Omaha Home July/August 2023

ALWAYS LOCAL, ALWAYS BEAUTIFUL

GOING WITH THE FLOW

OmahaHome ENTRYWAY

In this summer edition of Omaha HOME you’ll find plenty of inspiration, whether it’s to renovate your home, redecorate, or simply spend the weekend on a DIY decor project like I did, remaking a bargain canvas painting into a beautiful heron artwork (pg. 8).

As you’re cruising through this issue, you may notice a bit of a trend. Birds appear in three stories, as they’re an extremely trendy design element. (Seeing them in modern decor is actually where I got my inspiration.) There are countless ways to incorporate charming birds into your decor. Wallpaper has made a big comeback, and covering one wall with a bold bird-themed print can make a statement without overwhelming the room (See the Starmers’ powder room, pg. 25). You can decorate with bird figurines, as the Martens did in their kitchen nook (pg. 28). You can also frame a bird print or a piece of ornate bird-themed wrapping paper, as shared in the photo here. (This vintage frame was second hand as well!)

Take full advantage of this laid-back season before fall comes knocking at the door. Have a wonderful summer and enjoy all that Omaha has to offer!

Contents

OMAHAHOME ENTRYWAY

THYME & THEORY A Well-Planned Pool Paradise

DIY Canvas Painting

BUILDER PROFILE Lambrecht Glass Studio

FEATURE Refurbishing a Forever Home

AT HOME Going With the Flow

SPACES Recipe For a Charming Utility Kitchen

FEATURE Design Through the Times

ARCHITECTURE A Bensonhurst Gem

Sandy Matson Contributing Editor

GREEN Bat Removal ASID AWARD Blush

"In June we picked the clover, and sea shells in July."

- Cecil Day-Lewis, Irish Poet

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

LEO ADAM BIGA · MEGAN KEYSER

LISA LUKECART · PATRICK MCGEE

COURTNEY OTTE · VERONICA WORTMAN PLOETZ

MICHELLE HORST

Creative

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

MATT WIECZOREK

GRAPHIC DESIGNER II

RENEÉ LUDWICK

GRAPHIC DESIGNER I

RACHEL BIRDSALL

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

SARAH LEMKE · 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 PUBLISHER

" So meday, I will use the sundeck for laying out…when I’m not on constant lifeguard duty. But until then, I’ll enjoy the little ones giggling and splashing to their hearts’ content."

—Michelle Horst

The “Dog Days of Summer.” When I hear that phrase, I think about barbecuing with family and friends and lying by the pool, enjoying the sun and the season’s relaxed vibe. So, before we bought the lot for our new-build home, we identified the design elements we wanted for our ideal backyard, including a pool.

Above all, we knew we wanted to create a resort feel, like walking out of a hotel suite and right to the edge of the water. We planned our pool to sit close to the house, just one step down from the patio area. And we chose an 18-foot by 44-foot rectangular lap-style pool, wide enough to be a sports pool for playing volleyball or basketball with friends, and at most 48 inches deep to be friendly to all ages.

Recreating the lazy resort style, we added a 6-foot sundeck area on the poolside closest to the house. Today this area gets the most use, as it’s perfect for toddlers to splash around in while still being close to the bigger kids playing in the deeper areas. Someday, I will use the sundeck for laying out…when I’m not on constant lifeguard duty. But until then, I'll enjoy the little ones giggling and splashing to their hearts' content.

We also chose a saltwater pool over a chlorine pool, mainly for the health benefits. Saltwater pools use fewer harsh chemicals, making the water gentler on skin and hair. My kids, unfortunately, were ‘blessed’ with my sensitive skin, and we knew we'd be in the pool most days, so this was an important factor. Another benefit is that the saltwater would require less maintenance. The one downfall for us was that it would require more money upfront for the equipment. Still, it would pay for itself over the years.

If you have been following my Thyme & Theory articles, you know my love for the beach and being on the water. So, when it came to the design scheme for the pool and landscape, I wanted to incorporate a beach feel.

We chose a vinyl pool liner (which holds up well in Nebraska’s weather) in the Crystal Quartz colorway pattern, a light-colored liner with blue speckles that keeps things very bright and airy. I kept the plants around the pool pretty basic, choosing a variety of ornamental grasses and hydrangeas, and used 2- to 3-inch beach pebbles instead of mulch to give a tropical feel.

The type and size of the pool furniture was an important design element we considered early in the design phase.

The concrete decking needed to be wide enough to allow guests to walk easily between the pool and the furniture, and the seating needed to be practical as well as plentiful. We settled on four oversized teak loungers placed along one long side, and four sling chairs at the pool’s far end.

