SEPTEMBER 2022 ALWAYS LOCAL, ALWAYS BEAUTIFUL A Bit CountryofintheCity COLOR ME CRAZY // HOW ‘BOUT THEM APPLES? // MINIMALIST DESIGN, MAXIMUM FUN // REGAL MEETS RELAXED
03 08 16 Contents OMAHAHOME ENTRYWAY ROGER + CHRIS Color Me Crazy SPACES On Display ARCHITECTURE Una Casa Bonita FEATURE Minimalist Design, Maximum Fun MAKER Twisted Timber HARVEST How ‘Bout Them Apples? AT HOME Regal Meets Relaxed FEATURE A Bit of Country in the City ASID Italian Inspiration 1 3 8 12 16 24 28 30 36 46Sandy Matson Contributing Editor On the COVER 1SEPTEMBER 2022
OmahaHome also features a piece on interior de signers’ Roger + Chris’ new Airbnb project. The Aksarben home is full of nods to country living and Nebraska life. The two creatives even designed and installed their own custom wallpapers for the prop erty featuring paper dolls, woodland scenes, cows, and other rural designs. Giddyup, partner!
—Jane Hirshfield, American poet
OmahaHome
ENTRYWAY
E ach year, I look forward to all four seasons. While I really enjoy my summers outdoors, especially by the lake, autumn will always reign supreme in my heart. Windows open, leaves changing, the scents of spices and woodsy can dles mingling in the air…you blink and it’s gone, but oh, how I cherish this time of year! And to experience the fall season in the family-friendly Midwest that’s a combination that just can’t be beat, in my book. I suspect the Keeblers, whose home is featured on page 36, feel much the same way. The Missouri family moved to an old farmhouse in the center of Omaha and remodeled the gem, making it their own. With a big corner lot for a garden, a wraparound porch, and Dutch doors to the yard, the home is a slice of country in the city. If you’re a fan of day trips, fall is the perfect time to trek down to Arbor Day Farm in Nebraska City for a day of outdoor fun, or venture to a nearby apple orchard. Read our Harvest column on page 28 for some tips on choosing the best fruit.
On a personal note, two special men in my life are celebrating birthdays in September. Happy birth day to my son, Jake, and my father, Bob! Cheers to fall, ya’ll! A granite-topped island with svelte counter stools dominates the Keebler family’s kitchen. Glass cabinet doors and large windows give the room an airy feel. Story page 36. Photo by Mandy McGregor.
“The heat of autumn is different from the heat of summer. One ripens apples, the other turns them to cider.”
Editorial SENIOR EDITOR NICK MOORE ASSOCIATE EDITOR LINDA PERSIGEHL ASSOCIATE EDITOR JULIUS FREDRICK EDITORIAL INTERN SOPHIE ROSSITTO CONTRIBUTING WRITERS HANNAH AMROLLAHI · KATY SPRATTE JOYCE LISA LUKECART · PATRICK M C GEE · BOB PATTON SEAN ROBINSON · KARA SCHWEISS CHRIS STOUT-HAZARD · MEGHAN TOWNLEY Creative CREATIVE DIRECTOR MATT WIECZOREK SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER DEREK JOY GRAPHIC DESIGNER I RENEÉ LUDWICK CONTRIBUTING DESIGNER MADY BESCH CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS CHRIS STOUT-HAZARD · TOM KESSLER · KENNY KEUCK SARAH LEMKE · MANDY M CGREGOR Sales EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT SALES & MARKETING GIL COHEN BRANDING SPECIALISTS DAWN DENNIS · GEORGE IDELMAN CONTRIBUTING BRANDING SPECIALISTS GREG BRUNS · JILLIAN DUNN MARY HIATT · TIM M CCORMACK PUBLISHER’S ASSISTANT / OMAHAHOME CONTRIBUTING EDITOR SANDY MATSON SENIOR SALES COORDINATOR ALICIA HOLLINS SALES COORDINATOR SANDI M CCORMACK APPOINTMENT SETTERS HEIDI SLAUGHTERY Operations ACCOUNTING / OPERATIONS MANAGER KYLE FISHER AD TRAFFIC MANAGER DAVID TROUBA DIGITAL MANAGER MEGAN BARTHOLOMEW DISTRIBUTION MANAGER DAMIAN INGERSOLL Executive PUBLISHER TODD LEMKE ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER BILL VOLUMESITZMANN12·ISSUE 6 FOR ADVERTISING & SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION: 402.884.2000 ENVIRNMENTYOURCREATEOWN In nature, evolution can require a process of thousands of years. At Curt Hofer & Associates, helping you to create your environment is second nature to us. Bring your designs, your inspiration, your preferences, pictures and even pins. Together we’ll move through a process that lets you ease into a flawless execution of your ideal Contactsurroundings.ustoday to see why Curt Hofer & Associates has earned top awards for our iconic design and inspired living spaces for more than 27 years. Please contact Curt Hofer & Associates today! For an appointment, visit curthofer.com or see our Ideabook at houzz.com/curthofer. 16820 Frances Street, Ste. 102 | Omaha, NE 68130 Phone: 402.758.0440 | www.curthofer.com u 15803 Pacific St., Omaha, NE • 402.333.5722 • sw-fence.com 2 OMAHAHOME
STORY & PHOTOGRAPHY Chris Stout-Hazard DESIGN Mady Besch A wild hair to create a unique rental property leads to a color extravaganza in Aksarben.
