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MARCH/APRIL 2020 A LWAY S L O C A L , A LWAY S B E AU T I F U L

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COLONIAL REVIVAL GETS AN UPDATE // AMIDST THE FLOODWATERS // WASTED FOOD IS MORE THAN WASTE // NEBRASKA NICE IN ACTION

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KNOW WHAT’S BELOW CALL 811 BEFORE YOU DIG DID YOU KNOW THAT MANY UTILITIES ARE BURIED JUST A FEW INCHES BELOW THE GROUND? You can easily hit a line when digging for simple gardening projects, like planting flowers or shrubs. Follow these instructions to stay safe this spring and take advantage of the free utility marking service: 1. Call 811 or make an online request at ne1call.com at least TWO business days in advance of your excavation project.

2. Mark the proposed area of your excavation with white flags or white paint prior to the utility operator’s arrival.

Ensure the area is safe and accessible by unlocking gates and securing all pets.

3. On average, 7-8 utility operators are notified for each request.

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4. Respect the marks (flags or paint) made by the utility operators — they are your guide for the duration of the project. Make sure to dig carefully according to the regulations. If you are unable to maintain the marks or the project takes longer than your request’s expiration date, please call 811 to ask for refreshed markings.

5. If you damage any underground utilities during excavation, call 811. If you smell gas, leave the area and call 911 from a safe distance, followed by M.U.D.’s 24-hour emergency number: 402.554.7777.

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Nate and Maren Lakers’ farmhouse-inspired dining room at their home in Rockbrook. The DIY couple did much of the major renovation themselves.

Story page 22. Photo by Bill Sitzmann

“An open home, like an open table, is the overflow of an open heart.”

—J EN SCH M I D T

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t’s been a year since devastating floods hit the Midwest and taught us all a few lessons about the awe-inspiring power of nature, the importance of heeding warnings and being prepared, and much more. This issue’s DIY features my own lessons learned following the flood, while another story showcases a flood tragedy that is met with ‘Nebraska Nice.’ Also in this March/ April edition are multiple stories of renovation.

While some of the homes reuse materials, others strip the home down to its structure and rebuild.

Either way, the focus is on moving forward.

Having dealt with my own renovation mess and pressure to have my home look great for hosting guests, I found an article by Rev. Jack King on “scruffy hospitality” quite insightful. In essence, the article encourages us to embrace our imperfections rather than hide them away. Rev. King said, “Scruffy hospitality means you’re more interested in quality conversation than the impression your home or lawn makes. If we only share meals with friends when we’re excellent, we aren’t truly sharing life together.” This is not to say we shouldn’t tidy up for our guests, but the principle rather eliminates the need to shred any evidence of our real, everyday (and often flawed) lives and instead focus on the personal interaction.

My grandmother had this unfailing mindset that at any time, someone could stop over and should be met with coffee, cookies, and open arms.

We are all truly blessed if we have a roof over our heads, enough to eat, and family and friends to share life with. While you may not be able to control Mother Nature, you can control how you move forward. Pick up the pieces, put it back together, or even start anew.

Sandy Matson Contributing Editor

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One Year Later Lessons Learned During Our DIY Recovery

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DIY story by Sandy Matson

photography by Bill Sitzmann

IN MARCH 2019, massive flooding wreaked havoc on dozens of communities throughout eastern Nebraska and surrounding areas. A combination of late-season snow, ice jams on multiple rivers, and heavy spring rains created the perfect storm, and there was no way to stop the water. The New York Times called it “The Great Flood of 2019,” with flood damage across Nebraska estimated to be over $1.3 billion, according to Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts.

Hawaiian Village, a quiet lake community which sits just north of the Platte River, and one that I am fortunate to call home, was one of the communities hit hard locally. I, unfortunately, was one of the unlucky and unsuspecting flood victims. I sat and watched as water slowly crept up the beach. I did not truly realize the emotional toll that flooding can take until I experienced it firsthand. Even though I am no disaster expert, I would like to share my insights into the process of post-flood relief.

Mother Nature can touch anyone, and we are truly vulnerable when it comes to being in her path.

When the water subsides and you are ready to start the cleanup process, be prepared for a dreary greeting. It can be difficult to see the damage and destruction that flooding can cause to your once-comfortable home.

Here are some important to-do’s to tackle right away, along with a few tips:

1. HAUL OUT WET CARPET, DRYWALL, DOORS, TRIM, AND OTHER BELONGINGS. This is the most important step, as getting the moisture out of your home is imperative.

Take every precaution to prevent future deterioration due to mold and excess moisture by doing this as soon as possible. It’s crucial to not put this off.

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design by Mady Besch

2. CLEAN YOUR AFFECTED PROPERTY. We had plenty of help from our local disaster team as far as a checklist for cleaning products to use. Soap or cleaning products with a disinfectant for killing germs are a must. (But never mix bleach in the same bucket as other cleaning supplies, as certain combinations can be toxic.) If you are not able to thoroughly clean flooddamaged areas yourself, hire a professional company to do this right away.

3. CALL YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY. This turned out to be a teachable moment for us, as we initially missed an important clause in our policy. Lucky for us, though, we ended up benefiting a great deal. Know your home insurance policy, and be sure to update it as needed. And when damage occurs, report it immediately.

4. CALL CONTRACTORS AND DRYWALLERS. Don’t wait, as everyone else will need them, too. It may be a good idea to research a couple companies and save their information prior to a flood or natural disaster so you know who to call quickly. Get several quotes and be prepared to make fast decisions. Beware of scammers that may swoop into town to take advantage of vulnerable homeowners. Save all receipts for any work you do or any product you buy to aid in the flood relief, as insurance companies will require these when deciding your insurance benefit.

We chose to contract out the drywall and electrical work and carpet installation. My husband and I did all the trim work and painting ourselves. This took many late nights and weekends, but we saved a lot of money in the long run.

