Inspired Home Omaha

A n O m a h a W o r l d - H e r a l d P u b l i c at i o n

the end of the world with john prouty

Small updates that make a big statement

before and after: a closet overhaul

inspired

Winter 2012

we have a new look!

HOME Omaha

The Makeover Issue!

Design solution There’s a tv behind this mirror!

Secrets to smart decorating

January/February 2012

D i s p l ay u n t i l M a r c h

$4.99

A condo designed to be an extension of the outdoors

YOU’VE BUILT EQUITY. NOW BUILD SOMETHING WITH IT. You’ve spent many years in your home. You’ve built memories. You’ve built equity.

Equity that will sit and collect dust unless you put it to use. With a First Equityline from First National Bank, you can use that equity to pay for things you’ve always dreamed of. A new kitchen. A renovated bathroom. A European vacation. You name it, a First Equityline from First National Bank can help you achieve it – with no closing costs*, local credit decisions and extraordinary service.

Start making your home’s equity work for you. Call one of our expert bankers today at 402.602.5626. Or, for more information, visit www.firstnational.com/loansale.

36 area locations | 402.602.5626 | Member FDIC

*Contact a Personal Banker to determine “No Closing Costs” program eligibility and limitations. Appraisal or property assessment may be required at borrower’s expense which may range from $45 to $400. Offer expires February 28, 2012.

The light is what guides you home, the warmth is what keeps you there.

Ellie Rodriguez

meredith corporation

  inspiredhomeomaha.com 1

table of contents

Treasured Space

A Midtown Condo With Heart

Switch It Up

Small Projects With Big Impact

features ...

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24

12 departments

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Wesley Hall

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The Lux En Suite

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Do n g si

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Know What to Look for in a High-End Upgrade

Your Year

Home Resolutions You Can Really Keep

Woof

Romping Around Omaha on a Doggie Spa Day

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inspiredhomeomaha.com 3

Note

Scholz Im

HOME Volume 9 Issue 1 Jan/feb 2012 Editor-in-Chief Chris Christen 402-444-1094 Chris.Christen@owh.com Creative Director & Designer Ananda Spadt 402-444-1351 Ananda.Spadt@owh.com Imaging & Production Coordinator Patricia “Murphy” Benoit Production Manager Wayne Harty Writers Heather Winkel, Pat Waters, Lindsey Baker, Josafina Loza, Chris Wolfgang

Copy Editors Amy LaMar and Kurt A. Keeler

Events and Custom Publishing Manager Tam Webb 402-444-3125 Tam.Webb@owh.com Local Sales Manager Carrie Kentch 402-444-1448 Carrie.Kentch@owh.com

A

Dear Readers:

Omaha

Photographers Daniel Johnson and Jeffrey Bebee

ages Inc.

inspired

Black accents instantly modernize a room.

More mini update ideas: page 14.

buy it Find this glitzy lamp at Echo Lighting

t first, we thought we’d just update a couple of features. But you know how it goes. One idea leads to another and suddenly, you find yourself immersed in something much, much more ambitious.

And fun.

With this issue, we unveil a newly Inspired Home. We hope you like what we’ve done with the place.

With more square footage under our feet, we’re bringing you plenty of the features you enjoy and expanding our coverage in fashion, art, travel and leisure.

We aim to bring you unparalleled inspiration for stylish living, distinguished by exceptional photography, compelling content and beautiful design.

You’re the architect of everything we do. We consider it a privilege to be invited into your spaces and to be trusted with your stories.

We look forward to a new year of putting heart into your home.

Happy Living,

Account Representative Jessica Freedman 402-444-1416 Jessica.Freedman@owh.com

1314 Douglas St., Suite 600 Omaha, NE 68102 PHONE 402-444-1094 FAX 402-444-1311

Chris Christen Editor in Chief Inspired Home Omaha

InspiredHomeOmaha.com

4 January/february 2012 inspiredhomeomaha.com

ananda spadt

Inspired Home Omaha is a publication of the Omaha World-Herald. ©2012, Omaha World-Herald Co. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the specific written permission of the publisher.

The opinions expressed by those interviewed are their own. While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of information, no responsibility can be accepted by the publisher for content, opinions or practices, or how the information herein is used. All materials submitted, including but not limited to images, logos and text that appear, are assumed to be the original work of the provider, and the publisher is not responsible for unintentional copyright infringement.

W

ith a painter’s eye for detail and texture...

Bob Timberlake has taken the palette and capabilities that Century Furniture offers to create a collection that expands on his unique sensibilites and passion for all things comfortable. From the design to the craftsmanship, all ninety-plus Bob Timberlake pieces showcase the casual elegance for which he is known.

The upholstery pieces showcase Mr. Timberlake’s eye for texture and layering and focus squarely on places that speak of relaxation and comfort.

The Bob Timberlake Home Collection invites you into a lifestyle that is based on heritage, family and traditions.

nfm.com

Come Visit Our Showroom: Talk to one of our interior designers today!

700 South 72nd St • Omaha, NE 402–392–3253 800 – 359–1200 ©2011 Nebraska Furniture Mart, Inc.

The Design Gallery also features these fine brands;

Bernhardt Drexel Heritage Henredon Hancock & Moore Highland House Massoud And Much More inspiredhomeomaha.com 5

Meet the team

Ananda Spadt

Daniel Johnson

Jeffrey Bebee

Creative Director An Omaha native, Ananda is a nationally recognized designer and photo stylist.

Photographer Dan is a freelance photojournalist and videographer.

Photographer Jeffrey is a skilled achitectural photographer and longtime contributor to Inspired Home.

Pat Waters

Josafina Loza

Writer Formerly the business editor of the Omaha WorldHerald, Pat now focuses on lifestyle features.

Lindsey Baker

Writer Josie is the Omaha WorldHerald’s nightlife and entertainment reporter.

She is a style trend hunter.

Heather Winkel

Tina King

Writer Lindsey is a freelance lifestyle writer specializing in fashion and travel.

Contributor Heather is a magazine stylist and designer. She is a University of NebraskaLincoln journalism grad.

Writer Tina is a freelance writer and regular contributor to Inspired Home and other World-Herald magazines.

VISIT OUR Registered Showroom 13827 INDUSTRIAL RD, OMAHA,NE

402.330.3400 WWW.KBBRIGGS.COM

6 January/february 2012 inspiredhomeomaha.com

Homespiration

Girly Modern Style

Sassy accents and vintage pieces create a casual, trendy vibe.

Whimsical juxtapositions star in this thoroughly modern living room designed by Jessica McKay and Bethany Haubert of Birdhouse Interior Design. A girly girl with a personal, casual vibe would be right at home amid these flirty curves and sassy accents.

Christina Renfer Vogel’s portrait of a skirt is sophisticated yet playful. It is positioned above the classic lines of a tufted (au courant) settee, a new piece made to look old.

The base on this Jonathan Adler floor lamp is a little funky, but not so much that it fights with the traditional settee.

Light and airy vintage chairs give the space a lived-in feel. The chairs swivel, which is great for conversation in an open floor plan.

Jeffrey bebee

Lucite or acrylic furniture is highly contemporary, yet it melds with any era or genre of design.

“Lucite takes up hardly any visual weight in a room,” McKay says.

“Instead of distracting from the other pieces, it complements them.”

The designers’ favorite element: A faux sheepskin rug from Home Decorators.

inspiredhomeomaha.com 7

Before & After

Before

Draped in Velvet White walls transformed into a plush backdrop.

