Inspired Home Omaha

November

WElcoming The Season Festive Decorating & Entertaining For the Holidays

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Chandeliers That dazzle

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CONTENTS

2011

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER VOLUME 2, ISSUE 6

Features 16 Welcoming THE Season Festive tables for your holiday home.

Departments 08 Currents Bling: A glittery trend in chandeliers.

32 Live Local Host a cozy gathering or let someone wait on you. Just keep the mood relaxed and impromptu.

11 cheers A 1-2-3 recipe for a successful cocktail party.

Additions 6 Dwellings 7 Spark 10 Good Ideas 34 Style

14 Trimmings Merry and bright ways to put your own spin on the season.

23 dish Simple appetizers and a signature drink create a perfect celebration.

25 ART Original works star in Riverfront Place collaboration.

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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2011

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dwellings

Lasting

Memories

Member of The Audit Bureau of Circulations

Please contact us with your questions or

Christmas 2006 was Mom’s last Christmas in

her own home. We didn’t plan it that way; it just happened.

My husband and I had driven to my hometown on Christmas Eve, only to find Mom standing in the kitchen with a towel wrapped around her hand. The event marked a turning point.

A progression of incidents several months prior had led to a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease. My agreement with Mom was that she could stay alone in her home for as long as it was reasonably safe. She fought me on the move, but it was time for her to be in an assisted living environment.

The loss of her beloved house and familiar surroundings has been the most heartbreaking reality of her illness. Mom has a comfortable oneroom apartment filled with things that are special to her. But, understandably, that’s no substitute for “home.”

Each December, I attempt to recreate one or two simple vignettes in her apartment that Mom had in her house at Christmas: the nativity scene, the angel grouping, the Swiss chalet village my dad made for her. A favorite ritual, however, is the decorating of the silver tinsel tree that sits on an embroidered doily on a small table by her TV. The tree holds the most precious ornaments in Mom’s possession: Little pine cone-and-pipe cleaner men that remind me of the Seven Dwarfs, and four sweetbut-fragile winged angels dressed in red felt.

One year, I put some of Mom’s ornaments on a small tree for her hallway neighbor whose room was bare. Mom didn’t like the fact that I had “given away” her ornaments.

“You can do that after I die,” she said.

Some of her holiday treasures are displayed year-round. The most meaningful to both of us is a replica of an antique children’s pull toy. Mom had admired the toy at a hospital auxiliary bizarre just hours before undergoing open heart surgery but she wouldn’t buy it. The toy was the most perfect “get well” gift I could have chosen. I get a lump in my throat every time I spy that darling wooden horse on Mom’s keepsake shelf.

Best wishes for treasured moments of your own this holiday season.

comments at 402.444.1094 or at chris.christen@owh.com Advertising Director Thom Kastrup 402.444.1429 Custom Publishing Manager Tam Webb 402.444.3125 Editorial Manager Chris Christen 402.444.1094 Sales Manager Carrie Kentch 402.444.1448 Production Manager Patricia “Murphy” Benoit

Editor-in-Chief Chris Christen Creative Director Jason Gunkel Contributors Elizabeth Ann Wells Kurt A. Keeler Amy LaMar Patricia Waters Cover Story Photography Jeffrey Bebee www.jbebeephotographer.com

Editor-in-Chief Follow the editor on Twitter/cchristen Like us on Facebook/InspiredHomeOmaha Visit us online at www.InspiredHomeOmaha.com

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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2011

Inspired Home Omaha is published by The Omaha World-Herald ©2011.

Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. While ever y effort is made to ensure accuracy, Inspired Home Omaha cannot be responsible for content, opinions, 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 Inspired Home Omaha is not responsible for unintentional copyright infringement. Inspired Home Omaha reser ves the right to refuse any advertisement.

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Relaxing Bath

Lights Out

Cloud-soft Abyss honeycomb cotton robe, $288. Alashan Cashmere throws, $136 to $380.

Gourmet licorice and truffles from Category One, Rockbrook Village.

French-milled soaps, $4 each.

Desir Absolu body mist, $13.

DH lotion, $57, and bath gel, $30. Bumblebee soaps, $4 each. Arté bowl, $30. Abyss bath towels, $156 for the set.

Bath scrubber, $39. Natural sea sponge, $15.

Olivia Riegel picture frame, $114. Robert M. Weiss tray, $144.

Dominic ceramic jar, $99. Arté toothbrush holder, $67.

Photography by Kurt A. Keeler

Special Touches

Morning, Sunshine

Aletha Soule Studio mug, $39. Arté pewter tray, $146, and spoon, $18. Davidson’s tea from the Village Grinder.

Nothing But the Best Be a gracious host and welcome overnight

holiday guests with bed and bath items that say, “It’s a luxury to have you here.” There’s nothing nicer than to be pampered when you’re away from home. Start by outfitting the guest bedroom and bath WWW.inspiredhomeomaha.COM

with the best linens and towels you can afford. Those 600-threadcount sheets do feel divine! We found more to love at Early to Bed in Countryside Village, where owner Joan Miller encourages you to touch the fabrics, smell the fragrances and test the lotions.

