July/August 2014 Omaha Home

July/August 2014

Always Local, Always Beautiful

Bauhaus on the Prairie At Home with the Smiths

A Tropical Paradise

Just ignore the cornfields on the way there.

Ral s ton The Independence City omaha magazine • july/august 2014

57

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july/august • 2014 H3

July/August 2014 VOLUME 4 • ISSUE 4

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july/august • 2014

OmahaHome: contents

july/august 2014

features

departments

H16 A Tropical Paradise

Just ignore the cornfields on the way there.

H32 Bauhaus on the Prairie At Home with the Smiths

H7 Editor’s Letter H8 DIY

Faux Brick Façade by artist Nic Roewert

H12 Home Décor Makeover Old World Vintage Placemats

H14 Entertaining

Perfecting the Backyard Bash

H24 Landscaping

Going Native with Beautiful, Hardy Prairie Grasses

H26 Neighborhood Profile

Ralston: The Independence City

H42 Room

A Window Into the Art of Alan Tubach

H44 Hot Products

Wedding Gift Ideas for the Home

H46 Transformations Adding Spice to a Saltbox

july/august • 2014 H5

July/August 2014 VOLUME 4 • ISSUE 4

ACCOUNTS & OPERATIONS STAFF publisher

todd lemke p u b l i s h e r ’s a s s i sta n t

Find us on Facebook and be sure to like us while you’re there!

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omaha home

contributing editor

sandy besch-matson vice president

greg bruns executive vice president sales

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marketing

gil cohen senior sales executive

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60plus in

omaha contributing editor

gwen lemke e x e cu t i v e s a l e s as so ci at e

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george idelman s a l e s as so ci at e s

dawn dennis alicia smith hollins jessica linhart sydney stander v i ce pr e s i de n t of ope r at ion s

tyler lemke

We’re Not Just About Fences

event director

erin cox accou n ta n t

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for advertising information:

402.884.2000 Comments? Send your letter to the editor to: David@omahamagazine.com

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july/august • 2014

OmahaHome: from the editor "Freedom has its life in the hearts, the actions, the spirit of men and so it must be daily earned and refreshed—else like a flower cut from its life-giving roots, it will wither and die. " —Dwight D. Eisenhower

S

Sandy Besch-Matson Contributing Editor OmahaHome Sandy.besch@omahapublications.com

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omahadoor.com /omahadoor OME OF MY BEST memories of

childhood were made on the Fourth of July.

I remember going to Clear Lake, Iowa, only a short distance from Garner, my hometown.

It started with the traditional Independence Day parade. Then it was on to the Midway where my brothers and myself would pester my dad for tickets for amusements rides for hours. With all the spinning and bouncing we were eating every bit of cotton candy, salt water taffy, and corn dogs we could get our hands on. Oh, and that amazing fireworks display over the lake once it got dark. What a perfect way to end a perfect day.

What was also special: It seemed like there was always something new to see or eat when we gathered. I’d like to think I learned something from those great times: Even amid great traditions, you need to mix in some new stuff, too.

As you gather with your friends or family this year, try something new, whether in your decorating or cooking. Goodness knows: There are tons of ideas out there and all sorts of tutorials to walk you through every step.

This issue I tried something new since I like to entertain, so check out my DIY project. We also have some beautiful and unique homes that I would say are quite the unexpected!

Also, I hope you enjoy our two features on how to make your outside spaces more enjoyable for the summer. You’ll get some great ideas both for having a great time in your backyard and for making your landscape better prepared to handle this fickle and sometimes downright harsh Nebraska weather.

I hope my memories brought back some good childhood memories for you, too. Be safe and enjoy! OmahaHome

Sandy

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duane.sullivan@cbshome.com Since 1973

july/august • 2014 H7

OmahaHome: d.i.y.

Faux Brick Facade

Artist Nic Roewert sculpts beauty beyond the studio.

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july/august • 2014

by david williams • photography by bill sitzmann

I

N THE STUDIO, ARTIST Nic

Roewert dwells in a world where particular attention is paid to line, form, texture, and color. Those same attributes come into play with this clever DIY project, a faux brick facing for his kitchen island in the West Omaha home he shares with his fiancé, Brandi McDonald, and their infant son, Asher.

july/august • 2014 H9

OmahaHome: d.i.y.

And it’s all constructed of simple pieces of 1 by 4 pine.

