Omaha Home_May 2023

AMPING UP the standard

OmahaHome ENTRYWAY

The arrival of our most colorful, fragrant season is here!

As I look back on growing up in a small town in Iowa, some of my fondest memories are associated with scents. Many lead back to my grandmother's house, where I would enjoy the wonderful aromas of her baking and her blooming lilac bush. Each Sunday after dinner, I would find myself in the backyard on her white, wooden swing gazing at the Weeping Willow and taking in the sweetness of these beautiful flowers. To this day, lilacs are a sentimental favorite of mine. And it’s quite fitting that they tend to bloom around Mother’s Day.

My other favorite flower is the hydrangea. I’ve made many flower arrangements using these beauties. With all the different varieties and the longevity of cut stems, hydrangeas are the perfect flower to create fresh and dried arrangements from spring up until late fall.

Inside this issue, professional horticulturist Ann Wickenhauser gives tips on selecting and growing hydrangeas in your own yard. We also spotlight carving artist Joe Krings, who creates one-of-akind wood sculptures, from eagles to totem poles to action figures. And, of course, we give you a peek into a few of Omaha’s most dazzling homes.

For all you readers, like me, who can’t celebrate the holiday with your moms this year, start a new tradition to remember them by. My mother loved carnations, so I will buy a pretty vase of them and enjoy for the both of us.

Happy Mother’s Day! Happy spring!

Contents

OMAHAHOME ENTRYWAY

THYME & THEORY Undercover Fun

MAKER Consumed by Carving

FEATURE A ‘Just Right’ Home

SPACES Birds of a Feather Sip Together

AT HOME Amping Up the Standard

FEATURE Black, White, and Red (Brick) All Over ARCHITECTURE Lady In Waiting

Sandy Matson Contributing Editor

Andrew and Sara Radil's oversized living room. The couple chose upgrades for their builder model home and infused an LA Modern style with clean lines, a neutral color scheme, and textured and wood accents. Story page 22. Photo by Bill Sitzmann.

“Lilacs are May in essence.”

— Jean Hersey, gardening guru and author

CREATE YOUR OWN

In nature, evolution can require a process of thousands of years.

At Curt Hofer & Associates, helping you to create your environment is second nature to us. Bring your designs, your inspiration, your preferences, pictures and even pins. Together we’ll move through a process that lets you ease into a flawless execution of your ideal surroundings.

Editorial

MANAGING EDITOR

LINDA PERSIGEHL

SENIOR EDITOR

JULIUS FREDRICK

SENIOR STAFF WRITER

KIM CARPENTER

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

MICHELLE HORST · LISA LUKECART

PATRICK M CGEE · VERONICA WORTMAN PLOETZ

SEAN ROBINSON · KARA SCHWEISS

JOEL STEVENS · ALLISON WEATHERLY

Creative

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

MATT WIECZOREK

GRAPHIC DESIGNER II

RENEÉ LUDWICK

GRAPHIC DESIGNER I

RACHEL BIRDSALL

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

MANDY MCGREGOR

Sales

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT

SALES & MARKETING

GIL COHEN

BRANDING SPECIALISTS

DAWN DENNIS · GEORGE IDELMAN

CONTRIBUTING BRANDING SPECIALISTS

GREG BRUNS · TIM M CCORMACK

PUBLISHER’S ASSISTANT / OMAHAHOME CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

SANDY MATSON

SENIOR SALES COORDINATOR

ALICIA HOLLINS

SALES COORDINATOR

SANDI M CCORMACK

Operations

BUSINESS MANAGER

KYLE FISHER

AD TRAFFIC MANAGER

DAVID TROUBA

DISTRIBUTION MANAGER

DAMIAN INGERSOLL Executive

PUBLISHER

TODD LEMKE

ASSOCIATE

BILL SITZMANN

Undercover FUn A well-planned screened porch becomes the ideal family hangout

M ay is here! The smells of spring (freshly cut grass might be my favorite) and the sounds of nature are some of the best parts of sitting outside in our yard.

My husband, Ryan, and I want to capture as much of this time as possible. When we started designing our house, it was important for us to create a space where we could be outside and enjoy the seasons with our kids…something better than what our patio alone could offer.

We began with the basics: create an area with enough space to include the entire family comfortably; provide overhead coverage from all

the elements; and offer good privacy. Our custom three-season porch meets those needs and more.

To increase function, we installed electrical outlets, a TV cabinet, recessed lights, and a ceiling fan with switches inside the room.

During the summer evenings, we use an automatic wall screen to enclose the space and keep the bugs out while we enjoy watching movies or entertaining with friends.

We have plans to add overhead electric infrared heaters to extend our enjoyment into the colder months, replacing the propane heaters we are currently using. In hindsight, we should have done this right away. Lesson learned.

During the summer evenings, we use an automatic wall screen to enclose the space and keep the bugs out while we enjoy watching movies or entertaining with friends. It also comes in handy with toddlers, keeping them closeby and out of the direct sunshine during the heat while they play with their water tables.