5. PUT UP DUST BARRIERS AND COVER YOUR VENTS. Once you start the renovation process, you will be living in a temporary construction site. There will be dust and paint fumes for quite some time. The more steps you take to contain the mess up front, the less you will drag dust all over the house.

Overall, we put the basement back together.

And there were some benefits—including a few upgrades and a wet bar addition. My only dilemma then became what to do around the new minibar to complete our basement. I contemplated wallpaper or an accent wall, but both seemed too ordinary. I remembered how much I loved chalk artistry in popular restaurants, and thought that would be a chic yet fun way to complement our beach home. I tracked down Omaha artist Beth Kelley and gave her my ideas and vision reminiscent of a trip to Mexico, and she did the rest. She used chalkboard markers, which are not only vibrant colors but wet-erase, meaning they will wipe off with a damp cloth yet sustain rubbing up against them. I highly recommend doing this somewhere in your house as it's unique and makes a statement. The beauty of it is that you can literally wipe the slate clean if you ever want a change. (However, our love for tequila doesn’t seem to be going anywhere anytime soon.)

The end result is a relaxed beach home that we love even more than before the flood.

Going through circumstances such as this makes you reprioritize your life, recognizing what is actually important and seeing positives amidst the floodwaters. I like to live with this motto by Teodora Kotsova: “When life gives you lemons, take out the salt and shot glass and fill it with tequila!”

Beth Kelley can be reached at Bethiekelley@gmail.com.

FANTASTICAL JOURNEYS & WHERE TO FIND THEM:

The Lassley Room story LISA LUKECART

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photography BILL SITZMANN

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design MADY BESCH

A 3D PAPER AIRPLANE SAILS ACROSS

an ashen New York skyline. The Statue of Liberty is a voluptuous woman with a contemptuous look plastered on her face. Her golden garter belt gleams on one thick thigh, while tight high-heeled boots cover the rest of her legs. A bullet holster rides low over her hips, and a round golden choker compliments her bustier. Antique amber glass balls shine on the statue’s crown. Liberty’s torch illuminates the gray and red of the clouds above. On the statue’s tablet, it reads “Not All Those Who Wander Are Lost…”

This J.R.R. Tolkien line from the author’s poem, “All That is Gold Does Not Glitter,” starts the fantastical journey. Frescos like these are seen throughout Europe, but it all happens in a small room in a northwest Omaha home, where Sandra (Sass) Lassley has resided the past two decades. Lassley, owner of the design company Fe Fi Faux Studios, wanted to pass on her love of travel to her two 4-year-old grandchildren. The word “Wanderlust” is elegantly printed on a cracked decoupaged map as a reminder to embrace the spirit of adventure.

“I don’t have anything against Winnie the Pooh, but I wanted to do something intellectual for my grandkids,” Lassley explained.

Each child has their own custom-sized bed with a “magic button” on the headboard. If scared, the child can press the magic button to light it up. The bed frame is the only place the colors are somewhat traditional, navy and coral pink.

The designer and artist passed on baby colors for the room, preferring ethereal colors instead. The effect is like stepping into a whimsical world of mischievous creatures and mysterious excursions. Lassley spent hours in the salvage yard looking through dirty buckets for wheels, bed knobs, or gadgets. The room, which took 1 1/2 years to create, is powered by the imagination. One could almost dream about the paper airplane, fueled by an air conditioner part, gliding past the tall buildings of New York City.

Lassley’s grandkids, Madeleine and Ace, enjoying storytime.

“You can go anywhere in this room,” Lassley said, gazing at the acrylic-painted mural.

“It’s a fantasy.” And the fantasy is continually evolving, as Lassley adds baubles and larger treasures to explore.

March/April 2020

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A light on the end of the zeppelin shines on the opposite wall in Venice, Italy. More specifically, the glow is on the gondolier who happens to be a fully dressed, anthropomorphic cat. The 3D elements on this side stand out. Pat Gehrman, an artist and independent contractor, painted the room but asked Lassley if she wouldn’t mind trying some three-dimensional aspects.

“She [Lassley] was willing to let me do some experimentation and it brought me into a different level of work and that aspect was pretty exciting,” Gehrman said. “Because we work really well together, our ideas complement each other.”

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The water ties the walls together, allowing each scene to seamlessly flow into the next. The Hudson River rolls into the Seine River.

Late in the afternoon, the Eiffel Tower lights up as a murky backdrop. A golden 3D zeppelin looks like a pirate ship with white netting and a dark boat riding down below it. The steampunk chandelier made of pipes and tubes hanging from the lime-colored ceiling enhances the Pirates of the Caribbean feel.

Gehrman sketched out the form of the cat, hand-molded white plaster into rough shapes, and carved away on the wall. The effect is lifelike. The gondolier is a model of Lassley’s cat, Thelma, who passed away. Her current cat, a friendly Tonkinese named Frankie, stares at the wall.

Lassley wanted “playful but believable” characters. Gehrman’s 3D objects make the walls pop out, telling a tale all their own. On the south wall, the Black Forest in Germany features a chase between a fox and a mouse. The bronze me-

tallic trees are a perfect place for the three-dimensional furry fox, who happens to be wearing goggles, to hide. The mouse, with a block of cheese on the back of his motorcycle, looks behind him, heedless of the danger in front. The initials MJ and AJ painted onto his bike are for each grandchild, Madeleine Josephine and Ace Jeffry. Lassley added small details like gold butterflies she found at a market and a tire swing made from leftover parts from the same steam punk goggles.

“I didn’t want to leave any inch like it was forgotten,” Lassley said.

Even the corner heading into the bathroom has a black silhouette of a man on a bike being carried away by a flock of ravens. An owl, wearing a black hat with a feather, gazes out of a monocle on the other wall.

The room also pays homage to generations past, featuring a hope chest and sewing basket from the grandchildren’s great, great, great grandmother. The first bell Lassley’s grandmother ever gave her hangs on the church on the Italy wall.