Although aesthetics are important, safety was our primary focus. We needed to make sure our small children (and uninvited 'guests') were not getting into the pool unsupervised. To manage that risk, we added an automatic retractable pool cover that locks, which allows us to limit pool access when not in use. The auto-cover is marketed as being strong enough to support a whole family walking across, which gives us peace of mind. It also helps keep bugs, dirt, tree pollen, or anything else floating on the wind from landing in the water.

Many times, I get asked what I would do differently if I were to build the pool again. The No. 1 thing I would change would be to add a laminar fountain or two, which would pull double-duty as a visual design element and a means of aerating the pool, reducing the number of chemicals needed.

All this writing about the pool has me thinking it’s time to grab a lemonade and head out for a quick dip before the kids return from summer camp. Happy Dog Days!

For more information and photos, follow Horst @ThymeandTheory on Instragram.

M.U.D. has adequate water supplies for our growing communities, however we do see high system demands in the early morning hours when customers irrigate their lawns.

You can help reduce demands and improve water pressure in the system by adjusting your watering schedule based on your address:

Canvas Painting

Getting the home look you love without spending a fortune is the best kind of win. One DIY tip I follow to save money is to find a high-end decor piece to take inspiration from, then recreate that look using affordable, and sometimes second-hand, materials and a little elbow grease. The end result is usually great, and no one is the wiser!

It helps to have an eye for seeing what could be, and its a bonus to find things at bargain prices. Think outside the box when it comes to achieving a similar look for your inspiration piece.

My inspiration for this DIY came from seeing two gorgeous, but pricey, Great Blue Heron art pieces I ran across in an upscale home decor store a few years ago. Then, on another outing, I came across a large canvas painting. While the idea didn’t come to me right away, I just knew at some point I would think of how to reinvent it into something that fit my decor.

Originally, I thought it would be easy to just paint over the existing painting,  but then, it hit me: I could put wallpaper over the canvas! That can’t be that hard, right? I started hunting for the perfect paper and

found a small family company through Etsy that printed some of the most unique, detailed wallpaper and murals out there. It helped that I was able to custom order the size I needed in one piece instead of several rolls. This allowed me to create a seamless look much like a painting.

For me, the key to the success of this project was the quality of paper and the application process.  See the following for how I transformed a dated canvas painting into a one-of-a-kind art piece.

• One single, custom size wallpaper roll (60x42.5) cut to fit my existing canvas painting. (I chose Dark Botanical WP with Heron Birds, tropical plants, vintage print, self adhesive.) If using several rolls of wallpaper, be mindful of the pattern repeat.

• Wallpaper smoother

• Wallpaper paste (I used Roman Pro Universal paste)

• Gold leaf flakes (can substitute gold paint)

• Mod Podge (matte version)

• Razor blade or X-Acto knife

• Two foam paint brushes (found in craft or big box stores)

Helpful tip: Before getting started, unroll the wallpaper and lay it flat for 24 hours prior to starting to make it easier to work with.

STEP 1

Make sure the canvas is free from dust or debris. Using a foam brush, apply a thin, even coat of paste directly onto the canvas.

STEP 2

Pick up wallpaper on both sides (four hands work better than two, so find a helper, if possible) and carefully line up all sides and lay flat onto the canvas. Then, using the wallpaper smoother, gently smooth out the paper (don’t push too hard or you’ll squeeze out the paste or stretch the paper.) If you end up with a crease or bubble, carefully pick up the wallpaper and complete the process again.

STEP 3

After a 24-hour dry time, use your small foam brush to paint several light coats of the Mod Podge over the edge and corners of the wallpaper, allowing dry time in between applications.

STEP 4

Using your foam paint brush or fingers, coat the four edges of canvas with Mod Podge starting in one corner working your way around the entire frame. Once complete, apply the gold leaf flakes, following instructions carefully. It’s best to bring the gold leaf (or paint) over the edge 1/4 inch, so that if your wallpaper cuts are not exactly straight, the lines will be camouflaged.

LAMBRECHT GLASS STUDIO BUILDER PROFILE

Remember, style is about making everything you do unique to only you!

Create something beautiful today.

For over a thousand years, stained glass windows have combined grace and function to stunning effect captivating onlookers with vibrant scenes, patterns, and compositions steeped in sunlight.

It’s a tradition Jenna Lambrecht of Omaha’s Lambrecht Glass Studio carries on today, one she learned under the careful tutelage of her father, Mark Lambrecht.

“My parents started the business in ‘78, in the house that I grew up in,” Jenna recalled. “Kind of a strange place for a kid to grow up in, but it was a safe and fun place to be, constantly surrounded by creative energy.”

While Jenna picked up design cues from her mother, Kristi, it was time spent with her father evenings passed patterning and cutting glass in the Old Market studio or instructive noontime meetings with prospective clients that solidified her decision to helm the studio in 2020. “I have worked with my parents really closely for the last 20 years, so I have a solid foundation,” Jenna said. “Big shoes to fill, but I think our work speaks for itself.”