“I love taking a material like steel and turning it into something organic,” says the artist known for his sculptural wall art and furniture, “and I wanted to see if I could have that organic feel translate into this project. I was going for a bit of a ‘70s retro feel,” he adds, “but I didn’t want to take it too far. I didn’t want it to look like something straight out of an episode of The Brady Bunch.”

Here’s what you’ll need to duplicate the look of his faux brick façade: • 1 by 4 pine • Two colors of stain (Roewert chose classic gray and walnut) • An angle grinder with a soft metal flap disc • Sandpaper or an electric sander And here’s how he did it: 1. Using the angle grinder with a soft metal flap disc, bevel the outer, forward-facing edges of the pine.

2. Cut each board into 7-inch sections 3. Bevel the remaining forward-facing edges created in the process of cutting the wood.

4. Apply the stain that you want to be the surface’s primary color and then sand down to expose the grain. Avoid staining the beveled edges. We’ll see why in a moment.

5. Apply the secondary stain and repeat the sanding process.

6. Apply the primary stain one more time and sand back accordingly.

7. Affix the bricks to the drywall with construction adhesive.

The multiple stains and sandings, Roewert says, are the key to creating a natural, variegated look, one where the wood grain really pops. Sanding the beveled edges to remove almost all of the stain creates the illusion of grout. Not happy with the color? Just sand away and start again.

Roewert was so pleased with the results that he now sells his creation by the brickfoot online in the stain combination of the customer’s choice.

“I really like how the bricks take on a different personality based on lighting or the time of day,” he says, “but the main idea is just to have fun with creativity.” OmahaHome

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july/august • 2014

faux brink facade

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july/august • 2014 H11

OmahaHome: home decore makeover by sandy besch-matson • photography by bill sitzmann

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july/august • 2014

Old World Vintage Placemats

D

ECOUPAGE IS MAKING A

comeback (Or, maybe it never left?). For me, it’s always made for an enjoyable art project. And, if done right, decoupage can be used to create some very cool home décor.

The following project took a little longer than expected. Honestly: You’ll need some patience and the good part of a weekend.

But I think the results are worth the trouble.

SUPPLIES:

• • • • •

Wood Mod Podge glue and sealer Sandpaper Several photos of your choice Stain

DIRECTIONS:

1. You’ll need four, 14x14-inch pieces of wood. At Home Depot, they cut your wood to size for free.

2. Sand each piece and round the corners.

3. Stain both sides and let dry. I used a dark walnut color so my pictures really stood out.

4. After the stain has dried, follow the directions on the bottle of Mod Podge. I used "Matte" Mod Podge from Hobby Lobby.

5. Lay everything out first prior to gluing. Use a small sponge applicator to put a thin, even coat on the back of each photo.

6. Once finished with both front and back, re-apply the same stain again to give it a more aged look. I used a soft, dry rag. After the surface was completely dry I went over it with a high-gloss sealer.

My theme was food. I thought it would be fun to have a picture of the dish on the front with the recipe on the back.

These mats should be great conversation pieces, not to mention the fact that I will have several good recipes looking me in the face for years to come.

Have fun with your projects and please send us your own ideas. We’d love to feature your creation. OmahaHome july/august • 2014 H13

OmahaHome: entertaining by robert nelson

Perfecting the Backyard Bash

Think big. Be creative.

A little extra work could make a big difference.

L

ATTRACTIVE BUG CONTROL

The smell of DEET can drive away both bugs and guests. You could argue that in this chemicals-first, ask-Nature-later kinda world, we’ve forgotten that there was stuff mosquitos didn’t like long before we made stuff for them not to like. Chief among those natural repellents are some very attractive and easy-to-grow plants. Lining your patio with marigolds can help keep bugs away, for one. Also, lemon grass is a great option because it helps jazz up your Thai food, too. Of course citronella. Catnip is also an effective bug repellent if you don’t have cats, for which it will have a very different effect.

AWN DARTS HAVE THEIR

appeal: Lively competition, deadly projectiles. Throw in some burgers and chips and a few dime-store solar lights and you have the basics of a basic backyard party.

But settling for the basics won’t cut it for special events. And really, even for the simplest affairs, there’s no reason not to make your backyard space more inviting for fun and fellowship.