T

8 January/february 2012 inspiredhomeomaha.com

buy it GET THE LOOK

Ceramic Buddha head: $145, Todd Michael Grennan Interiors Accent lights (above bookcases): $75 each, House of Troy Sable velvet: Hajo, Josin Fabrics, fabric wholesaler Drapery construction: Affordable Drapery, Blair

Dan johnson; facing page: Jeffrey bebee

By Chris Christen alk about thinking outside the box. Todd Grennan of Todd Michael Grennan Interiors studied two small closets and deemed them problematic in his grand plan to transform a small space into a cocoonlike sanctuary. Rather than redo the drywall to close off the closets, Grennan encased the openings and added shelving for books and collectibles. Accent lighting was installed at the top of each casement. Next, Grennan framed the bookcases with pools of sable velvet. The handsome floor-to-ceiling drapery treatment runs the full length of the bookcase wall and required roughly 28 yards of fabric. For the remaining walls, Grennan had the drapery maker upholster panels in the same luxurious velvet to deaden sounds from the outside world. A monochromatic color scheme preserves the tranquil mood. The design approach is so effective you instinctively use your “inside voice” when you cross the threshold.

after

Linen binders: Custom made by John Wilcox

Before/after

Pièce de résistance: A Cedric Hartman reading lamp. Hartman, a longtime Omahan, is known the world over for his exquisitely crafted lamps and tables. Featured lamp: $8,400. The Louis XVI chair is vintage Baker from Grennan’s personal collection.

inspiredhomeomaha.com 9

Art

“Corporate Tea” $520

Tea With Dante

“Petite Muse” $190

buy it

10 January/february 2012 inspiredhomeomaha.com

chris christen

Dennison’s masks range from $200 to $800, depending on their complexity. See more at www.dennisonpottery.com.

Dennison’s work also is featured at Dundee Gallery, 4916 Underwood Ave.

L

iterary allusions, religious icons and elements of pop culture routinely find their way into John Dennison’s one-ofa-kind ceramic masks. The Omaha artist molds clay over wads of newsprint to form facial features and objects in themes that explore morality, race, music and other iconic imagery. Teapots and teacups – long of importance to potters – often are integrated. For the artist, the sharing of tea suggests a communion with others, a mulling over of ideas.

Dennison retired in 2003 from teaching English and pottery at Omaha North High School. He works from his Dennison Gallery, which sits on six-and-a-half wooded acres on Omaha’s northern edge. Dennison and his wife, Carol, have a home on the property and host a stop on the annual Omaha North Hills Pottery Tour (Oct. 6 and 7, 2012).

Micro-Trend

This

That

Wear THIS Ombre Ikat Mini-Dress, $268 from Anthropologie.

courtesy photos

Decorate with THAT Diamond Ikat Citrine Pillow from Dwell Studio, $72.

Available from Early to Bed, Countryside Village.

Everything you need for knitting, needlepoint, weaving & quilting. Plus unique buttons & classes available.

8600 Cass Street

402•391•7733

Every Style & Price of Art Fine Accessories & Gifts • Lamps & Furniture Custom Framing inspiredhomeomaha.com 11

Forecast

2012 The hottest trends for the new year

Highlights of the home furnishings industry’s own fashion week at High Point Market in North Carolina.

Creative Illusions

Lucite and acrylic initiate an understated revolution, demand equal status with wood, wicker and upholstered furniture. gus modern

Modern Sensibility Greek key patterns and garden gate motifs make themselves at home in any decor.

Company c

Shine On

Luxe looks from haute couture favor silver, copper and platinum.

The more sheen, the better.

MidCentury Modern Pearson Jonathan Adler

12 January/february 2012 inspiredhomeomaha.com

Table accents in mixed mediums have graphic appeal and showstopping form.

Old Hollywood

Revival styles popular in the 1920s return in glamorous interpretations. vangard

Achieve the Look... ...ata Fraction of the Cost.

Tribal Rhythms The nomadic trend in textiles shifts to Navajo, Moroccan and Scandinavian themes. vangard

Light Finishes

vangard

Wood finishes move from dark to light. Painted surfaces take a neutral stance in pale grays and white. Mercury glass and lacquered finishes get a standing ovation.

Flights of Fancy Bird-patterned fabrics continue to soar; Mother Earth influences color palettes in greens, blues, reds and neutrals.

Very Venetian Decadent layers and aged patinas evoke centuriesold architecture and romantic Mediterranean themes.

Arteriors

COUNTERTOPS OUNTERTOPS UNLIMITED Thomasville

402.331.1333   inspiredhomeomaha.com 13

Home Ec.

The Lost Art of Keeping House How to Miter the Corners of a Flat Sheet

TIP Source: “Young Folks at Home: Home Economics for Junior High School” by Florence LaGanke Harris and Treva E. Kauffman, illustrations by Beatrice Magnuson Derwinski, D.C. Heath and Company, 1948

to clean up broken glass Broken glass in the kitchen sink or on the floor can be readily picked up by wiping with fresh bread rolled into a ball.

Source: “Household Ideas: Prize Hints for the Homemaker” Modern Woman Magazine, 1945.

Ideas for cutting sandwiches

JEWELRY FOR THE HOME! VIEW IT ALL IN OUR STATE-OF-THE-ART DESIGN GALLERY. STOP IN TODAY.

Millard Lumber’s designer hardware collection boasts distinctive styles from all around the world! We can pull your design story together from “Start to Finish”! We feature hardware from: Kwikset, Schlage, Amerock, Moen, Baldwin, Get A Grip, Inox, MNG, Omni, Valli & Valli, Top Knobs, Schaub & Co., Atlas, Emenee, Nifty Nobs and more! So we can better assist you please call for an appointment for full house selections.

We offer: Free design consultation and assistance • Free onsite estimates and measurement verification • Guaranteed installation of all types of hardware, custom closet systems, fireplaces, insulation and more! • Your construction and remodeling partner, From Start...To Finish.

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14 January/february 2012 inspiredhomeomaha.com

The Archive

1961 Caption Lounge area in recreation room at Maurie Vades’ home.

The table rises for card playing.

Date May 21, 1961

CrediT Omaha World-Herald

Turning

Dreams Into Reality Construction Inc.

REMODEL • CUSTOM HOMES • CONCRETE

Pleasurable Remodeling & Building Experiences

402-510-9585

www.thurtconstruction.com inspiredhomeomaha.com 15

Small project big impact

easy upgrades that won’t break the bank

Switch It Up I

By Ananda Spadt

t’s that time of year. You’ve been stuck inside for half the winter and you’re tired of staring at your walls, your light fixtures and your furniture. You’ve rearranged and refinished every room in your head, and at this point you are just plain sick of everything in your home. Before you grab a crowbar and start tearing holes in walls, consider how subtle changes might freshen your home. You’ve heard the phrase, “It’s all in the details.” These quick updates just might put your cabin fever-induced demolition project on indefinite hold.

Black Accents Try Champagne

Think of knobs as jewelry for your cabinets and drawers and choose a style that makes a statement. These beauties are from Grabow Hardware Company, where you can find knobs in every shape and style imaginable.

Inject black accents into a room to modernize the look.

Black artwork, pillows or lamps (like this fixture from Echo Lighting) are quick updates. For the brave, paint a door or wall black (latex woodworking paint stands up to high traffic).

16 January/february 2012 inspiredhomeomaha.com

Swap dated polished brass finishes for hardware in all-new Champagne Bronze.

The rich warm finish on this Delta faucet from Kitchens & Baths by Briggs looks great with earth tones.

Credits: Daniel Johnson; Ananda Spadt; facing page: meredith corporation

Cabinet Bling

Bright colors distinguish this office from the rest of the house. If you have a bold room, tone down the adjacent room.

Otherwise the spaces will compete visually.

Make it Pop For a desk with a glossy finish, sand the entire piece with 100 grit sandpaper. Apply a coat of oil-based primer. Use a small foam roller or paint brush to apply thin, even coats of latex semi-gloss paint in your choice of color. Multiple thin coats are better than thick and drippy ones. Optional: Brush on two thin, even coats of waterbased polyurethane for wipeable protection and sheen. Wait three to five days before using.

  inspiredhomeomaha.com 17

TIP

Small project big impact

“Benedit’s Coat of Charms”

by Joseph P. Broghammer, available at Anderson O’Brien Fine Art Gallery

TIP

Room design: Leo A Daly

Neutral walls, natural fibers and warm wood grains keep a collaborative home office and living room bright and comfortable.

The room’s mood stays balanced as the sun moves across the sky and shadows play on the walls.

18 January/february 2012 inspiredhomeomaha.com

Yellow naturally warms a winter white palette.

Use yellow to best advantage in calculated doses throughout the room. Featured wall tapestry: “Arbre de Feu #55” by Robert Wogensky, Leo A Daly Private Collection.