Lambrecht Glass continues to delight and astound clients with custom windows under Jenna’s leadership infusing modern sensibility with timeless artistry to elevate domestic, liturgical and commercial spaces. “Sometimes people know exactly what they want, a Frank Lloyd Wright style, for example,” Jenna noted, “other people don’t know until they see it. So, then I’ll come up with design options and we’ll continue to meet until we get it right.” Like the shards of glass Jenna and her team cut, paint, assemble and install, Lambrecht Glass Studio takes stock of their client’s individual tastes to form a complete picture.

“You can really elevate your space and create something beautiful that makes you happy every time you look at it,” she concluded.

Visit lambrechtglass.com for contact info, portfolios of completed works, and more.

Forever Home refurbishing a

The Haskell family breathes new life into their living space to embrace a brighter future.

Canopied driveways, verdant lawns, and shorn bushes the Leawood West neighborhood felt like coming home for Kelly Haskell. She grew up mere blocks from the two-story house she and husband Paul purchased in the west Omaha enclave in 2019. The couple hoped their four children would cultivate fond neighborhood memories of their own.

The murky interior of the 1971-built home, though, didn’t match the balmy expanse outside. The main level's cherry-wood floors and the kitchen's dull-gray and brown-toned backsplash and tight-fitting peninsula put a claustrophobic squeeze on the large family. The Haskells realized a dramatic transformation was in order.

The pandemic meant putting renovations on the back burner until a later date. Fate intervened when Kelly took her daughters to Deer Ridge Park for an outing in the summer of 2021. During the visit, she chatted with another mother, Courtney Otte, the founder and principal designer of The Modern Hive Interior Design.

“I feel like I meet clients at weird places,” Otte confessed.

Kelly, who works from home as a graphic designer at Chip Thompson Design, enlisted her new friend to help fully realize her vision. Otte stepped up with a combination of classical and traditional elements for a much-needed first-floor makeover, while Gitt Construction served as contractor on the remodel.

A narrow layout in the kitchen threatened to steer the plan off course, but Otte was determined to push the space to its limits. An additional window now allows streams of sunshine into the kitchen. A longer island replaced the previous one, forming a streamlined symmetry with the wall. Cone-shaped brass lights softly illuminate the milky quartz countertop adorned with gray veins. Charcoal gray doors, mimicking drawers for further décor detail, conceal plentiful storage underneath. The adults like to cozy up to the island for a date night with some take-out after the little ones fall asleep, reclining in wicker-back chairs with performance fabric cushions. A brass footrest mirrors the handles on snowy cabinets as white permeates the space, splashing a lustrous glow on the subway tiles behind the stove, on the fridge encased in paneling, and on the granite in the niche designed for a coffee bar.

We try and keep [the kitchen] clean because we love it so much. I need to live in it. It’s okay if something happens.”

— Kelly Haskell

“We always wanted a white kitchen,” said Paul, despite the possibility of dirty fingerprints.

“We try to keep it clean because we love it so much,” Kelly mentioned. “I need to live in it. It’s okay if something happens.”

Natural-stained oak accents break up any monotony, giving the room eyecatching details from a shelf for cups above the coffee bar, to a small strip on the range hood.

“I love doing that in my designs to add interest,” Otte said.

Daughter Monroe, 22 months, stomps across the engineered handwork floors in her cowboy boots though Paul prefers going barefoot while working at home for Salesforce. He sipped a pale coffee and explained that the family no longer bumps into each other.

Almost 5 years old, Noelle enjoys spreading out on the tobacco-colored banquet bench by her brother Callan, 10, during family dinners. A custom-made oval table with black chairs allows additional seating. Sports, especially baseball, often blaze on televisions in each room. A glass-covered steel door helps showcase a deep pantry. Connor, 12, enjoys this part of the remodeled kitchen the most because it holds plenty of snacks. Or, one might find him downstairs with Callan in the man cave crushing some Fortnite. Paul's soundproof office allows him to work while the boys battle.

Kelly, a busy mother, appreciates the mudroom since it saves time and energy. Stormy-colored tile leads the way to a drying rack, and brass-grill doors vent any clothes hanging up. Laundry baskets wait inside cabinets, making it easy to toss items when leaving or entering the house. Other times, Kelly freelances in a corner nook in the living room. Decorative brass rails and floating shelves mingle perfectly with the rest of the layout.

“We will probably never get the chance to do this again,” Kelly said of the home remodel. “I love it.”

Before, the Haskell family hesitated to entertain, but the fresh vibe and new, roomy environment of their home has dispelled any reservations. Gitt Construction removed a supporting wall and opened the layout; the plan included an expansion for the living room, not an easy feat with the ‘L’-shaped stairs. Surprises, such as dated electrical wiring, plumbing, and installation, required swift action.

