OmahaHome May/June 2018 by Omaha Magazine

MAY/JUNE 2018 A LWAY S L O C A L , A LWAY S B E AU T I F U L

A Throne Room FIT for a king & Queen Doctor

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E N T R Y WAY

CON TEN TS 1

OmahaHome Entryway

DIY

SUCCULENT ST YLE

Spaces M I D C E N T U R Y M O D E R N B AT H R O O M

Neighborhoods PA R K E A S T N E I G H B O R H O O D R E B R A N D

At Home A WINDOW TO THE WORLD

Feature L I V I N G R O O M S TA G I N G

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Har vest P L E N T I F U L PA N F I S H Y E A R - R O U N D

Transformations

pring is in full swing and my thoughts turn to freshening up my home as I always do. After a long, dreary winter, I find myself wanting to breathe new life into familiar spaces. So what better way than to start with the entryway and work my way inside?

For starters, I’m going to paint my front door a beautiful shade of moss green, then clean things up, power-wash all the dirt and cobwebs from the home’s exterior, and place a pretty wrought-iron bench adorned with throw pillows—along with several potted plants and flowers—near the door. Once inside, I proceed with decluttering and cleaning. A simple rearranging of furniture can make a huge difference, as readers will discover in this issue’s article on professional stagers. Staging is a crucial step to bring out any home’s best features, especially for anyone putting their home on the real estate market. Sometimes decluttering and adding strategic pieces of new furniture are all you need to make that critical first impression a “wow!” Speaking of first impressions, one of the many perks of being OmahaHome’s contributing editor is helping to find residential gems and having a sneak peek into the homes prior to featuring them. Gary and Beth Bowen’s chic cottage, nestled amongst the trees, is a warm and inviting home that is sure to impress. When decorating for the spring season, don’t be afraid to bring the outside indoors with flowers freshly cut from the yard. Or try your hand at the hottest trend livening up living spaces this year—succulents. Succulents are an easy-to-please houseguest; they survive indoors with minimal effort. I’ve also joined the succulent bandwagon, and my arrangement made for a colorful (and hopefully inspirational) DIY this issue. Here’s to greenery poking out from all directions. Spring is in the air. Cheers!

R E S I D EN T I A L N I R VA N A

ON THE COVER

Dr. Nicole de Rosa and Dr. James Padussis renovated their home bathroom into a midcentury modern masterpiece. Story on page 6. Photography by Paula Moser.

Sandy Matson Contributing Editor

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May/June 2018

DIY story by Sandy Matson

photography by Bill Sitzmann

design by Mady Besch

Succulent Style Get Trendy With Easy Indoor Plants

ucculents are a hot trend, blooming in popularity not just because of their unique beauty—they’re also easy to propagate and nearly indestructible. More than 25 different plant families contain succulents, with varieties ranging from cacti to yucca, aloes, agave, bromeliads, and even orchids. The word “succulent” is derived from the Latin word sucus, which translates to “ juice” or “sap.” The plants are native to deserts and arid climates.

“All cactus are succulents, but not all succulents are cactus,” says master gardener Kathy Bokelman-Zeeb of Papillion. “I couldn’t even take a guess at the number of succulents. They would be at least in the thousands.” Before starting this DIY project, I decided to get an expert opinion. Gardening gurus directed me to Bokelman-Zeeb. I also searched the web to educate myself on the do’s and don’ts of succulents. One common mistake is overwatering. This is (most likely) the No. 1 way for a novice gardener to kill their succulents. Succulents need

watering when the soil feels dry, but Bokelman-Zeeb says each calls for different care.

for water drainage. Nondraining pots can be used but require more attention.

“Preferably, you water on a sunny day so they dry out better—rather than a cool day because succulents don’t want to sit in water—you don’t want to encourage rot or mold in the soil,” Bokelman-Zeeb says. “In warmer months I water a lot more, but over the winter, you might only water once every month to keep the little rootlets from drying out.”

To ensure longevity and beauty of the plants, make sure to fertilize. BokelmanZeeb says the fertilizer should be diluted to onefourth strength in water.