Roger, my partner, and I are terrific at coming up with “great ideas”… those projects that start off exciting, fun, can’t-lose before snowballing into massive undertakings that take their toll in time, sweat, and burns from a hot-glue gun.
In the middle of renovating our farmhouse here in Omaha, we got distracted by a “great idea”: why don’t we open a showroom for our furniture company? Exciting! Fun! Can’tlose! (And a ton of work.)
This subsequently led to another “great idea”: with so many customers flying in from other states to work with us to design furniture for their homes, wouldn’t it make sense to create a unique place for these visitors to stay? One thing led to another, and we ended up spending the majority of our free time this spring transforming an Aksarben bungalow into an unforgettably colorful Airbnb rental. Short-term rentals serve different purposes than full-time homes. We wanted this house to be a fun getaway, have the ability to accommodate a large family or group of friends, and showcase a bit of what we think makes Omaha special. The starting point for the house theme was neutral to the extreme–gray exterior, gray interior, gray, gray, gray. We amended that by adding pinks, blues, oranges, and deep charcoals. The home facade was lacking curb appeal, so we combined magenta with navy on the exterior to deliver impact. The trim was painted to match the siding color to remove distractions. Then, we added easy-to-carefor plantings in raised, galvanized metal horse troughs and wrapped them with a decorative garden fence.
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The living room received more magenta. Above the colorful and ultra-durable sleeper sofa, we created an art installation with model rail road layouts a nod to the role of Union Pacific Railroad in the devel opment of our state. Elsewhere in the living room we added a side table in the shape of corn on the cob a nod to the tastiness of our state. Walls throughout the house received distinctive treatments with wood to break up the expanses of drywall.
Bedrooms were trimmed with board-and-batten below custom wallpaper that we designed and printed. And we wove in function and style, with convenient wallmounted bedside shelves in a tight room, accessible reading lamps, and work spaces for guests.
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The basement delivers an immersive experience for guests, with multicolored walls wrapped in pine boards, custom shelving units, a vintage arcade game table, and a monstrous, multi-colored sectional sitting atop an artificial turf “lawn” as carpet. It isn’t your average Omaha Airbnb, and that is very much the point.
While we had fun creating the space, it appears that guests are having just as much fun with it. Within days of listing the property, it was booked solid for months. This article is part of a series chronicling the home renovation of Roger Hazard and Chris Stout-Hazard, furniture designers with Roger + Chris. For more information on their rental prop erty, go to omaha-airbnb.rogerandchris.com/visit/
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The condo’s main living and kitchen areas, fully exposed by the building’s vast storefront windows, are especially visible. (Privacy shades conceal the space when desired.)
The Keucks served as designers and turned the 1,188-square-foot shell into a two-bedroom, two-bath home. Nook Construction was the general contractor.
The Keuck condo is housed in the circa1910 Swartz-Driscoll building, formerly a printing company and leatherworks.
STORY
“We’d been actively keeping our eye on the downtown market for years,” Katie said.
The building was rehabbed, and five separate condo shells were finished by late 2019. This was great timing for the Keucks, looking to downsize from their large West Omaha home, Kenny said, with a young-adult son ready to leave the nest and a teenage daughter old enough to appreciate downtown living.
“We had to utilize every square foot of space we had,” contractor Matt Nook added. “A small space is always a challenge, but they got everything they wanted.”
SPACES KARA SCHWEISS PHOTOGRAPHY SARAH LEMKE DESIGN MADY BESCH
“We’ve had people come up to the door and try to open it,” Katie added.
When the residential spaces were listed, the couple acted quickly and secured their first choice.
“It took us basically a year from the date of close to move-in, in January 2021,” Kenny said.
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Katie and Kenny Keuck’s first-floor condominium is on a quiet brick street a few blocks west of Downtown Omaha, but it sure gets noticed.
“We have a lot of gawkers driving by really slowly: ‘Is that a business or a resi dence?’” Kenny said.
Designed by the same architect as Boys Town’s Father Flanagan House and Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in South Omaha, the building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
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The Keucks’ industrial condo not only reveals their eclectic living space, but also exposes the couple to a whole-new downtown community.