With this in mind, here are a few ideas for taking your outdoor ambiance to the next level:

OUTDOOR TENT WITH INDOOR FURNITURE

Sometimes we forget we have nice furniture in the house that’s not bolted to the floor. It can feel odd taking the living room outside, but at least for one evening, it can create a cheap, comfy hangout for numerous guests.

The key to pulling off the outdoor living room is creating a border for the space with some sort of canopy. Simple, quick-assembly gazebos can be purchased for around $150.

Obviously, though, you’ll want to get the furniture back inside before you turn in for the night. Rain clouds love to visit after the party ends.

OUTDOOR SPEAKERS

LANTERNS

If you’ve ever visited Mexico during the holidays, you’ve likely seen streets lined with luminarias. Simple to make, these paper lanterns create a soft, glowing light for a beautiful and intimate atmosphere. Get brown paper bags, crumple them up a bit, and fill them with several ounces of pebbles, sand, or most anything to hold them down. Put in tea lights and voila!

Beyond luminarias, there are many other types of handmade lanterns that are as inexpensive as they are lovely.

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july/august • 2014

In the age of iPods, smartphones and ubiquitous headphones, people sometime forget that gatherings still need amplifiers and speakers. If you want speakers outside— and you plan to keep them outside—you’ll want to get speakers specifically made for the rain, snow, sun, bird bombings, etc.

Whether you’re looking for indoor or outdoor speakers, audiophiles will always tell you the same thing: When putting together a sound system on a limited budget, spend your money on speakers first. Good speakers make the system.

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OUTDOOR OLYMPICS

Those little lawn javelins only entertain for so long. So, then what? Bridge? You need to go past individual games and create a sporting event. There are some outdoor game kits, but it’s just as easy, and more fun, to assemble your own Olympic competition. For starters, bocce is a necessity. If you don’t have bocce balls, just improvise with most any balls you have in the garage. (Toss softballs and a golfball, for one). Croquet, badminton, Jarts, whiffle-ball home run derby—you get the idea. Whoever wins the most games gets whatever ridiculous prize you want to give the winner. Just keep it loose and you’ll have a blast.

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But building a real fire pit can look like a hopelessly daunting task. In reality, though, a beautiful pit can be built within a day by only the moderately handy. One of the easiest solutions is to repurpose tractor tire rims or some other heavy-metal cylinder. Large landscaping bricks can be stacked in a circle without needing mortar. For brick and uneven stones, the masonry work need not be too fine. Many home improvement stores offer kits and all the necessary instructions to build a substantial, permanent structure. OmahaHome

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july/august • 2014 H15

OmahaHome: feature by robert nelson • photography by bill sitzmann

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july/august • 2014

A Tropical Paradise

Just ignore the cornfields on the way there.

F

ROM THE ROAD, ROSEANNE and Mike

Kielians’ house looks like a roof with no house under it. Just a roof. The houses to the left and right look like houses. But it appears as if the Kielians bought a roof, then ran out of money for the stuff underneath it. > july/august • 2014 H17

OmahaHome: feature

< Fear not. Just park the car and walk down the steps beside the roof. As you descend, a lake appears before you and an actual house—a lovely contemporary beach house—appears beneath that once lonely roof.

From the lake at Hawaiian Village south of Papillion, the Kielians’ semi earth home takes on a very different look. From this angle, perched on the lake’s high bank line, it’s more like some contemporary cliff dwelling. Thanks to the one-story-tall water feature Mike built in 2002, the house gives a slight tip of the hat to Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater.

Whatever, if any, the grand influences for H18

july/august • 2014

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this unique home, it’s a special place for its owners, who purchased the 33-year-old home in 1998.

“It’s our paradise,” says Roseanne, who, like her husband, Mike, is retired. “We fish, boat, listen to the waterfall, anything. It’s peaceful or rollicking—whatever you want it to be.”

The Kielians most recent remodel came six years ago. As with so many updatings, the upscale contemporary kitchen was the priciest and most involved.

But here, the eye is most drawn to those falls cascading down the bank line as if an artesian spring bubbled up below the >

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OmahaHome: feature

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july/august • 2014

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OmahaHome: feature

< house’s foundation. Amazingly, the extensive water feature was a first-time project for Mike 12 years ago. The falls took him a couple months to build, his wife says. It quickly became a labor of love—with a bit of obsession thrown in.