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w With the space being covered and screened in, the patio is much easier to keep clean, as dust, tree pollen, and leaves, etc. are kept out. This is a critical point for me, considering I’m always chasing after kids and because of the construction happening around us. (We’re currently finishing our basement.)

Decorations are kept to a minimum so we can easily adjust throughout the seasons and bring in toys and pool towels. A rug keeps the space grounded and brings an inside-living feel to the outdoor space. Large couches made with easy-care fabric and several tables allow for plenty of comfy seating when entertaining.

The best part is we can use the porch for the majority of the year.  From sipping coffee in the morning while enjoying beautiful sunrise views to drinking lemonade after swimming in the pool and needing a break from the rays, to curling up in a blanket on chilly evenings with a hot toddy, our family uses the porch to enjoy quality time together month after month. It’s our wish come true.

With that, I am off to enjoy another cup of coffee on the patio. This time by myself. Shhh, don’t tell.

This article is part of a series chronicling the design-build of Michelle Horst's Midwest coastal retreat home in west Omaha. For more photos and decorating ideas, follow her on Instagram #ThymeandTheory

Decorations are kept to a minimum so we can easily adjust throughout the seasons and bring in toys and pool towels.

Following an odd/even watering schedule can help reduce system load.

Joe Krings has a passion for tooling characters in wood

Well before he took up the art of wood carving, Joe Krings was good with his hands.

A welder by trade, he returned to school to earn a degree in computer animation and studio art, paying his way by working construction, learning framing, dry wall, and concrete. All those skills, he said, have served him well in his new career as a creator.

After graduating from the University of Nebraska at Omaha, he returned home to Lindsay, Nebraska, and started a family. With his wife working, he took up the role of stay-at-home dad.

It was in the spare two to three hours during the day with his newborn that Krings took up the hobby that would become his career. It started out as a creative outlet scratching and gluing some pieces here, carving some works for friends and family there and eventually, became his business, Krings Karvings.

Six years on from first putting his carving skills to work, Krings can’t imagine doing anything else.

“It’s become my thing. It’s my passion,” he said. “I can’t really think of anything else. It’s a challenge to see what I can pull off.”

In the home he built not far from where he grew up in Lindsay, Nebraska, Krings turns raw hunks of cedar and spruce into works of art. Custom, handmade carvings with tools as varied as the tiniest awl to a chainsaw and blow torch. He guesses he’s made more than 300 pieces. Animals, mailboxes and tree art, wooden figures, toys, statues, and everything in between. He’s sold more than 250 works. But he admits, he prefers the pieces that aren’t run-of-the-mill, are more pop-culture inspired, and maybe don’t fly off the shelves.

“I can carve bears and eagles and owls all day because people love them,” said Krings, 45. “That’s what they want in their house. But I like carving ’80s characters Predator, Robocop, Star Wars things…things that interest me. I don’t always have a lot of time to do that because there aren’t a lot of customers for that out here, so I have to pay the bills. A lot of times it’s whatever sells is kind of what I’m doing.”

Krings cuts, carves, sands, burns, stains, and varnishes each piece meticulously by hand. The soft wood species pine, fir, and spruce tend to be the easiest to carve but don’t have the staying power of the hardwoods, which are tougher to carve and punishing on tools.

“There are 100,000 people out there carving, and I try not to look at their stuff.”

- JOE KRINGS

Story Joel Stevens || Photography Bill Sitzmann || Design Rachel Birdsall

Krings prefers red cedar, black walnut, and spruce. It’s the challenge, and just how fickle wood can be, that Krings loves.

“There are 100,000 people out there carving, and I try not to look at their stuff […] I try to always do something original or put a spin on it in my way, shape, or form.”

From concept to carve, Krings will sometimes sketch out his design or watch videos, studying the subject for weeks.

“If I’m doing a mule, I’ll eat, sleep, and drink mules until the day I start carving. I’ll do reference drawings just for my own thoughts to keep myself on track. As far as planning out all these proportions, I usually just go by the seat of my pants.”

The largest piece he’s carved is a 7-foot standing black bear. Carved from a solid, 700-pound elm, it took more than 40 hours of work. The most intricate of his recent works includes a Hereford bull and buffalo carved from spruce.

Cuts and gouges on his hands and massive logs toppling, threatening to crush him, aren’t uncommon. He said he’s made many mistakes and finds he learns more about the process the more he makes.

His long-term goal is a website plying his wares or maybe even a small storefront in Lindsay down the road. He’s always on the lookout for larger-scale commissions, perhaps for zoos or habitats.

“I’d love to do these huge carvings and just be contracted and busy with this kind of work until I can’t do it anymore,” he said.

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“If I’m doing a mule, I’ll eat, sleep, and drink mules until the day I start carving."