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Photography courtesy Murano Imports, Lighting in Design, Inc. (muranoimports.com)

currents

Fixtures That

Dazzle

It don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that bling

by Patricia waters

What earrings can do for a face, crystal

can do for an ordinary chandelier.

“It’s like jewelry for light fixtures,” says Diane Flynn, a designer and owner of Tweed Couch Interiors in Rockbrook Village.

She loves light fixtures with a bit of glitter. “It’s like icing.”

Flynn has placed sparkly chandeliers throughout homes, including in bedrooms and bathrooms, which is so au courant now.

Murano pleases sophisticated homeowners with this ruby red chandelier. Photograph courtesy of Murano Imports, Lighting in Design, Inc. (muranoimports.com)

Liz Vacanti, a designer with Interior Design Group in Omaha, notes that crystalembellished chandeliers have graced grand homes and palaces for centuries. Today’s interest, she says, possibly is related to a current infatuation with the 1960s – as evidenced by the television show “Mad Men,” and its imitators, “The Playboy Club,” “Pan Am” and recent documentaries and books on the Kennedy style.

No need to worry that a dazzling fixture might overwhelm a small room. A vintage fixture that Flynn discovered and refurbished with polishing, black paint and the addition of 168 teardrop crystals hangs in a smallish, 11-by-11-foot room off her main showroom. The fixture makes an immediate statement: Look at me.

Designers Tord Boontje and Russell Groves inspire us with this Swarovski chandelier. Photograph courtesy of Swarovsky Lighting Business.

Flynn, with the help of her sister in Columbia, Mo., is on the constant lookout for vintage fixtures that can be transformed with a bit of time, work, paint and perhaps crystals that Flynn collects. Other options at Tweed Couch – a treasure trove of new furniture and accessories and reworked and pristine vintage items – include a fixture with fewer teardrop crystals and a white, oval shade that glows with reflected light.

It’s all about proportion, Vacanti says.

Designers use mathematical formulas to determine the correct size of fixtures for dining rooms, foyers and so on, and the same principles should at least be considered with crystal chandeliers.

For example, “If you’re putting two over an island in a kitchen and the dining room

opens onto the kitchen, maybe you coordinate with a (dining room) fixture that has a huge lampshade but only one crystal hanging down.”

Can you go overboard with sparkle?

Vacanti says there’s a fine line between fabulous and overindulgence. “It’s just like faux painting … you have to know the boundaries.

Don’t go crazy in every room.”

To those who fear their rooms can’t carry off crystal-embellished chandeliers, Flynn’s advice is to take a chance. “It’s just a light fixture. Go for it!”

Vacanti says part of her role as a designer is to educate clients and sometimes “push them out of their comfort zone.”

“Some people are nervous about change,” and need help in visualizing how something will look, she says. But ultimately, if you’re going to spend money to redecorate, why not make it look different.

Schonbeck uses dazzling reflective crystals and crafted iron to create unique forms in lighting. Photography courtesy of Schonbek.

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good ideas

Flights of Fancy Peacock plumes

are uncommonly lovely things. Buy them in bulk at a craft store and experiment with fanciful presentations in floral arrangements, wreaths and the holiday tree. For a stunning placemat, fan out two dozen or more feathers and hot-glue each plume stem to a circular piece of coordinating felt.

Pick and choose

Don’t just dump a multi-pack of spheres into a bowl. Add and subtract different types of orbs to achieve an artful blend. This stellar example mixes artichokes, berry balls, moss spheres, and a lone eggplant for contrast.

Luminous color

makes a splash in barware. How fun would it be to reach for a turquoise martini glass? Smashing on the party buffet with bronze linens and gold or pewter serveware. Punch it up on New Year’s Eve with an eye-popping combination of turquoise, red, aqua and teal.

Styled by Designer’s Touch for Riverfront Place condominiums. Photographed by Andrew Marinkovich, Malone & Co.

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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2011

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cheers

Photograph by Dana Damewood Photography

Interesting people.

Delectable drinks and appetizers.

Scintillating conversation.

By Patricia Waters

Our 1-2-3 recipe

Ins pired Entertaining

Make a statement. Carlson says guests should immediately be dazzled: If you have a foyer, dress a table in layered linens, candles and flowers and provide a signature drink.

Morris’ favorite table linen colors are white, purple and black because they can be easily adapted to various holidays, occasions and accompanying floral arrangements.

Candles, candles, candles. Carlson can’t

get enough of them, from votives to floating luminaries. Craft shops like Hobby Lobby, David M. Mangelsen’s and Michaels carry inexpensive options, as do websites such as quickcandles.com. Oh, and use the dimmers on your chandeliers.

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Courtesy of Taste of Home

for a success- Flowers are a must. You don’t have to spend hundreds on extravagant ful cocktail party doesn’t sound hard, and the arrangements. Carlson likes the look of orchids – available at Lowe’s and Costco best parties indeed seem effortless. But staging – in beautiful pots and running the length of the buffet table. For a recent party, the kind of gathering where the venue beckons, Morris placed mums and other fall blooms in inexpensive bright green containwhere people – extroverts and wallflowers alike ers wrapped in festive ribbon.

