Before & After
BEFORE
Timeless. Comfortable. High contrast keeps modern scheme crisp and interesting
M
By Chris Christen ost of us wouldn’t envision a French Biedermeier chair working near a concrete kitchen countertop. But Lester Katz sees such possibilities almost immediately. The Omaha interior designer is as enthusiastic about the old as he is in love with the new, and rather than yield to one or the other, he finds perfect blends. Less than two years ago, Katz wove Old World, Mid-Century and contemporary styles into the interior of his own home – an iconic 1922 Craftsman in the Morton Meadows neighborhood.
10 MARCH/APRIL 2012 inspiredhomeomaha.com
continued on page 12
DANIEL JOHNSON, LESTER KATZ ; FACING PAGE: DANIEL JOHNSON
The original fireplace had a brick face, a red tile hearth and a painted wood mantle. Katz revised the space with marble. The living room has an 1830s French Biedermeier-style chest, American Art Deco side tables, a Mid-Century Modern Eero Saarinen tulip table and French Art Deco leather club chairs.
Katz, with his partner, Joslyn Art Museum Executive Director Jack Becker, bought the Midtown home in September 2010 and immediately dove into a major remodel. “There were so many issues with the house, you had to have a vision to even think about purchasing it,” Katz recalls. Workers were tearing out the kitchen the day after the real estate closing. The house was totally gutted within a week, and reconstruction was under way within a month.