"They can create amazing memories and a great space to grow up in. I don’t see them leaving. They are really in love with it,” said Tim Silknitter, owner of Gitt Construction.

The final product became part of the 2023 Professional Remodeling Organization of Nebraska-Iowa Home Tour in April, showing what happens when a busy family takes the design a tad further than simple a kitchen makeover.

“The inside feels just as good as the outside,” Kelly said, smiling.

Visit proremodelingomaha.org for more information.

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"They can create amazing memories and a great space to grow up in. I don’t see them leaving. They are really in love with it.”

— Tim Silknitter

Story by Kim Carpenter

Photography by Bill Sitzmann

Design by Rachel Birdsall

GOING W ITH THE FLOW

Relaxed Atmosphere Flows Throughout Elkhorn Residence

Walk into Heather Starmer’s home, and the first thing that becomes evident is just how laid back the vibe is. Nestled in Elk Ridge Estates, a quiet gem of a neighborhood in Elkhorn, the 3,500- square-foot new build has a decidedly tranquil feel.

That might be surprising, given that Starmer shares the abode with her partner, Aaron Horn, and their three children Hudsen, 18, Bennett, 14, and Brady, 11, and a curious ginger tabby cat named Noodle. Still, given that Starmer is a realtor with Berkshire Hathaway who stages homes for selling and does interior design work on the side, it makes sense that careful curation went into every aspect of the home’s decor.

The couple purchased the 1.5-story new-build by Huntington Homes in 2020, and Starmer said it was the distinctive details that sold her on the property. “I really loved the light fixtures, the openness of the floor plan, and the walls,” she shared. “All the finishes were done when we moved in.”

Those high-end finishes make an impact throughout the home. A black shiplap accent wall dressed in “Iron Horse” by SherwinWilliams dominates the music room/office. (Brady is talented on both piano and violin.) A gold chandelier provides a metallic sheen that Starmer accentuates via decorative mirrors, sculpture, and artwork. Bright blue accessories offer additional design power.

“I used decorative colors from the old house to brighten up the black a bit,” Starmer explained. “It had to be the right shade of turquoise.”

Warm wood floors spread throughout the open-concept main floor. The living room accent wall provides an unexpected design detail. At first, it appears to be gray flagstone or slate, but closer inspection reveals that it’s instead composed of large-scale tiles.

An ivory leather couch, complemented by a dark brown leather side chair, provide ample seating in the large, yet cozy, space.

“Because the wall colors are neutral, I like to add warmth with leather, which is fun,” Starmer observed. “I plan to break up the white of the sofa by adding darker elements through pillows and blankets.”

Noting the midcentury-inspired light fixture and two side tables, Starmer cautioned against focusing too much on one style trend. “I like to have a mix so that the decor is more transitional,” she explained of her design approach, which incorporates both traditional and contemporary elements. “This is modern with a mix. Without that mix, it would be too sterile.”

The homeowner needn’t be concerned. The kitchen incorporates novel design embellishments that combine culinary function with a sleek aesthetic. Hardware is black, silver, and gold a combination that works together seamlessly.

“Really, all those metals make it so fun to decorate,” Starmer shared. “They are a great way to bring in a mix of colors to play off them, which is necessary when you have so much black and white. And when you have white walls in particular, you need to bring in lots of decor.”

A white quartz countertop veined in gray serves as both prep space and a breakfast bar. A similar countertop (minus the color detail) surrounds the stove, complementing the distinctive backsplash made of offwhite, oblong tile with raised ovals, echoed in the adjacent coffee bar nook.

“I was really nervous about those tiles because they’re matte, and I do cook a lot,” the homeowner confessed, fearing cleanup would be difficult. “But they haven’t been a problem at all.”

The dining area includes a play of shapes with a large-scale artwork featuring swirls in gray tones and burnished golds, which play off a metallic circular mirror installed just opposite. (Starmer found both items on Uttermost, one of her favorite design sites.)

“Really, all those metals make it so fun to decorate. They are a great way to bring in a mix of colors to play off them, which is necessary when you have so much black and white."

—Heather Starmer

An accent wall covered in wallpaper with dark gray hatch marks serves as the perfect foil to the rustic wood sideboard and black wood dining table carried over from the family’s previous residence.

Wallpaper makes another, and decidedly more whimsical, appearance in the powder room. At first look, the paper’s pattern appears to be white fans splayed against a dark background; closer inspection shows it to be a flock of birds in flight.

“You have to be observant,” Starmer declared, speaking of the Art Deco Swans wallpaper by artist Kate Rhees, which she found on Spoonflower.

