March/April 2016 Omaha Home

MARCH/APRIL 2016

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A NORTH OMAHA ARCHITECTURAL TREASURE KEEPING IT REAL

Kristine Gerber Preserves the Character of Her Own Home

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At Home With the Willits

A MODERN APPROACH TO CONCRETE

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OmahaHome • March/April 2016

Table of Contents

H20

H38 FEATURES H20

SMALL TOWN FEEL

H32 DEPARTMENTS H9

FROM THE EDITORS

H26

ARCHITECTURAL STYLES American Bungalow

A Contemporary Valley Home

H10 H32

WOODLAND WONDER

STATEMENTS A Modern Approach to Concrete

H28

NEIGHBORHOODS Hanscom Park

The North Omaha Architectural Treasure

H38

KEEPING IT REAL Preserving the tudor Character

H14

AT HOME WITH THE WILLITS Featuring: More

H44

TRANSFORMATIONS Classic Living With An Artful Flair

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OmahaHome • March/April 2016

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from the Editors

"No Matter how long the Winter Spring is sure to follow" —Proverb

T

H ANKFULLY WE ARE in the home stretch of winter. Greener,

warmer days will soon be here. We love spring, after being cooped up in the house all winter you can not keep us in our homes once it starts to warm up. You will find Angie outside every chance possible just to be in the sunshine and fresh air. She loves cleaning out plant beds and looking for the first signs of green under the debris of winter and planning for the new flowers and plants that will be there.

In this issue of OmahaHome we have two families that achieved their new homes through different journeys. The Willets, after becoming tired of Sandy Matson & Angie Hall remodeling projects, rethought a decision to build a new home and instead bought a newly constructed home. It was not perfect, but close enough that with a few simple changes, it could become the perfect house for them. The Ackersons chose to custom build their house from the ground up to ensure everything was perfect.

We also suggest you check out our feature on Modern Concrete. They do some amazing things with concrete. Looking on their website at some custom fire pits they have built, it's clear their work would be perfect to add some warmth on the cooler spring days on the patio.

We wish you a fresh, green start to your spring.

Sandy & Angie If you have any ideas you would like to see us tackle or you yourself have a project you would like to have featured, please contact us at sandy@omahapublications.com or angie@omahapublications.com

Thank you for reading OmahaHome. This stand-alone magazine is also featured as a section of Omaha Magazine.

Want to read the entire magazine? Visit: omahamagazine.com/digital-flip-book

March/April 2016 • omahamagazine.com

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Statements story by Tim Kaldahl / photography by bill sitzmann

Scan the page with the LayAR app to view video from this story.

A MODERN APPROACH TO CONCRETE USING ANCIENT MATERIAL FOR CONTEMPORARY DESIGN

A

NYONE TALKING WITH Jackson Kardell

ends up excited by the possibilities of concrete. No kidding.

The 34-year-old owner of Modern Concrete can discuss how this ancient building substance (the Greeks and Romans used concrete) can be flexibly and attractively used inside and outside a home. Concrete, Kardell explains, can be poured in a vast array of colors, stamped with intricate designs, and made to emulate marble, granite, or other stone. He enjoys the challenges homeowners and designers bring to him. / H10 /

OmahaHome • March/April 2016

“I was just a concrete guy, and I was fine with that,” Kardell says of his early years in the business. His family has been involved with concrete work since 1947, and Kardell started in the family business at age 15. “And then we started pushing the artistic aspect.”

Modern Concrete doesn’t compete with companies that pour hundreds of yards of concrete driveways. The economic downturn of 2007 and 2008 pushed Jackson and his father, John Kardell, toward not only outdoor work, focused on patios and pool decks, but also indoor work— >

“I was just a concrete guy, and I was fine with that, and then we started pushing the artistic part.”

-Jackson Kardell

March/April 2016 • omahamagazine.com

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Statements

< countertops, custom sinks and showers, 3-D fireplaces, and other objects. The work involves physics, chemistry, and artistry. The bathroom and kitchen sink designs the company creates show the range of possibilities—from traditional and rounded to contemporary, flat, and angular. The diversity involved with the jobs the four-person company tackles makes for interesting, ongoing work, says John, who started his career in the trade in 1974.