– mingle effortlessly, where the amount of food and number of guests are perfectly balanced, You’re the host. That means it’s your job to talk to everyone and to make can challenge even the most gifted hosts. Aaron guests feel comfortable. It’s not your job to mix drinks, make 10 kinds of canaCarlson, John Benker and Sue Morris – Omaha pés or to stand at the front door directing traffic. Hire a bartender, a caterer party planners and hosts extraordinaire – share and maybe a valet. Most hosts underestimate what it takes to create fresh, beautiful food, Benker says. Remember: Your time is worth something. their tips for a perfectly executed soirée.

Our experts Aaron Carlson Event planner and interior designer, Aaron Carlson Design

John Benker Owner, John F. Benker Catering Sue Morris President, Heritage Services, a not-for-profit developer of community projects, including the Holland Center for Performing Arts.

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We’re Not Just About Fences

Thirty. That’s Carlson’s “perfect number”

for a cocktail party. It ensures the host is able to talk to everyone. Morris says assembling a disparate group isn’t always advisable if the number of guests is small.

With larger groups, though, there’s a good chance everyone can find someone with whom to chat.

People eat with their eyes. For example, Benker likes to create beautiful and edible antipasti and cheese, fruit and nut displays.

It’s all in the numbers. The amount

of nibbles needed depends on the length and timing of the party. For example: one to four items per person for pre-dinner gatherings; as many as 12 per person for a later party.

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Be creative. For Morris, it starts with the invitations. For her daughter, a lawyer living in Washington, D.C.: A picture of the White House and the tagline “You’re on the list.” For the birthday of a friend, Victoria: A crown. For a Mardi Gras-themed party: A mask. Adds Benker: “It doesn’t cost anything to be creative.”

Relax and enjoy the process. Morris

loves to entertain and does so every seven to 10 days. But if entertaining in your home is unnerving, she says to take the party to a restaurant or club and let someone else worry about it.

Patricia Waters is a former editor with the Omaha World-Herald. Newly retired, she joins the Inspired Home Omaha team as a regular contributor.

A perfectly balanced vodka martini

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B

Time to Shine ling rushes in for the holiday season. So dust off your best china, embellish your table and celebrate in style. Glamour and opulence star in this collection of lush golds, subtle taupes and animal prints from Kim Seybert, one of our favorite designers of home accessories. For a store location near you, visit www.kimseybert.com

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Photo courtesy of Fluff Your Stuff Interior Redesign

trimmings

Merry & Bright

Ideas, Tips and Inspiration for Putting Your Own Spin on the Holidays

A coffee chat with Lorrie Williams, Joy Johnson and Jill

Pietrocini from Fluff Your Stuff Interior Redesign turned into a holiday idea exchange. Here are a few favorites you just might want to copy!

Deck the Halls

Card Party

Lorrie turns the chore of writing greeting cards into a social event. Her 15-year tradition involves anywhere from five to 30 friends who come to her house the day after Thanksgiving with their cards, 14

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2011

With a wink of an eye and a twist of your head, you’ll have a grand room without any dread.

Make a statement with groupings.

When you see something you like, buy in bulk. Don’t just buy three or five pieces. Buy as many as you can get your hands on in the largest versions available for dramatic impact.

Mix organic and artificial greenery.

It’s hard to get naturals to do what you want them to do, especially around banisters and columns. Laced-in artificial greenery gives you the ability to shape.

By Chris Christen

Lorrie and Joy have a lot of fun teaming up to decorate each other’s homes for the holidays. The husbands are in for the tree and then disappear, along with the kids, leaving the women to dive into their boxes of decorations and play. “The mess gets worse before it gets better,” Lorrie quips.

The women especially enjoy the fresh approaches that come from collaboration.

Their houses look different every year.

1-2-3 Decorating

Show off vintage ornaments.

Fill glass or crystal jars, bowls and vases with glass ornaments from Christmases gone by.

Hang several balls in a window using irregular lengths of ribbon or cording and non-damaging tape, tacks or straight pins. Ornaments also look pretty reflecting in a large mirror above the fireplace. Suspend the balls on ribbon from the ceiling with white eye hooks or tacks.

address labels and stamps. The group can count on a cleverly worded invitation, plus Whoopie Pie, a chocolate fountain and a signature beverage.

Slumber Party!

Lorrie and Joy and their families have spent Christmas Eve together for years.

With five children between them (ages 10 to 23), they celebrate with a slumber party around the Christmas tree, usually at Lorrie’s home. They put on their Christmas jammies, eat breakfast for dinner, pile into the family van for a holiday light tour and watch “Elf ” the movie. “We also do a service project together,” Joy says. “Something quick and simple” that brings a smile and warms a heart.

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Upside-down tree Ann Etienne of Voila! Blooms and Decor in Dundee displayed an upside-down tree at her 2010 holiday open house. We love this technique for corners where floor space is tight but ceiling height isn’t an issue. If you try this at home, an artificial tree works best. Find step-by-step instructions at www.associatedcontent.com. Upside-down trees are also commercially available. That’s the route Ann took.