Mainly, the room is a voyage of love. The cousins, born three weeks apart, spend time in this room exploring, reading, and dreaming with their grandmother. Lassley recalled looking through a stack of postcards over and over again as a child. “I’m going everywhere,” she had declared. She wants her grandchildren to go places, too. Lassley tells both of them to close their eyes, spin the globe, and imagine where to go.

But now, Lassley’s next quest is figuring out how to recreate the room because a new grandchild is on the way.

LASSLEY RECALLED LOOKING THROUGH A STACK OF POSTCARDS OVER AND OVER AGAIN AS A CHILD. “I’M GOING EVERYWHERE,” SHE HAD DECLARED. SHE WANTS HER GRANDCHILDREN TO GO PLACES, TOO.

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March/April 2020

F E AT U R E story by Tamsen Butler

photography by Bill Sitzmann

design by Mady Besch

Nebraska Nice in action Church, Congregants Offer Couple Shelter Following Floods When Tom Marshall bought a modest farmhouse in Papillion, he didn’t have any intention of living there. He and his wife already owned a nice home in Hawaiian Village and had no desire to move.

The property was simply going to be a new income stream. “I started remodeling the farmhouse with the intention of putting it up for rent,” Marshall said.

Then the floods came. The Marshalls’ house at Hawaiian Village sustained some damage.

“It was only the basement that flooded,” he said. “We were lucky.”

Marshall, left, with the Bernadys at the farmhouse.

March/April 2020

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F E AT U R E

Not everyone was nearly as fortunate as the Marshalls. Sharon Bernady has a clear memory of the day she and her husband, Tom, were forced to leave their beautiful cottage at Hanson Lake in Sarpy County.

“No one came and knocked on our door to tell us to evacuate,” Sharon Bernady recalled. “Our neighbor said, ‘If I were you, I’d leave.’ The river kept getting higher and higher, but when I noticed the beavers were moving from their spot, I said to my husband, ‘We have to go.’ The water was getting so high, it reminded me of a bathtub overflowing.”

Bernady and her husband remotely watched the feed from a neighbor’s outdoor camera as the flood waters rose. “We watched that until it stopped working.” When the flooding finished, “The water made it all the way up to our roof.” Their house was right next to the dike, which eventually broke, and their house was gone.

The Bernadys stayed with their daughter for a little over a week. Trinity Lutheran, the church they attended, offered them the vacant parsonage to call home until they got on their feet. “We lived there for maybe two months,” she said, “but then the parsonage sold so we had to move again.”

Bernady was overwhelmed with the task of picking up and moving again after having experienced the traumatic loss of her home.

“I couldn’t talk about this for a while. It was like a PTSD thing,” she explained.

An unexpected phone call from fellow Trinity Lutheran member Tom Marshall changed things quickly. “Tom called and said, ‘Do you need a place to live?’

What can you say about something like that? It was a God thing; He was present,” Bernady said.

The Bernadys moved into Marshall’s farmhouse, and the rest of their church family stepped in with furniture and other essentials. “The kitchen wasn’t finished in the farmhouse yet, so our church organized to get the kitchen done,” Bernady said. It wasn’t an extensive renovation, said Marshall. “We needed to put in kitchen cabinets and a sink.”

“Tom called and said, ‘Do you need a place to live?’ What can you say about something like that?

It was a God thing; He was present.”

—SH A RON BER NA DY Trinity Lutheran had a crew led by member Gene Wallin that visited with flood victims and helped with the cleanup. “They called and asked if I wanted help with my basement and I told them, ‘There’s another family that can use your help,’” Marshall said. Wallin’s team made quick work of getting the farmhouse’s kitchen ready for the Bernadys.

“These guys were just amazing,” Marshall said, adding that he did eventually take them up on their offer to help with his flooded basement. “They spent five or six hours in my basement and then went across the street to help a widow who sustained a lot more damage to her home than I did.”

“We were all helping each other,” Bernady said. “It was stressful. It’s hard to deal with all the different flood resources, between the government and FEMA.” But even in the midst of disaster, Nebraska Nice comes

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to the rescue. The church family threw a benefit party for the Bernadys to help get them back on their feet. “They called it a ‘Flood Them With Love’ party. It was really neat. One of our friends brought us life jackets with our names on them as a joke and we all got a good laugh out of that,” she shared.

The Bernadys lived in the farmhouse for a few months—rent free—while they searched for a home to purchase. Buying a house proved difficult, as the housing market was tight at the time, with few suitable houses available. “We had a hard time finding a house to buy and wound up buying a house from someone my husband knew from grade school. We named the new house ‘Roxbury.’” (Moving so many times was disorienting, Bernady said, and naming the various homes reduced confusion and grounded them a bit. lt’s also the builder’s house plan name for it.)

Today, the beach cottage that was supposed to be their retirement home is gone, replaced by two feet of flood sand. “It’s just a sandy beach now,” Bernady said.

“The area looks like a war zone. Engineers are looking into whether or not they’ll repair the dike…They don’t know if they will. If they do, we may rebuild. It’s a beautiful place when it’s not flooded.”

Though they lost the home they’d had for six years, Bernady learned a lot about Nebraska Nice. “People in the flood were so appreciative of all the help. We wouldn’t have survived it without our church family,” she said.

She tries to keep a sense of humor about their loss and instead focus on God’s hand in their predicament. “My daughter called the other day and asked if she could borrow my rolling pin and cookie cutters. I had to tell her, ‘Honey, those are down the river.’”

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HOME BUILDERS According to a report by Re/Max, Omaha was one of the hottest residential real estate markets in the U.S. in 2019, and it’s projected to remain strong through 2020. Many existing homes on the MLS sell in a matter of days, oftentimes for above asking price. With existing home sales inventory relatively low, the Omaha metro is seeing a surge of new residential construction projects in every direction—Bennington to the north, Elkhorn to the west, throughout Sarpy County to the south, and even redevelopment in downtown and midtown. Projects range from apartments complexes and villas and townhomes, to single family starter homes, mid-range two-stories, and large luxury residences.