- JOE KRINGS

S tory Lisa Lukecart || Photography Bill Sitzmann Design Rachel Birdsall

A

‘Just Right’ Home

Joy and Terry Johnson build a not too big, not too small retirement nest

Joy and Terry Johnson have a cautionary tale to share. In 2019, the couple (in their 50s) built a new ranch house and downsized from their two-story dwelling in Bennington. But after entertaining mainly at home during the first year of the global pandemic, it became apparent that a sizable mistake needed remedying. The new home made them feel like sardines in a “tin can.”

“We couldn’t even sit in the same room together,” Joy mentioned. “I thought…it’s just not working.”

Terry, a 34-year veteran financial advisor, crunched the numbers on whether to add on to their existing home. He also considered the addition might make the home look choppy, and that his neighbors might be less than pleased with an awkward design.

At the same time, low existing home inventory and higher home prices due to the pandemic made buying another home in their beloved Elkhorn neighborhood improbable. The Johnsons considered throwing in the towel.

“The next thing we knew, we were building a new house,” yet again, Joy explained.

After it sold in 2021, the Johnsons rented it back from the new owners (delayed in California) for almost a year while Echelon Homes constructed a modern farmhouse ranch just blocks away.

The home’s layout and architectural elements maximize space so it feels grand and airy rather than closed-in. Blonde alder wood beams with a clear-coat finish luxuriously stretch from the country-style entrance doors to the patio. The impressive, pointed cathedral ceiling enhances breathing room even more than the extra square footage.

“Joy had a design in mind, and it was fun picking her brain,” said Darren Thomas, a project manager with Echelon Homes.

Her design included a double-sided gas fireplace that heats the sitting room. It’s white brick adds a rustic touch. Joy can sink into the room’s snowy white sofa, stretching out her legs while reading a thriller under an arched lamp. Or the couple can spend an afternoon working a puzzle while seated at a blonde woodside table next to the window. A black and white striped rug ties in the tonality of a round marble-topped table. Couch pillows in terracotta and sea green complement the room’s sage floral accent wallpaper. Joy, a retail vice president at home décor boutique Fluff Market, has helped customers make design choices for almost 20 years.

“I love pillows, so it’s a dangerous place to work,” Joy said, laughing. “Pillows are like jewelry.”

“Pillows are like jewelry.”

- Joy Johnson

“I feel like this is our home. I wish we could have moved into this from the get-go.”

- Terry Johnson

Wicker proves another irresistible item for Joy, as woven baskets, lamps, and trays are artfully arranged throughout the house. Sadie, a golden retriever and shepherd mix, would rather snuggle with anyone than worry about the décor. Mini goldendoodle Willis, though, loves to propel himself off a bench as he flies over the back of the pale couch in the living room. The Defender performance fabric protects against any possible paw prints.

Joy brought home brown leather saddle chairs with ebony metal armrests from the shop. A decorative tree stump accent table stands ready for drinks. Sand-colored vinyl plank floors shine next to pops of dark hues. A dormer window over the front entryway lets the sunshine in.

Woven plates cascading down a living room wall play well with the modern, black metal chandelier in the dining area. Beige chairs beg someone to share a meal around the long, wooden table. Joy and Terry’s son and daughter, along with their spouses, stop by regularly for family meals. A stocked coffee bar, conveniently next to the refrigerator, allows guests to enjoy a beverage with dessert.

Soft faux leather bar stools surround a kitchen island that blends warm wood with a quartz top, offering a popular gathering spot. Cone-shaped lights with raindrop glass hang down dramatically to illuminate the area. Charcoal matte appliances keep away pesky fingerprints, and glass pantry doors hide away boxes and cans of food while catching the sunlight.

Terry, 57, tucks away his meat-smoking supplies in the mud room. He prefers to leave the design elements to his wife of 30 years, who’s an interior design graduate.

“She is good with color and how it works. I trust her immensely,” Terry said.

Terry is accustomed to spending time in their finished basement, as many Nebraskans do, unlike native Californian Joy for whom basements are a rarity. Friends amass around the television for sporting events, especially college football games. Smokey-hued sectionals and chairs and a fireplace lend ambiance.

Terry fetches coffee from the lounge area during the day while working from his home office for BancWest Investment Services. A darker paneled accent wall creates an eye-catching splash amongst the neutral tones. A Sonos sound system pumps in relaxing jazz or awesome 80s music. Photos splash another wall with memories.

“I feel like this is our home. I wish we could have moved into this from the get-go,” Terry said.

“It feels warmer, cozier,” Joy agreed.

Upsizing has definitely had an upside. Extra wiggle room remains vital, especially now that first grandson, Jude, entered the picture in March.