KEUCK
The must-have list included new wood flooring, a wood ceiling, and exposed ductwork.
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Placing the hallway instead of bedrooms and bathrooms along the windowed brick exterior wall was an important step.
The unsightly ceiling was covered with 120-plus-years-old salvaged wood from the recent demolition of St. Agnes Cath olic Church. “It looks amazing,” Katie declared. “It looks original.” Downsizing meant no dining room, so the kitchen island was sized with ample seating in mind. Only a few pieces of furniture made it over from their old home. “That was fun, to completely shift and do a totally new style,” Katie said. The Keucks’ living space includes an eclec tic mix of custom, vintage, and new pieces from various retailers. The focal point is a collection of art, personal arti facts, and photos arranged on the wall above the sofa.
The Keucks wanted to reveal vintage brick underneath layers of paint on the exterior wall. They also wished to showcase the row of large windows and keep the main entrance on the facade.
The fun living space fits their artsy new neighborhood, which Katie said offers many opportunities to make new friends. “It’s a community we never expected or knew about until we moved here.”
PHOTO BY KENNY
“We wanted the natural light to be able to flow into the living area,” Kenny explained, adding that uncovering the brick wasn’t easy. “They worked with it a few months to get the paint off, but it turned out really well for us.”
Una Casa Bonita A mission-style gem charms in historic Minne Lusa. ARCHITECTURE 12 OMAHAHOME
“If I were the owner, I’d be pretty house proud. This is really a standout.”
“It is possible that Martin developed some of these house plans himself, feeling like he knew his market best, as his ad implies. I’d say the attribution…is still open to interpretation,” Honebrink said. Either way, a drive through Minne Lusa provides a look back into the early 20th century, when attrac tive houses like these could be built fast and bought cheap. If someone had spotted you a few “clams,” or you had some “voot,” you could have had this cute Spanish mission-style house back in the day and lived la vida buena.
Just a few years earlier, a “swipe of a magic wand” had turned the enormous 126-acre cornfield into a “district of contented homeowners” in the Minne Lusa neighborhood.
“If I were the owner, I’d be pretty house proud. This is really a standout,” said historic architect Jennifer Honebrink of Alley Poyner Macchietto Architecture.Honebrinkisn’t sure if local developer Charles W. Martin or architect Everett S. Dodds can be cred ited with the design and construction, although most of the houses in the Minne Lusa neigh borhood were developed under their ambitious, exacting eyes. Martin pioneered the movement to introduce affordable construction, concrete side walks, and scale street lighting. Improvements with gas and sewer increased the neighborhood appeal. Most of his homes sold for $3,000 to $5,000, and usually measured less than 1,200 square feet. Martin wanted to dig deep to fashion a beautiful suburban landscape near Miller Park. Dodds, a Minnesota native who moved to Omaha in 1910, created a cookie-cutter guide called Build a Dodds Home: Comfort, Beauty, Durability. However, the style of this particular mission house isn’t listed in his guide. The Omaha Bee mentions a St. Louis architect for the home, while another record refers to “private plans” by the owner.
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— Jennifer Honebrink I t’s 1919. A nearly new residence is on the market in a flourishing neighborhood replete with roll ing vistas and comfort-giving shade trees. The small, mission-style residence, reminiscent of Span ish colonial architecture, stands out among the block of cubes, bungalows, and craftsman-style dwellings. An arched door and windows, a smooth stucco exte rior, and a screened-in porch greet passersby. French doors lead inside where oak hardwood floors and cement stucco rafters await an eager buyer. A simple, but sufficient, fireplace occupies the living room, and casement windows look out over the small yard. The construction, designed and supervised by a St. Louis architect, ensures only the very best supplies and expertise produced the corner-lot residence. A matching garage promises shelter for a prospective new automobile.
The Omaha Bee newspaper advertised the sale of the house on July 6th, 1919. The first owner, T.O. Warfield of Warfield Enterprises, stayed in the resi dence for nine years, according to public records. The house, constructed in 1917, is not on the market today. Zillow estimates it's now worth $175,000. It’s clear that the home, listed in the Minne Lusa Residential Historic District in the National Register of Historic Places in 2014, still adds charm and character to the North Omaha neighborhood. The wall gables in the attic dormer, and wide, overhanging eaves supported by decorative brackets, remain as a hallmark of its mission style, sometimes referred to as the “crafts man home of the west.” The darker window trim, free of ornamental modern-day shutters, displays a bold aesthetic around boxy openings. The windows in the home’s rear are less symmetrical, but still eye-catch ing. The arched hood over the entry door adds some depth to the textured tan exterior.
STORY Lisa Lukecart PHOTOGRAPHY Bill Sitzmann DESIGN Mady Besch
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The Kuglers’ longdistance build combines casual beauty and lively entertaining spaces that draw in family. And that’s just what they’d hoped for.
