APlanGrand Feature

Empty nesters Gina and Dan Lombardo spent two years considering their next move. Their children were grown and busy making families of their own. Gina and Dan no longer needed a large multi-story home. “It was so hard to settle on something and somewhere new, because we have such great neighbors,” Gina said. “Really, everyone on the street is so dear to us, great friends, you just can’t find that anywhere.” They knew they would need to build their next home, and soon. Dan, a retired advertising sales manager, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease 12 years ago and his needs were changing.

One of their neighborhood friend couples purchased property and began building in Westbury Farms near 215th and F streets. The Lombardos quickly followed suit, purchasing the corner lot nearby and partnered with the same builder, Bob Quartoroli of Dreamscape Homes.

The couple selected a stock plan for a single-story ranch home and modified it for midcentury modern style and greater functionality, chosing features and amenities that would allow them to age gracefully inhome for years to come.

Everything the Lombardos need for dayto-day living is on the main floor of the home, which includes modern conveniences and many hallmarks of universal design. Smooth surfaces, luxury vinyl plank floors, and smaller tile create fewer barriers to movement. Extra-wide hallways and 36-inch doorways will make moving between rooms with a walker or wheelchair easier down the road, if needed. A zero-entry threshold from the garage to the drop zone leading to the kitchen supports continued independence. The couple added an easy-access writing desk near the entry of the home. The primary bedroom features an ensuite bath with a zero-entry tub/ shower wet room.

Dreamscape Homes often include features for homeowners who plan to remain in-home into their later senior years, Quartoroli said. Wet rooms are one of the hottest trends.

“Wet spaces are great for aging buyers. However, cost is sometimes an issue,” Quartoroli said. “If that is the case, we can pivot to an oversized shower at a lower cost.”

Gina has an appreciation for good design. She spends her days at Baker’s Supermarket in the floral department concerned with color, meaning, placement, and thoughtful arrangement of stems. Creating a cohesive look within a home comes naturally to her. “Our last house had a Victorian theme to it with great antiques and furniture,” Gina said. “This time I wanted to have more of a contemporary look, and there are so many elements I love about the midcentury time frame. It reminds me of my childhood.” She enjoys spending her evenings online searching for midcentury modern touches with clean lines, natural wood, and stone to add to the home design.

When friends and neighbors visit their ranch home, they walk through a light turquoise front door reminiscent of the doors in Palm Springs, California, where midcentury modern architecture reigns supreme. On entry, a visually interesting Terrazzo-inspired tile floor greets guests, drawing company into the great room with an iconic stacked-stone fireplace. Several Frederick Cooper-inspired wood and metal fish sculptures adorn the natural wood tone mantel. The fireplace is husband Dan’s favorite element in the home. “I think it really adds warmth to the place,” he said, pun intended. The couple enjoys relaxing by the fire on a low-profile sectional and Eames lounge chair.

Vintage treasures are peppered throughout the home. Metal birds in flight sprawl across the living room wall. An amber Empoli glass vase with a bulbous stem stands out in a bathroom display. Other custom works of art create personal and conversational warmth within the residence. “My mother is a wonderful artist and we have many of her pieces in our home,” Gina said. Among the treasures are paintings of a stunning blue heron and another of a pile of fish. A small gallery wall between the dining area and kitchen features a collection of Anita Munman prints in handmade frames. Inside a small frame are hand-pressed leaves. “Mom made the leaf pressings for each of her children,” Gina said. “Our family always enjoyed camping together.”

The home’s kitchen is illuminated by large geometric-shaped pendants over a center island which bring back the Terrazzo flecks artfully scattered across the kitchen island. Cupboard panels hide appliances to maintain the clean lines of the home.

Dan and Gina’s playful personalities are represented through the selection of large atomic-style lighting in the dining area and entryway. Charcoal boomerang-patterned formica is used in the butler's pantry. The kitchen and dining area serve as the gathering space for the Lombardos and their friends and neighbors who often visit for lasagna dinner. Gina is known for making homemade Italian salad dressing.

“We love hosting, spending time with our friends and neighbors, and drinking good wine,” she said.

The hot topic at dinner these days is the timing of Gina’s retirement. “But, what would I do all day?” she wonders. The final project is to complete the basement for grandkids to have space to play and stay. Gina has furniture and materials selected. “As soon as that is done, I’ll be looking for another project,” she said. Her eldest son is in commercial real estate. She teases him, reminding him often she is available for consultation.