GITT CONSTRUCTION BUILDER PROFILE

Gitt Construction is recognized as one of the Omaha metro premier remodeling companies, specializing in design-build home remodeling from start to flawless finish. Their experienced team of carpenters, project managers, and designers provide homeowners with innovative design, exclusive materials, and high-quality in-house construction for kitchens, bathrooms, basements, additions, and whole home remodel projects. Gitt Construction is locally owned and operated by Tim Silknitter, who purchased the business in 2020 after 25 years in the commercial opening industry. His past executive construction experience provides him with the ability to manage projects with grace and precision. “I started swinging a hammer at the age of 8, helping my family with their rental properties. Those skills have stayed with me, and I never stop learning about a new product or process,” said Tim. He earned an Architectural Degree from UNL and worked with local architectural firms in his early professional years. “A well-designed space will add considerable value and happiness to your home. We love helping homeowners alongside designers to reimage their space and bring their ideas into reality.” Tim loves riding motorcycles with his wife, Anne, of 24 years; and they have two talented children pursuing their careers, Kate and Colton.

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SPACES

Birds of a feather sip togetheᄦ

Birds of a feather sip togetheᄦ

Kate Hemminghaus Tea Room Experience

Kate Hemminghaus puts on a tea kettle inside her historic Dundee home. She and a friend arrange cups and snacks on a vintage tray she purchased from an antique vendor on Etsy. When the water is piping hot, they head upstairs to her peacock-themed tea room.

Hemminghaus’ artful curation transformed a small sitting room into a stylish salon for special company and meaningful conversation. The decor features a refined and curious collection, handpicked by Hemminghaus from her favorite stores, estate sales, and antique dealers. Much like her guests and their conversations, the room accents are cherished and have backstories. While she’s acquired some firsthand, many of the furnishings are finds from another time.

Upon entering the tea room, a Rifle Paper Co. mural of peacocks and botanicals catches the eye, spreading a dramatic plume of color across the wall.

“I love peacocks and knew I wanted a room in my home to reflect that,” Hemminghaus said. “When I was a little girl, our family would go to the zoo, I would collect peacock feathers, bring them home and arrange them.” The appreciation for beauty and nostalgia drives Hemminghaus’ style choices. She reaches for one of two matching antique switch plates, turning on a blossom wall sconce and flush-mount overhead fixture cascading soft light through frosted glass petals.

The tea tray is set to rest upon a peacock-themed, brass-finished iron side table with a glass top. The lighting and table are from Anthropologie.

“I love peacocks and knew I wanted a room in my home to reflect that. When I was a little girl, our family would go to the zoo, I would collect peacock feathers, bring them home and arrange them.”

- Kate Hemminghaus

SPACES

Tea for two is best enjoyed from the comfort of two memorable perches. An asymmetrical, triangular club swivel chair is one of the first pieces of real furniture Hemminghaus purchased from Elán Contemporary Furnishings as a young professional 20 years ago. An embroidered chair, designed by Paige Gemmel for Anthropologie, features a combination of animal and botanical appliques in exciting colors. Hemminghaus recalls it fondly as the first item she won by bid at a Pat Mapes estate sale.

“Bidding at an estate sale is such a thrilling experience,” Hemminghaus said. “I really love this chair. I remember going back to check on it several times that weekend.” Mapes, a successful estate sale service provider in the Omaha area, confirmed, “There is always a lot of anticipation around oneof-a-kind items.” At any time, someone could offer to purchase a bidded item for full price, voiding any bids. “Truly unique items under bid can be lost, tears have been shed,” Mapes said. “I always try to help bidders with a strategy for success.”

Hemminghaus, now a posh grand millennial, has had a finger on the style pulse of Omaha since high school. She worked at the once locally famous clothing boutique, Post and Nickel. After a long run, the store closed, and Hemminghaus purchased two of the store’s stained glass windows. Natural light now filters through them into the tea room. A white antique dresser anchors the space, as well as a place in her memory. Hemminghaus recalls purchasing the dresser at one of the very first Junkstock events. It was pouring rain at the farm that weekend. Hemminghaus and the antique dealer literally pulled the dresser out of the mud and she hauled it home. Atop the dresser are a collection of vintage trays, vases, and a framed peacock painting found on Facebook Marketplace. Hemminghaus knows a good room is never finished.

“I am having fun and a little bit of heartburn, trying to find the perfect art deco, brass and glass, tea trolley with crystal detailed legs,” Hemminghaus said. “I’m willing to wait for the perfect one, and a great deal.”

AMPING UP the standard

The Radils add cool, custom touches to a builder model home, emulating the LA look they love

STORY || Kara Schweiss

PHOTOGRAPHY || Bill Sitzmann

DESIGN || Rachel Birdsall

A

ndrew and Sara Radil built their previous home, so when plans began for their new home in the Granite Lake neighborhood in Papillion, they knew what they wanted, what they didn’t want, and even what they thought they wanted in their last home but discovered wasn’t quite right for them.

So, for their “forever home,” the couple started with one of their builder’s standard models and customized various facets of the design. And they ended up getting the look and all the details they wanted.

“They really like modern, clean lines,” Ideal Designs/Trademark Homes owner/partner Ryan Krejci said. “We really like the kitchen, the neat upgraded appliances, and the high ceilings and fireplace in the great room…we enjoyed working with the clients.”

Among the Radils’ refinements were taller doorways, a tray ceiling, and a soffit atop the kitchen wall cabinets.