Just Add Yellow

daniel johnson; facing page: jeffrey bebee

Meet yellow – one of the most versatile shades in the color spectrum.

Yellow can be playful, casual, soothing or electrifying. But mean and cowardly? Never.

Yellow follows certain rules and has plenty of natural partners. With blue or green undertones, it becomes cooler and brighter at once – think of lime green and lemon yellow. With reddish undertones, yellow turns to butterscotch, gold, ochre or terra cotta.

Add a color opposite yellow on the color wheel to create a complementary scheme that pulsates with energy.

Yellows paired with indigo, blue, purple, lilac, lavender, green and plum create high-contrast interiors. To calm a space, pair yellow with a color closer on the wheel like apple, olive or khaki.

Bright summer yellows work well with misty gray shades and can be kicked up a notch when combined with charcoal, or even chocolate.

Use the Sun

A southern exposure naturally brightens a room, making colors appear lighter.

Gather swatches of color and move them around your space to gauge what effect the path of the sun has on the interior.

get the color

The emotional impact of color should reflect the activities being performed in the space. When life gives you lemons, grab a little golden honey to create a mellow yellow hideaway.

Life is suddenly sweet again. From Behr:

Warm Cocoon 310C-3 Orange Glow 310C-2 Spiced Butternut 310B-5 inspiredhomeomaha.com 19

Small project big impact

Fill the Fireplace You may have tried filling your nonfunctional fireplace with candles, plants, even a TV. It’s time to mix it up. Think of the fireplace as a picture frame.

Fill the frame with something beautiful. Cover books with newspapers to create a monochromatic collection. Score this owl cookie jar at Anthropologie for $128.

Make a Rug $45

daniel johnson

20 January/february 2012 inspiredhomeomaha.com

You’ll need: 2 yards of fabric, 6 x 9 drop cloth, 5 x 8 rug gripper, tacky spray glue, starch, straight pins, Scotchgard.

Iron fabric and drop cloth using spray starch until each is wrinklefree. Lay rug gripper on an open surface, place the drop cloth and then the fabric right side up. Make sure everything is smooth. Fold back half the fabric to expose drop cloth. Spray drop cloth with tacky glue. Let it sit for a couple of seconds and slowly smooth down fabric on top. Repeat on the other half. With the drop cloth and fabric securely joined, flip the rug over so the rug gripper is on top. Secure gripper with pins four inches from the edge.

Fold some of the fabric to the back, covering the rug gripper so that it doesn’t get stuck in the sewing machine. Sew around the perimeter of the rug, through all three layers.

Note: Because the fabric, gripper and drop cloth are all different sizes, you will have to trim excess fabric.

Once the rug is sewn together, use Scotchgard as directed to seal fabric against spills and stains.

Transfer a Design onto a Dresser

Similar styles of decor create harmony between rooms. This room has motifs inspired by nature.

hooker furniture

You’ll need: Projector, pencil, paint, artist’s paintbrush.

Transfer your chosen design on the dresser using a light projector and pencil.

Carefully fill in the lines with paint, using as many coats as needed to achieve desired coverage. With high contrast colors, more coats will be needed.

inspiredhomeomaha.com 21

Small project big impact

Linen-Look Wall Add character to drywall using a linen-look technique. You can buy the needed products packed in a kit at a paint store. Prep the wall with white semigloss paint. Divide the wall into vertical panels using masking tape.

Working with a partner, roll glaze over the surface then drag a canvas brush through the glaze. Work both horizontally and vertically.

Remove one strip of tape and continue spreading the texture to the next section.

“The New Decorating Book,” Better Homes and Gardens, 2011

Hit Repeat One interesting object might be too small to be seen in a large room. To make a bigger design impact, use multiples of smaller objects, like setting four lanterns on the mantle instead of just one.

“The New Decorating Book,” Better Homes and Gardens, 2011

MEREDITH CORPORATION

22 January/february 2012 inspiredhomeomaha.com

The condominium residences at Midtown Crossing prove you can have it all - luxury amenities and sweeping views with ample room for entertaining.

Check off everything on your wish list, including instant access to chef-driven restaurants, shopping, entertainment, green space, concierge service, 24/7 security and plentiful parking. Our condos give you the perfect balance of sophistication and convenience.

TURN SEEING, INTO DOING, INTO LIVING.

Call today for a private showing!

200 S. 31st Avenue 402.934.6450 www.midtowncrossing.com

Hours: Mon - Fri: 10 am - 6 pm Sat & Sun: 12noon - 5 pm

This is not an offer to sell, or solicitation of an offer to buy, real property. Purchasers should review the Nebraska Public Offering Statement prior to signing a contract. No federal or state agency has judged the merits or value, if any, of this property. Prices, plans, products, and availability are subject to change without notice. Artists’ renderings are shown for illustrative purposes only. Designated Broker: Sandra S. Lent, Shoreline Marketing, inspiredhomeomaha.com 23 Inc., 360 N. Michigan Ave. Ste. 910, Chicago, IL 60601, (312) 750-1610.

Photography by Jeffrey Bebee SEE THE paint colors on page 26

Treasured Carefully collected furnishings define mid-city condo.

24  January/february 2012  inspiredhomeomaha.com

P

Space

By Pat Waters at Lovitt pared her possessions but not her distinctive personal style when she moved from a four-bedroom home in Omaha’s Memorial Park neighborhood to a one-bedroom-plus condominium at Midtown Crossing.

The open-concept condo has modern finishes like stainless steel appliances and granite countertops, yet its overall ambiance is warm, comfortable and enveloping. Wood floors, paint colors that mimic nature and much-loved and carefully collected furnishings and accoutrements create a unique space that melds contemporary with traditional, all-American with Asian.

A blonde mid-century sewing machine cabinet now capably performs as an end table next to a sleek sofa. A dark Asian screen functions as a headboard in the bedroom.

Lovitt, who manages information technology projects for a Chicago consulting company, is a Nebraska native who returned to Omaha four years ago continued on page 28

  inspiredhomeomaha.com 25

“My upbringing would say you don’t mix the Asian-inspired bombe chest, the den’s missionstyle furniture and the decorative items ... I was aware they were different styles.”

Feature 2 Pat Lovitt

26 January/february 2012 inspiredhomeomaha.com

inspiredhomeomaha.com 27

continued from page 25

after living in California for 12 years.

She bought a four-story colonial-style home on North 59th Street and thought it would be perfect for visiting family members, including her parents, three children and five grandchildren.

But eventually she decided that maintaining such a large home, shoveling snow and mowing the lawn “wasn’t the way I wanted to spend my time. I wanted someplace to come home to that was not so overwhelming.”

She became the seventh resident of the Midtown Crossing Condos, moving in on Memorial Day 2010. The home has a kitchen, dining area, great room, bedroom, bathroom and den in about

1,100 square feet.

Doors to a Juliet balcony off the great room frame Turner Park and a downtown city view that glows in the setting sun. As darkness falls, the cobalt blue lights of the Midtown Crossing buildings add a soft illumination.

Lovitt’s goal was to bring that exhilarating outdoor view into the great room of her home, and she has achieved that.

“This is meant to be a continuous space to the outdoors,” Lovitt says. “I wanted to bring the outside in.”

Lovitt is a discerning shopper and a deliberate decorator who slowly assembles items she loves – things that

28 January/february 2012 inspiredhomeomaha.com

continued on page 30

TIP get the color

Lovitt’s wall colors feel like an extension of the outdoors. From Sherwin Williams: Spicy Hue 6342 Rockwood Sash Green 2810 Rockwood Blue Green 2811

inspiredhomeomaha.com 29

continued from page 28

“speak” to her – from estate sales, antique shops and flea markets.

Everywhere the eye alights is some carefully chosen and strategically placed treasured antique or humble collectible.

A vintage butter churn atop the

bookshelf in her den; the blue Blenko Glass Company vase and fish on the fireplace mantel; the chinoiserie bombe chest in the hallway.

“This space was meant to be contemporary, but it became more comfortable, more eclectic,” Lovitt says.