Competition for this new home buyer market is fierce. Fueled by demand, Omaha home builders are offering consumers open floor plans, energy-efficient designs, environmentally friendly or “green” building materials, and state of the art technology, as well as a wide array of interior design finishes and upgraded amenities to choose from. The options are nearly endless!

Whether you’re a renter looking to make the leap to home ownership, a homeowner ready to upgrade or build your dream home, or an owner looking to downsize your space and maintenance, there’s a house plan with the square footage and price point to meet nearly every taste and budget, from the low $200,000s and up.

With dozens of residential builders to choose from in Omaha, its important prospective customers do some research and find the one that will best meet your needs. Here is just a sampling of new home builders locally, highlighting what makes each unique.

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“We are truly a one-stop-shop for those looking to build their home or renovate an existing home,” Wallman said. “My process is boutique, collaborative, and individualized. I sit down with a client to analyze their needs. No matter the price, I do the same process which starts with a fair amount of research. This includes really getting to know my client to understand what their wants, needs, and tastes are. How much space is needed, how they entertain, the flow of the home—these are all necessary components to recognize, as they play major roles in conceptualizing design. It may range from anything as broad as understanding their style to something as specific as TV location. It’s the smallest of details that go into executing such a fulfilling design for my clients, and I don’t let a single one get overlooked.”

“We are both an architectural and interior design studio,” Wallman said.

“I’m happy to help clients either build or renovate. I like to give homes a very architectural look, no matter what. We discuss many details through our process: colors, cabinetry, woodwork, flooring, furniture, window treatments, and ceiling design, along with others. My goal is for the client to see themselves in the details and feel at home.”

Wallman said it’s important to ensure good proportions and appropriate-to-the-style detailing. But it doesn’t stop with the bones of the house. He will even help clients position furniture.

Wallman said his process is unique and individualized. He has 25 years of design experience and is comfortable in any design format. He makes sure the detail is suitable and cohesive for each style. His architectural knowledge and skillset are diverse, as he has most recently designed extremely modern, traditional, and farmhouse-style homes.

He is happy with a variance of looks and always strives for fresh, not trendy or saturated, work. His designs all point to simplicity, comfort, utility, and of course, beauty.

1413 N. 203rd St. Elkhorn, NE 68022 402.510.2766 mwallman.com

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G. LEE HOMES Greg Frazell has been called “Mr. Lee” more times than he can count since founding G. Lee Homes with his wife, Katie, in 2006, but that’s OK with him. Lee is his middle name, and both the “G” and the “Lee” in the company name honor multiple family members.

attention to detail and quality construction standards. G. Lee Homes received People’s Choice honors several years as a participating builder in Metro Omaha Builders Association’s Street of Dreams.

(Greg is also now serving his second year as MOBA president.)

“A father and a grandfather are both Gary Lee. Greg is Greg Lee. Lee is my sister’s middle name and now our son’s,” Katie said. “That’s what we’re about: family.”

Greg enjoys getting his hands in the design work. “It allows me to have a personal touch, and I enjoy that,” he said. “I love new construction. I love old architecture. I love trying to manipulate spaces to make them more effective or bring them back to their old glory. I’m interested in all aspects of it.”

The Frazells have created a family business they hope to someday pass on to any of their five children; and builders, by nature, are focused on families: young couples ready to start a family, growing families needing more space for their active offspring, or empty-nesters ready to host visiting family.

When they started plans for their company, Greg brought his construction and carpentry experience to the table (the kitchen table in the earliest days) and Katie was slated to handle the administrative side of things.

Today, their company has grown to encompass a custom home division and a custom remodel division, both known for

Over 14 years, the Frazells have built an impressive team, most who chose to come on board after working with the company as vendors or contractors, Katie said.

“They’re excellent at what they do. Clients get to know our staff so well because what we’re doing is personal, and we have people that tell us they’re sad when the job is over.”

The Frazells are both licensed agents with Nebraska Realty, which means they can assist new-build clients in selling their existing home or even help clients find a

house that can be remodeled to meet their needs. Because whether the project is a three-month remodel or a two-and-a-halfyear design/build, Greg said, “We want to be able to work with clients through the whole process. We don’t want to send them off to someone else hoping they hit the mark.”

The team is now developing a process, slated to roll out this spring, that will provide the quality finishes and selections of a custom build without the intensive commitment of time and attention typically required. “We’ve streamlined that custom build,” Greg said. “It fills a niche.”

And the company the Frazells built from the ground up continues to evolve.

“We’re both so grateful that it’s come to where it is,” Katie said. “And we’re excited to see where it goes.”

2316 S. 156th Circle Omaha, NE 68130 402.415.1187 omahasbuilder.com

March/April 2020

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FRONTIER BUILDERS “We really try to communicate that every home we build is different,” said Brett Clarke, co-founder of Frontier Builders.

“We never build the same house twice. Every family is different, so every home is different.

“We go through an entire preparation process with each customer. Some come to us with drawings, some without drawings. We take them through the dream/build/live list to pin down needs and wants. We create a floor plan system, bring in an interior designer and review every possibility. At the same time, architectural integrity is important. We want to steer our clients away from hodge-podge results.”

Years ago, Clarke said, some considered Omaha home building “very vanilla and isolated.” With today’s cyber-technology and with rapid use of social media, design and build ideas flow across the world instantaneously.

“If you can dream it or think it, we can find it.” Clarke said. “The variety of available colors, styles, cabinets, fixtures, everything--is available. The level of customization is endless these days. We spend time on the design side to bring our clients both prettier and 20

more functional results. Form and function must be equally weighed.”

Social media and the Frontier Builders website also relay work specifics. Some clients review possibilities on-line and ask questions electronically before ever meeting Frontier Builders. For client convenience, custom plans are available through the website. Clients can select soaring ceilings, show-stopping staircases, impressive millwork and distinct character.

When design is finalized, a 3D model is created. Clients are given goggles so they can “walk through” the yet-to-be-built home.