She recommends using very loose soil that drains well (there are several brands of potting soil intended specif ically for succulents/ cacti) and a pot that has holes

Above all, have fun with your succulents—whether you choose to group them for slower growth, or pot them alone and watch them grow. Let your imagination go wild. Possibilities are endless when it comes to planting succulents. No matter the style of décor— rustic, classic, or modern— they go well everywhere!

Shallow bowl, preferably with holes (which can be drilled if not already present) 12-15 succulents in many varieties Succulent fertilizer Succulent/cactus soil River rocks or small pebbles Activated f ilter carbon (found at pet stores) Decorative moss (optional) Battery-operated string of lights (optional)

Step 1 Place a layer of activated f ilter carbon on the bottom of the pot for drainage. Step 2 Add your succulent soil. Fill 1/4-inch from the top of the pot. Step 3 Take each succulent out of its container. Place them on top of the soil (move them around until you f ind the best placement). Step 4 Scoop out soil for appropriate holes. Plant succulents in about the same depth as their previous container/pot. Tap f irmly around roots to set plants securely. Step 5 Place a thin layer of pebbles or granite chips on the soil for top cover. This helps keep the moisture away from the base of the plants. Step 6 (optional) Use some decorative moss and battery-operated lights to illuminate the arrangement.

“All cactus are succulents, but not all succulents are cactus. I couldn't even take a guess at the number of succulents. They would be at least in the thousands.” —Kathy Bokelman-Zeeb, master gardener

May/June 2018

S PAC E S story by Matt Bogseth

photography by Paula Moser

design by Mady Besch

A THRONE ROOM FIT FOR A King and Queen DOCTOR

Midcentury Modern Bathroom

OmahaMagazine.com

s a bastion of repose

from the outside world of work and worry, home spaces have the power to f lush away the anxieties of the day.

And when it comes to relaxation (and f lushing), nowhere is this more essential than the so-called “throne room.” But some bathrooms are more deserving of such regal classif ication than others. When Dr. Nicole de Rosa and husband Dr. James Padussis f irst moved into their home in the Loveland neighborhood, the bathroom lacked a bathtub and its stylistic atmosphere was caught in the 1990s. The couple contacted Courtney Otte of The Modern Hive Interior Design Studio to make their dream bathroom into reality. Otte sought to integrate the bathroom with the rest of the home’s midcentury aesthetic while also leaning toward a more modern f inish. The updated space features soft brown wood in the custombuilt vanity with f loating medicine cabinet mirrors. The wood complements the white Cambria quartz of the countertop in a pleasing harmony of warmth. This fusion of design elements extends throughout the bathroom.

May/June 2018

White Calacatta porcelain tiles—matching the vanity— cover walls inside the transparent walk-in shower (encased entirely in clear glass). The shower walls meet wooden wall panels on one side (where a large bathtub rests) and white walls on the other (where the shower door opens). The white-onwood motif also connects the bathroom to the rest of the home’s interior design. In addition to the calming tones of the space, recurring colors and geometrical patterns offer a modern f lair to the room. In the backsplash behind the sink, a black strip of small hexagonal tiles cuts through the wall of white, rectangular subway tiles. These black hexagonal tiles appear again above the head of the tub and inside the shower in functional recesses (cut into the marbled-white porcelain tile). White hexagonal tiles with hints of gray appear on the f loor, spreading out from underneath the bathtub like a puddle of shapes spilling organically onto the f loor’s gray and rectangular stone framework.

S PAC E S

OmahaMagazine.com

“The master bathroom renovation has given us increased practicality, privacy, and luxury. We love that the design has retained a midcentury feel but has translated...into a more modern, more glamorous room.” —Dr. Nicole de Rosa

“The master bathroom renovation has given us increased practicality, privacy, and luxury,” de Rosa says. “We love that the design has retained a midcentury feel but has translated... into a more modern, more glamorous room.”

At the center of the luxury and comfort of the room is the traditional white bathtub, which gives the room a weight of personality, a presence of calmness, and a separation from the outside world. The traditional “throne” is tucked behind a wall for privacy.

The renovated bathroom provides de Rosa a welcome escape from the rigors of her job. Regarding her prized addition to her home, she admits that the room “serves as a sanctuary for relaxation

for me, and baths are incredibly important to my stress management needs.” Visit themodern-hive.com for more information about the interior design firm involved in renovating this bathroom space.