“It all comes down to the basics of concrete pouring,” John says. “If you’ve got a good base then you can much easier expand out into some of these things that we are doing.”

The company uses Glass Fiber Reinforced Concrete, a compound similar to chopped fiberglass that is made of fine sand, cement, acrylic polymer, water, and alkali-resistant glass fibers. Using GFRC means objects like countertops and sinks can be made lighter and stronger. Techniques have evolved over time, as well, Jackson says, and he enjoys the challenge of creating fabric forms to make more rounded shapes possible, and blowing, instead of pouring, concrete into forms for flawless finishes.

“Myself, personally,” Jackson says, “I’m drawn more toward modern, crisp.”

Like an artist, he talks about “pieces” when he speaks about jobs and projects. Jackson is a Central High School graduate who enjoyed pottery classes the most, and he says he now sees the connection to that kind of physical art. He thinks in terms of hard and soft shapes, shadings and colorings, and finishes and textures in precise, measured ways. Most general concrete work—flat and often outside—is measured in half-inches and inches. For Modern Concrete, it’s sixteenths of an inch. And when concocting special concrete mixes, components are measured by ounces or grams.

Kardell-made projects have become especially popular in high-end houses and condominiums where unique designs are valued. Many times, Jasckson says, he breaks the molds he creates once a contract is completed.

The company is on the cutting edge of what concrete can do, but the kind of advertising Modern Concrete finds most successful is very traditional. Word of mouth most often brings customers in, Jackson says.

“I’m not trying to sell you concrete, if that makes sense.

I’m hoping you have gravitated towards me, and this is the product that I have to offer. These are the specs that it can fulfill,” he says. “And if this sounds like something you want…cool.” OmahaHome Visit modernconcreteomaha.com for more information

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OmahaHome • March/April 2016

“Myself, personally, I'm drawn more toward modern, crisp.”

-John Kardell

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At Home story by Kara Schweiss / photography by Bill Sitzmann

FEATURING: MORE AT HOME WITH THE WILLITS

E

RIC AND JEN Willits swore they would build a

new home. After surviving an extensive remodel of their last home that wrapped in 2013, they didn't want to repeat the experience. So the plan for their next home was to avoid having to live again within the mess and noise of construction. “We could just be done.”

The couple chose a lot with the idea for construction to commence sometime in 2015. But they couldn’t get one spec home on a corner lot in the Tuscan Ridge neighborhood at 198th and Pacific streets off their minds.

“This was one of the first houses we looked at. We were pretty set on building, but we kept coming back to this house,” Jen says.

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OmahaHome • March/April 2016

The plusses were numerous: six bedrooms and five baths with 3,000 square feet above grade and 4,000 total square feet, dark wood floors on the main level, stainless steel kitchen appliances in place, and a finished basement. It was plenty of room for the couple, their two boys, and any visitors. The high ceilings, arched doorways, and abundant windows that bathed the interior with natural light were also appealing. The in-demand neighborhood had been the site of the 2011 Street of Dreams and was located in the Elkhorn school district.

The Willits pressed forward with their intent to build, but couldn’t stop mulling over the idea of that lovely, move-in ready Tuscan Ridge house. It included some of the features the couple knew they would have to cut from their new-home wish list to meet budget, and many extras they hadn’t even thought of. They liked the colors, they liked the floor plan, they liked just about everything. And they realized the few things they didn’t love could be easily modified. >

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At Home

< Recognizing they could get everything they wanted—and more—by purchasing a finished house, the Willits ultimately decided not to purchase the lot, or build, and made that unforgettable home their own last August. The neighbors were warm and welcoming (“Like a small town”) and the Willits family immediately felt right at home.

“It was just meant to be,” Jen says.

After hiring Knight Construction’s Dana Knight to modify the kitchen island for improved functionality, replace the wrought iron stair railing with a warmer wooden railing, and install additional wainscoting, Willits now proclaims the home perfect for her family.