They can truly see the architectural integrity. They can examine surfaces and get a feel for the home’s flow.

After plans are gelled, the construction team takes over. “Gary handles dirt to drywall,” Clarke said. “Josh takes over from drywall to finish. Each of us is hyper-focused on our specialties. It’s quality control.”

During construction, the building crew is also in touch with the new owners providing daily electronic photos and reports. “Our clients get to know all of us. The communication conveys our expertise and energy.

Gary and I are very detailed oriented.

“In addition, we pay close attention to the accounting side of the business. Accounting affects the client as much of the craftsmanship does. We try to be as polished and paperless as possible, making things comfortable for the client.”

House orders, changes, and signoffs are electronic making things convenient even if a client is traveling.

“We warranty and back-up our work,” Clarke said. “If clients want, we continue the relationship with a service package that can include all kinds of things like yard maintenance, gutter cleaning and HVAC checks.

For many clients we have a life-long relationship to take care of the home we build for them. Every option is custom.”

Co-founders Brett Clarke and Gary Millett met as undergraduates and took construction management classes together. They bring distinct care and character to each build, and personalize every home beyond the brick and mortar.

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For convenience, home building customers can use Mercury’s standard floor plans. A gallery of gorgeous one-and-two story options is exhibited on the website.

Mercury Builders includes high-end finishes in their base price. Ten-and-eleven-foot ceilings are standard. Granite and quartz are on every surface. The master suite receives special attention with double sinks, walk-in showers and large master closets.

Those looking to custom-build a home will be offered 10 hours of design time with an interior designer, something that co-owner Jeff Gehring said sets them apart in their price range ($280$500K). The company also uses top-quality finishes and Marvin Windows. In one of their newer models, Mercury now offers a 40% more efficient VRF ductless heating and air system, offered exclusively through ServiceOne along with a five-year warranty for the home.

“We’re really proud that we’re the only custom home builder at our price point that offers a five-year warranty,” Gehring said.

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At Home with the Lakers

22

Modern

OmahaMagazine.com

AT HOM E story by Katy Spratte Joyce

photography by Bill Sitzmann

design by Mady Besch

Farmhouse Shines

in Rockbrook

It’s clear that Maren and Nate Lakers like a DIY challenge.

They did a near complete renovation of their first District 66 home on 101st Street, including the kitchen, basement, master bedroom, and bathroom. So, when the time came to move into a bigger space, the Lakers weren’t deterred by another large-scale facelift project. And they knew they wanted to stay in the Westside area for the great schools and easy interstate access, which helped to narrow the home search.

niently placed stove. The couple closed off the extra opening to the basement, which created additional space for the built-in fridge and wall oven/microwave combo.

According to Maren, their renovation process generally looks like this: “We typically decide budget first, then start looking at inspiration photos. Once we’ve decided on a layout/design, we demo!”

In addition to demo (Maren participated, taking a sledgehammer to the wall between the kitchen and living room), the couple took on much of the detail work. “We did all the painting, shiplap [in the entry], trim work, plumbing, backsplash, lighting, and then we laid the floors,” she said. They contracted A Plus Wood Flooring to sand and stain, finishing the job.

Even the news that Maren was pregnant with the couple’s first child, which they learned just five days after they put an offer on their Rockbrook beauty, couldn’t deter the motivated Lakers family. Maren said, “I feel that you should live in the space for awhile before deciding to do such a huge renova“I feel that you tion.” But with a baby on the should live in the way, “We didn’t have much space for awhile of a choice!” Best to do the before deciding reno before baby’s arrival and life got even more hectic, to do such a huge they decided. renovation.” But

with a baby on the

This home needed an additional artisan touch to make it stand out, for which Maren brought in Brian Michaelis with Beyond The Grain.

“I couldn’t have done this project without Brian,” Maren said. “He custom-built all of our [shaker kitchen] cabinets and was amazing in helping me make decisions on design layout. He was wonderful to work with and his workmanship is second to none.” Michaelis was equally impressed that the DIY-loving couple did so much of the renovation work themselves. In all, the remodel took about three months.

Maren is a self-taught inteway, “We didn’t have rior designer and has tackled much of a choice!” the bulk of the design work herself. Husband Nate is a commodities trader but has a —M A R E N L A K E R S background in construction.

Together, they’ve used their skill sets to beautify the The project wasn’t without its challenges. The couple had main floor of their new Rockbrook abode. What used already ordered more oak to extend their wood floors to be dark, closed off, and wood-paneled is now an when Michaelis first visited the house. He walked into airy, light-filled great room that flows into an upscale the kitchen and said, “These are really cool ash floors!” functional kitchen. Gourmet touches like a pot filler and Maren said, “Wait, what? They’re not oak?” So the faucet (a non-negotiable item for Nate) and beverage couple had to cancel the oak order and replace it with fridge make it an elegant, yet efficient environment ash to match. That meant double the price, but it was for both cooking and entertaining. A marble backworth it for double the charm. The ash in the home is a splash, quartz countertops, and a gas range help key design feature, since the grain really stands out and complete the look. Sleek KitchenAid appliances are adds great warmth to the main floor. Maren added, “I another key addition, while a Sub-Zero fridge rounds am so glad we found that out because our floors are a out the space. The renovated kitchen replaced a less huge focal point of the entire space.” than optimal one, with a tiny island and inconve-

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For final touches, the furniture and decor items in the home are from a mix of retailers, including Nebraska Furniture Mart, Anthropologie, and Pottery Barn.

Additionally, Maren loves to peruse local estate sales for one-of-a-kind finds.

The Lakers also embraced some of the original design quirks found on the main floor, adding a fun visual element. Funky fruit wallpaper still adorns the now mudroom/laundry room that connects the roomy three-car garage to the kitchen, and hand-painted fish wallpaper in the back main floor bathroom adds a touch of whimsy to the otherwise modern space. Additionally, an original vintage chandelier adorns the dining room.