Their new build, in the exclusive Privada neighborhood in Elkhorn, was designed and furnished with the priority of making relatives feel welcome and at home. A prime example: the couple chose a 14-foot quartz slab for the kitchen island so they would be able to cook and entertain their large extended family with ease.
“Everywhere we went didn’t feel like home,” homeowner Stephanie Kugler said. “We made some friends and then made a few more friends.
When COVID happened, we realized that with nothing to do and no family [nearby], we said, ‘let's just go back to where there is family.’”
T
The Kuglers Stephanie, husband Casey, and their 4-year-old daughter, Adeline lived primarily in California, but also spent time at properties in Texas and Tennessee. Stephanie and Casey met in the Bay Area, but Casey is originally from Omaha and has siblings, nieces, and nephews nearby. Relocation to the metro became the obvious choice.
“It is as big as this piece would come,” said inte rior designer Sallie Elliott, who consulted on the Kugler home design.
Bill Sitzmann DESIGN Mady Besch
17SEPTEMBER 2022 Feature STORY Meghan Townley PHOTOGRAPHY
MINIMALIST DESIGN, MAXIMUM FUN
he Kugler family’s move from the sunny West Coast to Nebraska in 2022 was for a single, simple reason: to be near family.
“We’re all about family and want super fun things for everyone, and we have it all right here.” — CASEY KUGLER
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The couple’s home is furnished almost exclusively with furni ture and accessories from upscale home retailer Restora tion Hardware. Walking into the home, guests are met with high ceilings and the furniture outlet’s famous Cloud Couch sectional. The great room is flooded with light from the floor-to-ceiling windows and opens into the kitchen, with inviting counter stools nestled up to the large kitchen island. The kitchen and dining area seats 12, with plenty of extra room to gather and mingle.
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“We decided on Privada because it was a centralized location,” Casey said. “My sister is in Tiburon [180th and High way 370 area], and my brother is on 176th and Maple. My mom is too far away…we are trying to get her to move out here,” he added with a laugh. “It was just the three of us for Christmas [before], and now we are with our whole family.”
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The couple’s outdoor pool area also places a premium on entertainment and features a waterfall that cascades from a large tanning ledge bookended by two fire bowls on either side into a pool designed for water sports. Most phases of the home design-build process were done from a distance. The couple actually chose their home’s lot via FaceTime. And while in town for a quick visit, Casey and Stephanie chose all the appliances, plumbing fixtures, and light ing in one meeting.
A modern curved staircase off the great room leads downstairs to another full kitchen and living space. The Kuglers spared no details when designing their ultimate family entertainment home. The basement has a movie theater, gym, bunk room, wine cellar, and a pool outside the back door.
The Kuglers’ plan is to personalize the theater with memorabilia and artifacts representing their favorite movies. The first collected item is a large wooden hook, carved by an artisan and found on a trip to Hawaii. The hook represents daughter Adeline’s favorite movie, Disney’s Moana.
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The design style throughout the house has clean lines and a very neutral, calm ing color palette. “We are minimalist, for sure. I don't like clutter or a lot of stuff,” Stephanie explained.
“We’re all about family and want super fun things for everyone, and we have it all right here,” Casey said. Their family can come over to swim, play games, work out, or watch a movie and then sleep over in the bunk room. The theater has three Restoration Hardware Cloud chaises for ideal movie viewing.
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“Thank God for Stephanie, because she loves doing this. It would have driven me insane,” he said, recalling having to figure out if they should do stone on the exterior and where to put the grill station. The Kuglers had an excellent relation ship with their builder, Nathan Homes, and designer Sallie Elliott, who both made the process smooth and painless.
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“We picked almost everything in a sixhour period,” Stephanie said. Doing everything via text, FaceTime, phone call, etc. was a bit of a chal lenge, but Casey praised his wife for her patience and attention to detail.
“We decided on Nate [Bumgardner] because he listened to us,” Stephanie said. “Every time we had a question, Nate responded immediately. He was always on top of it.” Reflecting on the process, Stephanie praised her team for making it easy. “I liked building from a distance, because with the minor hiccups…those got resolved without me knowing about it,” she said. “I am so glad that I didn't have to know about any of it. I would defi nitely do it again this way.” And the end result? Pure bliss. “We are so thankful,” Stepha nie said. “When I walked into our house, I literally screamed I was so happy. There is nothing I would change. We are almost a month in and there isn’t a thing we would change. We love it.”