Photo by Colin Conces Photography.

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Welcoming season the

By Elizabeth Ann Wells | Photography by jeffrey bebee

warm and welcoming holiday home may start with the front door, but when food is involved, the crescendo moves to the table.

For festive table tips, we turned to three decorating pros who have been involved with the annual Christmas Caravan Home Tour sponsored by the Assistance League Omaha.

The first step, the pros say, is to determine your entertaining style. Ask yourself, “What’s the table’s purpose?

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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2011

“Are you using the table to serve from or sit at?” asks Andrea Ramsey, owner of Andrea’s Designs in Elkhorn.

The home she decorated for the 2010 Caravan tour was traditional and had a formal dining area that opened to the foyer. The space was perfect for an elegant dinner party setting. “Determining the level of formality is important … because there are many reasons for having a dinner party,” says Ramsey.

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Layering was an important element of her table décor. Gold-rimmed salad plates topped gold-flecked glass plates that rested on gold chargers. The stylist placed a gold ornament in each dessert cup as a party favor.

Ivory dinner napkins wrapped in sheer gold overlays were bound by gold-beaded napkin rings. Crystal candlesticks sat on a shimmering, metallic tabletop mirror, making the layers appear endless. The

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layered look, Ramsey says, can be affordable.

“Borrow it, rent it or build it over time.”

Another consideration is how to incorporate the home’s existing décor, says Donna Wilcox, interior redesigner with The Papillion Flower Patch.

She and the shop’s owner and floral designer, Mary Beth Harrold, worked within a more modern home. Heavy mission-style influences led them to create a “simple, symmetrical and linear centerpiece that ran the length of the table.

To get this look at home, start with linens and placemats that have reflective finishes.

Rent or buy mirrored Plexiglass in a dimension that fits the table. Pull out your best silver, crystal and china and begin filling in with layer upon layer of candles and other reflective elements. Gold ornaments in sherbet cups can pull double duty as place card holders and party favors. Dress up the backs of chairs with artificial greenery, gold pine cones and glitzy ribbon.

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The candy table styled by Andrea Ramsey for the 2010 Christmas Caravan drew a fair share of attention. Andrea assembled an assortment of glass jars, vases, bowls and other vessels; filled her favorites with miniature sweets and old-fashioned penny candy; and started playing with their arrangement on the serving table. We adore the snowball candles in the sherbet cups! Another sweet touch that’s hard to see here: Canisters with stick-on letters that spell “L-O-V-E” and “J-O-Y.”

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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2011

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It makes a better statement if there’s one main thing to look at.

Loops of copper tubing spanned the length of the bronze, gold and copper vases. Each vase was topped with a moss sphere for a look that could last all winter long. Pine cones and artificial moss and greenery formed the arrangement’s base. Wilcox suggests avoiding real greens because they drip sap and produce moisture that’s not good for the table.

Both Wilcox and Ramsey say it’s important to make sure the decorations don’t crowd the eating area or interfere with conversation. What works on the buffet table at medium height may not work for seated dinner guests.

They also caution against having too many focal points because that makes people feel uneasy. “It confuses the eye because they don’t know where to focus,” Wilcox says.

“It makes a better statement if there’s one main thing to look at. Other smaller things can amplify it.”

For the tour, Ramsey also created a sweetly appointed dessert table in a less-formal kitchen nook. Crystal, silver and opaque serving trays, pedestals and jars with colorful candies and baked goods were set at varying heights for visual interest. “I like it (the display table) to be comfortably crowded,” she says.

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Dana Beam of All Seasons Floral created a formal yet comfortable tablescape for a dining room that’s beautifully rooted in tradition. The homeowner’s silver-rimmed china led Beam to amaryllis and lily grass topiaries as centerpieces. Silver linens, silver metallic chargers, beveled mirrors, clear votives, crystal trees and silver finials give the table a wintry feel.

Artificial garland wraps its way around light fixtures and structural columns in a Tuscan-style kitchen decorated by Canoyer Garden Center. Ornament groupings and ribbons were repeated in garlands elsewhere in the home.

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Finally, the pros like to look up and to include, where appropriate, chandeliers or light fixtures.

Special attention can make the area above the table a crowning glory. Safety is paramount with lights and wiring.

Using artificial greenery and clove-studded lemons and oranges, Robin Nielsen, buyer and gift shop manager for Conoyer Garden Center in Papillion and Griswold, Iowa, enhanced a Tuscanstyle home’s Old-World feel.

“You could use real fruit and greenery, but it’s messy and heavy,” she says. “You also want to make sure you don’t block the lights so people can still see when they’re eating dinner.”

She featured live, lime-green sedum in faux bois at each place setting. Mini urns or vases are a simple way to casually dress a table and share holiday spirit with guests because the miniature doubles as a party favor.

“The most important thing is to make sure you think of all your guests,” says Nielsen. “That’s what they remember.”

Copper tubing, pinecones and greenery surround metallic cylinders with moss spheres from The Papillion Flower Patch. The grouping softens the strong architectural lines of the house and offers an attractive alternative to traditional holiday decorations.