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Another spot that was lovingly designed in the home was the nursery. What was formerly a dark room with heinous green wallpaper has been transformed into a light, bright, inviting space. The Lakers went into this project with one specific want: board and batten trim. Then, flipping through an HGTV magazine’s “paint issue,” they zeroed in on Pink Prism by Behr. “It was just the subtle pink color I was looking for,” Maren said. A long-ago rug find was the ideal complement to the space. “I had previously found that rug at Wayfair when we lived in our last home, but I hadn’t even taken it out of the package.

When we moved to this house, I knew it would be perfect for her nursery.”

The Lakers also embraced some of the original design quirks found on the main floor, adding a fun visual element.

The Lakers enjoy gametime as their labradoodle, Sammi, keeps watch.

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What was formerly a dark room with heinous green wallpaper has been transformed into a light, bright, inviting space.

The future looks bright for the happy couple, now parents to gorgeous 1-year-old Margo.

Maren added, “After all of these projects, I decided to start my own design company, MEL Designs.” She looks forward to future projects in their home now that the show-stopping great room is done. Up next on the renovation to-do list? Continuing those gorgeous ash floors into the main floor dining room, removing some old school built-ins upstairs in the master suite, and a refresh for the sunken living room near the double front doors. That’s a lot of changes and work ahead. But for now, there’s baby Margo to enjoy.

March/April 2020

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March/April 2020

Good Bones & Great Memories M AS S I V E R E N O B R E ATH ES N E W LI FE I NTO DU N D EE H O M E

The story goes that a lovely story by Carrielle Sedersten photography by Bill Sitzmann design by Mady Besch

woman went to a house party in Dundee in 1979.

It was at this party where she met the homeowner, who would become her future husband. The couple lived in the house where they first met for only a year because the house was old and not to the woman’s liking. Instead, they chose to rent it out for many years. But fate sometimes has a sense of humor, and nearly 40 years later, the couple moved back into the same Dundee house where they first met.

A lot had changed in the decades since they first lived there, but not the house itself. Only maintenance work was done during all those years, and well, it was looking “a little shabby,” according to the homeowners. Everything needed updating.

Built in 1912, the home is an American Foursquare. It’s boxy, 2 1/2 stories tall, and about 1,900 square feet. It had the Foursquare trademark—four rooms on every floor—until it was renovated in December 2018.

F E AT U R E

However, unless an expert on homes of this time period walked through pointing out the differences in the layout, the average person would have a hard time identifying what’s new from the original. The homeowners felt it was important to stay true to the time period not only in materials but also in the styling of the home.

Homes from the American Foursquare period, and older homes in general, tend to sag as the ground beneath the foundation naturally erodes and settles over time. Fixing the sagging was the priority when the renovation started because it affected the entire home and had to be done before anything else. It involved completely gutting the house down to the framing so holes could be dug in the foundation to add footings and beams that lifted the home about four inches.

The next issue addressed was the brick chimney running through the center of the home spanning all four floors, another common Foursquare characteristic. A chimney usually means there’s a fireplace, but the house didn’t have one; nor was the chimney essential for heating the home. It had to go, especially because the space it was taking up is where the refrigerator needed to go in the new kitchen layout.

In the new open floorplan, the load-bearing wall between the kitchen and dining room had to go, too. That meant adding a support beam to reinforce the floors above. The same was done on the second floor to open up the space and create the master bedroom.

The homeowners added a built-in window seat along the east wall of the dining room, and a gray stone tile fireplace and quartersawn oak built-in cabinets in the living room to match the house’s original woodwork. By enclosing the first-floor open walkway below the sleeping porch, they created a mudroom and a mainfloor laundry as well.

Then, as if stripping an entire house down to the bare bones wasn’t enough of an undertaking, they decided to add on to the back of the house.

Then, as if stripping an entire house down to the bare bones wasn’t enough of an undertaking, they decided to add on to the back of the house. The addition started as a porch, but when the draftsman was submitting the drawings for city permits, he drew the porch as a four-season room.

A few months later when excavating, the contractor realized that the foundation stuck three feet out of the ground. Since the crawl space under the four-season room had to go down three feet, and to go down just another two feet would give the homeowners a full room in the basement, they amended the plans and gained a bonus storage room.

Renovations in the basement were much simpler than the first floor. The goals were to open up the space by removing the walls put up by previous tenants dividing the basement into multiple bedrooms; to shrink the furnace room because it was bigger than necessary; and to shorten the bathroom to “make it less like a bowling alley,” the homeowner said.

March/April 2020

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F E AT U R E

Upstairs on the second floor, things weren’t as easy. There was only a small half bathroom, no master suite, and the third floor was only accessible through a bedroom.

“We started figuring out how to move walls,” the homeowner said.

They started by enclosing the sleeping porch to create the master bathroom and closet. After that, they had to find a way to make the small 10-by-10-foot bedroom into the master. The linen closet was relocated to the hallway, and a wall was taken out to connect the original bathroom with the master bedroom. Another bedroom was converted into yet more space for the master and a second bathroom on the floor.

On top of all the structural work, design elements like the quartersawn egg and dart crown molding, as well as the substantial wood baseboards, were recreated to match the rest of the house in all the new construction.

After all was said and done, the renovation took close to 10 months.

The homeowners gained a garage, a four-season room, a mudroom, a laundry room on the first floor, a master suite, and a fireplace, as well as a shored-up foundation. Surely, more great memories are to be made in this Dundee gem, by this couple and generations to come.

OmahaMagazine.com

33

A RCHITEC T UR E

story Hannah Amrollahi photography Bill Sitzmann design Mady Besch

W I T H

C H A R A C TE R

March/April 2020

35

“We didn’t throw anything away,” Brent Beller said of shelving, fixtures, and other materials torn out during remodeling. “We reused it.”

“What I try to do with an addition is to make it look like it was always a part of the house,” Gerber said.

To achieve this goal, he mimicked the original bump-out in the dining area to expand the kitchen, matched the brick, and extended the original 1.5-inch quartersawn oak dining room floors into the kitchen.