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When Eric and Emily Bowman walked through the entry of their home four years ago, they were greeted with the fall of light, fluffy snowflakes. Winter howled outside behind them and there it was, again, ahead of them even as they embarked on their first tour of the midcentury modern house.

“It was kind of like walking into a snow globe,” Emily said.

The residence near 66th and Cuming streets has that effect on most as they first pass through the large iron gate at the beginning of the driveway, into the home’s small, private courtyard, and into what seems like layer after layer of windows and doors.

Outside meets inside here and that’s because there’s a neatly manicured space in the heart of this home. Built around a large atrium with floor-to-ceiling windows, the space connects back to nature, a common theme for midcentury modern builds. However, this house stands out among the streets of Fairacres, a neighborhood that claims some of Omaha’s largest and finest historic homes.

Built in 1962, it’s a split-level that’s comprised of straight lines, right angles, and a gabled roof.

While homes just around the corner have colossal pillars and estate-sized yards, the Bowmans’ home is simple and welcomingly so. Partially tucked away from street view, all that’s seen is a red brick front and an iron grill of black circles shielding the recessed entrance.

It’s like the set of “Mad Men” has come to Omaha.

“Growing up in California, I was surrounded by a lot of midcentury modern homes like this a lot of Eichler homes,” Eric said. “We both saw it separately on Zillow and immediately said, ‘We’ve got to see that.’”

It was important for the Bowmans to stay true to the home’s '60s roots, too, when they moved in in February 2019.

“We really wanted to embrace and lean into the original architecture and design,” said Eric, who has a natural flair for aesthetics as an independent graphic designer. “Something that’s really important to midcentury modern is being able to pull in the outdoors and make it an extension of your living space.”

To do just that, the Bowmans had a big project on their hands: the atrium needed a facelift. Today, it’s a functional space with seating surrounded by curved beds of trees and plants. Streams of water with builtin lighting give the space added character. When they moved in, though, it was the home of a 30-foot tree and that’s it.

“All you could see was trunk all the way through the roof,” Emily said. “It was an elderly tree, and it just looked old and sad. We decided it would make more sense to get it out of here before it became a problem.”

So, a crane was brought in. Limbs cut off. The stump ground down. By December 2021, the tree was no more. However, the couple did give it a proper goodbye before it was torn down. They hosted a “Hug the Tree” party, complete with a guest book where friends and family could sign and suggest what to do now with the space.

Do they turn it into a ball pit? Or, what about filling it with water and making the world’s coziest shark tank? In the end, the couple worked with Kinghorn Gardens to create their very own Zen garden for yoga and morning coffee.

The atrium was just one of two large renovations. A month after they moved in, a 60-degree rainy day melted mounds of snow outside. What was great news for those welcoming the end of a brutal winter meant a flood for the Bowmans’ basement.

“We ended up trying to make the best of the situation,” said Emily, who works for Nebraska Medicine. “It was finished before, but we had a desire to redo it. We just weren’t necessarily planning on doing it that quickly.”

A wooden ballet floor, which they were considering keeping, had to be torn out and the space converted to a home gym. New lighting, paint, and cork flooring were added, as was a kids’ desk (which came just in time for at-home schooling during the pandemic). Another portion of the basement was made into a guest bedroom with a kitchenette.

“We knew it would be a main family hangout space where young kids would play and learn, so we wanted to make it colorful, comfortable, and bright. The basement also needed to serve multiple purposes,” said Jessica McKay, owner of Birdhouse Design Studio, which completed the transformation.

“It's layered, inviting, and somewhat unexpected, which is exactly the feel one gets when they walk in the front door of the midcentury gem,” McKay continued.

That’s what the Bowmans want, too: for many to walk through the door and feel welcomed. With its open layout, centered around a natural place to entertain, the family hopes the home is a place of parties and memories. Eric and Emily watch movies in the backyard with their kids and host an annual “Pitting Out with Bowmans” party the night of the Memorial Park Concert (called “pitting out” because of the BBQ pit and…well, it’s usually one of summer’s most sweltering nights).

“Though we put our own mark on the home, we hope the changes complement the original integrity of the house and it’s something that can be enjoyed for future owners,” Eric said. “But we don’t plan on going anywhere for quite a while.”