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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2011

Pocket watch and miniature plate ornaments, Old-World door hangers, crystal tabletop trees and wreaths with pears, pine cones, berries and other winter naturals were hot sellers at last year’s Christmas Caravan.

It seems a shame to have only one decorated tree in your home when you spend time in so many different rooms. This year, branch out. Watch for pre-season sales and nab three or four trees for your master bedroom, main foyer – even your kitchen. Give each tree its own theme. You might play off your room decor, a personal hobby, a family keepsake or a treasured collection. Create interest under trees with lighted Christmas packages. Find examples at www.trendytree.com.

Ornaments aren’t just for trees. Survey your home for opportunities to suspend coordinated groupings from light fixtures in bedrooms, hallways and powder rooms.

If you go

What:

2011 Christmas Caravan home tour, boutique and bake sale.

Sponsored by Assistance League Omaha. The tour features four homes decorated for the holidays: 9005 Leavenworth St., 9111 Farnam St., 13253 Hamilton St., and 14229 Cuming St.

When: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Nov. 3.

Tickets: Tour, $15 in advance; $20

at the door. Luncheon at Champions Run, $12 at the door. Tickets can be purchased at Yesterday’s Best Thrift Shop, 36th and Leavenworth Streets; and Omaha Hy-Vee stores. Tour proceeds benefit Assistance League programs, including the signature Operation School Bell, which will clothe more than 3,000 children this fall.

Information: 402-312-2580

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+

ART

design

About Town

Magic at Midtown: A Tour of Upscale Urban Residences

Where: Midtown Crossing, 31st Avenue and Farnam Street When: Nov. 18-Dec. 4, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.

What’s on tour: Designer showcase of 12 fully decorated condominiums Highlights: Gala grand opening with fireworks, Nov. 17, in conjunction with the lighting of the green at Midtown Crossing at Turner Park.

Beneficiary: Joslyn Castle Trust.

A bit of trivia: Turner Park is named for Curtiss Turner. His parents’ home stood on the site of present-day Midtown Crossing. The Turner family enjoyed a longtime friendship with Sarah and George Joslyn, who built Joslyn Castle as their primary residence.

Information: www.joslyncastle.com; www.magicatmidtown.com

We wanted to make sure that everything was taken care of for our family. So, we called Roeder.

Kim Reid Kuhn, Untitled 2010 Oil and mixed media on canvas, 4’’ by 6’’

Home: The 2011 Birdhouse Art & Interiors Exhibition

2727 N 108th Street 402-496-9000

11710 Standing Stone, Gretna 4402-332-0090 02 3322 00900

4932 Ames Avenue 402-453-5600

www.roedermortuary.com 22

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2011

Where: Bancroft Street Market, 2702 S. 10th St. When: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Dec. 3-11; opening gala, 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Dec. 2.

What you’ll see: An industrial marketplace transformed into a modern-day living space styled by Birdhouse Interior Design and Birdhouse Collectible owner Jessica McKay and her hand-picked team of local and regional creatives. Each setting will showcase art, furniture, textiles, sculpture and other original pieces.

Why it’s cool: The location is as original as the concept for the show.

Highlight: Erin Loechner of HGTV.com, creator of the popular blog “Design for Mankind,” will be on-hand for the opening reception.

Information: www.birdhousecollectible.com

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dish

Beet PurĂŠe Melted Gruyere Toasts

Shrimp Fajitas Salad Prosecco Ginger Cocktail

Toast A

Tips and sips for the perfect celebration

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Recipes courtesy of Alison Hotchkiss, www.cupcakevineyards.com | Photo courtesy of Family Features

ood doesn’t have to be complicated to be remarkable. These finger foods are varied and flavorful – but they’re not hard to make.

To satisfy all party-goers’ preferences, serve three to five appetizers including chicken, beef and fish plus two veggie options (ideally one being vegan or dairy-free).

Bubbles add a festive, celebratory note to any gathering. This Prosecco Ginger Cocktail is crisp, refreshing and a less pricey alternative to champagne.

Serve in unconventional glassware and garnish with cucumber “swizzle sticks” for more impact.

Shrimp Fajitas Salad on Crisp Flour Tortilla Chips 12 servings, 2 pieces per serving Ingredients

Yield:

4 8-inch flour tortillas 1 ripe avocado, pitted and peeled 11/2 teaspoons fresh lime juice 1 teaspoon finely chopped cilantro 1/2 teaspoon finely chopped jalapeño, or more to taste 6 ounces extra-small cooked and peeled shrimp (salad shrimp), chopped (about 11/4 cups) 3 tablespoons finely chopped peeled ripe mango 2 teaspoons finely chopped cilantro 1 teaspoon finely chopped jalapeño 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice 2 tablespoons thin sliced green onion (scallion) Tops (garnish)

Directions Preheat oven to 350°F. Use ruler to trim tortillas into 4 large 6-inch squares. Cut 24 2-inch squares from the squared-off tortillas; discard trimmings.

Spray baking sheet with nonstick spray.

Arrange tortilla squares on pan and spray with nonstick spray. Bake until toasted golden and crisp, 10 to 12 minutes. Cool.