“It’s cozy. Comfortable,” she says, emphasizing that it’s a "family" home. “It’s where kids can be kids. You have to enjoy your own home.”

The house is even more perfect than the family expected, she says. Sons Evan, 12, and Ethan, 9, are far too young to drive, but the home’s enormous, 1,200-square-foot garage has been an unforeseen bonus for them: The boys not only have ample room to park their bikes and store their sports gear, there’s even enough floor space to bounce around a basketball in the wintertime. “I never thought we were looking at a garage when we bought this house,” Jen says.

She was also pleasantly surprised by another bonus feature; a sitting room off the master complete with fireplace that has become her “reading nook.”

“It was something I did not think I needed, but now I can’t live without it,” she says.

The professional couple (she’s a nurse anesthetist, he works as a risk reserve analyst at Hewlett-Packard) also like that a first-floor bedroom was easily convertible to a home office in which Eric can work from home on occasion but still feel connected. An upstairs bedroom serves as a “kids’ office” where the boys can do homework, play, or hang out with Harrison, the family’s new Labradoodle puppy.

After extensively landscaping their last home, Jen is eager for warmer weather and the opportunity to put some new ideas into place. In the meantime, she’s enjoying working on the interior. The home’s neutral palette with clean lines and white trim is ideal to showcase her “modern transitional with vintage mix” style that includes a fun, eclectic assortment of artworks and décor as likely to come from Junkstock (that outdoor flea market) as from a gallery. > Brothers Ethan, front, and Evan, wait to attack mom Jen, dad Eric, and dog Harrison / H16 /

OmahaHome • March/April 2016

“It's cozy. Comfortable.

It's where kids can be kids. You have to enjoy your own home.”

-Jen Willit

March/April 2016 • omahamagazine.com

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At Home

< “Some of the pictures on the wall are just things I love, that piece you find that just isn’t like anyone else’s,” she says. Some of the furniture is one-of-a-kind, too.

Several pieces have been customized by her own hand, like the brand-new dining table she painted to create a vintage look, or a few refinished pieces that were already in the family.

“I tried to repurpose as much sentimental furniture as I could, like my grandmother’s bookcase I use as a shelf in my dining room,” she says. “And I have my sons’ changing table from when they were babies. I re-did that and we use it in the family room. I (also) re-did another table…I think maybe we had it growing up? I don’t really know where it came from, to be honest.”

Fortunately, the spacious home offers plenty of room for future finds and refinished treasures. “If I go out and find something, sometimes I don’t have a real place for it,” she explains. “I just want to incorporate it into my house.”

OmahaHome

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OmahaHome • March/April 2016

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Feature story by Claire Martin / photography by Bill Sitzmann

SMALL TOWN FEEL, MINUTES FROM OMAHA THE AKERSONS’ CONTEMPORARY VALLEY HOME

W

EST OF DODGE Street, off of

Highway 275 in a lake community near Valley, Nebraska, you’ll find the Akerson family home—unique not only for its contemporary appearance, but also its construction from the ground up.

The Akerson crew includes Marie, a certified registered nurse anesthetist; her husband, Joshua, a mental health technician; and their five kids, whose ages range from three months to 13.

"With the floor plan, we wanted to do something open on the main level. That way we could keep an eye on all the kids," Marie says of the designing process.

Their first home sold while their new house was still under construction, so the Akersons stashed their belongings in a storage unit and lived with Marie's father for four months until the building process was complete. The family moved to their new home in October, only a month after Marie had her youngest child. >

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OmahaHome • March/April 2016

March/April 2016 â&#x20AC;˘ omahamagazine.com

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Feature

Melody relaxes while brothers Korbin and Kieran vie for her attention.

< They chose the house design after viewing four different floor plans with Ideal Designs; from there, Marie and Joshua chose a design they thought would best fit their family life as well as include the contemporary flair that the two were looking for, such as white countertops and cabinets in the kitchen. The Akersons then built the house from the ground up. They especially enjoyed purchasing their own supplies, including toilets, closets, and "funky" light fixturesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;a star burst chandelier in the dining room and a tiered champagne bubble chandelier in the entry way.