“IMAKERGOTINTO WOODWORKING BY WATCHING MY DAD WORK. HE WAS A CARPENTER, SO I’D WATCH HIM IN HIS SHOP WHEN I WAS YOUNG. HE WOULD GIVE ME SCRAP PIECES OF WOOD AND SOME NAILS, AND I WOULD CREATE THINGS.” — ERIN HALEY ERIN HALEY MAKES HER COLORFUL MARK WITH WOOD AND EPOXY CREATIONS. 24 OMAHAHOME
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IT ALL STARTED WITH A SPECIAL FATHER’S DAY PRESENT.
JOYCESPRATTEKATY-STORY
“I remember, exactly, the first thing I ever made,” Erin Haley remembered fondly. When she was 5, she crafted a footstool to gift her dad for his favorite chair, made with leftover wood, her dad’s tools, and some youthful enthusiasm. More proj ects Thatfollowed.childhood hobby has turned into a side hustle for Haley, as well as a creative outlet for this stay-at-home mother of six from Gretna.
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“The hardest part...is working within the time frame epoxy allows,” she explained.
Roughly two years ago, the woodworker began selling on Facebook Marketplace under the moniker Twisted Timber. These days, the artist’s works can be seen at metro art and craft shows (the bi-annual Westside High School Craft Fair is a favorite), as well as Turtle Creek Gallery in Ashland, Nebraska.
“The woodworking part I learned mainly from my dad, but a good friend of mine Kiliki Wiggins, owner of KiWiki Design taught me most of what I know about epoxy art,” Haley said. “She [took] me in under her wing and shared her secrets.
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In high school, Haley honed her wood working skills, enrolling in construc tion classes. She further expanded her techniques working with various woods through the years. She counts walnut, olive, and cherry among her favorites.
“They are all beautiful...lots of charac ter,” she said. A few years ago, a friend in the local makers community opened her eyes to working with other materials, including epoxy resins.
Nabity said Haley’s creations have been stocked since late April 2022 and have drawn a lot of interest from custom ers. With stiff competition (the gallery features works by 42 artists, with well over 1,000 pieces on display), the fact that her work is getting noticed is high praise and very Haleypromising. enjoysthat her children have inherited her affinity for creative endeav ors with wood.
“My older three kids all took wood class in high school. I have their projects all around the house,” she said. “And my three younger kids made personal Lego tables during COVID [lockdown] with scrap pieces of wood laying around. They had fun learning how to cut, sand, stain, and use a nail gun to put them together.”
Turtle Creek’s proprietor, Steve Nabity, said upon meeting Haley and seeing photos of her work, he was immediately struck by her talent. “What she showed me was a different style than anything else here in the gallery, and I invited her to bring some pieces and we would display them.”
The most popular item requested is a wedding gift charcuterie board that says a couple’s last name and the year established.
It seems another generation of woodwork ers is in the making. Follow Twisted Timber (Gretna, NE) on Facebook for more info and photos.
MAKER 27SEPTEMBER 2022
“Some types allow you 45 minutes of work time, while others only allow 15 minutes [before it sets]. Making the different colors and pouring is the fun part!” Haley makes all of her pieces at her Gretna home. Her garage houses a CNC machine, and a room indoors is devoted to epoxy work (so fumes and mess are contained). She’s created everything from Husker-themed cutting boards and Disney-themed lamps for kids’ rooms, to kitchen and bar countertops and coffee tables, to abstract wall art and beyond. She said about 60% of her work is custom.
“I got into woodworking by watch ing my dad work. He was a carpenter, so I’d watch him in his shop when I was young. He would give me scrap pieces of wood and some nails, and I would create things,” she shared.
Harvest STORY Patrick McGee DESIGN Mady Besch Tips for picking produce at your local orchard 28 OMAHAHOME
A good growing season in the region this year has produced a great crop of apples for the taking. So, get to an orchard this fall and fill a few bags, and enjoy the sweet (and sometimes tart) fruits of your labor. Your taste buds will thank you.
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Knowing how to identify the best apples and when to pick them is key. Definitely look out for bruis ing or holes in fruit, Knudson warned. “We don’t want that,” she said, noting that the orchard treats their apples to prevent “worms” (actually moth larvae) and other insects from burrowing, but only minimally. Also, avoid apples that are too firm (not ripe and usually too acidic) or lack skin color. Inside, the pips (seeds) should be dark in color, and the flesh should give fairly easily. To harvest, grab hold of the apple and turn it upside down, pull ing it off the tree without harming the branches. Keep in mind, apples on the tree perimeter ripen before those near est the trunk. Also, don’t discount all apples on the ground. If they’ve just fallen, they’re often perfectly ripe.
T he passing of Labor Day and singing of cicadas at dusk are sure signs that that the dog days of summer are coming to an end. Soon, cooler temps will prevail and harvest time will begin. One autumn tradition many look forward to in Nebraska the home of Arbor Day is apple picking. Apples are abundant in Nebraska come September, weighting branches in orchards and flooding grocery stores with many home-grown vari eties. The eastern half of our state is home to a dozen or so orchards that produce many varieties of the tasty fruits.