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Purée avocado, lime juice, cilantro and jalapeño in a food processor until smooth.

Set aside.

Melted Gruyere Toasts with Crisp Frizzled Prosciutto Yield:

Combine shrimp, mango, cilantro, jalapeño and lime juice in small bowl.

Spread about 1/2 tablespoon avocado mixture in center of each toasted tortilla square.

Lightly press a tablespoon of the shrimp salad in center of each.

12 servings, 2 pieces per serving

Extra-virgin olive oil 4 slices (about 3 ounces) Prosciutto, cut into 1/2-inch pieces 24 1/4-inch-thick slices Italian bread 4 ounces aged Gruyere, coarsely shredded (about 13/4 cups)

Garnish with scallion slices and serve.

Heat 1/2-inch olive oil in medium skillet over medium heat until hot enough to sizzle a piece of prosciutto.

Beet Purée with Sesame Flavors

Stir half the prosciutto into hot oil and cook over medium heat until prosciutto is crispy, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a side dish. Add remaining prosciutto and cook until crispy. Set aside.

12 servings, 2 pieces per serving Ingredients

Yield:

1 pound fresh golden or red beets, trimmed, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch pieces 24 endive leaves, thick ends trimmed, separated into individual leaves 3 tablespoons reduced-sodium tamari or soy sauce 1/2 teaspoon toasted (dark) sesame oil 1/4 teaspoon grated fresh ginger 1/4 teaspoon minced fresh garlic Salt to taste Toasted white sesame seeds (garnish)

Heat oven to 350°F. Spray baking sheet with nonstick spray and arrange bread slices on tray.

Top each bread slice with a rounded tablespoon of cheese. Bake until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes. Remove from oven.

Stand a crispy piece of prosciutto in the center of each melted mound of hot cheese and serve at once.

Directions

Prosecco Ginger Cocktail

Place beets in a steamer and cook, covered, over simmering water, until tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool.

Yield:

Place endive leaves in a large bowl. Add water and a cup of ice and refrigerate until crisp, about 15 minutes. Drain and pat dry with paper towels.

Place tamari or soy sauce in a small saucepan and boil gently until reduced to 1 tablespoon. Cool.

Purée beets, 1 tablespoon reduced tamari or soy sauce, garlic, ginger, sesame oil and salt in food processor until smooth and creamy.

Arrange endive leaves on a platter. With two teaspoons, place a mound of beet purée in the center of each leaf. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds.

Note: Canned or cooked vacuum-packed

beets can be used as a substitute.

12 servings, 2 glasses per serving Ingredients

11/2 cups water 1 cup (6 ounces) crystallized ginger 1/2 cup sugar 2 bottles (750 ml) Cupcake Prosecco, chilled 24 thin diagonal-sliced seedless or Persian cucumber

Directions Combine water, ginger and sugar in saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer on low heat, uncovered, 15 minutes. Turn off heat and let steep, covered, 30 minutes. Cool.

Purée in blender until smooth.

Add 1 tablespoon ginger purée to each champagne glass. Add chilled prosecco, and stir well with swizzle stick until blended.

Garnish glass with cucumber slices.

WWW.inspiredhomeomaha.COM

The Tower 2 lobby features a ceramic cone installation by Jess Benjamin. The Bemis artist gets her inspiration from Nebraska lakes and waterways. Fitting, indeed, for Riverfront Place.

art

New Heights in

Interior Design Collaboration showcases trends, talents

BY CHRIS CHRISTEN | PHOTOGRAPHY BY Andrew Marinkovich, Malone & Co.

Developer Ross Robb beamed

as he surveyed the view from the 15th-floorterrace of Tower 2 at Riverfront Place condominiums. Omaha’s cityscape and pedestrian bridge glistened in the crystal-clear nighttime sky.

“It doesn’t get much better than this,” Robb said before moving inside, where about 50 residents and guests were chatting about architectural trends and art showcased in the luxury property’s recent River Dreams Design Tour.

In an unusual collaboration, the Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts worked with the property’s development team to set the artistic tone for the riverfront community.

The goal, said spokesman Loretta Carroll, was to give Tower 2 an “artistic, urban edge.”

WWW.inspiredhomeomaha.COM

The Bemis selected artwork for the building, including historic riverfront photos for the hallways, and partnered with D3 Interiors to create the lobby.

The Bemis also consulted with D3 Interiors, Designer’s Touch and The Interior Design Firm for the River Dreams tour.

Each condo on the tour featured at least one statement piece from a Bemis artist, plus contemporary art from local galleries and designer showrooms.

Here’s an exclusive look at how the design teams brought unique personality and flair to the nearly identical floor plans. The units were finished with the latest tiles,

countertops, flooring and fixtures, all coordinated with an eye toward comfortable elegance.

The exact or similar art and furnishings showcased remain available from the Bemis or the design firms.

INSPIRED HOME omaha

25

Unit

901

interior Design:

D3 Interiors

The design team

Michele Hybner

Lisa McCoid

Julie Odermatt

Brianne Wilhelm

Aaron Karp “Arenal, 2002” Acrylic on canvas 54” X 48”

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Each selection delivers a dramatic punch of color in just the right proportion. www.D3interiors.net Julie Odermatt, Lisa McCoid, Michele Hybner, Brianne Wilhelm

Unit 901

The original plan went out the window when the condo originally assigned to the designers sold mid-project.