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May/June 2018

NEIGHBOR HOODS story by Ashley Wegner

photography by Bill Sitzmann

design by Mady Besch

Park East Neighborhood Rebrand: The Quarters Historic Area Goes for Catchy and Inclusive

he Omaha neighborhood that’s not quite downtown and not quite Midtown has, for years, been hard to encapsulate.

You could identify it as home to several historic early 20th century buildings, such as

the Rose Theater, Scottish Rite Cathedral, and the old Northern Natural Gas Headquarters building. A stretch on Farnam Street was once the busy “automotive row,” where you could f ind several car dealerships as well as car service shops. And pockets of the neighborhood

are known for their less-thanrosy reputations as previous hot spots for crime, drug dealing, and prostitution.

neighborhood—bounded by Dodge and Leavenworth from 20th to 28th streets—has a new name: The Quarters.

Although the past has been a mixed bag for Omaha’s Park East neighborhood (situated east of Interstate 480), the future is looking like it will be more unif ied. The

Several developers are investing hundreds of millions of dollars in the area to rehabilitate different buildings for residential or commercial use.

And the Park East Neighborhood Association is working on ideas to rebrand and market the area as a destination instead of just a necessary pass-through on the way to or from downtown or Midtown. “We want to make the area not just somewhere you drive past,” says Ann Lawless, executive

director of the Park East Neighborhood Association. “We want to make it a place you would want to stop, have dinner, or maybe even live.” Until a few years ago, the neighborhood was more of a place to do business than anything else. Some of the area’s longtime businesses include All Makes Off ice

Equipment, Physicians Mutual Insurance Co., and (until a couple of years ago) Barnhart Press. In addition, several nonprof its have called the area home, including Completely Kids (where Lawless works), Lutheran Family Services, Youth Emergency Services, the

Salvation Army, the Rose Theater, and Joslyn Art Museum, among others. Most of the residential housing consisted of apartments designed and priced for low-income or elderly residents before local developers began noticing the area’s potential a few years ago.

May/June 2018

The area is “perfectly positioned between downtown Omaha/the Old Market and Midtown Crossing/ UNMC,” says Dave Ulferts, an investor in Travers Row Houses, 11 buildings on 26th Street and St. Mary’s Avenue that were converted into modern dwellings.

Ulferts says it was a “great journey” to decide on a new name, citing “multiple community listening sessions, surveys, brainstorming meetings, and even a professionally facilitated meeting…giving everyone the opportunity to have a voice was important.”

Other new residential developments include Highline Apartments (once home to the old Northern Natural Gas Building) at 22nd and Dodge streets and the Flats on Howard (12 adjacent brick buildings) on 24th Street between Harney Street and Landon Court.

Lawless says “The Quarters” was chosen because it was catchy and inclusive, as opposed to rooted in a specif ic time or part of the neighborhood’s history.

And the newer developments aren’t just housing. The $10 million Kountze Commons building at 26th and Douglas streets opened late last year. Even Hotel, an upscale hotel at 24th and Farnam streets, opened in 2016. The Kellogg building at 24th and Harney streets was rehabilitated to become a commercial space that now hosts businesses including Muglife Coffee Roastery, Greenstreet Cycles, Wag pet shop, and soon, a “cat café” called Felius. “As a unique business, we wanted to set up shop in a unique area of town, one that was underdeveloped and a place where we could be a catalyst for positive change,” says Felius president and founder Bre Phelan. “The Quarters district was the perfect f it.” With all the efforts to breathe new life into the area, Lawless says some of the developers suggested rebranding the area with a new name.

But history is still important as the neighborhood continues to develop. Several developers have sought to incorporate aspects of the area’s early 20th century architecture in their projects.

NEIGHBOR HOODS

rejuvenate the area, Andrews says he hopes this desire to restore and preserve continues. Ten years from now, Ulferts says he hopes the area will be walkable and well-lit, with community gardens on almost every corner, and neighborhood events for residents, business owners, and their employees. Ulferts acknowledges that it will take a lot more work before the neighborhood gets to that point. “I’d describe the general feel as we’re ‘up and coming,’” he says. “One could make an argument that we have a long way to go, so I’m glad to be part of a neighborhood association focused on overall improvement.”