“ We make it very easy,” Kayleen Knudson said, noting they grow dwarf tree varieties, so no ladder is necessary—the picking is as easy as it gets. Many varieties are well suited for pies, tarts, apple bread, sauce, and salads. Knudson said Cortlands “cook down,” or reduce to tender bites the best, and Jonathan and Cortland are ideal for baking. Mixing tart and sweeter varieties can add flavor dimention to baked goods. Honey Gold and Ultra Gold are the most popular varieties for simple eating. Knudson knows of several customers who make their own cider from their apples. Cider can be made with any type of apples, or even a mix. Trees, Shrubs and More sells its own apple creations at their retail store, baked or otherwise. Their caramel apples are particularly popular, Knudson said. The garden center also sells fruit trees, for those who want a more do-it-yourself approach to apple picking.
Kayleen Knudson, orchard manager at Trees, Shrubs and More, is happy to facilitate apple-picking outings.
“We make it very easy,” she said, noting they grow dwarf tree varieties, so no ladder is necessary the picking is as easy as it gets. “People stop in. We give them bags. We send them out,” she said. Apple pickers pay for produce by the pound.
The Bellevue orchard boasts 10 vari eties of apple trees, four of which are available for picking this fall: the popular Jonathan, Cortland, Honey Gold, and Ultra Gold Deli cious. The following varieties are also expected to hang in the orchard for harvest next year: Royal Empire, Fuji, Gala, Liberty, Gold Rush, and Braeburn. The 2,000-tree orchard is open for picking from late August through October.
S tretching across the Omaha skyline from the Capitol District to Little Bohemia is a massive rainbow; one Jenni and Scott Herchenbach can see end to end. The neoclassical beauty they call home is situ ated atop a hill on 38th Street, and their view of downtown captures it all. The home comes with a widow’s walk, or a railed rooftop platform that the couple spend countless summer nights perched upon, enjoying the sights. The day before it was fireworks; now it’s multicolored hues fading into passing gray clouds. Just moments before they made the climb through the attic and up a ladder, Jenni and Scott were nestled together in their living room. While sheets of rain poured outside and patio furniture flew from one end of their lofty porch to the other, all was quiet indoors. The dichotomy of those two scenes sums up the story of this house: a place where the outside and inside don’t quite match.
The Herchenbachs’ home comes with century-old curb appeal, a remade casual interior, and some interesting tales to tell.
“This isn’t your typical 1906 house,” Jenni said. “We aren’t formal people, and from the outside it’s pretty fancy. But, walking in for the first time, I could picture this place as ours. Everything felt very livable and approachable.”
Located across Duchesne Academy, the historic home sits on nearly an acre of private land, catching passers by’s attention since the turn of 20th century. Four white columns stand at the front of the cedar house, and a foun tain big enough to be a small pond is located on the south side of the property. “It’s a very memorable house,” Scott said. “It’s built on the edge of the lot line, so you have this huge yard with 100-year-old oak trees. There’s nothing else quite like it in the neighborhood or area.”
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AT HOME Story by Sean Robinson Photography by Bill Sitzmann Design by Mady Besch
The bathtub isn’t alone, as seemingly all of the belongings used to decorate the home have stories to tell. In the living room, there’s a table that use to be an Omaha World-Herald printing press, and nearby sits a jar holding a two-bodied, oneheaded piglet. The mutant pig was born on Scott’s family farm, then preserved after dying and later passed down to him.
From the outside, this mini mansion looks like it would belong to American aristocrats. However, it wasn’t the stately curb appeal that won over the duo when they bought the property in 2013.
Another piece of the home’s history can be found in the garden. It’s a tub pulled from the nearby carriage house, where the second owner of the home commit ted suicide after a Ponzi scheme he was running (to help afford the property, it’s believed) fell apart. Today, the tub has been made into a pretty bench to add a bit of character to the yard.
“The house was built by C.J. Smyth, an Omaha attorney at the time, to look majestic but realistically be more familyoriented,” Scott said.
Considering the couple’s “come on in and leave your shoes on” demeanor, it’s no surprise it was the home’s more relaxed and updated interior that sealed the deal for them. At the time, the home was the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID)/Omaha Symphony Designer Showhouse.
Inside, the home architecturally resembles an American foursquare, albeit with larger rooms. Many of the interior finishes, like the entryway fireplace, are original to the eight-bedroom, five-bath property. Even gas lines leading to every fixture which were installed because Smyth thought electricity would be a passing fad still stand next to wiring in the home’s bones.
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“Our house is in a landmark district, so when we make certain exterior changes it has to be approved by a committee. One particular member was upset,” Jenni said.