Another accent wall dominates the primary bedroom, this time a herringbone-patterned wooden wall painted in a calming shade of deep sage green. Starmer keeps the space relaxed by using mostly neutrals (golds and grays) throughout the room, but pulls in the wall color with decorative pillows, an accent blanket, and a deep green velvet chair set in the corner. (The gray upholstered bed, she said, was another carry-over item from their former home. “We didn’t want to buy all new.”)

To add warmth, Starmer added a wooden chest of drawers and a tree with khaki bark. A starburst light fixture completes the space, giving a golden glow to the room.

Those show-stopper light fixtures continue to make Starmer appreciate her new home. “There’s literally a different one in every room,” she said. “Light fixtures are so easy to switch out and will completely change your space. They are one of the big reasons we decided on this house.”

Recipe for a Charming Utility Kitchen

B y ‘Chefs’ Katie Martens and Bryan Frost

Rachel Birdsall

read through cookbooks at night. I like to understand the backstory of the recipe,” homeowner Katie Martens said, sitting at a table in her compact kitchen.

Martens often has a sourdough starter kit ready for her next baking venture. Her kitchen shelves are decorated with cookbooks by culinary experts and celeb authors alike, including Martha Stewart, Rick Bayless, and Chrissy Teigen. She takes notes from the best and creates meals for her family within the walls of her creative cooking space.

Martens’ kitchen renovation ‘recipe’ was conceived with a little inspiration from online stylist and design personality Emily Henderson, then given clarity by her interior designer, Bryan Frost. A base of open-concept design, cohesive floor stain, and navy cabinets were spiced up with a dash of eclectic charm and utilitarian acces-

sories and baked to perfection. The space is now savored by the Martens family on a daily basis.

Martens moved with her husband and two children to the Leawood West multi-level home in 2014, looking past outdated wallpaper and cabinet doors falling off their hinges to see the hidden potential of the spacious four-bedroom abode. By 2018, the family was more than ready for a kitchen update.

Together, with Frost Interior Design, they removed a pony wall that separated the kitchen from the living room and tore down cabinetry in pursuit of an organic, open room flow.

“[Martens] was very open to trying new things,” Frost said. “She has the 1970sstyle home and had the idea of [going for] an old-world feel…and not disconnecting the style of the home.”

SPACES

Cooking and baking are two of Martens’ favorite pastimes, while craft beer brewing and creating cocktails are her husband’s hobbies, so the pair installed a nanny cabinet to store their supplies while also decluttering the drop-zone and freeing up workspace. They also opted for open shelving so that they could easily access the items they use most often.

During the ‘vision’ phase of designing her kitchen, Martens pinned an image of a stove hood with old-world charm. Wanting to emulate the design, their contractor distressed a piece of exotic Padauk wood, sourced from Africa. Attempting to mimic a tortoise shell design, the wood was burned to attain a high-low contrast.

The tile chosen for the backsplash a handcrafted terracotta clay, made in Morocco had the same old-world charm.

“We definitely wanted elements that have a special, worldly aesthetic,” Frost remembered. “A lot of the [decor] pieces the Martens already had in the house. It was fun to work with the items she sourced,” he added. “The modular butcher block counter is a floating piece that we used. She also had midcentury chairs that had gold brass details and rattan elements. We used her vintage dishware for visuals [elements] on the shelves.”

The cabinets were painted a deep navy blue, which was a unique design choice at the time. (Blue cabinets have since become a design trend.)

Once the designer was finished, the family installed a pegboard in the side nook to display their personal touches tiki drinkware, a German stein, and a money-saving jar for the children’s dream a dog.

By April 2019, the kitchen was ready.

After months of eating in upstairs bedrooms while flooring installation and cabinet work happened downstairs, the family savored their first meal together in the new kitchen a Mediterranean beef and hummus dish. They remember it well.

Today, the Martens use the space for testing new recipes, family cooking at holidays, and the creation of so many joyful meal memories.

“We definitely wanted elements that have a special, worldly aesthetic.”

— Bryan Frost

Design Through the Times

A Indian Hills Condo Pays Homage to Family, Treasured Trips, and Memories Galore

Story Veronica Wortman Ploetz | PhotograPhy Bill Sitzmann | DeSign rachel BirdSall

Swanson Tower is a time capsule of sorts in the middle of our fair city. The building itself is an unassuming, highly secured fortress. Upon approved entry, guests are greeted by a charming doorman and an elevated midcentury style. One of the tower’s condominiums a two-unit conversion to one spacious unit years ago serves as a multi-generational home to the Kennedy family. The condo's recent renovation embraces past design elements with artwork, lighting, and furniture incorporated to honor family and display memories. Homeowner Maureen Kennedy and designer Mandy Lassek with Lassek + Dunn Design collaborated to create an heirloom-centered, traditional style with a flourish of glamour.