“He was pretty focused on that once he got started,” she says. “It was his masterpiece. The whole family got involved with it, too. It was a major project for us all.”

To match the development’s playful Hawaiian theme (Perhaps a bit kitschy, a little out-of-place in Nebraska? Nah.), the Kielians added some tropical flourishes H22

july/august • 2014

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themselves. Most notably: The “Bumba Shack,” a thatched hut that sits next to the water where friends and family can gather for drinks and socializing.

This exotic feature, which Mike constructed as a surprise gift to his wife, is homage to a beach bar the family enjoyed while on a vacation to Tortola in the British Virgin Islands.

“The Bumba Shack kind of speaks to the whole mood of the place,” Roseanne says. “It’s fun, it’s casual. It’s just a very easy livin’ kind of place.” OmahaHome july/august • 2014 H23

OmahaHome: landscaping by robert nelson

Going Native

LIATRIS (GAYFEATHER)

One fun way to track down some unique native plants: Just see what plants are mentioned in the pioneer diaries and literature of writers such as Willa Cather and Mari Sandoz. The gayfeather is long-lasting and easy to grow in your garden.

You need not leave the Prairie to create a beautiful, hardy landscape.

T

HE GRASS IS ALWAYS greener

on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean. To wit, Midwesterners, particularly Nebraskans, have always had a low opinion of the region’s native flora. But outsiders often have a different opinion.

Take aronia (or chokeberry), for example.

Most settlers wanted nothing to do with the trees or the fruit. But, some German immigrants appreciated the tart flavor. Some even sent plants back to Germany. Hybrids were made. Now we drink descendants of our native chokeberries every time we have a Welch’s Grape Juice Cocktail.

“People tend to think of native plants as only weeds,” says Kathleen Kue, an associate horticulture specialist with the UNL Extension Office for Douglas and Sarpy counties. “But there are countless wonderful, hardy species. The chokeberry. It was met with distain. Now it’s in everybody’s juice.”

The point here: If you want a low-maintenance, water-sipping landscape that will last, Kue says, you should go native.

With that in mind, here is a collection of some of Kue’s favorite native species that you can easily reintroduce to an Omaha landscape:

BUTTONBUSH

PAW PAW TREE

The buttonbush is both old-timey Nebraska and futuristic. “The flowers are really funky and fun,” Lue says. “They kind of look like spaceships.”

Yes, there is a fruit tree native to Nebraska.

The paw paw fruit tastes like a cross between a banana and a mango, Lue says. “They’re surprisingly delicious.”

J.S. Peterson @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database

ARONIA (CHOKEBERRY)

As the common name suggests, the berries can be astringent, Lue says. But, as in the Welch’s cocktail, they can be very tasty when combined with other fruits.

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july/august • 2014

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“This is my all-time favorite Nebraska grass,” Lue says. “It’s not too tall. It’s extremely hardy. I think it’s beautiful.”

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july/august • 2014 H25

OmahaHome: neighborhood profile by david williams • photography by sarah lemke

Independence City Star-Spangled Ralston Prepares for its Big, Big Day

H26

july/august • 2014

C

ONFIRMING THE POPULATION OF any given city

requires nothing more than a glance at census figures, right?

Not so fast. To best understand at least one local community, it would be advisable to also have a calendar handy. For 364 days >

july/august • 2014 H27

OmahaHome: neighborhood profile

< of the year, Ralston’s population is estimated at almost 7,000 people. But on that remaining day, July 4 to be exact, the city bursts at the seams when as many as 50,000 people swarm to the place known as the Independence City.

Carrying on that patriotic theme, the Fourth of July parade route wends its way along Independence Avenue, the honorary label of Miller Avenue. And the mini park downtown is named Independence Square.

Ralston Mayor Donald Groesser explains that the “Independence” label has dual meanings. Sure, the town’s star-spangled Fourth H28

july/august • 2014

of July parade and surrounding events are crowd-pleasers that make the city the third largest in the state that day, but there’s more.

Omaha was positioning itself to annex Ralston in 1964, but the town had other ideas.

A deal was struck where Omaha agreed to leapfrog Ralston so long as the suburb did not itself expand to the magic number of 10,000. State law mandates that Omaha may annex any burg with a population below that number without putting the issue to a vote by that community’s people.

“So I have my little pilgrimage downtown every four or eight years,” says Groesser, who

is serving his fifth term and has been in office for 18 years, “just to reaffirm the deal and to repeat that handshake with each new mayor elected in Omaha.”