“Many of the restorations in the area seek to maintain and enhance the existing character of the neighborhood,” says Adam Andrews, AIA, architect at Alley Poyner Macchietto Architecture and board president of Restoration Exchange Omaha. Andrews cites the exterior lighting and landscape of the Flats on Howard, which mimics the originals, and the tinted window glazing and public entrance lobby at Highline Apartments, which was restored to its original condition. Ulferts says when refurbishing Travers Row, the original granite curbs were salvaged and repurposed for the retaining walls in the development’s green space. More residential properties are in the works. More commercial businesses are on their way. As more developers and businesses seek to

“The Quarters” was chosen because it was catchy and inclusive, as opposed to rooted in a specific time or part of the neighborhood’s history.

OmahaMagazine.com

“We want to make the area not just somewhere you drive past. We want to make it a place you would want to stop, have dinner, or maybe even live.” —Ann Lawless, executive director of the Park East Neighborhood Association

May/June 2018

AT HOM E story by Doug Meigs

A Window to the World Tom and Marylu Gouttierre’s Afghan-Inspired Clinker Brink Home in Dundee

photography by Bill Sitzmann

design by Mady Besch

his cozy residence in Omaha’s historic Dundee neighborhood might seem an unlikely place to f ind one of the world’s leading experts on Afghan geopolitics.

Yet it is here that Tom Gouttierre (and wife Marylu) have made their home for almost 44 years. A sign of the homeowners’ international lifestyle hangs overhead in their entry way. The sign once hung outside their former home in Kabul, Afghanistan. It reads Sulhistan: Khaaneh Gouttierre in Persian script, which translates to “A Place of Peace: The House of Gouttierre.” (Tragically, their friend who scrawled

the calligraphy was killed during the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan in 1979.) The Gouttierres’ residence is a showcase of their world travels, inf luenced heavily by their years in Afghanistan. Intricate, hand-woven rugs of all sizes cover the f loors; there are more than two dozen on the f irst f loor (with more than 50 throughout the house). “Here is one carpet we always like to show off,” Gouttierre says, pointing to one red beauty on the f loor of the solarium adjacent to their main living room. “This is probably a couple hundred years old. The thinner, the more valuable because they are so tightly woven—they will never wear out.”

The sign once hung outside their former home in Kabul, Afghanistan. It reads Sulhistan: Khaaneh Gouttierre in Persian script, which translates to “A Place of Peace: The House of Gouttierre.”

May/June 2018

Each rug holds a special memory. Smaller rugs were purchased when the newly weds were poor Peace Corps teachers (19651967) and Gouttierre was a Fulbright scholar in Afghanistan (19691970). The larger and more expensive rugs came during Gouttierre's tenure managing the Fulbright Program in Afghanistan (1971-1974). All of the rugs are handwoven treasures—some are now worth more than $10,0000—purchased for a fraction of their current value at neighborhood bazaars in the years preceding the Soviet occupation. There are paintings of Kabul streetscapes on the wall that were gifts from Gouttierre's Afghan students. Traditional wooden privacy screens hang on the white walls and provide additional decorative accents from the country. Other mementos displayed throughout the house reference the scholar’s role in advising global political leaders: A bowl with the U.S. presidential seal hints at the time when Gouttierre advised the Reagan administration on American policy during the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan (and translated for visiting diplomats). There is also a small collection of deep-blue lapis lazuli that came as gifts from the former king of Afghanistan and Hamid Karzai (the president of Afghanistan following the U.S. overthrow of Taliban rule until 2014). Karzai— Gouttierre's friend from his years in Afghanistan—even

AT HOM E

“When we went to Vietnam, I couldn’t speak Vietnamese, but I went [with her hand, she mimics the grinding of a mortar and pestle], and they go, “Aha!” and take me to find them,” she says, noting that her collection includes examples from remote Afghan villages, Iraq, Thailand, India, China, and beyond. stayed at their Omaha home when he made a special trip to Nebraska while visiting the U.S. on a diplomatic visit in 2005. Then there is Marylu’s mortar and pestle collection displayed in the dining room and kitchen. Mortar and pestle utensils are common in cultures worldwide, and she sought them out during their frequent globetrotting excursions. “When we went to Vietnam, I couldn’t speak Vietnamese, but I went [with her hand, she mimics the grinding of a mortar and pestle], and they go, “Aha!” and take me to f ind them,” she says, noting that her collection includes examples from remote Afghan villages, Iraq, Thailand, India, China, and beyond.