“Crystal chandeliers are my thing. I just love them,” Kennedy confessed, with several chandeliers used in the home once belonging to her mother-in-law. “Donna was a beloved mother, adored by her children and grandchildren. It is so important to me, and my husband, Jim, to honor her in this space.”

Bret Linden, president of Distinct Homes, served as general contractor on the renovation. Linden connected Kennedy with Lassek, confident the pair would work well together.

“Mandy listened to me, and we have similar tastes and thoughts on designs,” Kennedy said, praising Lassek's client-centric approach.

“The construction phase can be intense, and it can be easy to lose sight of the final design goal,” Lassek said. “I strive to keep it all on track so when the project is completed, we walk away with a space that makes the clients love their home.”

Family is important to the Kennedys, who love to host gatherings. Guests naturally gravitate to the sunroom, where a bar awaits with access to the garden terrace.

“I’ve always loved the sunroom because of the access to the outdoor space. When Jim’s mom was alive, this was her favorite space, too. It is a great space to entertain,” Kennedy said. “The bar is a focal point in the sunroom. I saw a photograph of a turquoise bar in House Beautiful , and it spoke to me.”

"Restoring heirloom pieces is so important to do correctly. It is the most challenging and rewarding part of this project.”

Mandy Lassek

Lassek suggested painting the bar in Sherwin Williams "Really Teal" with a high-gloss finish on the cabinets. The bar features a brass sink basin and the original fixture a brass faucet in the shape of a swan’s head.

“I couldn't stop dreaming about the faucet and had to find a way to restore it,” she said.

Lassek and Linden leveraged their network of craft professionals to restore numerous fixtures in the home.

“Restoring heirloom pieces is so important to do correctly. It is the most challenging and rewarding part of this project,” Lassek noted.

The sunroom opens to a sprawling terrace and garden space. The Kennedys enjoy the deck, gazebo, and the ample room for their grandchildren to run and play.

“My son-in-law, John Ostronic, owns a landscape design company and is helping us update the space,” Kennedy added.

A powder room off the main entrance features an ornate vintage dresser repurposed as a vanity and a dramatic Japanese floral wallpaper by Phillip Jeffries.

“Vinyl wallpaper is extremely wipeable, which makes it a great choice for bathrooms,” Lassek explained.

The expanded kitchen features perimeter cabinets by Sorrento in a soft-white Willow color, a slate-blue basketweave tile backsplash, and a large island painted in Sherwin Williams "Smoky Azurite." A crystal chandelier pendant light sparkles a nod to the traditional and glamorous flair throughout the rest of the home. A nearby breakfast nook features a curved, upholstered linen sofa and vintage-inspired cane back dining chairs.

When the family gathers for dinner in the formal dining room, they are surrounded by sentimental reminders of their late beloved matriarch, Donna. An oil painting of New York City’s Wiggins Memorial Library is illuminated by a shimmering antique crystal chandelier. Both the painting and light fixture underwent intense and lengthy restoration efforts and can now be enjoyed by the newest generation of the Kennedy family. The room’s Phillip Jeffries designer wallpaper resembles an upholstered tweed, studded with raised rivets. Various vintage pieces are used in the room as a sideboard and additional lighting.

“Vinyl wallpaper is extremely wipeable, which makes it a great choice for bathrooms.”

Mandy Lassek

The living room is a more quiet space, where Maureen and Jim enjoy the classic and comfortable blend of CR Lane sofas and chairs with vintage side and occasional tables. Michelle Driscoll Comer, owner of furniture restoration shop Mi Mi's in Midtown, has brought new life to many items in the living room. Kennedy’s go-to place for vintage rug shopping is Alex Cooper Gallery of Rugs in Baltimore, Maryland. The artwork in the room includes a captivating blue painting they purchased together during a trip to London and photography by their nephew, Jesse Rowbotham.

The couple’s primary bedroom is elevated with picture-frame millwork custom created by the talented carpenter, Bobby Bare with Distinct Homes. During the renovation, hardwood floors were installed, along with two walk-in closets. Original hardware for closet doors was preserved. An ensuite bathroom was also renovated to include built-in cabinets, an additional vanity, and a large soaking tub. A guest bedroom and bathroom were created to host family for extended stays.

“Jim and I think about Donna all the time. She was a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother,” Kennedy said. “And I think she would be happy with the space we created here to keep the family together and the way we honor her style and design.”

“When I turn onto 58th Street and drive past those pillars, I’m like, I’m home, this is where I belong.”

—Lori Livingston-Hubbell

A Bensonhurst Gem

Century-old

Bungalow Helps Define Historic Neighborhood

An off-the-beaten-path Omaha neighborhood with distinctive homes sits on a stretch of North 58th Street between Maple and Pratt streets. Formerly known as Bensonhurst, the half-mile-long tract features numerous Craftsman bungalows from the 1920s and ’30s.