The same kind of casual, handshake aura defines the very nature of the close-knit community that has retained its distinct, smalltown vibe even as the metro has grown around it. It’s a thriving, one square mile island of folksiness smack dab in the middle of an equally thriving city.

And it’s the type of place where roots run deep.

Music teacher Ladonna Johnson has been a

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fixture at the Independence Day festivities for decades. “When I was a kid,” Johnson says, “we’d decorate our bicycles with crepe paper and ride in the parade. It was a lot simpler thing in those early days, but it was so exciting for all the neighborhood kids.”

Johnson took a larger role in last year’s affair. And there wasn’t any crepe paper involved this time. She rode in a convertible as Parade Marshall, an honor bestowed for her lifelong service to the little city on the hill, a place where the historical museum—The Frank and Velma Johnson Ralston Archive Museum—is named for her parents. >

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OmahaHome: history

OmahaHome: neighborhood profile

by david williams photo provided by the frank and velma johnson ralston archive museum

Lake Living Sans the Lake

D

ID YOU KNOW THAT the land upon which sits the Ralston

Arena was once a lake? Or that the hill above it once held a magnificent castle?

Newspaperman George L. Miller of the Omaha Herald—which would later morph to become the Omaha World-Herald—is considered the founding father of Ralston. In 1887 he built a sprawling, 17-room mansion at what is now the northeast corner of 75th and Oakwood streets.

An almost accidental lake followed in 1892 when an exploration for oil, minerals, or water turned up water. Lots and lots of water.

A dike was constructed and Seymour Lake, named by Miller for his friend, Nebraska Congressman Horatio Seymour, was born. A resort-style club, park, and beach house soon grew around the lake and it became a summertime playground that drew crowds far and wide. In the off-season of those prerefrigeration days, an ice-cutting operation operated on the lake.

The castle burned down in 1898, and the only remaining echo of the lake is a story that is told in cobblestones. The ancient pavers of South 70th Street just east of 72nd Street mark the winding road that once girded the lake that dried up in the ‘40s.

The Arts and Crafts-style home built in 1914 on the site of the castle is today owned by Susan and Larry Forman.

They raised six children there and now have 15 grandchildren and one great-grandchild, which means the property has been known to host some big-time family picnics, but none bigger than the one on Independence Day. “My father took one look at the place before we bought it in 1979 and said that we were investing in a money pit, Larry says. “And he was right, but this is like a piece of history that deserved to be saved.”

Susan agrees. “The lake may be gone,” she says, “and it’s not like we could just pick up this house and move it to Cape Cod. It’s been a great home for us and we joke that it is our favorite lake house…just without the lake!” OmahaHome H30

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< “Many of my current and former music students came to the parade and chanted ‘Ladonna! Ladonna!’ as I passed by,” she says. “It was such grand fun!”

Many of the local businesses have roots that run equally deep.

A crashing cacophony of 7-10 splits have been heard at Scorz, the local bowling alley, since the ‘50s. A quintessential corner hangout—the ancient Village Bar—may have a snazzy, new, and hip logo, but the everybody-knows-your-name atmosphere remains the same.

And then there’s the tacos. Since 1976, Maria’s Mexican Restaurant has been a magnet for margaritas and a hub for habaneros.

Michael Sanchez, son of the restaurant’s titular founder, Maria, goes “all in” when it comes to Ralston boosterism.

He’s chairman of the Ralston Chamber of Commerce and is running for a seat on the city council. But what about his mother? Does Maria have a plan to retire any time soon?

“My mom will probably one day be the Mrs. B of Ralston,” he says, “riding around the restaurant in a little scooter,” just like the late, iconic entrepreneur associated

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with Nebraska Furniture Mart who was, in her later years, known to (literally) wheel and deal from her perch atop a custom scooter contraption.

The rise of the Ralston Arena—home of Omaha Lancers hockey, University of Nebraska-Omaha men’s basketball, the arena football Omaha Beef, and more—has changed the city’s landscape in more than just a literal way. It is the anchor for an ambitious, 20-year development plan that Mayor Groesser dubs “The Hinge.”