30 January/february 2012 inspiredhomeomaha.com

Her advice to timid decorators or to those who don’t know where to start is to spend time shopping at the kinds of places you frequent because of their variety. “Make it work for you,” she says.

Everyone makes mistakes, however, says Lovitt, recalling a large ceramic urn she purchased for her dining room table. It turned out to be too big, too clunky.”You think it’s the perfect thing, and then it doesn’t work out.”

But in the end, she has created a personal space filled with small collections, comfortable furniture and vintage finds. It’s a personal space where each piece has significance.

“Everywhere I look is something I love. I love coming home.”

Feature 2

Her eye seeks out cylinders, discs and curvaceous lines. “I’ve never thought about it before, but the variety of shadows and curves comes together to make art, and to reference the human form.”

inspiredhomeomaha.com 31

Royal Treatment

Charlie is so darn cute, we decided to give him a day on the town. His adventure started with a wash and a trim at Soggy Paws in the Old Market.

Pet stylist Holly Morley gave wide-eyed Charlie the royal treatment. He didn’t quite know what to think of the bubbles but he really warmed up to the microfiber towel by Dogs Unleashed. $7.99 from PetCo. 32 January/february 2012 inspiredhomeomaha.com

Every pooch deserves a little pampering now and then Photography by Daniel Johnson Styling by Chris Christen

E

By Chris Wolfgang ach month, the staff at The Bookworm shares its reading list. Baxter and Duncan recently recommend “The Art of Racing in the Rain” and “Wag!” For a pair of Cocker Spaniels, they’re quite literary. Not surprising, though, given their ambassador role at the Countryside Village bookstore.

Owner Beth Black says Baxter and Duncan have free reign and consider the bookstore their personal domain. “They tolerate other animals, even ferrets and the occasional parrot,” Black says. “We’ve always been pet-friendly. The fact that we’re in a neighborhood setting means that we’re really accessible to people out walking their dogs. Owner and dog can just pop in.”

Greater Omaha has a number of pet-welcoming retailers like The Bookworm. Some stores even lean more to pet than master. Customers at Three Dog Bakery, with locations at Midtown Crossing and Village Pointe, stop by every couple of days for a Snickerpoodle or Pup Tart. Birthdays and other special occasions bring requests for canine cakes, says owner Crystal Talha.

Talha caters to a fashion-savvy clientele, too. Of special note: Locally made collars with blinding bling. Buy one from the in-store display or custom order in your choice of color, rhinestone embellishment, width and length.

A pair of boots from Soggy Paws will go a long way in protecting doggie pads from winter salt. “It’s more about practicality than a fashion statement,” says Regi Rae of Omaha’s downtown location.

buy it

Charlie is a dog about town. The 8-month-old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel loves to hang out in bustling places like the Old Market and Midtown Crossing.

“He likes people watching as much as I do,” says owner Theresa Farrage.

“He came running toward us with wagging tail and a bright glimmer in his big brown eyes. When I sat on the floor, he leaped into my lap and kissed my ears and neck. That’s when I knew he was going to be my little love bug.”

How They Met

Novelty cookies with icing from Just Dogs! Gourmet. inspiredhomeomaha.com 33

Big Nap Charlie is so pampered, he typically has to be rocked to sleep. But this day, he’s so pooped he crashes for a midday nap.

Once in bed, he arranges his stuffed animals around him. Snug as a bug, his thoughts drift to Katie, an American Cocker Spaniel. When you mention Katie’s name to Charlie, he stops dead in his tracks and starts wagging his tail. Now that’s puppy love. Striped microfiber hoodie, $11.99 at PetCo.; K&H plush lounger, $24.99 at PetSmart; Beastro Biscotti, Three Dog Bakery.

34 January/february 2012 inspiredhomeomaha.com

Hello, Gorgeous

A dog bred for the lap of royalty demands certain extravagances.

Premier faux shearling jacket, $24.50 at Pucci’s in Countryside Village. Glitz by Grace collar, handmade locally with Swarovski crystals, $155 at Three Dog Bakery.

Charlie was on his best behavior for a gourmet treat.

inspiredhomeomaha.com 35

The Scholar

A stop at The Bookworm in Countryside Village gives Charlie a chance to do a little Sherlock Holmes sleuthing on his namesake, King Charles II of Britain.

After an hour, our celebrity pooch is plum tuckered out. S.L.T. Canine tweed coat with faux (of course) fur collar and embroidered crest, $24.99 at Pucci’s.

36 January/february 2012 inspiredhomeomaha.com

Doggone Cute Accessories

Klara Day jumper, $20.99; Husker fabric bow, $9.99, both at Soggy Paws.

We wanted to make sure that everything was taken care of for our family.

So, we called Roeder.

Dublin Dog Co. collar, $21.99 at Soggy Paws; Jungle King collar with double row of amber stones, $21.85 at Pucci’s; Animalprint collar, $12.40 at Pucci’s.

Color Paw nail polish, $5.99 each, in Fuchsia, Periwinkle and Tiger Lilly at Pucci’s.

Brush treats, 99 cents each at Soggy Paws.

Preplanning for funeral wishes ensures that your family won’t have to make tough decisions at a very difficult time. It’s a small investment of your time, yet the value is enormous. We specialize in preplanning, so you’ll have peace of mind.

Biscotti from Three Dog Bakery; Royal Crowns from Just Dogs! Gourmet.

Top Paw ceramic “Hungry” and “Thirsty” bowls, $9.99 each at PetSmart.

2727 N 108th Street • 402-496-9000 4932 Ames Avenue • 402-453-5600 11710 Standing Stone, Gretna • 402-332-0090

www.roedermortuary.com inspiredhomeomaha.com 37

new year’s resolutions for your home that you can actually keep

By Heather Winkel

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resolution one

Stick to the Date Solution: Instead of crossing out plans as they change, organize your life with sticky notes. Categorize tasks and events by color – youth sports in yellow; school functions in purple; appointments in orange; social engagements in blue. Stick to an existing calendar or create a 7x7 grid of standard-size sticky notes on a wall, door or other flat surface that’s convenient for everyone to see.

38 January/february 2012 inspiredhomeomaha.com

TIP hold on

If your calendar is in a high-traffic area, use sticky notes with the super-strong adhesive.

resolution two

Organize Once, Stay Organized All Year Solution: Clean out and rearrange kitchen cabinets to minimize clutter. Sort and alphabetize recipes. Pin meals for the week on a corkboard for easy reference.

Credits: heather winkel, family features

resolution three

Keep the House Clean Solution: Assemble a cleaning caddy and keep most of what you need right at hand. Stock the caddy with a spray bottle of all-purpose cleaner, oil soap for wood surfaces, nonabrasive cleanser, microfiber cloths for dusting, paper towels, sponges, latex gloves to protect your hands from chemicals and grit, and a squeegee for windows, mirrors, tub and shower doors. Increase your efficiency by stocking a caddy for each floor of your home.   inspiredhomeomaha.com 39

resolution four

Keep Paperwork in Check Solution: Create a mini office in an armoire and keep paperwork under wraps. Track purchases by categorizing receipts with sticky dots. Keep important papers in clear plastic boxes.

And put a Forever stamp on envelopes as bills come in so you don’t have to hunt for stamps when payment is due.

Bonus: Hide the office when you’re not using it

40 January/february 2012 inspiredhomeomaha.com

resolution five

Hang Family Photos or Art Solution: Use tapestry rings instead of frames to switch out photos and art in a snap.

resolution six

Credits: heather winkel, Chris christen

Keep Everything Stocked Solution: Add items to your grocery list as soon as supplies run low. Tack a pad of paper and a pencil on a string inside the pantry door. Keep sticky notes and a pen in the silverware drawer. Turn a backsplash into a dry erase board and jot down what you need while you’re at the kitchen sink. (Pure genius from Jessica McKay and Bethany Haubert of Birdhouse Interior Design). inspiredhomeomaha.com 41

resolution seven

Stay on Top of Housework Solution: Incorporate simple tasks into your daily schedule so you don’t feel overwhelmed come cleaning day.

- Wipe down the mirror and sink while brushing your teeth.

- Wash dishes or load the dishwasher while you wait for your coffee to brew.