Bensonhurst was developed as a luxury suburb, with larger-than-average residential lots measuring 50 feet by 250 feet. The entrance is marked by two stone pillars.

Homeowners Lori Livingston-Hubbell and Jack Hubbell appreciate the beauty, solidity, and seclusion of their century-old brick bungalow and urban core sanctuary in the Benson area.

When Lori and her retired career US Air Force-husband resided overseas, they yearned to live in Benson when stateside. “I spent a lot of my childhood on North 58th,” she said. “We have fond memories of it.” Once they returned to Omaha, a real estate agent tipped them off that the home was for sale.

“We walked through the house and immediately fell in love with it,” she recalled of that day in 2002. “We made an offer that night. We knew it was going to be a labor of love. Years of nicotine were soaked into the walls. I scrubbed for weeks.”

The kitchen was in rough shape. The enclosed porch, originally exposed

to the elements, required new windows. The full bath needed new tile and a shower.

“We knew we wanted to bring the place back to its former glory and give it a new life,” said Lori, an agent with Better Homes & Gardens Real Estate. “We’ve been working on it ever since. With an old house, it never ends. We’ve done pretty much everything on our own.”

Lori brought experience restoring older homes. The "they don’t build ‘em like this anymore" quality was worth the effort, she said.

“As a Realtor, I see a lot of new-construction houses put up in 180 days or less with No. 2 grade lumber and particle board. This house is very sturdy. It’ll probably be here in another 100 years. Our foundation is 18 inches thick.”

Like everything else, the porch is substantial with a stone threshold, capitols, and window sills. It serves as another room complete with a TV.

The home exudes the bungalow style with its pitched gabled roof, wide bracketed eaves, and large front porch. The main level features big exposed lintel beams, plus all-walnut woodwork and floors, and a large fireplace. Cornices adorn the ceilings and baseboards. The door and window trim is all walnut.

Story Leo Biga | Photography Bill Sitzmann | Design Rachel Birdsall

A vaulted brick room served as a cyclone and root cellar. The Hubbells use it as a storm shelter, but get more practical use of it as a wine cellar.

The bungalow's many charms were noted by admiring visitors on the 2019 Resto ration Exchange Omaha tour. Vintage home lovers who researched the history re vealed the Hubbell residence was built by N.N. Galbreath, an early automotive deal er who insisted on a double garage. Bessie and Frank Ellison became its next owners. Frank and Carl A. Swanson formed what became C.A. Swanson and Sons, the origi nator of the TV dinner. Then there were the Andresens, Danish immigrants who owned a nearby farm.

The warm, cozy, story-and-a-half dwelling has seven rooms, including four bedrooms, a formal dining room, one-and-a-half baths, and nearly 2,000 square feet of finished space.

“It’s a simple, no-nonsense style of house with an early open concept featuring big open rooms that flow from one to the oth er,” Lori said. “We like its nice, sensible, traditional layout. There’s no wasted space. We have made modifications to modern ize it, but we’ve also tried to keep as much original as possible to keep the character of the house.”

“For all its faults–we’ve got some wonky door frames from the house settling we love it,” Lori added. “My husband likes things with soul, and I think the house and everything we’ve put into it has soul.”

Great care has also gone into the landscaping. Patios finished with stonework and art objects are nestled among trees and shrubbery. With all that curated space, she noted, “It’s kind of our own personal park.”

“When I turn onto 58th Street and drive past those pillars, I’m like, 'I’m home, this is where I belong.' We definitely consider ourselves very fortunate to have this house and to be stewards of it […] We’ve told our heirs they have to treat it with respect.”

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The living room light flips on, and from the shrinking shadows a frantic shape darts forth dodging swinging broomsticks and curses until, mercifully, it finds its way out. Many Omaha homeowners have experienced this startling surprise a bat indoors. Of course, no one want bats in their homes, but these leather-winged critters are not simply pests to be exterminated. They are beneficial to humans in many ways, including thinning the pesky mosquito population and controlling devastating crop pests. Bats shouldn’t live in our homes, but they should be removed with care.

Laura Stastny, the executive director of Nebraska Wildlife Rehab (NWR), advises that many bats are legally protected. In fact, one of the species found near the Omaha metro is listed as critically threatened.

“As a result, humanely excluding bats from one’s home by creating escape routes for them, and subsequently sealing up entryways, is the preferred method of removal,” Stastny said. “As with all wildlife, encourage them to move out on their own, then repair damage to exclude them.”

If you suspect that bats have infiltrated your home, watch/listen for these telltale signs: bat droppings, or guano, left behind near the possible entry site; chirping or scratching sounds in the wall or attic; stains left behind by the oil on their skin; and bat sightings near your home's eaves at sunrise or sunset.