In addition to the house's contemporary accents, such as a large cedar beam in the house's front, an oversized and segmented front sidewalk, and a giant master tub, the back walls and windows face a lakeâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;Marie's favorite aspect of the house.

"We always wanted to live on a lake and our backyard is a beach," Marie says. "It's a lake house." >

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OmahaHome â&#x20AC;˘ March/April 2016

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/ H23 /

Feature

“It's nice to come out to the lake where it's so quiet and calm and serene.”

-Marie Akerson

< The Akersons hope living next to the water will encourage more outdoor family activity, as well as provide an opportunity for their kids to get out and about once summer rolls around. Marie says they're looking forward to having other families over in the summer for lake activities, although their community also includes a large population of empty-nesters, which means less noise and more seclusion.

As for living in the small, peaceful, lake community about 30 minutes outside Omaha, Marie says she and her husband both grew up in small towns (Weston and Wahoo, Nebraska, respectively) and are used to the quiet away from the hub of an urban lifestyle—more than that, they welcome it.

/ H24 /

OmahaHome • March/April 2016

"We love living here," Marie says. "We both have stressful jobs, so it's nice to come out to the lake where it's so quiet and calm and serene."

With their home's beautiful lake views and its provided sanctuary away from the bustle of city and work life, it's safe to say the Akerson family home is more than worth the drive and elbow-grease.

"It's nice to be out of Omaha but also so close," Marie says. "It's just us out here."

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Architectural Styles story by Daisy Hutzell-Rodman / photography by bill sitzmann

T

HE BUNGALOW IS one of the

AMERICAN BUNGALOW A CRAFTY LITTLE HOME

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OmahaHome • March/April 2016

most noted styles of homes in America, and though it is frequently referenced, the style actually means many different things to different people, and even different things in different regions of the country.

The term bungalow is generally used to define a craftsman-style house built between 1885 and 1950, with the heyday being between 1910 and 1930. The style of house pictured here on Mary Street is often called a California bungalow for its use of stucco on the outside of

the home. Chicago-style bungalows are frequently made of brick, and an entire fleet of “revival” styles—everything from Grecian to Tudor to Pueblo—gave life to building materials from stone to wood slats to adobe.

Normally modest homes, most bungalows have one to one-and-a-half stories, as does this one. Current owners Liz and John Backus, pastors at Trinity Lutheran Church at 30th and Reddick streets, bought this house because they are emptynesters and wanted a modest home near the church.

The bungalow was designed to be airy and welcoming, with the entry opening directly into the living room and a floor plan with few hallways. Inside, built-ins were often relied on for storage, as the size of the home left little space for large armoires and other units.

“It looks like there were originally bookcases between the living room and dining room because of the pattern in the floor, but they’re not there now,” says Liz. The California bungalow would not be complete without a large front porch, creating an outdoor room. The front porch of the Mary Street house was screened in at one point in its history, and the Backus’ shored up the screening so they can enjoy the porch more often.

And craftsman houses often feature gardens, even in small spaces.

“The backyard was professionally designed,” says Liz. “I wanted it to feel like a room. We wanted it to be a space where we could have people over and be together.”

To achieve this, Backus planted 13 limelight hydrangeas along the fence, Karl Foerster grasses, Columnar blue spruces, and three fine line buckthorns.

Other architectural features came in the form of low pitched roofs, deeply overhanging eaves, decorative brackets under the eaves, and arches and pillars on the porches, as seen here. Even the front of this home reveals mock-timbering (or perhaps they’re just clever white stripes).

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After all, as English craftsman William Morris said, “Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.” OmahaHome

2016 Winner

A+ Rating

Office: 402.964.0762 Mobile: 402.670.7566 • www.GloriasElegantInteriors.com March/April 2016 • omahamagazine.com

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Neighborhoods story by Chelsea Balzer / photography by Keith Binder

HANSCOM PARK ENGAGED, ACTIVE, AND SERENE

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OmahaHome â&#x20AC;˘ March/April 2016

T

HESE DAYS , I T ’S rare to go

anywhere without being inundated with reminders that we live in the age of technology; everything is loud, fast, and bright—instant gratification is expected.