- Go DVR-less and dust during commercials.

-Make folding laundry a scheduled family activity.

- Keep labeled baskets at the bottom of the stairs to collect ‘stuff’. Have each family member take his or her basket upstairs and put items away before bed.

- Hang coats when you walk in the door.

- Take the trash out when you check your mailbox.

- Wash windows while talking on the phone.

- Wipe down the microwave after heating your lunch.

- Vacuum while playing fetch with the dog.

resolution eight

Get the Garage in Shape

42 January/february 2012 inspiredhomeomaha.com

Credits: family features, ctw features

Solution: Follow these steps and your garage will be clean in one day. Enlist a partner and set a date to clean. You’ll need: Gloves with rubber or leather palms to protect against scrapes and cuts; ample supply of contractor-quality trash bags (available at hardware stores) and sturdy, empty boxes. The goal: Handle each item in the garage just once. Pick up and deposit items in bags or boxes labeled “trash,” “donate,” “recycle” and “keep.” As you organize: Frequently used items should be readily accessible; things that are harmful to kids should be placed high, well out of reach.

Custom Design Home Technology Echo Tech provides custom design for audio and video products ranging from home theaters to a complete lighting control system, as well as automated window shades for the home. Our superior quality, service and design are what set us apart from the competition.

4315 S. 120th Street | 402-334-4900 www.echotechomaha.com   inspiredhomeomaha.com 43

soaker tub While the walk-in shower is highly practical for the morning rush, a fabulous soaking tub can bring a hectic day to a soothing end. Tubs range from dramatic freestanding artisan designs to built-in models with wide decks for soaps, sponges and brushes. You’ll find these beauties in a variety of scales, too, which is great news for extra-large and petite frames.

44 January/february 2012 inspiredhomeomaha.com

The Lux En Suite Know what to look for in high-end upgrades.

Y

By Chris Christen ou may not have considered it, but utility and design have a huge impact on the way you start and end your day. If your bathroom doesn’t function well, you simply don’t function well.

We turned to bath and tile specialists Charles Gifford and Michele van Deventer for five features no modern master bath should be without.

Images courtesy of B + T

Thermostatic shower mixer

Left: Starck soaking tub, Duravit.

Right: Satin nickel basin mixer, Lefroy Brooks Mackintosh; Chrome exposed valve mixer, Perrin & Row; Triple-milled soaps, Aequa Colonia, Pre de Provence, al Melograno of Italy; Lighted medicine cabinet, Electric Mirror Company.

No more cold shocks and hot scalds when someone else in your household is using water while you’re taking a shower.

The latest shower systems allow you to preset your desired water temperature and volume and rest easy.

quality faucetS “It’s a tough thing to sell with words,” Gifford admits. “But as soon as you hold a quality piece of tap wear, you understand.” For Gifford, English tap wear is unsurpassed in beauty and weight.

It’s made to be enjoyed for a lifetime.

Fragrant soaps

No spa-like experience would be complete without the indulgence of a luxurious triple-milled soap. Pamper yourself in that new soaking tub with a smooth, moisturizing import from Italy or France. “The milling process matters,” says van Deventer. Mint leaf, honey almond, sage and other subtle fragrances put these bars within a man’s reach, too.

built-in side lighting

If you’re operating with overhead lighting alone, those bags under your eyes just may be an optical illusion. Tasks like applying makeup, shaving and styling your hair really should be done with good colorrending lights at eye level on either side of your mirror.

Sconces can work but how about a spa-quality mirror with built-in lighting, recessed infrared heat lamp, anti-fog mirror and television monitor?

inspiredhomeomaha.com 45

Host

Three-Ingredient Parties Enjoy uncomplicated entertaining.

I

By Lindsey Baker t’s a common scenario: The party is in full swing, the drinks and gossip are flowing and the host is harried in the kitchen. If this is how you entertain, you’re working too hard – and robbing yourself of the opportunity to enjoy your guests! It’s time for a new approach that’s so easy, you just may find yourself entertaining more often. To satiate party-goers and keep yourself at the center of the action, you need just three ingredients: A classic meat-and-cheese tray, a go-to cocktail and a take-away sweet.

The sweet Developed by Heidi Schlicht, pastry chef at Delice in Midtown Crossing, Tiger Bark is an easy, eye-catching dessert to make the day before. Guests can enjoy it at the party or take it home in glassine envelopes. you’ll need 1. White chocolate 2. Peanut butter 3. Semisweet chocolate Recipe on page 49

Photos by Daniel Johnson

The snacks In order for the host to fully enjoy the main event, serve less-fussy fare, says Alexander Adkins, general manager of the Grey Plume. Roast beef, ham, cheddar and Swiss pair well with acidic pickles and mustard, rolls and ice-cold beer. For something fancier, Adkins suggests locally produced cow and goat cheeses from Lincoln’s ShadowBrook Farm or Raymond’s Branched Oak Farm. “The goat-milk cheese especially has a nice brightness that goes great with ‘farm-style’ wheat beers; light, crisp wines; and hard ciders,” Adkins says. Charcuterie – prosciutto, capicola and other cured or aged meat – is available at Whole Foods. Round out the selection with mustard, capers, gherkins, fruit preserves and warm grilled or toasted bread drizzled with olive oil.

46 January/february 2012 inspiredhomeomaha.com

you’ll need 1. Cheese 2. Meat 3. Bread

Golden Fraü Honey Wheat beer from Thunderhead Brewing Company in Kearney, Neb., and red wine.

Host

Cheese marble (from left): Maytag - blue cheese from Maytag Dairy Farms in Newton, Iowa; Havarti; Charcuterie salami; a triple cream Brie from France; Emmentaler from Switzerland; Garden Herb Chevre - a goat’s milk cheese from Shadowbrook Farm in Lincoln; grilled French bread slices.

inspiredhomeomaha.com 47

Host The cocktail “When entertaining for a small gathering, I don’t mind making drinks to order,” says Ian McCarthy, craft bartender at the Boiler Room in the Old Market. A classic Old Fashioned doesn’t require an extravagantly stocked liquor cabinet, he says, nor does a lighter Tom Collins. The latter can be scaled up to fill a punch bowl – something McCarthy recommends for larger parties. you’ll need 1. Gin 2. Lemon Juice 3. Simple Syrup* or 1. Bourbon 2. Bitters 3. Simple Syrup*

TIP on the rocks Cocktails to-order or in bulk should be served with proper ice. “Big ice cubes will dilute and chill your drink at a lessrapid pace and maintain full flavor and rich texture,” McCarthy says.

Make a larger ice block and chip ice as needed for individual drinks.

Punch bowls need just one large block of ice.

Tom Collins

Old Fashioned

2 oz. gin 1 oz. freshly squeezed lemon juice (no substitutes) ½ oz. simple syrup

2 oz. bourbon, rye, aged rum or tequila 3 or 4 dashes Angostura bitters ¼ to ½ oz. simple syrup (sugar of choice and water in equal parts, mixed until fully incorporated)

Build in a tall glass with ice, stir and top with a few ounces (1 oz. to 3 oz.) of sparkling water.

Combine ingredients in a rocks glass and stir to incorporate.

Add ice and stir until diluted (about 100 revolutions). Garnish with orange peel.

*Simple Syrup: Bring 2 cups water to a boil.

Stir in 2 cups sugar. Turn the heat to low and stir constantly until sugar dissolves completely.

Let the syrup cool to room temperature, then pour into a glass jar and store in the refrigerator.

Photos by Daniel Johnson

48 January/february 2012 inspiredhomeomaha.com

Library Dave Koz “At the Movies” A collection of movie themes reinterpreted

by Koz and his mellow sax, assisted by a host of vocal legends.

From page 46

Tiger Bark 1 lb. plus 2 oz. good-quality white chocolate (such as Callebaut), finely chopped.

1½ cups super-chunky peanut butter (do not use old-fashioned or freshly ground) 8 oz. bittersweet/semisweet chocolate (at least 55 percent cocoa) Butter 15-by-10 inch jelly roll pan. Line with waxed paper or parchment. Melt 1 lb. white chocolate with peanut butter in large bowl set over saucepan of simmering water, stirring occasionally until chocolate is melted and smooth.