Banishing Bats with Care

Nebraska Wildlife Rehab’s Laura Stastny Sheds Light on Ethical Bat Removal

DIY homeowners can refer to batcon.org for simple, step-by-step instructions on ethical bat removal.

Know when to banish bats. In Nebraska, bat exclusions may only be performed from mid-April to mid-May, and mid-August to mid-October, noted Stastny. Exclusions performed outside of the accepted timeframes leave baby bats without parental care, causing starvation and death, or subjecting bats to temperatures they are not equipped to handle. Homeowners cannot, and should not, attempt to banish bats outside of the given timeframes.

Know where bats are getting into the home. Bats frequently enter older homes in small crevasses, resulting from shifting construction, Stastny said. They often enter between chimney inserts and chimneys. It’s important to look for uncapped chimneys, broken siding, and loose vent covers. Stastny said most of the larger home bat colonies she's seen in the metro are east of 84th Street, predominantly in older homes composed of brick and wood with crevasses that are exposed and visible to the eye. Stastny has observed the greatest density of bat colonies in old buildings near 42nd and Dodge, in North Omaha, and Downtown Omaha. Bat colonies thrive in the old, shifting, brick constructions common to these areas.

There are eight species of bats that inhabit eastern Nebraska, but those that inhabit local human dwellings are typically of the big

brown (Eptesicus fuscus) species. Big browns are “crevasse dwellers,” adapted for caves.

“Crevasse dwellers like tight, safe spaces,” Stastny said, adding that the crevasses in old homes are ideal for these cave-loving bats. “They prefer the tight space between the interior and exterior walls and are unlikely to hang in a wide-open attic (contrary to popular depictions).”

Banish the bats.

Homeowners can either follow simple instructions to build and install one-way bat doors into entrance points, wait for bats to leave, and seal up these access area; or call in the professionals (do not call an exterminator!) NWR and Nebraska Humane Society can provide limited help with unwanted bats, but for full-service bat roost exclusions, Stastny recommends Heartland Humane Bat Removal.

Bats should be removed with care, Stastny reiterated. Do not seal them in or they will enter the living space in an attempt to escape, or worse yet, starve to death.

A single ¼ oz. to 1 oz. bat eats roughly 1,000 insects a night, many of which are mosquitos or unwanted garden pests. Once properly banished from the home, bats will continue to control insects from a distance, in the darkness, and out of sight.

For more information on local bat exclusions, visit nebraskawildliferehab.org.

“As a result, humanely excluding bats from one’s home by creating escape routes for them, and subsequently sealing up entry ways, is the preferred method of removal."

—Laura Stasney

Blush Beauty

Our client had a vision for a soft, serene, and chic home, yet the finishes in her Lake Forest Estates house were dark and stuck in the early 2000s. And despite it’s great layout, the home was in dire need of a upgrade throughout the main level.

We focused our transformation on the primary living room off the kitchen, a mudroom off the garage, and a powder bathroom.

Our goal was to create an airy, stylish, yet classic aesthetic that would incorporate traditional architectural details with a modern application.

To achieve this, we used marble and marble-like materials throughout, as well as brushed golds, soft grays, and jewel-tone blues and purples to create a lighter, curated feel. We replaced several light fixtures on the main level and installed throughout a rift-sawn white oak flooring, finished in a natural stain to highlight the beauty of the oak planks. In the powder bath, we installed new hexagon porcelain tiles resembling marble, complemented by a gorgeous floral wallpaper, and a new vanity with a floorto-ceiling mirror to improve the vanity's placement on the small corner wall.

Painting the mudroom cabinets a fresh white, replacing the countertop and backsplash, and repeating the hexagon porcelain tile from the powder bath on the mudroom floor helped update and refresh the space. A unusual, cloud-inspired wallpaper with hues of purple and pink gave the room an extra layer of interest.

The living room presented some of our biggest challenges, as its size made it difficult to scale furniture appropriately and the fireplace felt uninteresting and flat. We updated the fireplace with custom millwork details, a gray marble mantle, and mosaic tile to give it depth, making it the statement feature in the room. A large-scale sectional sofa now helps balance the room's scale and draws the eye into the space. Violet and blue-toned pillows on the sectional provide a pop of color in the room.

Overall, the renovation transformed the home from dark and dated to a unique Midwest chic design that met our client's desires.

Designer Courtney Otte with The Modern Hive was recognized with a Silver award for her work on this project at the 2022 Nebraska/Iowa Chapter ASID Awards held in September 2022.

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With Pella Omaha, you get so much more than gorgeous windows and doors. Since 1925, we have been a leader in innovation, going beyond requirements to create products you can be proud to own. In our state-of-the-art showroom that is located at 14478 Crest Road in Omaha, you are able to see and touch our products to envision how your home could be transformed. Claim your limited time offer at PellaOmaha.com, or by calling 402-493-1350

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