“Think of 72nd Street as a hinge,” Groesser says. “The east side of the street is Omaha, and we can’t do anything about that. On our side of the street, picture a lake, parks, new businesses, all with a new, beautiful gateway approach that draws people up the hill and into town. It’s like a hinge that folds up onto Ralston, the city that we love today…but just wait for tomorrow.” OmahaHome

4315 S. 120th Street 402-334-4900 www.echosystemsomaha.com july/august • 2014 H31

OmahaHome: at home with the smiths by david williams • photography by bill sitzmann

Scan the page with the LayAR app to see more photography from our shoot of the Bauhaus on the Prairie.

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At Home with the Smiths

LAT ROOF? CHECK. CLEAN Lines? Check. Cornfields? Insert here the sound of a needle being violently ripped across a vinyl record.

Contemporary architecture is perhaps most commonly thought of as an urban phenomenon, but Donna and Jon Smith have executed their Bauhaus-inspired home on five acres of rural Sarpy County land. > july/august • 2014 H33

OmahaHome: at home with the smiths

I have mowing down to five hours now. If I didn’t have to make little crop circles around all of the trees it would be even easier.”

JON SMITH

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OmahaHome: at home with the smiths < “A lot of our friends say it looks like a commercial building or a strip mall,” says Donna. “We’re okay with that. To each his own!”

The 4,200 square foot home was built in 2010 and was designed by Jon, the owner of the branding firm Corporate Three Design. Jon had absolutely zero background in architecture when he first put pen to paper in conceptualizing his creation.

The couple share the space with their children, David (19), and Suzy (18).

The imaginative materials used throughout the project were more than just moneysavers on the bottom line, they are integral to the success of the contemporary scheme.

Common cinder block is rendered less so when stripes of contrasting brick form a design along the zigzag angles of the exterior set below exposed steel beams of the roofline that have now taken on an organic, earthy patina. Rolling barn-like doors of walnut evoke a little bit of country while also punctuating the space with fields of contrasting color.

Add to that gently dappled concrete floors below an assortment of warm area rugs, and the foundation is laid for a country home loaded with surprises.

No storage room? No problem. Remember, form follows function in the Bauhaus aesthetic. Jon designed a section of the stairs leading down to a utility room so that, when lifted on a hinge system, a storage space is revealed. Oh, and where exactly is that refrigerator? Tucked away just around the corner from the kitchen so as to minimize busyness in the crisp, > H36

july/august • 2014

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OmahaHome: at home with the smiths

< clean space accented by marble baseboards and window trim.

“Everybody always talks about the ‘kitchen triangle pattern’ when it comes to kitchens,” Donna says, “but taking two extra steps to get to the fridge is a small price to pay for the uncluttered look we sought.”

The home has no load-bearing walls, and the roof is instead supported by a series of massive pillars. This design element allowed maximum freedom in terms of an open floor plan. Jon further capitalized on this by mixing and matching the heights of the walls. The central space is defined by floor-to-ceiling surfaces. Within the bedrooms, closets are left open on top to distribute light and to create interesting sight lines.

Two wells on the property fuel a geothermic heating system and radiant floor heat keeps the place toasty even on the most bitter of winter evenings. The pool is heated by the same technology.

“The look we were going for,” Jon says, “is part Bauhaus, part Palm Springs desert-style."

The flat roof contributes to the desired look and its lines mirror the plains surrounding the property.

“And we wanted really low maintenance,” adds Donna. “These materials will long outlast us and our kids.

Speaking of maintenance, who does snow removal on the graceful arc of the home’s long driveway? “Oh, that’s just a matter of > H38

july/august • 2014

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OmahaHome: at home with the smiths

< driving the truck back and forth until

we can get out. And Jon does all the mowing himself.”

“I have mowing down to five hours now,” he adds. “If I didn’t have to make little crop circles around all of the trees it would be even easier.”

The interior is certainly dramatic, but Jon also had an eye to outdoor living in his design. The property that features hundreds H40

july/august • 2014

of saplings also boasts a swimming pool and a full soccer field. That’s where Suzy, a recent Papillion La Vista South High graduate who will play in the fall at Missouri State University, honed her skills. That’s when she wasn’t camping on the roof with friends under a canopy of stars.

This home is something that Jon always wanted to do,” says Donna, “even if we are out here where few people ever see it.”

That is, except when the couple who love entertaining have as many as 50 people over for a little soiree.

“It’s a different kind of living,” Jon admits.