“Part of the way that I design is large-scale. Bigger is better, in my mind,” Sara said, adding that some of the inspiration for the basic look of the house was from her employer HDR’s new headquarters facility. “There’s a lot of white and black and raw wood, and I think it’s so beautiful,” she explained.

She and her husband have also watched plenty of real estate and home-design shows on television, Sara added. “And I have thousands of pictures of just inspiration on my phone.”

“The one style that we could agree on was sort of this LA modern/contemporary style; and the wood, the black, and the light wood floors and white everywhere,” she said.

The couple made a few changes along the way, like the pale floors.

“That was such a last-minute choice,” Andrew said, describing the original wood stain color he chose as evocative of a basketball court. “I had the worst floors picked out.”

The kitchen cabinetry, he added, was supposed to be painted black.

We came in and saw them when they were raw. And they were just so beautiful,” Sara said. “We said we couldn’t paint them. So, we did a very light whitewash on them to remove some of the yellow, because they’re birch.”

“The one style that we could agree on was sort of this LA modern/contemporary style; and the wood, the black and the light wood floors and white everywhere.”

—Sara Radil

The results are still very contemporary, she said, with the added bonus that the cabinets will now be more resistant to fingerprints from the couple’s 3-year-old daughter, Kenna, and her new sibling, expected later this year.

The couple was able to apply Andrew’s Nebraska Furniture Mart employee pricing to high-end Fisher & Paykel and Zephyr appliances. They worked with kitchen contractor CKF on the quartz countertops and with Titan Custom Cabinets for the cabinetry. The backsplash is made up of large panel tiles, an unusual look that is carried into the home’s bathrooms.

Andrew and Sara’s last home was a two-story design, so they chose a ranch plan for their new home and made some layout changes to maximize the great room size for family activities. It also gives their dogs, Kobe, Doc, and Rusty, more roaming room. A bedroom on the main level was removed from the plan.

“The original layout for this model has a two bedrooms over there with a jack-and-jill [bathroom] in between them,” Andrew said. “So, this is all just pushed forward.”

“We actually extended this area to have a really big living room versus an extra bedroom up here,” Sara said. “It makes this room larger for our kid – and eventually, kids to be able to play. And when we have parties, we want people to be able to just enjoy this area, with everything right here. We also did double sliders [patio doors]. Yes, we live in Nebraska, but there are certain times of the year that I can leave them both open and just enjoy that indoor/outdoor living.”

The great room features large, industrial-sized windows with motorized blackout shades for privacy at night. “The builder has brought people in to show them that option for window layout,” Sara said.

Another modification was for sheer convenience.

“The closet, the master bathroom, and the laundry room all connect,” Andrew explained. “There’s a door here normally; we took that door out so it’s all right there,” he said while motioning to show room flow.

The lower level, to be finished later, was thoughtfully designed with two bedrooms and a second laundry room, along with additional entertainment space.

“There’s a lot of white and black and raw wood, and I think it’s so beautiful.”

—Sara Radil

AT HOME

One big lesson from the last house was making sure the new garage space wasn’t too tight. There’s abundant room for maintenance equipment and a workshop area, the space is heated, and windows provide some natural lighting to augment the interior fixtures.

The couple’s taste for simplicity generally equates to reduced clutter and less maintenance, and nods to their practical side. The Radil home’s luxurious touches and investments in quality are balanced by great finds, like large wall art from World Market, and by working in existing pieces, like the light leather sofa from their last house. And they’re always looking for good deals on items like the tall stools they have envisioned for the kitchen island, Andrew said.

The Radils, who met in high school and returned to the Omaha area after Andrew completed military service, said they especially appreciate family gatherings and look forward to hosting indoor parties and cook-outs in the backyard. They applied some customization outdoors by extending the patio area; it’s partially covered and exposed to sunshine and great for entertaining. They’re still working on landscaping, but the plans are for what else? simple greenery and clean lines. “Even in the outdoors,” Sara said.

The couple’s taste for simplicity generally equates to reduced clutter and less maintenance, and nods to their practical side.

B LACK, WHITE, AND RED (BRICK) ALL OVER:

Dramatic downtown condo mixes modern luxe and masculine flair

STORY SEAN ROBINSON

PHOTOGRAPHY BILL SITZMANN DESIGN RACHEL BIRDSALL

With its black and brick interior, it’s hard to believe Michael Murphy and Tim Ganser’s downtown Omaha condo was inspired by the sunny shores of California. When they first saw the space nearly three years ago, it was a just a shell of its now ultra-chic self. Exposed piping, unfinished walls, and concrete stretching from the back door to the front greeted them.

Talk about a first impression but what the couple saw before them was a 1,350-squarefoot blank canvas. Remembering dreams shared during SoCal strolls, they knew this unfinished listing that had frightened buyers aways for weeks had potential to become a masterpiece of a home.

“I wasn’t scared of the challenge of turning this into something livable,” Murphy said. “When we lived in California, we used to walk past the empty shops off Seal Beach. We would have this joke where we would say, ‘What we would do with a space like that?’ We found that here.”

