has been a consistent Artisan Tour presence, and for good reason. Helm Construction Group delivers clean, modern architecture with an emphasis on quality materials and precise execution. Their 2026 home in Stilwell's Galloway Drive corridor is part of one of the tour's strongest cluster stops — worth planning extra time for.
Homes by Chris — Chris Ragland
Chris Ragland and the Homes by Chris team build in Parkville's Copper Hill Reserve area, and their homes reliably show buyers what exceptional attention to detail looks like at scale. Known for wide-open living spaces, dramatic ceiling treatments, and kitchens that genuine home cooks (and caterers) would love, this builder delivers a very high visual impact per square foot.
Homoly Design + Build — Andrew Homoly
Andrew Homoly's firm is the definition of integrated design-build: the architecture and construction team work as one from day one, and it shows. Their 2026 tour home at 10800 N. Ewing Rd. in Kansas City, MO opens the tour as Home #1 — a fitting position for a builder whose work consistently sets a high bar. Expect thoughtful site integration, modern-transitional aesthetics, and spaces that genuinely surprise you.
J.S. Robinson Fine Homes — Jeff Robinson
Jeff Robinson has been building fine homes in the KC metro for decades, and the J.S. Robinson name carries significant weight with buyers in the know. Their work is characterized by timeless architecture — traditional proportions, exceptional millwork, and materials selected to age beautifully. Their 2026 home in Leawood's Regents Park neighborhood (Home #9 on the tour map) is the kind of home you walk through and immediately understand why "fine" is in their name.
Koehler Building Co. — Brian & Justin Koehler
A father-and-son team bringing two generations of building knowledge to every project, Koehler Building Co. is known for custom homes that balance grand scale with true livability. Brian and Justin have a talent for creating homes that feel both impressive and genuinely comfortable — spaces designed for how families actually live, not just how guests are entertained. Look for them in one of the tour's most scenic neighborhoods.
Madi Mali Homes — Troy Moore
Madi Mali Homes brings an urban design sensibility to KC's custom building landscape. Troy Moore's firm is one to watch if you're interested in infill luxury, modern architecture, or the kind of bold design choices that make a home a genuine statement. Their 2026 tour home at 1608 Summit St. in Kansas City's urban core (Home #7) represents a different side of Kansas City luxury — sophisticated, design-led, and unmistakably current.
Owen Homes — Matt Owen, Luke Owen & Charielle Sowers
The Owen family firm represents the best of Kansas City's collaborative building tradition — experienced leadership working alongside next-generation talent. Owen Homes delivers custom builds across a range of styles, with a reputation for responsiveness, transparency, and homes that hold their value exceptionally well. Their 2026 entry in Copper Hill Reserve (Home #6) is one of the tour's most-anticipated reveals.
Roeser Homes — Austin Roeser
Austin Roeser's eponymous firm has been building momentum (and beautiful homes) across the KC market. Roeser Homes specializes in the elevated suburban custom — homes that combine generous square footage with refined finishes and smart layouts. Their work appeals strongly to buyers upgrading from production builds who want customization without sacrificing move-in comfort.
Starr Homes — Gerry Starr
With three homes on this year's tour — in Parkville, Loch Lloyd, and Stilwell — Gerry Starr's firm is arguably the most versatile builder in the 2026 lineup. Each Starr home reflects the character of its neighborhood and lot, which tells you something important: this is a builder who listens. Their Stilwell home at 17135 Galloway Drive (Home #13) sits in a cluster of exceptional builds that makes that stretch of road worth an afternoon all by itself.
Todd Hill Homes — Todd Hill
Todd Hill has built a loyal following among KC's most discerning custom buyers, and his work shows why. Todd Hill Homes delivers interiors with a refined, high-style sensibility — the kind of finishes and spatial decisions you'd expect from a high-end designer, executed at the builder level. If you have a strong design point of view, this is a builder who will genuinely speak your language.