Meanwhile, melt bittersweet chocolate in medium bowl set over saucepan of simmering water, stirring occasionally. Melt the remaining 2 oz. white chocolate in small bowl set over simmering water, stirring constantly.

Remove all bowls from over water. Pour peanut butter mixture onto prepared pan, spreading to cover surface completely. Using spoon, drizzle melted bittersweet chocolate in lines over peanut butter mixture. Draw tip of small, sharp knife through chocolate-drizzled mixture to marbleize. Using spoon, drizzle melted white chocolate over, again drawing knife through to marbleize.

Chill until firm, at least 2 hours or overnight. Cut into two-inch triangles or other shapes. Can be made up to two weeks ahead. Keep chilled; serve cold.

Eliane Elias “Dreamer” Think Diana Krall but with a Brazilian bossa nova beat. She’s genius on both the piano and vocals.

Ann Hampton Callaway “Slow” Callaway is pitchperfect in her warm and sultry interpretations of original tunes and standards.

7 PartyWorthy Picks Some hosts always seem to have just the right music

Tierney Sutton “Something Cool” It’s hard to beat Sutton and her stellar band; she takes standards and re-imagines them in unique ways. Check out “Ding, Dong, The Witch Is Dead!”

playing in the background when they entertain. We love that. But we often leave the party wondering, “What was that CD again?” Rebecca Noble and Keith Allerton of Omaha’s

Quincy Jones “From Q, With Love” A two-disc collection of great Quincy Jones arrangements, all in a soft and sexy groove.

Includes Patti Austin, Michael Jackson and Barry White, to name a few.

Cabaret Theatre answer the question with seven crowdpleasing favorites.

Ella Fitzgerald “Ella Fitzgerald Sings the George and Ira Gershwin Songbook” This two-CD set features the ultimate queen of jazz vocals. Every Gershwin tune is realized to perfection.

Chris Botti “A Thousand Kisses Deep” Great background music with mostly original tracks featuring Botti with his sensitive trumpet interpretations.

inspiredhomeomaha.com 49

At the Heart

Dive into this treasure trove for antiquers and “upcyclers.”

Photography by Daniel Johnson Text by Tina King

Midwest Pickers 3701 Leavenworth Stores on this part of Leavenworth play along with the current “old is new” design trend.

If you’re an HGTV or Nate Berkus fan, you’ll have fun imagining what designers would do to “upcycle” the fun lamps and chairs at Midwest Pickers Warehouse. The store, open since October, has almost 10,000 square feet of vintage, antique and modern furniture.

A

h t r o w n e v Lea street

new year brings a new look for the house; a new look for you; new ideas to get you out of old ruts.

So when the need for change – or just cabin fever – finds you out of the house and on the hunt for new treasures, take a trip along Leavenworth Street. In the stretch between Elmwood Park and downtown Omaha, you’ll find antiques, giftquality collectibles and good eats – all with a different character than the big chain stores that draw so much of our holiday season attention. With some of the old, some of the new and plenty of the delicious, Leavenworth Street offers an experience that is never the same thing twice.

50 January/february 2012 inspiredhomeomaha.com

11-Worth cafe 2419 Leavenworth St. Fuel up for shopping with breakfast at Tony Caniglia’s 11-Worth Cafe, a downtown staple. Slip into a wooden booth or belly-up to the counter and wake up with a heavy mug of coffee and your choice of a Denver, Mexican or Philly omelet.

humble home 5022 Leavenworth St. You’ll find refurbished furniture at The Humble Home, another Omaha Midtown newcomer. We like the selection of vintage paintings, chandeliers and tableware. Although the store is small, it’s worth a stop to see the ever-changing finds of owners Andrea and Kyle Tonniges. Be sure to give a nod to the store’s statue/ bust mascot, Matilda, and check out her latest hat. inspiredhomeomaha.com 51

At the Heart

back in the day 2561 Leavenworth St. Whether you’re a fan of true antiques or mid-century modern furnishings, Back in the Day has something to offer. It looks like a small shop from the outside, but the store actually has a large lower level. Upstairs you’ll find the oldest, traditional antiques.

Descend to the basement, and funky music rises up to greet you. We found egg-shaped chairs and groovy go-go boots.

52 January/february 2012 inspiredhomeomaha.com

a girl’s best friend 4655 Leavenworth St. Case after case of diamond-alternative jewelry holds pieces that dazzle in the light, as do the walls of sparkly evening bags at A Girl’s Best Friend. There are clothes and bags for daywear, while items like Chinchilla coats, ruffled evening dresses and silver-studded belts draw the most attention.

come into my kitchen 5423 Leavenworth St. Try the soups, sandwiches and grilled specials at Come On Into My Kitchen. Watch the chef at work as the cheery yellow walls and aromas take your mind off winter’s gray days.

isabella’s treasures 4312 Leavenworth St. If you’re still in gift-giving mode, Isabella’s Treasures sells adorable, customizable metal sculptures of football and baseball players.

Owner Tracie Walch just needs a few minutes to turn your pick into a member of your team of choice. While you wait, check out the wall of handcrafted earrings symbolic of dozens of careers and hobbies.

gerda’s german restaurant & bakery 5180 Leavenworth St. Wind down the day with Gerda Bailey’s famous pan-fried chicken at Gerda’s Restaurant & Bakery. For an authentic German dinner (Wednesday through Saturday), try the Hungarian Goulash or the Wiener Schnitzel. The cookies beckoning from behind the glass cases always look appealing. inspiredhomeomaha.com 53

At the Heart

Mcmillan’s antiques 5002 Leavenworth St. McMillan’s Antiques offers two floors of mostly furniture. We fell in love with a Stickley rocking chair and some of the more rustic pieces in the basement.

54 January/february 2012 inspiredhomeomaha.com

Field Trip Destination: Colorado Springs, Colorado

Where Luxury Is Standard

courtesy of the broadmoor

F

By Chris Wolfgang rom the food, to the spa, to the service, The Broadmoor knows how to treat its guests. Forbes repeatedly agrees, having awarded the resort five stars for 52 years in a row. In fact, 2012 qualified The Broadmoor as a triple threat: five stars each for the hotel, the Penrose Room restaurant, and the spa.

“All five-star hotels have a few things in common,” said Allison Scott, communications director for the luxury resort. “Their brick-and-mortars are all fabulous and their locations are stunning.”

But the 93-year-old Springs landmark has to be much more than that to best its peers.

Will your covers be turned down at night? Yes. Will your dining experience

at the Penrose be white-glove? Always.

Feather beds? Merino wool covers? A bed cushion for your pooch? Yes, yes, yes!

Luxuries, you might say. Scott chuckles at the suggestion. “We think of these as standard services. To really understand what makes us different, watch our staff.”

While general and specialty training is extensive (175 hours in the first year of employment), staff members exhibit a high degree of hospitality with a sincerity born from years of taking pride in service.

“I’ve been here 11 years, and I’m a spring chicken by Broadmoor standards ,” Scott said. A head groundskeeper has been with the resort for more than 40 years; a laundress, more than 50.

It’s all about you so enjoy Chef Bertrand Bouquin’s foie gras at Penrose. Take an invigorating plunge in one of three pools.

Play 18 holes of mile-high golf, try your best serve on one of two clay courts or take a brisk walk around the lake, then rejuvenate with a luxurious chardonnay scrub in the spa.

You and the staff will agree: European elegance meets Western hospitality here.

If you go the Broadmoor Around $240/night 866-837-9520 Busiest: Summer Off season: Late winter/ early spring Signature events: Annual Salute to Escoffier Weekend (food and wine classes and demonstrations in February); Bee Bunch Kids’ Camp in summer; Classic Broadmoor Christmas with lighting ceremony at Thanksgiving.

inspiredhomeomaha.com 55

Wishlist THE LITTLE BOOK OF I LOVE YOU Barnes and Noble, $10.25

BE MINE 4EVER POUCH Betseyville at Zappos.com, $68

sILENT lOVE Brushed aluminum with fused glass by Sondra Gerber, $42, Blue Pomegranate Gallery

HEARTS AFLUTTER

COLORBLOCK HEART EARRINGS Marc by Marc Jacobs at Zappos.com, $35.99

Celebrate the season with a symbol of love.