Plan No. 2 The designers regrouped in an already-finished condo with natural maple flooring and cabinetry and neutral walls and countertops. Art selections now would drive furniture and accessory choices.

smartly done The designers found their inspiration in impact pieces from the Bemis and Lewis Art Gallery.

Each selection delivers a dramatic punch of color in just the right proportion.

especially effective In a masterful move, the designers propped a set of vibrant paintings against a wall in the master bedroom. What a great sight to begin a day!

INSPIRED HOME omaha

The design Terms

the design objective

27

Unit

1003

interior Design:

Designer’s Touch

The design Team

Brenda Anderson

Kayla Coy

Marian Holden

Peggy Kelley

Erin Svoboda

Contemporary pops of color and rich texture in hard surfaces and textiles distinguish this unit’s decor. The fireplace tile has a marbled metallic bronze finish.

At right, Mary Ann Strandell “The Road, 2005” Oil on canvas 60” X 60”

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Painting walls and ceilings the same color creates a cohesive space. www.edesignerstouch.com Marian Holden, Peggy Kelley, Erin Svoboda, Kayla Coy, Brenda Anderson

Unit 1003

the result Modern. Sophisticated.

Warm. Welcoming.

smartly done

Lorey Hobbs “Oracle, 2009” Acrylic on canvas 36” X 30”

WWW.inspiredhomeomaha.COM

The ceilings are painted the same deep browngray as the walls. The technique integrates the floor-to-ceiling windows without breaking up the room. Wide-plank, hand-scraped birch floors have an espresso stain that contrasts with white baseboards and door mouldings.

The kitchen features near-black cabinets and blue-gray granite countertops. Glass tiles, arranged in a vertical pattern, accent the backsplash.

INSPIRED HOME omaha

The design terms

the design objective To erase the misconception that urban living is cold and impersonal, and to create a space that feels like you’re enjoying a luxury vacation in your own home.

29

Unit

interior Design:

1101 The Interior Design Firm

The design Team

Becki Wiechman

30

Pam Stanek

Colin Smith “Stagger” Resin and pigment on aluminum 24’’ X 120’’

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2011

WWW.inspiredhomeomaha.COM

Wood flooring throughout the condo keeps options open for furniture placement. www.idfomaha.com Pam Stanek and Becki Wiechman

Unit 1101

the design objective

the result Sophisticated.

Contemporary.

Comfortable.

smartly done Wood flooring throughout the condo keeps the options open for furniture placement.

Rich staining provides elegant contrast: Espresso-toned birch floors; ginger-toned cherry cabinetry.

Neutral walls allow art pieces and furniture to star in the space.

WWW.inspiredhomeomaha.COM

INSPIRED HOME omaha

The design Terms

To create a space for both entertainment and personal solitude.

31

Relaxed & Impromptu FarmHouse Café & Bakery

Category One

Category One

FarmHouse Café & Bakery

BY TINA KING he high season of entertaining is upon us, when welcoming family and friends is at the heart of our many internal questions. Will we be hosts, will we be guests, what will we make, what will we bring? Sometimes an even better question is “Where can we meet and let the staff take care of everything?”

Whether we’re gathering to cheer a football team, give thanks or exchange gifts, it’s time to let warmth flow into our chilled bones and our open hearts.

If hosting is your game, Category One Gifts and Gourmet in Rockbrook Village is a happy place for browsing, plotting and planning your next affair. The rainbow-like row of Le Creuset cast iron cookware is enough to make a gourmet’s heart skip a beat. You’ll find knives worthy of a Food Network star and hosting accessories that are just plain fun. Who doesn’t need handpainted Herbie Husker wine goblets and snack trays? If you’re not the one doing the cooking, the store has the perfect answer to the hostess gift quandary. Pick up a gift

basket of yummy treats or kitchen gadgets so you don’t arrive empty-handed.

Or bring dessert. Forget about making the perfect crust and instead make your biggest decision among more than 30 pie varieties at FarmHouse Café & Bakery. Will it be plain apple, apple crumb or Dutch apple pie? And while Thanksgiving means you must have pumpkin pie, no one would probably be sad to see a strawberry rhubarb or sour cream raisin pie on the table.

Whether making your home holidayready means pulling out a Christmas tree

Category One Gifts and Gourmet 10922 Prairie Brook Road, Omaha 402.390.9684 www.categoryonegifts.com

FarmHouse Café & Bakery 3461 S. 84th St., Omaha 402.393.0640 www.farmhousecafe.com

Santa’s Woods 3764 State Hwy 133, Blair 402.426.5250 www.santaswoods.com

T

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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2011

WWW.inspiredhomeomaha.COM

Santa’s Woods

Charlie’s on the Lake

Charlie’s on the Lake

Charlie’s on the Lake

box or heading out to choose the real thing, you can at least add the scent of pine to your front door. Choosing the perfect wreath becomes an event at Santa’s Woods near Blair. After a pretty country drive, enjoy complimentary hot chocolate or apple cider while you pick from 10- to 24-inch wreaths – or special-order one measuring up to 60 inches. Then choose from dozens of bows and other embellishments and maybe even swags for the porch.