“The nicest compliment we get from people is, ‘It feels like home here,’” Jenni said. It’s not just a family affair either. Celebra tions in this home also take the form of house concerts, where artists like singersongwriter Liz Longley and musical duo Barnaby Bright have visited, turn ing their living room into an intimate performance venue.
“My decorating style is very eclectic because I pick things up as I find them,” Jenni said. “But, hey, there’s character in every corner of this home.”
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After the Herchenbachs moved in, they wanted to respect and restore the pris tine manor. Interior refinishing included updating painting and mechanical work, with more renovations taking place outside. Extensive landscaping was done and aluminum siding that was added in the 1980s was removed to expose the origi nal wood a decision that caused some what of a stir in the neighborhood.
Rumors be damned life in the Joslyn Castle neighborhood is good for the Herchenbachs. Empty nesters with six grown children, Jenni and Scott said this is the place where their family comes together to be one again. Their daughter’s wedding reception was held in the yard, and they love spending sunny days watch ing their 18-month-old grandson run around in the very same spot.
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“There’s something really special about adding to the stories of the house and what the walls might say,” Jenni said. “The house feels best when it’s full of people.”
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“They had gotten word the house was going to become dark green, which isn’t true except for a small spot on the very tip top of the house. Sometimes rumors go rampant.”
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Inside is where the main renovations took place. The Keeblers contracted Bearded Builders for the job.
Story by Hannah Amrollahi Photography by Mandy McGregor Design by Mady Besch
“I didn’t think I’d have a wrap-around porch in Omaha,” Amber Brown Keebler said, noting their strike of luck in find ing the property. The generous yard, with room for a garden including sweet corn and play area for their two young boys, was also a big hit. The home’s location in the Westside School District sealed the deal.
I n 1980, before Omaha’s expansion would reach much west of 109th Street, a farmhouse was erected. The home featured a brick exterior, an extensive porch, and two prominent dormer windows. Nearly four decades later the farmhouse remained, much unchanged and sitting on just under half an acre. The home proved the ideal spot for the Keebler family to plant new roots in the metro. Stone steps and a walkway lead to the main entrance of the two-story home, while a side entry sits just off the drive way. French and French-Dutch doors open onto the porch and yard, allowing “so much inside-outside activity,” accord ing to WhetherBaumann.sittingon the front-porch swing looking out onto the spread of bur oaks, gardening in the beds, or soaking in the hot tub in their private courtyard, there’s plenty to tempt the Keebler family outside.
Keebler and husband John moved to Omaha from Missouri in 2017, starting positions at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and Methodist Hospi tal, respectively. They were locationfirst buyers, and coming off a previous “unpleasant” renovation, and sought out interior designer A.J. Baumann early on.
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“We were with him before we even bought the house,” Amber said. The couple was attracted to the many “useable spaces” of the home, which would help them avoid major structural changes. Yet, the home’s price tag and lack of updates made it truly ideal to make their own.
A Bit of Country in the City
37SEPTEMBER 2022 Feature
The Keeblers update a decades-old farmhouse found right in the middle of the metro.
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“Everyone can be there but not in the way,” Baumann said. The two-tone kitchen with gran ite countertops has formal white cabinetry that dresses up the fridge, while stained wood under the coun ter and a large farmhouse sink lend a country charm.
“We touched every surface on the first floor,” John said.
Hiring an interior designer and contractor from the very start helped facilitate a cohesive plan. “Having A.J. was a huge help in finding our style and minimizing the decisions we had to make,” Amber said. Baumann used a teal-colored plate, that Amber loved, to springboard the modern-country design scheme. Classic white trim runs throughout the home, while white, cool gray, and light blue walls make for a neutral backdrop to furnishing and finishes. Marble countertops and modern subway and penny tiles add classic touchs to bathrooms, while a mix of furniture styles lends an eclectic and comfortable ambiance to rooms. Different shades of blue repeat throughout the home, provid ing a relaxed and unified atmosphere.
“My kitchen is number one,” Amber said. “It is my dream kitchen and there’s nothing I would change about it.” Beautiful wood floors, a floating staircase to the second floor, and ample light define the main living space. While the design is “some what linear” from the entryway through the family room, dining room, and kitchen, room defini tion is achieved through half-walls and features, including the fireplace, Baumann said. Across from the entrance, the powder room’s wallpaper has a textured, matte finish and a pink floral Middle Eastern print. Simi lar patterns are seen on acces sories throughout the home, including a living room throw and a bedroom bedspread. Phase two of the renovations has wrapped, with a remodel of the boys’ bedroom and ensuite, and the primary bedroom and bath, all on the upper level.
Amber, a consummate hostess for the Brown and Keebler extended families, wanted a kitchen that invited guests but kept them out of the “cooking space.” Bar seating on either end of the kitchen allows guests to congregate nearby without crowding the chef.