The couple came to Omaha in July 1974 straight from Afghanistan when Gouttierre was hired to initiate the Off ice of International Studies and assume leadership of the Center for Afghanistan Studies at the University of Nebraska-Omaha. He held the dual dean-director roles until his retirement in 2015.

Walking distance from UNO campus, the residence is situated on a winding street uphill from Elmwood Park. Gouttierre thought it would be an easy walk to work, he loved the solarium with tile fountain and koi pond, and knew the original plaster-andlath archways inside would f it with their Afghan décor.

“We looked at around 30 houses in three days,” Marylu says of their initial rush to f ind a home upon f irst arriving in Omaha. Gouttierre remembers being advised to f ind a house west of 72nd Street. But he dreaded driving into the sunrise every morning and returning home with the sunset blazing in his eyes.

But it was a f ixer-upper decades in the making. Gouttierre's f irst project was removing the greencolored heav y drapes and shag carpet. A horrif ic paint job also had to go. Pea-green paint covered the walls and caked the functional wood-burning f ireplace.

Built in 1923, the clinkerbrick home (a now-uncommon style of brick home that uses overcooked, misshapen, or refuse bricks from kilns) was perfect for their needs.

“Pea green was the fourth color at least,” Gouttierre says. “As I recall, the layers went: canary yellow, Alice blue, shocking pink or rose, and then the pea green.”

OmahaMagazine.com

All of the rugs are hand-woven treasuresâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;some are now worth more than $10,0000â&#x20AC;&#x201D;purchased for a fraction of their current value at neighborhood bazaars in the years preceding the Soviet occupation.

May/June 2018

AT HOM E

of three street-facing windows while Joe Harwood Woodwork restored the original woodwork. Mark Lambrecht of Lambrecht Glass also crafted a custom leaded-glass window with green on bottom (for grass), blue on top (for sky), red on the right (for sunset), and yellow on the left (for sunrise). Meanwhile, Marvin Windows faithfully replicated the home’s 46 multi-pane windows with new, all-wood interior mullions separating new panes of double-glazed glass. The lower portions of the window frames are stationary, while the upper portions open with the crank of a lever (instead of the traditional double-hung windows that lift up or down). To f inish off the window upgrade, an aluminum cladding perfectly matched the dark brickwork and protects the new windows. The window upgrade alone cost more than they originally paid for the home.

His next project was removing the wall of the master bedroom closet so that they could have expanded storage in the second-f loor hallway. Other projects included renovating the kitchen and f inishing the basement (complete with a Detroit Tigers baseball-themed bathroom, sitting area, storage room, and laundry room).

Since retiring from UNO, Gouttierre has devoted his boundless energy to continued home improvements. A new project is always hovering on the horizon. “This is what I enjoy doing in my retirement,” he says. Windows have been Gouttierre's obsession for the past few years. Lambrecht Glass replaced 92 panes of leaded glass in a group

In early spring, they put the finishing touches on a new deck above the solarium (accessible from their bedroom). Steps to the deck feature hidden drawers to replace lost storage. The deck opens to a spectacular view of sunsets, UNO’s clocktower, Elmwood Park, and Memorial Park ’s Fourth of July fireworks. This article is continued online. Read more about Tom and Marylu Gouttierre’s Dundee Sulhistan on the Omaha Magazine website (omahamagazine.com).

THE DESIGN GALLERY AT N E B R A S K A F U R N I T U R E M A RT

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May/June 2018

F E AT U R E story by Claire Bromm

Experience and Advice from Professional Stagers

taging can turn a house into a home. It all starts with f irst impressions. “Staging” is a real estate industry term that means preparing a home for viewings (in-person) and photography (for online for-sale listings). When done right, the prep work helps prospective buyers to imagine themselves actually living at the property. Staging requires attention to interior design, furniture placement, decorations, lighting, and landscaping, among other factors. You don’t have to be a professional designer to stage your home for sale. But if the task sounds laborious, there are professionals eager to accept your business.