“It may not be for everybody, but for us it just…it just works.” OmahaHome

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OmahaHome: room by robert nelson • photography by bill sitzmann

Shining Light

A window into the art of Allan Tubach

B

EFORE 1986, RESPECTED OMAHA artist Allan Tubach did

his painting in the basement of his Normandy-style stucco home in Dundee.

The light was mostly artificial, maybe a bit dungeony. It wasn’t at all ideal studio space, especially for an artist known for the vibrancy of his work.

H42

july/august • 2014

In fact, as Tubach realized later, the basement environment gave a bit of a brownish, earthy tinge to his earlier paintings. Basically, the work during his subterranean phase didn’t pop like it does now. Even the horizon line was different because of the high windows.

“The work created down there many times had much higher horizon lines and tended to be a bit darker,” Tubach says. “Sometimes an artist doesn’t realize how much his or her work environment impacts their work. It can be profound.”

In 1985, Tubach left his home space for an 8-month residency at the Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts. There, in a gray-floored space overlooking a dark alley, his art took on a grayer tone. Bricks began to show up in his work.

The next year, Tubach asked his good friend, noted Omaha architect Jack Savage, to help him with his light problem. The solution: An airy, two-story, 700-square-foot addition to the back of the Tubach home with a balcony, a floor of handmade tiles, and, most important, a two-story bank of windows on the north side of the house that bathes Tubach's workspace and easel in ample, gentle, natural light.

The room’s walls are lined with dozens of Tubach’s distinctive works. Most of his creations imagine a sort of nexus between the architecture, art, people, and landscape of towns and cities throughout the United States and Europe. He has created more than 950 paintings exploring the United States, 350 of them representing Nebraska. (Dozens can be seen in public spaces in Omaha. Tubach has painted works for the Omaha Symphony, Opera Omaha, and the Joslyn Art Museum, to name a few).

Most of those images were created in this studio in this light. Many seem to shimmer in the light in which they were created. The paintings are vital and bright. They are a reflection of his studio.

“My palette suddenly shifted to the surroundings,” Tubach says. “Sky blues, lots of trees. More subtle changes suggested by the rust-colored tile floor. Even the colors and shapes of the place insinuated their way into the work.

“This room is in every one of my paintings,” he says. “My work can’t help but be a direct reflection of this space.” OmahaHome

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OmahaHome: hot products

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OmahaHome: transformations

by Marilyn Hansen • Photography by Tom Kessler

meet the designer Marilyn Hansen, AISD The Designers

H46

july/august • 2014

Adding Spice to a Saltbox A creative remodel turned an old home into a dream home.

T Transformations is a regular feature of OmahaHome that spotlights a recent project by a local ASID interior designer. The copy and photos are provided by the designer. Homeowners’ names may be withheld for privacy.

HIS BEAUTIFUL HOME ON

a tree-lined street was the perfect saltbox-style house for my transplanted client from the Northeast (where this colonial-era style is common). They loved many features of the house, but there were a few missing elements that needed work before this could become their perfect home. > july/august • 2014 H47

OmahaHome: transformations

< For one: They longed for a powder room off the backyard swimming pool. We remodeled the existing laundry to become a new creative pool bath. The new laundry was relocated to the master suite. The tight space H48

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required careful consideration to give the illusion of openness and yet include a new shower.

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We extended the top to the left of the cabinet in another space-expanding feature. Finally, a touch of whimsy was added in the cobalt blue drawer pulls. >

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Omaha Home: transformations

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< The project then moved into the kitchen.

We analyzed the kitchen and its obvious problems and challenges. The new floor plan is focused on efficiency and space to give the owners, who love to cook, the best possible layout to work their magic. When they lived in France, they learned to love French cooking and they incorporate fresh garden herbs from right outside their door in their cuisine.

We found a unique granite surface in subtle silver gray on a white crystalline surface. The wood tones of the cherry cabinets repeat in the touches of wine in the granite. The fluid-style

granite top continues at the edge of the peninsula into a rounded work area.

Additional special features include Peruvian tiger wood floors, LED lighting throughout, mosaic accented backsplashes, and highly efficient cabinet storage. Note the hand-shaped marble tiles surrounding the sink window that complete the clean lines of this beautiful kitchen.

Casual entertaining involving the pool and their wonderful kitchen has transformed their residence into a more updated and welcoming home. OmahaHome

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