Mini heart baking Pan Pans.com, $31 Silver-plated crystal atomizer with floating crystals, $20, Things Remembered, Westroads. Personalize with initials.

Fused-glass coasters

by John Prouty. Set of four, $32. Similar styles (because no two are alike) at White Crane Gallery, Old Market Passageway.

LAVENDER HEART WREATH Williams-Sonoma, $59.95

56 January/february 2012 inspiredhomeomaha.com

HEART BAMBOO SPOON Urban Outfitters, $8

Icon

Blue Ridge Pottery

Find the hidden message in an American tradition.

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ulip Time, Blue Bouquet, Yellow Poppy, Bleeding Heart. Each pattern is an all-American beauty in the Blue Ridge pottery collection. Explore family cupboards and you just may find assorted pieces of the cheerful dinnerware. At one time, Blue Ridge was the largest maker of dinnerware in the United States. It was fabricated in a small town in Tennessee from the mid-1930s to the late1950s and sold in fancy stores like Marshall Field’s in Chicago and through catalogs like Sears & Roebuck and Montgomery Wards.

Blue Ridge even was redeemable with Green Stamps.

No two pieces are exactly alike because the dinnerware was handmade by potters and decorators working in small groups. The

decorators used stamps to outline the design on each piece and painted in assemblyline fashion. A lead decorator painted the main design; others filled in stems, leaves, blooms and so on until the entire pattern was painted.

Blue Ridge provides a fascination for collectors because 2,000-plus patterns are known to exist and more are surfacing.

Replacements Ltd. (www.replacements. com) is a good place to see the variety. It can be tough to know if it’s Blue Ridge; pieces don’t always carry a jobber mark on the bottom. A common stamp features a mountain and a pine tree with the words “Blue Ridge.”

Blue Ridge dinnerware was introduced by Southern Potteries Inc. in Tennessee.

Production soared in the 1940s when the onset of World War II put a halt to imported dinnerware.

Flowers in bright interpretations lifted the country’s mood. The dash-dot border on “Colonial Waltz Time” is said to represent the SOS code, according to Doug Rose of Prairie Piecegoods in Historic Florence.

Rose’s mom was a Blue Ridge collector.

buy it Prairie Piecegoods, Historic Florence neighborhood

Sources: Frances and John Ruffin, Blue Ridge China Quarterly; “Southern Potters Inc. Value Guide” by Betty and Bill Newbound.

inspiredhomeomaha.com 57

Cocktails With

Artist John Prouty

What are your Hobbies?

Scotch Club

Meets every Tuesday from 5 to 7; eight friends take turns hosting in their homes. Favorite scotch: Whatever is on sale, plastic bottle or not.

CollectiNG Roosters (mostly gifts from friends), original art and eclectic conversation pieces. Among the latter: An African sculpture from the estate of the late Leslie Berry, a decorator friend.

The tribal figure has breasts that pivot. When the breasts are down, the bar is open.

A conversation about entertaining, living in South Omaha and vacationing after the end of the world.

C

By Chris Christen

ocktails or coffee? John Prouty chooses scotch and water at Vivace, a favorite Old Market haunt. Prouty pops in a few times a week for the “café society” atmosphere and owner Ron Samuelson’s special blend of Prouty’s cocktail of choice.

“The best in town.”

Prouty, an art welder and entrepreneur with an engaging personality and infectious laugh, is a strong supporter of downtown Omaha. Nearly four years ago, the Omaha native sold his urban warehouse condo-studio at Ninth Street and Capitol Avenue and rehabbed an equally interesting livework space at 25th and N Streets in South Omaha.

Metal art has been your hobby for about 11 years now. How did you get started?

I was at a cocktail party when a friend convinced me to sign up for a 10-week welding class. I loved it. I went straight from beginner to advanced.

And fused glass?

Three years ago, I met a glass artist at a cocktail party who suggested I take a fused-glass class. Now I work with two other fused-glass artists and teach classes in my studio.

I see a pattern here. What’s your earliest memory of something you made?

I remember making an African mask at Joslyn Art Museum as a kindergartner. My dad was a printer. He’d bring bring home scraps of paper and I’d color on them. Eventually, I started sketching. I still sketch.

You’re a generous and gracious host. How often do you entertain?

Six to eight times a month. I couldn’t live without my formal dining area. I host a lot of dinners and cocktail parties as fundraisers for charities.

Decorating

You’re a minimalist.

That makes everyone shudder.

You have an open floor plan at home. What’s the biggest advantage?

Everything is in one room. If you can’t find something, it certainly isn’t in the other room.

Favorite thing about living in South Omaha?

The diversity of the people. Everybody thinks of

58 January/february 2012 inspiredhomeomaha.com

Will you stay put for a while?

I’ve never lived anywhere more than 10 years.

I’ve moved about eight times as an adult. I probably have one more move in me. To a Quonset hut. I’ll love it when it rains.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?

Omaha. I’ve been to 83 countries and have friends all over the world. I can live here very comfortably and be myself. The progress here is impressive.

Next vacation?

The Mayan calendar says the world is going to end in 2012. I’m deciding whether to go before or after the predicted day. I don’t want to lose my deposit.

Most significant work?

My interactive installation at Children’s Hospital and Medical Center. The kids love it.

(Prouty’s two-story network of steel rectangles and squares resembles a tree with branches.

Children’s artwork hangs to look like leaves.)

Must-dos with out-of-towners?

Vivace for cocktails M’s Pub for the M’s Burger, medium rare Joslyn Art Museum Omaha Riverfront Bucket list?

I don’t have one. When you’ve done everything, you have to die. Right?

Find works by John Prouty at White Crane Gallery in the Old Market Passageway, and the Gallery at Prouty Place, 4825 S. 25th St., 402-342-1714.

chris christen

Prouty’s condo is divided into “salons.” The bedroom is the only space with carpeting and it’s pretty wild. “It’s a leopard print from Home Depot with a really good pad. It’s fabulous. I refused to play the custom-order game this time around. In my last place, I waited nine months for custom door knobs. They were expensive and no one ever commented on them. I’m a big box shopper now.”

How often do you dine out?

Three or four times a week. I like to cook but it’s difficult to make meat loaf and lasagna for one.

South Omaha as Mexican. When I moved into the neighborhood, I met Columbians, Brazilians, Hondurans and Costa Ricans before I met a single Mexican.

Tailored Hair by T’eez

Woven scarf from Vietnam, a gift from a friend and Camel blazer from Banana Republic

her mother’s Vintage Skin Gear leather coat.

Jeggings

by Hue, from Bloomingdale’s in New York.

Simple, Classic Personal Style

B

By Chris Christen

rook Hudson has a lot of irons in the fire. She produces Omaha Fashion Week with her husband, Nick. She runs La Fleur Academy, a finishing school, and just recently she set up shop as Brook Hudson Consulting.

Brook’s personal style is decidedly classic. “I’m petite so I try to keep my ensembles simple. I’m a big believer in the phrase, ‘You wear the clothes; the clothes don’t wear you.’” For jewelry, she rarely wears more than her diamond studs, cross necklace and wedding ring. “They go with everything and have special meaning because they were gifts from Nick.”

When she shops, it’s never just to browse. “I have no self control! I get too wrapped up in the euphoria of shopping.” She prefers quality over quantity, sticks with timeless styling and loves a bargain.

Brook is a passionate supporter of Ted E. Bear Hollow, a charity that helps grieving children find hope, “something that really hits home with me since we lost my little brother five years ago.”

This year, OFW will see two distinct runway seasons with Fall-Winter shows in March and Spring-Summer shows in August.

She and Nick also are finalizing plans for a nonprofit Omaha

Vince Camuto boots, from Von Maur

inspiredhomeomaha.com 59

On the cover: Bedroom by Lush Living Design; 2011 Magic at Midtown design tour presented by the Joslyn Castle Trust at Midtown Crossing.

mirrored doors fold shut to conceal a TV when not in use.