Tara Legenza and Julie Radke are two independent stagers in the Omaha area. Speaking with OmahaHome, they share how they entered the f ield and reveal some of their staging secrets. Legenza and Radke have both prepared living rooms as samples to showcase their passion for staging. When looking at Legenza’s design, notice how bookcases and coffee tables are kept clean and strategically balanced to consist of books and minimal decor that would suit most buyers. In Radke’s work, consider her careful use of color, accents, and furniture placement.

photography by Bill Sitzmann

design by Mady Besch

OmahaMagazine.com

r Ta

aL ege nz

ReDefined Interiors By Tara

but seeing the homeowner’s face and appreciation when it sells quickly (and they’re in their new home) is worth it!

HOW DID YOU BECOME INTER ESTED IN STAGING HOMES?

W H AT IS YOUR SECR ET TO SUCCESSF UL HOME STAGING?

I went to school for art but quickly found out I needed to make more money. I worked in corporate marketing for 10 years until I had my second child and quit. I wanted to have the worklife balance in a f ield that would call to the creative side I had suppressed all those years. After researching, I found that becoming a home stager and decorator would allow for this. Staging can be challenging at times,

It’s really dependent on the homeowner being openminded and not being offended when asked to box up their décor and personal mementos. Once a stager comes to the home, you have to think of yourself as already moved out. It’s no longer your home—it’s just a house. If a homeowner can get into this mindset, things come together quickly and are more successful and prof itable for them.

Tara Legenza

CA N YOU SH AR E A N Y A NECDOTES FROM YOUR STAGING WORK? There was a retired couple— living behind Papillion-La Vista High School—who tried selling their home without staging it, but they did not have success. After taking the house off the market for a couple of months, they decided to hire me before putting it back on the market. They were anxious to move into their newly built home. After boxing up several collectibles from their travels,

rearranging the furniture for a more open feel in the living room, family room, and dining room, and staging an empty room as a bedroom, we were able to put it on the market for more than they had originally asked just a few months prior. The home was on the market for a couple of days and sold for 3 percent more than the asking price in 2017.

Rate: $150 for two hours Phone: 402-203-0270 Email: redefinedinteriorsbytara@gmail.com Website: redefinedinteriorsbytara.com

F E AT U R E

dke

lie

May/June 2018

W H AT IS YOUR SECR ET TO SUCCESSF UL HOME STAGING?

Julie Radke Stage It! Home Staging and Redesign HOW DID YOU BECOME INTER ESTED IN STAGING HOMES? While working my previous job in the real estate industry, I used to open new off ices and design them. I soon discovered this was my passion. I am a visual person with ideation as one of my top strengths. Home staging allows me to use this talent every day.

There are many factors that come into play with successful staging. The job calls for creativity and talent for design, but it also requires business sav v y to maintain a warehouse of inventory while staying on top of billing and contracts. Also, day-today tasks need attention to detail; for example, being able to coordinate all aspects of individual jobs that range from booking trucks and movers to making sure everything is completed in accordance with the real estate agentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s timeline for

listing. Changing direction quickly when things are challenging is key. CA N YOU SH AR E A N Y A NECDOTES FROM YOUR STAGING WORK? One vacant property that I staged in the Aksarben area had been on the market for f ive months with no successful sale. After I provided the furniture and staged the main living area, kitchen, and master bedroom, the home received multiple offers and sold within one week in 2015. The homeowner benef ited by having a better visual to market the property and compete with other staged homes in the area.

The homeowner selling the property had already moved out of state and was making two house payments. They needed to move this property asap. Once staged, it sold above asking price quickly.

Rate: $100 per hour (occupied)

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Phone: 402-312-9229 Email: julier@stageitomaha.com Website: stageitomaha.net

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“While working my previous job in the real estate industry, I used to open new offices and design them. I soon discovered this was my passion. I am a visual person with ideation as one of my top strengths. Home staging allows me to use this talent every day.” — Julie Radke

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A RCHITEC T UR E story by David Williams photography by tom Kessler design by Mady Besch

Off the

Level FOLLOWING NATUREâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S CONTOURS IN COUNTRY CLUB OAKS

seemingly endless series of prospective buyers had shopped the tract of land nestled near the end of a quiet cul-de-sac in the Country Club Oaks neighborhood abutting the Omaha Country Club. Most dismissed it without so much as a second glance. Others had visions of bulldozers dancing in their heads. A couple of brave souls even went so far as to purchase the property, only to later resell it when they couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t f igure out how or where to situate a home.