“We live so differently now than we did back then,” Gerber said. “The kitchen is a different area...it was used as a utilitarian room. Now, because we entertain in our kitchen, we want it to look nice like the rest of the house.”

Gerber raised a section of the kitchen ceiling an inch to match the height of the first floor and opened the wall to the dining room. A mudroom replaced the laundry room, which was relocated upstairs, and outside, a covered back entrance, new patio, and a balcony extension were added.

“Jared was phenomenal to work with and he brought about the big ideas,” Emily said.

Brent and Emily Beller

were casually looking for a Dundee area home in 2016 to fit a growing family. A residence at 52nd and Cuming streets, with its red brick, classical columns, and lions guarding the central front entry, was back on the market and caught their eye.

“We stumbled into an open house and it went on from there,” Emily Beller said.

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Initially upon purchasing the 1921 Colonial Revival-style home, the Bellers didn’t add anything but paint.

“After living there for a year, we found some things we could change,” Emily said.

Interior designer Carrie Derrick introduced the Bellers to Jared Gerber of Gerber Architecture PC. He met with the homeowners to create their wish list: a remodel of the kitchen, laundry room, and master suite, and an addition.

During construction, Gerber uncovered heating pipes from the still-functioning boiler between the kitchen and dining wall, relocating them to smaller walls. Adding height to the kitchen cut into the balcony, which was covered by a built-in bench and planters.

“I’ve worked remodeling old houses enough to know you have to be flexible,” Gerber said.

Upstairs, a former summer bedroom [typically used during hot months before air-conditioning] was converted to the sleeping quarters of the master suite with an added walk-in closet and expanded bathroom. The existing closet was preserved but gave access to another bedroom.

A RCHITEC T UR E

March/April 2020

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A RCHITEC T UR E

“We wanted it to look historic… to look like it went with the house.”

— E M I LY B E L L E R

A RCHITEC T UR E

“We didn’t throw anything away,” Brent Beller said of shelving, fixtures, and other materials torn out during remodeling. “We reused it.”

During much of the six-month project the Bellers lived with Brent’s parents.

Brent offered this piece of advice: “Just from the get-go, start prepping yourself mentally. Don’t rush anything, because it is your home, and a couple of months in the grand scheme of bringing up your family isn’t long.”

Gerber finds many projects feature three main requests: kitchens, master bedrooms, and garages.

“Especially now with a big transition—people moving back to the midtown and inner city area—you want to make [people] feel comfortable,” Gerber said.

Inside the home, the Bellers worked with Derrick and Jacque Christensen, owners of Jacque Christensen Design, to enhance the art deco style with bronze fixtures and kitchen lighting inspired by Dundee’s street lamps.

“We wanted it to look historic…to look like it went with the house,” Emily said.

Brent considers the family to be caretakers of the property, sacrificing some conveniences out of respect and love of older homes.

The Bellers and Gerber agree on the benefits of historic houses—location and details.

“There is so much more craft that went into the house itself,” Gerber said.

While the charm of the home may be original, the Bellers are enjoying its functional additions.

“There isn’t one thing we did that we regretted doing,” Emily said.

“That’s a good feeling.”

“There isn’t one thing we did that we regretted doing,” Emily said. “That’s a good feeling.”

March/April 2020

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Story by Patrick McGee

Design by Mady Besch

OmahaMagazine.com

H A RV E S T

WE SHOULD ALL BE SO LUCKY AS TO HAVE TOO MUCH TO EAT. At first glance,

it may be a blessing, but take a step back and consider the economics of excess bounty. Food waste is an increasing problem with unanticipated consequences for your wallet and the environment. These were, in part, subjects for consideration at the Omaha Public Library’s Read It & Eat Culinary Conference 2019, an event designed to educate the public about the ethical food movement through local foodwaste educators.

Amy Mather, the Adult Services Manager of Omaha Public Libraries, organized the event, which happens annually. The topics at this year’s conference, titled Wasted, bridged both culinary and ethical concerns and introduced Omahans to savvy food-recycling techniques spanning from utilizing leftovers, to food-rescue organizations, to composting. Mather said recognizing food waste and confronting it is important. “It’s good for you, your budget, and the environment,” she said, adding that she loves promoting respect for all of our food in every form it takes.

The Wasted presenters included food professionals from various disciplines.

Meghan McLarney, a nutrition therapist for Nebraska Medicine who is also a culinary instructor for nonprofit Blossom & Wood, took part in the food waste panel discussion. She teaches strategies to reduce food waste by “knowing how to use what you have.” On the topic, she described cutting down on waste by making com-

munal dishes for social gatherings, rather than everyone bringing their own dish.

McLarney warned that methane gas from food decomposition in landfills is contributing to the greenhouse gas problem.

“Our landfills are filling up at concerning rates,” she said.

Nancy Williams, president and CEO of No More Empty Pots, a grassroots nonprofit organization focused on helping people become more self-sufficient, reducing poverty, and living on their own terms through smart food practices, also participated. Her organization pushes a “zero waste initiative” in which every item of food is used to avoid waste. For example, produce purchases from a local farmer are calculated to support the local market and then strategically divided for complete use in culinary classes and cafés.

The model emphasizes a positive outcome for shareholders based on ethical food use. “We really try to live what we do,” Williams said.

Summer Miller, editor of simplyrecipes. com, author of New Prairie Kitchen (for which she received the Nebraska Book Award), and board member of Saving Grace, a nonprofit whose aim is to rescue food from metro landfills and redistribute to other nonprofits, childcare centers, and those in need, also participated in Wasted.

Saving Grace redistributes grocery store foods that have gone out of season or otherwise occupies needed shelf space. Saving Grace has rescued one million pounds of food in six years. She said consumers can do the same on a smaller scale. “Buy only what you need, cook what you have, and

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"Buy only what you need, cook what you have, and educate yourself on what is edible. Don’t let that carton of greens turn into a salad green soup in the back of your fridge!"