Three years later, what was once a single, narrow, sizable room is now a two-bedroom, two-bath condo, with each corner and countertop carefully curated to Murphy and Ganser’s liking. Sharp finishes. LED lights shining high from 16-foot ceilings. A fireplace that looks like it belongs in the lobby of an art deco hotel or a Bond villain’s lair.

The space may not be huge, but it’s big on style. Stepping through the front door, the condo’s design is mostly modern, offering little evidence this condo was once a turnof-the-20th-century print shop. Or that it’s part of a building dating back to 1910. The original brick remains while everything else has been made new.

“We embraced the idea of adaptive reuse, where you take old buildings and find new uses for them,” Murphy said. “There are so many great spaces some wonderful warehouses sitting empty in Omaha where something industrial can become a cozy home.”

Much of the work needed to take this little piece of 15th and Leavenworth from the past to the present was undertaken by the couple themselves. As the marketing director of Lee Douglas Interiors, Murphy had the resources to act as the primary interior decorator of the home. He had the experience and skills, too. Murphy has worked as a design producer on HGTV’s “Design on a Dime” and as well as Discovery’s “Interior Motives” and “The Christopher Lowell Show.”

Murphy and Ganser marked up their own floor plans, choose all the design finishes, and created a PowerPoint presentation to show their contractor exactly what they dreamed the space to be. Even before architectural drawings were approved, the couple had tile on order.

“I’m a big planner and somebody who wants things ahead of time,” Murphy said. “As soon as we got the go ahead that this was ours, the building started speaking to us and telling us what we wanted.”

That wish list of wants included a stark black kitchen. The island that’s perfectly sized for entertaining? Dark as coal. Every cabinet door? Like ink. The high-end stove? Yep, it’s black, too.

“As soon as we got the go ahead that this was ours, the building started speaking to us and telling us what we wanted.”

—Michael Murphy

“I wasn’t scared of the challenge of turn I ng th I s I nto someth I ng l I vable.”

- mI chael m urphy

That color theme carries over to their primary bathroom, which includes a waterfall shower with glass doors that more than double the height of standard bath fixtures. Just a lazy morning stroll away from bed are all the trimmings of a professional spa.

“It’s a very masculine and calming space in many ways,” Ganser said. “We’re mostly home in the evenings, too, so it’s more a nighttime place. We didn’t want to overclutter it too much.”

Clutter there isn’t, but a bookshelf that runs along their hallway proudly displays artifacts from travels to all corners of the globe. Whether it’s a doll from Ecuador they’ve lovingly named Beyonce or paintings from a market in Paris, each item holds a memory. Gasner, who once served as the vice president of the international division at Nielsen ratings, has been to more than 30 countries; on many of those trips, Murphy accompanied him.

“I want this space to tell the story of us,” Ganser said. “It should tell the history of our travels and the things that are important to us. It’s a reflection of the 25 years we’ve spent together.”

This downtown condo as a setting to their story is still in its first chapters after two years of renovations, the couple moved in this past November. Their first summer here is coming up. From their floor-to-ceiling front windows, they’ll trade watching evening snow pile up for hazy July sunrises.

“This place has never been a home before. This is the first time,” Murphy said. “We just wanted to do it justice.”

“I want this space to tell the story of us. It should tell the history of our travels and the things that are important to us. It’s a reflection of the 25 years we’ve spent together.”

- Tim Ganser

Architecture

HISTORIC CORNISH MANSION REBORN FROM THE ASHES

It’s known as the Cornish Mansion. Sometimes, the “Lady Cornish.” Maybe even affectionately as the “Addams’ Family House.” But the full name for the French Second Empire residence situated at 1404 South 10th Street on the edge of Little Italy is officially the “Joel N. Cornish House,” and it’s one of Omaha’s grandest, most historic, and readily recognizable homes. It’s also one that has experienced significant change, weathered an almost cataclysmic fire, and is once again welcoming new residents inside its historic walls.

Built in 1866 for the Cornish family, whence the three-and-a-half story structure takes its name, the brick residence is distinctive for its strikingly sloped slate Mansard roof, crowning cupola, and arched windows. Born in 1828, patriarch Joel Northrup Cornish was a lawyer, who became a colonel in the Iowa Cavalry and saw action during the Civil War. He arrived in Omaha in 1866 and served as the city’s first park commissioner. His family included his wife, Virginia, and four children: Ada, Anna, Albert, and Edward.

Such a large family, coupled with the Cornish’s prominent social standing, necessitated a “proper” residence. The Cornish mansion, with its distinctive French architecture, met that need with its impressive 13,838-square-foot sprawling layout that included 15 rooms, wooden parquet

floors, 13-foot ceilings, and four fireplaces. Each family member enjoyed private sitting rooms adjacent to their sleeping quarters, a true marker of upper-class status. According to legend, the ballroom on the third floor hosted parties that included guests such as Omaha-born actor Henry Fonda.