How does one approach a plot of land dominated by a sinkhole-like ravine that is only slightly less intimidating than the Great Pit of Carkoon, the lair of the wormlike, man-eating Sarlacc in Return of the Jedi? Just ask architect Gary Bowen.

“I let the topography shape my thoughts. I look to these natural clues and work with the land instead of against it. I seek to disturb the scene as little as possible.” — Gary Bowen

May/June 2018

“As with every project,” the semi-retired partner at BVH Architecture explains, “I let the topography shape my thoughts. I look to these natural clues and work with the land instead of against it. I seek to disturb the scene as little as possible.” The home’s roof line features seven different planes, a pattern that is mirrored beneath in an astonishing seven different levels wedged every which way inside the 2,600-square-foot home. There isn’t much subtlety to the violent angles of the 1.1-acre property, but moving throughout the land-hugging home’s varied levels is usually only a matter of a few gentle steps up or down to navigate from space to space. And often small spaces at that. Rooms measuring as little as 12-by-14 feet could take on a downright claustrophobic vibe in other homes. “A small footprint doesn’t need to mean small to the eye,” Bowen says while standing in the high-ceilinged den. “Volume—how your mind translates a space—is what really matters.” “If you had put a regular, f lat ceiling in this room like in most homes,” his wife, Beth, adds, “the space wouldn’t work. It would feel so… uptight…so uninviting.” The couple’s previous home was equally as innovative. Bowen was one of f ive architects who designed the Treehouse development, the American Institute of Architects award-winning effort located at 60th and Western streets. Something of

an early social experiment in urban inf ill when conceived in the late ’70s, f ive individually designed but conjoined townhomes rose on a heavily wooded piece of land around a central auto court. Bowen is also known for such noted projects as the Gene Leahy Mall, the legendary M’s Pub (both original and rebuilt), and the Milton R. Abrahams branch of the Omaha Public Library system, which was designed around its famous starburst sculpture by Harry Bertoia, the midcentury master of both sculpture and furniture design. The home’s furnishings ref lect eclectic tastes where sleek, Bauhaus-era Marcel Breuer Wassily chairs are juxtaposed against earthy Acoma pottery of the American Southwest. The dull matte-glaze f inish of Arts and Crafts-era Van Briggle pottery is contrasted against a shiny, streamlined Art Nouveau chair by Charles Mackintosh. Handmade tiles and railings from local artisans, especially when surrounded by wide expanses of Douglas f ir, further serve to ground

“Who needs a lawn when you have this beautiful, 190-acre backyard?” — Beth Bowen

the space in the f inest traditions of time-honored, hands-on craftsmanship. In keeping with a naturalistic sense of place, vining ground cover replaces sod across most of the property. A brilliant array of f lowers bloom on the property that otherwise melts seamlessly into the golf course that was home to the 2013 U.S. Senior Open. (The U.S. Open, incidentally, is slated to return in 2021.) “Who needs a lawn when you have this beautiful, 190acre backyard?” Beth asks, gesturing to a panoramic vista while a group of slowmotion deer play through on the f ifth hole just beyond the home’s deck.

A RCHITEC T UR E

OmahaMagazine.com

May/June 2018

Taking inspiration from their many countryside travels across the United Kingdom, Ireland, and France, the couple has created a charming, cottage-like home. But the word “cottage” can often evoke visions of the cloyingly cute, like the worlds imagined in the paintings of Thomas Kinkade. While the Bowen home is perhaps equally selfaware, it is a self-awareness saturated in a hyper-realness not found in the Disneyf ied doings of other designers or decorators. No visitor here will ever conf late this home with the faux or the phony. The couple’s art collection includes many of Bowen's own watercolors hung alongside works by such local favorites as Keith Jacobshagen and Judith Welk. A grandfather clock in the living room and a madcap crazy quilt in the master bedroom are family heirlooms harkening to Bowen's Welsh roots, as is the name of the home itself.

No visitor here will ever conflate this home with the faux or the phony.