Perhaps this has something to do with why Hanscom Park, one of Omaha’s oldest neighborhoods, remains so beloved. Stepping into one of its small businesses feels a bit like stepping back in time to an era when people knew their neighbors and restaurants made their recipes from scratch.

Hanscom Park is not showy. There is an understated dignity to its churches, midcentury homes, and its large city park. Though some of Omaha’s busiest thoroughfares stretch through the region, it retains the charm of a small town nestled within a city center. Its buildings are eclectic, its brick architecture remarkable. It’s clear that this is a place with a history that people take pride in.

Located between Center Street and I-80 on one side and extending from 42nd Street to Interstate 480 on the other, the original 72 acres were donated to the city by Andrew J. Hanscom in 1872. At that time, the land

was on the western border of town, and soon became a hub for upscale residential development. President Gerald R. Ford was born in one of the neighborhood’s mansions in 1913.

When asked about its appeal, the employees behind the counter begin to buzz with things to say: “Everybody knows each other. The owners are on vacation, but they’re usually here every day.”

The people who call Hanscom Park home today also have an air of dignity. A large number have strong family ties to the district, with generations before them having been born and raised there.

The owners are Kerry (Synowiecki) and Josh Mumm, and it was Kerry’s family who originally opened the bar in 1965. Lauded for having the best burger in Omaha, Dinker's has become a quintessential part of the Hanscom Park community, and a favorite of foodies.

A quick stop into Dinker’s Bar & Grill showcases this well. On a Wednesday evening, the place is filling with regulars, many of them middle-aged men in flannel who seem to feel at home in the place. The walls are lined with white Christmas lights, and the grill is out in the open. There is nothing pretentious about this place.

Another local spot, Richie’s Chicken & Hamburgers, has a similar atmosphere.

The building itself doesn’t look like much, but entering feels a bit like coming to sit at someone’s dining room table. There is a handwritten sign on the door which reads, ‘please close all the way’ and a small, heartshaped ornament that reads ‘Welcome friends.’

Like Dinker's, the business is family-owned.

Owner Richie Huntzinger grew up in the restaurant his father founded in 1954.

Previously located down the street (just across from where Lo Sole Mio sits now), the business moved to its current location in 1969. >

March/April 2016 • omahamagazine.com

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Neighborhoods

The people are warm, the feel is good, and no matter where you're from, you will likely be welcomed as a friend.

< Richie’s serves handmade American fare and is known for its fried chicken. The recipes have been passed down through the family, and Huntzinger knows that’s what people come for: “If I don’t have good food, people aren’t gonna come here.” The feeling of being at home is no accident; he wants his customers to relax. “My place is the kind of place you can come to on your own. You don’t have to be on a date.”

When asked about Hanscom Park, he echoes the sentiment of others: “It’s a good ol’ wholesome neighborhood.” Another nearby business owner who agrees is Laki Sgourakis, co-owner of the Greek Islands restaurant.

Originally from Greece, the Sgourakis family founded the eatery, which specializes in authentic Greek cuisine, in 1983. “It’s a little gem,” he says.

“The Gifford Theater brought a lot of people.”

The theater to which Sgourakis refers is now known as The Rose, located at 20th and Farnam streets. Previously, though, it was named after its founder, Emmy Gifford, who originally established

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OmahaHome • March/April 2016

a children’s theater at 35th and Center streets in 1948. That distinctive building now houses Collector’s Choice, a consignment sales service.

Though there are many small businesses and homes in the area, perhaps the most defining feature of Hanscom Park is, well, its park. Not only is it serene, it features one of the city’s only off-leash dog parks, where you can find Omahans letting all manner of canines cut loose at any time of year.

Across the street, residents can visit the Hanscom Park pool and a greenhouse, as well as one of the best indoor tennis courts around.