While the majestic home owed a debt to the French, it also had clear American influences in terms of residential architecture; most notably, its veranda. Cornish was born in Oneida, New York, and it’s no coincidence his upbringing there influenced his architectural taste.

“We’re not the East Coast, where you see more architecture like this,” said Tim Reeder, a realtor specializing in old homes who is co-owner/co-broker of Better Homes & Gardens and The Good Life Group. He also serves as president of Restoration Exchange Omaha, an organization dedicated to preserving cultural and historic architecture. “Omaha only has three homes like this, and the Cornish Mansion is the most grand. It’s just so stately.”

Throughout the 20th century, the Cornish Mansion saw its share of changes. Colonel Cornish died in 1908, and the house was made into apartments in 1911. During subsequent decades, additions were tacked on; so, too, were architectural flourishes removed. The mansion stayed within

“Omaha only has three homes like this, and the Cornish Mansion is the most grand. It’s just so stately.”

-Tim Reeder

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the Cornish family until 1956 when it was sold. It changed hands again two years later, when Grace University purchased it for campus housing. While Reeder said he prefers to see such residences remain intact, the change most likely saved the structure.

“It very likely would have been destroyed,” he explained. “As an income property, the money maintains it.”

Today, the Cornish Mansion is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and in 2017, was designated an Omaha Local Landmark. In February 2021, though, an accidental fire occurred when a maintenance worker attempted to defrost frozen pipes. A propane heater ignited nearby items and, despite the worker’s efforts to put out the fire using an extinguisher, he was unable to contain it. The nine-unit building sustained an estimated $579,000 worth of damage, which included significant destruction to the third and fourth floors. No tenants were injured in the blaze.

The current property owner, Gina Basile of B & B properties, didn’t hesitate to undertake a painstaking restoration of the property, which Reeder helped chronicle online.

“I give big accolades to Gina,” he said. “She has been a consummate owner and steward of that home. She’s passionate about it.”

As of March 2023, the Cornish Mansion is once again accepting tenant applications.

“It’s special,” said Reeder. “It’s one of Omaha’s oldest and most historic homes. I’m so happy it’s going to be around a little longer.”

For more information, visit oldomaha.com/ blog/restoring-the-cornish-mansion-in-omaha and restorationexchange.org.

2023 First Place

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2023 Winner

Landscape Designer

2022 Winner

Harvest Tips on planting and maintaining the perennial favorite

S tory Patrick McGee / Design Rachel Birdsall

Mother’s Day is Sunday, May 14. It’s one of the biggest holidays for floral sales, both stunning cut-flower bouquets and pretty, potted varieties. Mid-May in Nebraska also ushers in the first opportunity to plant without the threat of frost while bringing gentle spring rains and cool temperatures. Undoubtedly, many metro green thumbs will take to their flower beds and gardens this month to plant hydrangeas, which produce some of the prettiest blooms to be had.

Hydrangeas are a common sight in Omaha landscapes. Their radiant seed heads (panicles) add clusters of white, green, and other colors to yards throughout the growing season. And after they bloom, their dried seed heads hang around, adding interest in the fall and winter months.

Ann Wickenhauser, a veteran horticulturalist (and my aunt) said, “[The panicles] look really cool on those icy days.” Wickenhauser specializes in floraculture, a branch of horticulture that works with flowering plants and arrangements. She absolutely loves hydrangeas. “They’re timeless!” she said, adding that their panicles are a good choice for both weddings and funerals. “They are probably the No. 1 selling shrub right now.”

As a child playing with my sister and cousins in my aunt’s South Omaha yard, I recall a full border of lime white panicles along a hill. “I had 30 of them,” Wickenhauser remembered. Now 30 years later, her hideaway garden at her Ralston home displays a variety of dwarf hydrangeas, including “Bobo.” “[It’s] just a cutie patootie!” she exclaimed.

In addition to being popular, hydrangeas are relatively inexpensive and can be purchased from garden and hardware stores alike. “They’re one of the most developed shrubs there is,” as a result of hybridization, she explained. Different varieties have blooms that range from light green to pink to blue. “They have cute little names like “Little Lime, Annabelle, Little Annabelle,” she said. Wickenhauser said modern varieties do not require soil additives to achieve colorful panicles. The “Endless Summer” variety shades a traditional blue; although admittedly it isn’t as hardy in Nebraska as others. She recommends planting newer varieties to avoid using chemicals to achieve colors.

Hydrangeas are also exceptionally easy to grow, Wickenhauser said. “The No. 1 tip is don’t plant them too deep,” she said. Also, “don’t drown them” or overmulch, she added. Once hydrangeas are established, they don’t need frequent watering except during drought conditions. “That’s why they’re so perfect,” she explained.

Wickenhauser said because so many varieties exist, it's important to read the labels and follow directions on sun exposure and shade tolerance. Gardeners should also be cognizant of how the landscape will change over time when choosing a planting spot.