A RCHITEC T UR E

OmahaMagazine.com

May/June 2018

“And Penwyn, translates— just like our place—to ‘white house at the end of the grove.’” — Beth Bowen

“Penwyn,” proclaims the rustic sign above the home’s front door as it greets visitors. “It’s a British tradition to name your place,” Bowen explains, “and Penwyn was the name given to one of my ancestor’s farms in Wales.” “And Penwyn,” Beth adds, “translates—just like our place— to ‘white house at the end of the grove.’” Visit bvh.com to learn more about the firm where Gary Bowen is a principal architect.

A RCHITEC T UR E

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May/June 2018

H A RV E S T story by Patrick McGee

photography by Doug Meigs

design & illustration by Mady Besch

Turn a

Crappy Day into a

Crappie Day

With Plentiful Panfish Year-Round

ebraska is home to an abundant crappie f ishery. During the spawning season in late April, anyone can feel like a pro f isherman while catching a mess of black or white crappies (two species found throughout the state) when the bite is aggressive.

But locating them yearround can be tricky. With knowledge of how the seasons affect crappie migration and feeding, you too can pull slabs in the heat of summer, on a cool autumn day, through the ice, and even right after ice out, says Daryl Bauer, an experienced crappie angler and f isheries biologist for Nebraska Game & Parks. When the ice is just coming off the lakes, look for them in shallow coves, he says. The shallows retain the warmth of the springtime sun better than the depths do. Look near submerged structures: logs, bushes, or

reeds. Crappies love bulrush, Bauer says. Don’t forget that the crappie is a predator. For bait, nothing beats a plain old minnow, though jigs are a popular choice as well. He says crappie can take crankbaits bigger than most anglers would think. You might just hook a nice one while bass-f ishing in shallow coves. You will see they aren’t just “paper-mouths,” they can strike like bass. Later in April, crappies nest and spawn. Bauer applies his same f ishing strategy from ice-out: shallow coves and structure, but expect less roaming. Look for areas protected by the wind. Canals and docks are a safe bet. They are not typically diff icult to f ind this time of year—look for truckloads of anglers standing shoulder to shoulder on the shoreline. It is not hard to catch your limit quickly on the right day. (The 2018 possession limit for panf ish— including crappie—is 15.)

In the summertime, the weather heats up, but the crappie f ishing doesn’t. Nice ones can still be caught, though. Bauer suggests f ishermen to seek dropoffs and deeper portions of shallow coves and nesting areas. The crappie follow their prey out into open water. Food is abundant for crappie, so they can be diff icult to catch when dispersed throughout a lake. During the summertime, it may be easiest to use a boat to track them. The crappie may roam or suspend this time of year. Wind makes f ishing unpredictable. The fall is similar to the summer, except that crappies are even more likely to school closer together and they tend to suspend. Fall is also the second-most active season for crappie. Cover as much water as possible. Bauer says that Southerners have success trolling for crappie during summer and fall; however, the technique isn’t widely known in Nebraska. “It would work,” he says. Winter gets interesting. Ice is the great equalizer. Ice f ishermen have access to more water than boatless shore anglers, Bauer explains. It will be easier to access the

deeper areas where crappies tend to school up and suspend. Therefore, drill and jig deeper areas on the edge of shallows that are productive in spring. The ice protects the water from winds, so f ishing is more predictable. If you don’t have a sonar device to put you on crappies, move around and drill a lot of holes. Fish the bottom until crappie are located, then f ish above them for the best results. Bauer says you might not get any crappies, but if you do, you’re on the school. Ice f ishing gear is nice, but he says you can f ish the ice just f ine with a normal rod and reel. From ice-out through the winter, crappie f ishing is productive in Nebraska waters. Bauer knows from experience (and from the scientif ic data). He publishes Nebraska Game & Parks’ annual f ishing forecast, which includes suggested waters for targeting crappie (and other game f ish). He identif ied Wehrspann Lake in West Omaha and Wanahoo Reservoir near Wahoo (west of Omaha) among the state’s top-prospective crappie waters for 2018. Find the full f ishing forecast on the Game & Parks website. Visit outdoornebraska.gov for more information.

OmahaMagazine.com

With knowledge of how the seasons affect crappie migration and feeding, you too can pull slabs in the heat of summer, on a cool autumn day, through the ice, and even right after ice out. â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Daryl Bauer, fisheries biologist for Nebraska Game & Parks

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