Hanscom Park’s Neighborhood Association reflects the values of the district. Engaged and active, they work to keep the sense of harmony alive here. Visitors and residents alike can feel at home in Hanscom Park; the people are warm, the food is good, and no matter where you’re from, you will likely be welcomed as a friend. OmahaHome Visit hpnaomaha.org to learn more.

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WOODLAND WONDER A FAMILY OF EIGHT BREATHES LIFE INTO A NORTH OMAHA ARCHITECTURAL TREASURE

C

HANCES ARE YOU’VE never seen anything like it—a

home so unique in shape, scope, and interior design it defies description. Known to architecture buffs and locals as “the laboratory,” this ultra-contemporary gem sits high on a hill above McKinley Street, just north of I-680 at the edge of Ponca Hills.

The soaring, vertically built structure features a maze of maple, marble, steel, concrete, granite, and glass. Eleven staircases— some metal, some wood, and each different from the other— link layer upon layer of loftlike living space. Windows that reach from floor to ceiling reveal breathtaking, panoramic vistas and allow for some serious wildlife watching. The five bedrooms have no walls, the five bathrooms have no doors— not exactly a blueprint embraced by everyone. No one can deny the home’s cool factor.

The densely wooded landscape shields the house from passersby, mercifully reducing the gawking factor and providing privacy for Mike and Beth Huffstetler and their six children, who range in age from 9 to 25. >

/ H32 /

OmahaHome • March/April 2016

cover Feature story by Carol Crissey Nigrelli / photography by Colin Conces

cover Feature

< “We bought the house about a year and a half ago,” says Mike, senior project manager for the Omaha-based architecture/engineering firm Leo A Daly. “It had been on the market for over eight months.”

Why so long? “You either like the architecture or you hate it,” he concedes. “A lot of people just didn’t like it.”

Beth voted on the side of the naysayers, originally. “It just didn’t look like a house to me. I remember walking all the way through and thinking, ‘did I see a bedroom?

I don’t remember seeing a bedroom.’”

“That’s because they’re really sleeping pods,” laughs Mike. “They’re not walled-in, private, closed-door bedrooms. The house is all open space. You can hear everything, everywhere in the house.”

While Beth had misgivings at first, Mike felt a strong “meant to be” connection. “We were very happy where we were living on 90th near Dodge,” he explains. “One night I was just goofing around on the computer, looking at real estate listings and the first icon I clicked on was this house. And I recognized it.”

/ H34 /

OmahaHome • March/April 2016

“The house is all open space. You can hear everything, every where in the house.”

-Mike Huffstetler

Mike, who majored in architecture at the University of Virginia, had seen the articles and TV segments about “the laboratory” and its designer, widely known Omaha architect Randy Brown. He knew the eco-friendly home had won all sorts of awards for design. Intrigued, he suggested to Beth that they look at it “for fun.”

“As I walked through, I realized I wanted to become the steward of this house,” says Mike, who understands and appreciates Brown’s vision. “Randy likes to peel away layers to expose the basic components of construction.”

As an example of the peeling process, drywall covers very few of the ceilings. When visitors look up, they see the wooden joists holding up the roof. “And then they’ll ask, ‘when are you going to finish the house?’

But that’s the design.”

The house began as a vague idea swirling in Brown’s head when, in 1999, he bought the 10-acre property with its original 1950s farmhouse. His initial intent was to integrate the farmhouse with a modern addition. The addition became an entire house. >

Beth spends some “screen time” with sons Matthew and Michael, and daughters Anna and Grace

March/April 2016 • omahamagazine.com

/ H35 /

Feature

< “Randy had his architecture students from the University of Nebraska come up here for four or five years during the summer to work on the house,” says Mike, who keeps in contact with Brown via email. “They would actually fabricate the things they were designing, getting course credit. It was like a learning lab. That’s how the house got its name.”

Seven years and 6,200 square feet later, the project came to a conclusion, and so did the Brown family’s tenure there. They moved to Florida shortly afterwards. The house remained unoccupied for almost a year, as if waiting for the right family to appreciate what it had to offer. How did Mike get Beth to give in?