While the staff is putting it all together, you can rest on hay bales near the stove, Mannheim Steamroller www.shopmannheimsteamroller.com

WWW.inspiredhomeomaha.COM

Zin Room

browse the sales loft for crafts or chat with Santa. Outside, hayrack rides and Clydesdales wait to pull you to the Douglas fir and Scotch pines should you be tempted into the real deal.

In Omaha, no decorating blitz would be complete without more cocoa. Put on Mannheim Steamroller holiday music and soak up the season with the group’s very popular cinnamon hot chocolate mix. We know you were thinking of putting it in a gift basket, but sometimes gift-giving begins at home.

When cabin fever hits and you need to entertain elsewhere, gather around the tall stone fireplace at the Zin Room. The low lighting, roaming crooners and famous smoked gouda mac and cheese will make it a night to remember.

For a nightcap, warm up your insides with a specialty drink. Charlie’s on the Lake cheers patrons with the butterscotch schnapps of Indian Summer and the whiskey and whipped cream of Irish coffee. The restaurant has a whale of a martini selection, too.

Happy toasting.

Zin Room 316 S. 15th St., Omaha 402.991.0660 www.zinomaha.com

Charlie’s on the L ake 4150 S. 144th St., Omaha 402.894.9411 www.charliesonthelake.net

INSPIRED HOME omaha

33

Rock Darling peace necklace, $119, from Mesh at Shops of Legacy.

style

Holiday Rush

Tourmaline earrings, $129, from Elisa Ilana.

There’s no denying

that you like to sleep in. So when you scramble to get ready for work in the morning, you don’t always have time to focus on your outfit’s finishing touches. Remembering at the last minute that you have a holidayrelated event right after work only makes things worse. A few pieces of statement jewelry kept within easy reach can elevate any outfit from ordinary to sensational in seconds.

Rock Darling bracelet, $75, from Mesh.

AAchieve chieve tthe he LLook... ook ... ...At a FFraction ...At ract ion ooff the CCost. the ost .

Handsewn bead bracelets, $42 and $45, from The Mix at Countryside Village. The bracelets are part of an accessories collection made by Thai artisans. The accessories are imported for select boutiques by Brooke Deffenabaugh, a former Nebraskan who lives in Thailand. A portion of each sale is returned to the women who make the items.

Leather stud bracelets, $45 each, from The Mix. Project Harmony receives a donation from each sale through November.

COUNTERTOPSS UNLIMITED UNLIM MITED

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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2011

Peacock bracelet, $9.97, from Charming Charlie at Shadow Lake Towne Center.

Peacock headband, $12.97, from Charming Charlie.

WWW.inspiredhomeomaha.COM

Imagine...

You can almost hear the surf with the Royal Kahala Collection.

Born of the fusion of fiery lava and the ocean surf, the captivating black sand beaches of Hawaii and Polynesia are among nature’s most remarkable collaborations…and serve as inspiration for the exotic fusion of elements in Royal Kahala, the latest introduction from Tommy Bahama Home.

I

Inspiration

�

Innovation

�

n the Design Gallery at Nebraska Furniture Mart, our designers understand that a house should be glamorous, comfortable and easy to live in. It should also reflect your personality and lifestyle. Working with you in our store or in your home, our design professionals can help you transform your rooms into a fitting expression of your style.

Our design professionals are not only innovative, but have access and extensive knowledge of our eclectic selection of home furnishings — from living rooms, dining rooms and bedrooms to window treatments and more.

Design Ideas nfm.com

��� ����� ���� �� � ������ �� 800–359–1200 402–255–6327 ©2011 Nebraska Furniture Mart, Inc.

Don’t take our word for it.

Take theirs. Or theirs.

The Audi: A8 Best large luxury sedan.

— Car and Driver and Road & Track* A hearfelt thank-you to those benchmark publications for this distinction and for sharing with the world that the Audi A8 is truly a masterpiece of design and engineering. Built around the aluminum Audi Space Frame (ASF®), the A8 is nothing short of spectacular with its distinctive LED headlights, Bang & Olufsen® Advanced Sound System** and revolutionary MMI® touchpad. The Audi A8 experience was created to be second to none, and apparently now that’s official. Learn more at stanolsenaudi.com/A8

Luxury has progressed.

Stan Olsen Audi

808 North 102nd Street - Omaha, Nebraska 402- 397- 8200 - stanolsenaudi.com * Results based on recent comparison tests. Car and Driver, May 2011; Road & Track, October 2011. ** Full LED headlights and the Bang & Olufsen Advanced

Sound System are available options. “Audi,” “A8,” “ASF,” “MMI,” “Truth in Engineering,” the Audi Singleframe grille design, and the four rings and Audi emblems are registered trademarks of AUDI AG. “Bang & Olufsen” is a registered trademark of the Bang & Olufsen Group. © 2011 Audi of America, Inc.