“Elijah was 2 when we moved here and nothing has been irreparably stained,” Amber said, noting the practical materials used. More cabinetry disguises two dish washers, two ovens, a microwave, chilling drawer, wine cooler, and hidden pantry. The lime-green Kitchen Aide mixer sits upon ample counter space.
“I always ask clients how they want to feel in the space,” Baumann said.
Phase one started with the ground level and included the kitchen, a bedroom and bathroom, and a powder room.
“Upstairs, [they] needed creative problem-solving for the space,” said Bearded Builders’ owner, Eric Price. The primary bathroom had an odd L-shaped layout of toilet, sink, and shower, with a walk-in closet housed behind. Baumann and Price took out the closet wall and installed a large soaking tub and new walk-in shower, and hid the closet space in the walls under the gable.
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Amber and John said they’re look ing forward to the final phase of their remodel, which includes creating a “landing library” on the second floor, as well as collaborating with Baumann and Price once again. However, Baumann admitted he’s glad that Amber’s old taxider mied raccoon, Rocky, no longer catches him by surprise appearing in a new place in the home every few days a little prank that John and Amber liked to play on the men from time to time.
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John’s closet was also fitted into the walls of the primary bedroom, making the best use of space. The boys’ twin beds and twin closets fit snugly into their suite remodel. In their bathroom, a pair of step stools allow access to large porcelain sinks at a wood vanity. Whimsical animal pictures hang above their beds and tie in with the framed dog-themed art in their en suite. Just off their bedroom, there’s a now-insulated finished crawl space that’s popular for kids’ sleepovers.
adding
“It definitely scared the contractor and me a few times,” Baumann said. Price confirmed, but added: “That’s what makes a big project so great, though. Getting to know and work with people.” And having a little fun, now and then.
“There’s lots of stories [of the home] were tapping into and joining...bringing harmony and on stories,” Price said.
ASID STORY - BOB PATTON PHOTOGRAPHY - TOM KESSLER DESIGN - MADY BESCH
ITALIAN INSPIRATION
T he main goal of this family home renovation was to replace the heavy, traditional interior design aesthetic with a fresh, archi tecturally sophisticated look. The homeowners also wanted to achieve better sight lines indoors and more open views of the serene nature and pool environments outdoors.
A HOME RENOVATION DRAWS ON EUROPEAN TOUCHES TO ADD DRAMA AND DIMENSION. 46 OMAHAHOME
A stunning vintage wall print created in 1920 by Italian Leonetto Cappiello titled “Parapluie Revel” from the client’s collection served as inspiration for the kitchen redesign. Standout features include gleaming quartz countertops and a linear chandelier, machined from solid brass and polished to a unique patina, with lead crystal shades.
Pesavento is an innovative designer who creates environments with a fresh perspective. She earned her BA in Interior Design from the University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign and is a professional member of ASID with NCIDQ certification. She has 40+ years of experience in high-end residential and commercial interiors and 18 years as principal of Interiors Joan and Associates. She has also received the BALA (Best in American Living Award) and the ASID Design Impact Award.
Cooper earned a BA in Interior Design from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and began her design career in Omaha in 1993. She believes that architecture is imperative to good design, and beautiful and functional design impacts everyday life. In her 30-year career, she has received the BALA (Best in American Living Award, 2010) and several ASID awards, including Best in Show in 2014 and 2020. She is an Allied Member of ASID and actively involved in the LLS, Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
ME E T T HE I N T E RENGISEDROI R S •
NANCY PESAVENTO ASID, INTERIORSNCIDQJOAN AND ASSOCIATES
LISA COOPER ALLIED MEMBER ASID INTERIORS JOAN AND ASSOCIATES
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A large fireplace with porcelain tile installed in a chevron pattern sits center stage in the home’s media room. More handcrafted, solid-brass light fixtures with custom linen shades lend ambi ance. Neutral furniture that serves both form and function, offering comfort with a beautiful contem porary look, completes the cozy gathering space. The remodeled powder bath features a custom-designed vanity wall fashioned of honed natu ral Calcutta Gold marble. The marble is cut horizontally, provid ing dimension and visual interest. Black textural wall coverings add more elegance and drama. The home also features a cigar lounge, where homeowners can enjoy a smoke and sip fine whiskey while entertaining friends. Walls lined with charcoal-colored brick lend a textural quality and moody feel to the retreat. The transformation in this home redesign was both dramatic and effective. We successfully created a functional yet timeless design for their family to enjoy for years to come.
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Designers Nancy Pesavento and Lisa Cooper of Interiors Joan and Associ ates were recognized at the 2021 Nebraska/Iowa Chapter ASID Awards with a Gold award for their work on this project. Papillion, NE
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