—Su m m er M i ller educate yourself on what is edible,” Miller said. “Don’t let that carton of greens turn into a salad green soup in the back of your fridge!”

Avoiding food waste may seem easier said than done, but in practice it is quite simple: buy what you will eat, and eat what you buy. Respect where your food comes from. In doing so, you respect yourself and others and help preserve Mother Earth.

Visit nmepomaha.org, savinggracefoodrescue. org, and blossomandwood.org to learn more.

To read more on the 2019 Read It & Eat Culinary Conference, visit omahalibrary. org/blogs/post/read-it-eat-culinary-conference-2019/.

TRAN S F O RMATI O N S

A

desire for smart spaceplanning, abundant natural light, and “aging in place� initiated home renovation plans for this baby boomer couple.

Anita Wiechman, a partner with Interior Design Group, was called in to bring solutions.

The primary goal of the renovation was to thoughtfully redistribute square footage in the bedroom area to create a more efficient bathroom, a larger closet, and a comfortable master bedroom.

The outdated bathroom included a dim vanity area, a side room for the tub/ shower and toilet, and poor storage.

These small, divided rooms became the new master bath. Toilet and bath spaces were reconfigured, and a transom window was added to the toilet room. An undermount tub, placed opposite the bedroom, was installed and anchored by a large, frosted privacy window. The tub style was chosen to allow easy entrance/ exit for the homeowners. OSB (a stronger, engineered board) was used on all the new bathroom spaces to accommodate grab bars in the future. LED recessed lighting, as well as vanity lighting, brighten the dim space, essential for the aging-in-place concept.

An additional transom window was installed in the the zero-entry shower, and still another larger, operable window replaced the only existing window. The newly designed and larger vanity area includes a counterheight sitting space. The full-height mirror reflects the expansive shower, finished with a clear glass panel to visually expand the width of the bathroom.

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BEFORE

MASTER EN SUITE OASIS story Anita wiechman

photography Jay g. Davis photography

design Mady Besch

Meet the Interior Designer ANITA WIECHMAN

ASID, CK BR INTERIOR DESIG N G ROUP

Anita Wiechman is a full-time designer, having graduated with her degree in interior design in 1979. She passed the NCIDQ exam and is a Certified Kitchen Bath Remodeler, certified through NARI. Her projects include both residential and commercial and range in all sizes and budgets. She is one of the partners of Interior Design Group. When Anita’s not designing, she is happily busy with her family, which includes two grand babies under the age of 3.

March/April 2020

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T R A NSF OR M AT IONS

The large-scale Carrara marbledesigned porcelain tiles enhance the bathroom with a timeless style. A herringbone pattern on the floor visually widens the long rectangular space, while 30-by-30-inch shower tile reduces grout lines. Textured tile was used on the floor of the shower for safety, and a seat was included.

The shower seat, shower floor, and bathroom floor is heated. Cabinet and wall paint colors are warm neutrals, adding a spacious feeling.

French doors were installed between the bedroom and bath; the wider 48inch doorway maintains openness while providing the option for privacy.

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The two-person closet space was created from underutilized bedroom footage. New drawers, doublehanging rods, shelving, and hooks organize the couple with stylish efficiency. The closet defines the areas for his and hers, providing plenty of storage without the use of bedroom chests or dressers. LED lighting was utilized in the space for a well-lit room.

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Although the bedroom was downsized, it maintains a spacious feeling, accommodating a king-sized bed, an upholstered bench, a pair of attractive, sleek storage nightstands, and more importantly, custom-designed stacked wall storage. This busy couple requested bedroom storage to organize their various community and family projects, as their clothing needs would be met in the new closet. Each project is assigned to a large drawer for easy access and speedy put-away. The carpet is a dense low pile to further enhance the universal design. Lighting in the bedroom includes LED accent lighting for the artwork and lamps. Prewired outlets for future swing arm reading lamps by the bed will accommodate a universal design when needed.

To add visual interest to the neutral finishes, vivid colors are used in the artwork and accent furnishings.

Changing the bed orientation in the room resulted in a new wonderful backyard view that is ever-changing and restful.

The designer received a great compliment—“the new en suite changed their lives.” The homeowners started the project overwhelmed and restless, seeing the disorganization morning and night. Now everything has its place.

They feel restored and refreshed in their new favorite space.

CREATE YOUR OWN ENVIRONMENT 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 let’s you ease into a flawless execution of your ideal surroundings.

Contact us today to see why Curt Hofer & Associates has earned top awards for our iconic design and inspired living spaces for more than 26 years.

16820 Frances Street, Ste. 102 | Omaha, NE 68130 | Phone: 402.758.0440 | www.curthofer.com Please contact Curt Hofer & Associates today! For an appointment, visit curthofer.com or see our Ideabook at houzz.com/curthofer.

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Home Comfort Built to Last

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Voted #1 for Windows and Doors eight years in a row.

Thank you, Omaha!

Make your house a home in as little as one day. And with PellaÂŽ Lifestyle Series windows and doors, you can benefit from the #1 performing wood window and patio door for the combination of energy, sound and value.1 Call your local Pella Window and Door Showroom for your free in-home consultation to get started.

Visit your Pella Showroom, now offering the best limited lifetime warranty for wood windows and patio doors.2 Lincoln: 6891 A Street, Suite No. 118, Clocktower Center Omaha: 9845 South 142nd Street 4 02- 493 -1350 | 8 8 8 -74 4 -14 0 4 pellaomaha.com

Performance solutions offering an unbeatable combination of energy efficiency, sound control and value require upgrades to triple-pane, AdvancedComfort Low-E and mixed glass thickness. Based on comparing product quotes and published STC/OITC and U-Factor ratings of leading national wood window and patio door brands.

2 Based on comparing written limited warranties of leading national wood window and wood patio door brands.

See Pella written Limited Warranty for details, including exceptions and limitations, at pella.com/warranty. Š 2019 Pella Corporation 1

Window & Door Replacement