“More than anything,” she said, “don’t cut them at the wrong time.” The greater share of hydrangeas bloom from new growth. Cut them back early in the spring, regardless of type. Removing the previous year’s panicles is all that is required for new blooms. Another piece of advice: don’t overtrim. “If you don’t want a 6-foot hydrangea, don’t buy a 6-foot hydrangea (variety) that’s why they make dwarves.”

A decade ago, my mom, Diane McGee, planted six “Ruby Slipper” hydrangeas, hedging the brick front porch of their century-old Elmwood Park home. The display is spectacular. The “Ruby” panicles break up the brick wall and provide a vibrant backdrop, like crackling fireworks, behind the “Knockout” roses and creeping clematis nearer the boulevard. In the winter, the

foliage turns blazing red before defoliation. To the side, she planted “Lime Light” hydrangeas. The “Ruby” variety blooms early and prolific, and the “Lime Light” blooms later. (She planted an impressively tall and prolific bloomer of unknown variety at my little Aksarben house as well.)

For maintenance, McGee said, “I actually don’t do anything [to them]. They are real easy to take care of,” she said. “All you have to do is trim them [in the spring].” Anything more complicated, she asks my aunt. “She’s an expert,” and a “real[ly] good designer.”

Regardless of expertise, hydrangeas are accessible and pretty easy to grow. They are extraordinarily forgiving, and they thrive in Omaha’s weather and 5b hardiness growing zone. An average gardener could plant hydrangeas this Mothers’s Day and, with just a bit of effort and know-how, have gorgeous, vivid blooms for many summers to come.

This spring and summer, MUD will be asking Omaha homeowners to abide by an alternating odd-even watering and lawn irrigation schedule to help reduce demands on the water system during peak days. For more info, visit mudomaha.com/news/ spring-planning-odd-even-watering-helpsreduce-system-load/

“They’re timeless! They are probably the No. 1 selling shrub right now.”

–Ann Wickenhauser

ASID Award Feature

STORY Allison Weatherly, designer, The Modern Hive PHOTOGRAPHY Mandy McGregor

DESIGN Rachel Birdsall

Our clients purchased this Westside ranch house, built in 1953 in the Loveland neighborhood, for their young, growing family. As designers, we were tasked with injecting the homeowners’ personal style into the interior decor, bringing visual interest into each space, and improving overall functionality.

We began by removing the early 2000s interior design elements. The yellowish-beige tile surround on the fireplace, traditional light fixtures and oak cabinetry, arched display niches on the walls, and old carpet all needed to go.

We chose a natural yet modern aesthetic for the re-design using a monochromatic base, organic materials, subtle geometric patterns, and a pop of color. We also worked to take full advantage of the plentiful natural light this house had to offer, and incorporate comfort and durability in furniture and finishes.

Working with the existing floor plan offered our design team a few challenges. To gain more space in the dining room, we removed two bulky, built-in cabinetry pieces, as the client did not need that much dish storage. Once these were removed, we found an old air vent that had been hidden by upper cabinets. We also learned we’d have to replace the flooring, as it was placed after the cabinetry, and piecing holes left behind wasn’t an option.

An accent wall with wallpaper had been planned for the vent wall, so we chose a minimalist, flat Aria vent to provide as seamless a look as possible. We also selected new carpet for the dining room and living room that coordinated well with the new furnishings.

Our team also created a more functional living room. We eliminated the living room wall niche and added electrical outlets above the fireplace to accommodate a TV. We then added a fireplace mantel and a geometric tile fireplace surround to offset the big TV above. We also added custom drawers, shelving, and sconces to create a functional nook where the TV had been located. The family is now able to display family photos and has greater storage for their growing needs.

We used many custom and durable materials in this project, which was a priority to our clients because of their dogs and baby. We installed a vinyl grasscloth wallpaper for extra texture and a natural look for the new nook and fireplace area. The vinyl can be cleaned with soap and water.

CHOSE A NATURAL YET MODERN AESTHETIC FOR THE RE-DESIGN USING A MONOCHROMATIC BASE, ORGANIC MATERIALS, SUBTLE GEOMETRIC PATTERNS, AND A POP OF COLOR.

We also chose performance fabrics, such as Crypton and vinyl fabric that resembles leather but is easier to maintain. And we used durable paint, selected a rug made out of material that is safe for outdoor use, and went with quality metal and wood accents that are wipeable. The carpet chosen is also more resistant to wear and has a backing that prevents liquids from seeping through.

Even while choosing practical furnishings and materials, we accomplished a custom look for our clients’ home with wallpaper accent walls, embroidered and custom drapery, textured and uniquely shaped furniture pieces, and other small details.

When we started this project, this husband and wife both Omaha-based doctors were expecting their first baby. Their little boy was born before the project was completed, and they’ve since grown to a family of four. Their modern, functional home is sure to serve them in style for many years to come.

Designer Allison Weatherly with The Modern Hive was recognized with a Gold Award for this project at the 2022 Nebraska/Iowa Chapter ASID Awards held last September. The project also won Weatherly the Emerging Professional Award.