Update an old chair using high-gloss paint to give the illusion of a laquerED finish.

Bedding FROM Anthropologie

60  January/february 2012  inspiredhomeomaha.com

Design Done Right

Artist Steve Yoneda used pearlized paint and an airbrush TO ENHANCE THE PETALS in this painting.

jeffrey bebee, COURTESY OF THE JOSLYN CASTLE TRUST

‘The Draper Touch’

D

Flirting with Modern Baroque.

By Chris Christen orothy Draper lives on. Not literally, of course, but figuratively in “The Draper Touch” given to a bedroom on the recent Magic at Midtown design tour. Jenni Holoch and Courtney Gibson of Lush Living Design put a romantic spin on Draper’s over-thetop Modern Baroque style. “I just love her influences,” said Holoch. While Draper preferred flamboyant color

combinations, Holoch and Gibson chose a less-shocking palette of purple, lavendar and silvery gray for their design space at Midtown Crossing. Draper’s influences were unmistakable in an upholstered bed with tufted headboard, ultra-feminine duvet cover with giant dahlia appliques and faux fur pillows. A large painting by Steve Yoneda gave the illusion of both a massive headboard and decorative plaster molding.

DESIGN’s COCO

Fashion had Chanel.

Interior design had Dorothy Draper. An anti-minimalist, Draper preferred exuberant colors, massive prints, elaborately framed mirrors and lacquered wood. Black and white tiles, rococo scrollwork and Baroque plasterwork were signature design elements in the many large public spaces she designed from the 1930s to the 1960s. The interior design house of Dorothy Draper & Company specializes in furniture and textile reproductions from Draper’s design work with Carleton Varney. www.dorothydraper.com

inspiredhomeomaha.com 61

Design Done Right

Above: Dark taupe lattice panels by Twelve Timbers create the illusion of wallpaper on a dark cayenne wall of a master suite. The upholstered headboard and bedding are elegant and relaxed. Get the look with SherwinWilliams “Flower Pot” and “Sable.”

Designers: Amy Pivovar, Aaron Janiak, Design Gallery, Nebraska Furniture Mart

Accents Objects in untraditional shapes and sizes and fabrics in strong patterns and prints naturally heighten the energy of a room. Consider tailored wovens like tweed, herringbone, plaid and houndstooth; velvet, dupioni silk or faux fur. Add sophisticated texture with small furniture pieces, rugs and art in natural fibers such as bamboo, jute, eucalyptus, cotton, silk, wool and cork.

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jeffrey bebee; courtesy of riverfront place

At right: Artful symmetry is found in the hard lines of the headboard and the soft layers of the accent pillows.

Designer: D3 Interiors

A bedroom should always have a tranquil, relaxing atmosphere. If yours is lacking, you probably are counting too many sheep. On your way to a good night’s rest, study the walls of your room. “The color should never distract you,” says Deborah Wecselman, South Florida interior designer, tastemaker and blogger. Here’s her formula for drawing you in.

Color Palette

chris christen; jeffrey bebee

Choose a color scheme that suits your mood. Yellow and orange evoke warmth and happiness; lavender and mauve have an air of romanticism; blue suggests serenity. Draw inspiration from a bed and breakfast, a summer cottage, a beach house – places that are peaceful and serene or elegantly cozy.

Focal Point

Every room should have a focal point that’s bright and bold. But in the bedroom, that focal point should face away from your view while sleeping. For the benefit of scale, consider an accent wall, a large abstract painting, a brightly upholstered headboard or a printed wall appliqué on your headboard wall.

Position the bed so that you see that beautiful piece when you walk into the room but aren’t distracted by it when it’s time to retire for the day.

Above: Luxurious textures, warm neutrals and traditional furnishings create a sense of harmony in a master retreat. Designer: Aaron Carlson and Franny High, Aaron Carlson Design Inc.

Bedding

Bedding in a neutral hue gives you a good foundation for adding bold pops of color and excitement with accent pillows and throws. Taupe, beige, cream, gray, or black and white allows you to introduce accessories from bright yellow paintings to royal blue vases. Rich jewel tones like emerald, amethyst, sapphire, ruby, garnet and citrine are strong for 2012. Deep teal, fuchsia, honeysuckle, coffee and gold are standouts, too.

Graphic patterns shake things up a bit but still soothe in a luxe guest bedroom punched up with bursts of yellow.

Designer: Susan McMannama, Susan T. McMannama Interiors

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Tailored Vintage

Cat eyes are a must-have in kitschy or classic styles. Retro glam styles give your facial features a lift and look edgy. Think Oliver Peoples’ iconic aviators and rounded styles. Women’s pairing: Victorian style high-neck blouse, pencil skirt and fur jacket

A Great Pair

Chosen well, trendy specs are an instant style makeover.

W

By Josefina Loza hen it comes to style, don’t overlook eyewear. A great pair can show off that inyour-face-attitude no one knew you had and nudge you further along in fashion circles.

If chosen well, trendy specs can give you an instant style makeover and boast your personality, says Tracy Miller of Malbar Vision, 16016 Evans St. “If you’re an edgier person, show your personality and do something fun and

funky,” she says.

Karen McCormack-Carlson, president of Robert Max Opticians at Countryside Village, suggests updating your eyewear every couple of years. Otherwise, when trends change, you’ll look dated.

In case you haven’t noticed: Smaller frames have gotten larger. Round aren’t round enough and cat-eye glasses are back.

Other tips to help you stay en vogue: Keep your sights on frames that enchance your facial features. Pro-

portion is everything, says McCormackCarlson. For example, the longer your face, the deeper the lenses.

Shapes are important. If you have a round face, round glasses aren’t for you.

Your frames should scream personality.

A great eye clinic rep should be able to pick up those characteristics from meeting you.

“You can really make a person look better,” she said. “A frame can hide facial imperfections, such as under-eye circles and give a lot of color.”

Geek-mod-chic

Oversized

Bigger is better. Play up the vintage vibe in circular styles from rounded squares to bugeyed ovals. Before you purchase a frame, make sure your prescription will work with large lenses.

Women’s pairing: Abovethe-knee skirted suit or a slinky ‘70s-style jumper.

Custom made striped frame, $439

buy it Get the look Available at Robert Max Opticians

Dita black and crystal frame, $379

Chunky

Chunky rectangular frames are huge.

Fashion hounds started moving toward thick frame styles two or three years ago.

Men’s pairing: A tailored herringbone or houndstooth suit, slim fitting slacks and a small club collar shirt.

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L.A. Eyeworks woodlike mat finish frame, $249

ananda spadt; facing page: Daniel johnson

Keep your focus on frames that are outside the norm (i.e. black rectangular designs) and look more toward brighter colors in curious shapes and wild patterns. Bold 1980s influences inject life into traditional neutral frames. Men’s pairing: Vintage T-shirt, blazer, faded jeans and high-top sneakers.

Lighting That Fits Your Lifestyle Echo Lighting Design Gallery displays unique, high quality lighting fixtures, fans, home accessories and accent furniture for every style. There is something for everyone, from transitional to traditional, victorian to classic contemporary. You are sure to find a theme that fits your lifestyle and lights your home or office.

4315 S. 120th Street | 402-334-4900 www.echolightingdesign.com inspiredhomeomaha.com 65

Nothing like your neighbor’s crossover.

Introducing the new Audi Q5 2.OT Distinctively different in its appearance and performance, this crossover is taking on an entire category. With featured like the exclusive Audi drive select, you can customize your driving experience by instantly adapting the way the vehicle handles and responds to the road.

Add this to its striking, stylized appearance, LED lights and the power of quattro®, and you’ll realize the Audi Q5 is anything but your typical crossover. A test-drive awaits you at an Stan Olsen Audi today. stanolsenaudi.com/Q5

Stan Olsen Audi

808 North 102nd Street - Omaha, Nebraska 402- 397- 8200 - www.stanolsenaudi.com * ”Audi,” “Q5,” “quattro” and the four rings and Audi emblems are registered trademarks of AUDI AG. “Truth in Engineering” is a registered trademark of Audi of America, Inc.©2012 Audi of America, Inc.

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