Walker Custom Homes — Jason Walker
Walker Custom Homes appears three times on this year's tour map — at Lake Winnebago, in Parkville, and in Stilwell — and each home is distinctly different. Jason Walker's ability to adapt his firm's approach to diverse sites, neighborhoods, and price points makes them one of the most broadly capable builders in the region. Their Lake Winnebago home (Home #8) is a particularly special stop for buyers dreaming of a lakefront custom build.
Willis Custom Homes — Patrick Willis
Patrick Willis and his team at Willis Custom Homes bring polish and precision to the luxury end of the market. Based in Overland Park, Willis builds homes that feel finished in a way that's genuinely rare — every transition is tight, every surface is considered, every specification is elevated. Their two 2026 homes (in Leawood's Regents Park and Loch Lloyd) showcase the range of what this builder can do.
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Practical Info: Tickets, Dates & Planning Your Visit
Tour Dates:
- Weekend 1: August 7, 8, 9
- Weekend 2: August 14, 15, 16
- Weekend 3: August 21, 22, 23
Tickets are available through the Artisan Home Tour website at artisanhometourkc.org via ParadeSmart. Hours are typically noon to 6 PM on tour days — check the site for confirmed times as they approach.
Homes are spread across the greater KC metro, with clusters in:
- Parkville / Copper Hill Reserve (north of the river)
- Kansas City urban core (Madi Mali's Summit St. home)
- Lake Winnebago (Walker's lakefront entry)
- Leawood / Regents Park (south JoCo premium addresses)
- Loch Lloyd (MO's gated luxury community)
- Stilwell / Galloway Drive (multiple builds in an emerging luxury corridor)
Plan your route before you go. Trying to hit all 18+ homes (several builders have multiple entries) in one weekend is ambitious — I'd suggest 6-8 homes per day maximum if you want to actually absorb what you're seeing rather than rushing through.
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Tara's Tips for Getting the Most Out of the Tour
I've walked a lot of these homes, and here's what I tell every buyer-client heading to the Artisan Tour:
1. Go as a buyer, not a tourist. It's tempting to just enjoy the beautiful spaces, but if you're serious about building or buying custom in the next 1-3 years, take notes. What layout did you love? What finishes felt "too trendy"? What ceiling height made you stop and exhale? These reactions are data.
2. Talk to the builders. Most builders or their representatives are present at tour homes. Ask about their process, their typical timeline, whether they build on client-owned lots, and what their current backlog looks like. You'll learn more in 10 minutes of real conversation than in hours of online research.
3. Bring your wish list — and check it twice. Walk each home with your top 10 must-haves in mind. Do you see them reflected? Is the primary suite layout what you've always wanted? Is the garage large enough? Is the mudroom functional? Dreamy staging is easy to fall for; use the tour to evaluate the bones.
4. Notice the neighborhoods, not just the homes. The Artisan Tour takes you to some of KC's most desirable addresses. Some of these neighborhoods have limited lot availability. If a location feels right, that's worth noting alongside the builder.
5. Call me before you go. Seriously. I know many of these builders personally, and I can give you context that isn't on any website — which builders are taking new clients, which neighborhoods have upcoming lot releases, and which homes on this tour represent the best value per square foot. It costs you nothing to get a 15-minute briefing before you spend your weekends walking homes.
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Ready to Build or Buy Custom?
The Artisan Home Tour is the best single event of the year for anyone serious about custom construction in the Kansas City market. But touring beautiful homes is just the beginning — the real work is figuring out which builder is right for your vision, which neighborhood fits your life, and how to make the build process work for you rather than the other way around.
That's where I come in. I work with custom home buyers and builders throughout Johnson County — from Leawood to Stilwell to Loch Lloyd — and I know this market and these builders in a way that takes years to develop. Whether you're considering a ground-up custom build, looking at spec homes from the tour's featured builders, or trying to figure out whether building makes more sense than buying resale in today's market, I'm here to help you think through it.
Contact me to talk through your custom home plans — I'd love to be your guide, starting with the tour this August.
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