“He promised he’d make the old house into a fitness studio for me,” she cracks. An occupational therapist by profession, Beth transitioned to fitness training about three years ago. “The idea that I could teach classes in our home sounded really appealing.”

/ H36 /

OmahaHome • March/April 2016

True to his word, Mike’s first project transformed the living area of the farmhouse into a TRX Suspension Training studio. A skywalk on the upper level connects the old house with the new, while a long, heated concrete ramp connects the two on the ground level, leading to the family room.

The Huffstetlers’ move brought an unexpected bonus. “We’ve made more friends here in a year than we ever did at 90th in eight years,” says Beth.

“The people here in north Omaha have been so welcoming. It’s an amazing community.”

Another bonus—this unique home was featured in September 2015 on the AIA Omaha Architect’s Home Tour.

When asked if she now loves her house, Beth replied with a straight face, “Love’s a strong word.”

Then, with her infectious laugh, added, “But it sure is a lot of fun.”

And very cool. OmahaHome

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/ H38 /

OmahaHome â&#x20AC;˘ March/April 2016

Feature story by Judy Horan / photography by COLIN CONCES

KEEPING IT REAL KRISTINE GERBER PRESERVES THE CHARACTER OF HER OWN HOME

P

OUNDING SOUNDS GREET me as I walk

into the Tudor Revival-style home of Kristine and Jared Gerber. The upstairs powder room was being noisily remodeled.

Perhaps you know the homeowner’s name.

Kristine Gerber is the founding executive director of Restoration Exchange. The nonprofit offers walking tours, information, and meetings about Omaha’s older buildings and neighborhoods.

“We have been Omaha’s preservation voice. We educate, advocate, and motivate,” she says.

Which is part of the reason why the remodeling job in her own home is minimal. The house has changed little since it was built in 1931 in the Country Club Historic District of Omaha.

This remodel will maintain its 1930s charm with

the installation of historically accurate tile, and any remodeling during the home’s 75 years has maintained its original character.

“It’s important to us that our home have character and the original décor,” says Kristine.

Standing in the immaculately preserved house with oodles of charm is like being in a pristine dollhouse. And that’s OK with Kristine.

“I like small, cozy places. We’ve loved old houses forever.”

Until last year, Kristine and Jared lived in a raised ranch home built in the 1950s near 93rd and Leavenworth streets. With District 66 schools and one-half acre of lawn, it was a perfect place to raise their two sons. >

March/April 2016 • omahamagazine.com

/ H39 /

Feature

< Then their sons left home. Creighton is now an archaeologist in Sioux Falls, and Drew is a sophomore at Carleton College.

“We began looking for a home east of 60th Street,” says Kristine. “A home not remodeled, not gutted, with original fixtures and tiles. We looked for a year and a half from Ponca Hills to Plattsmouth.”

They came across their Country Club-area home one day while volunteering at the historic Mercer mansion.

“Jared was gone for an hour. When he came back, he said, ‘You need to get to that house and make an offer’,” Kristine says.

Within hours, their offer was accepted. They moved in on Labor Day 2015.

Like the Gerbers’ home, most houses in the historic district are Tudor Revival style with steeply gabled roofs and half-timbered framing. The style was popular in the

/ H40 /

OmahaHome • March/April 2016

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early 20th century. Brick work is tapered, while arched windows display leaded glass and complement the doorways.

Old architecture suits them. Kristine has written and/or edited 32 books focused on the history of Omaha and Council Bluffs.

Jared is an architect who has worked with owners to add to or remodel older homes.

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The couple begin my tour of their historical home at the entryway with glass knobs on the front door and the original light fixture and tile.

The traditional beauty of quarter sawn oak floors covers the main level. “They are one and one-half inch wide instead of today’s standard two and one-quarter inch,” says Jared. “You can tell they are the originals by the width.” >

8415 Maple Street, Omaha NE 402.397.8278 | www.maple85.com March/April 2016 • omahamagazine.com

/ H41 /

Feature

< Kristine says she loves the coved ceilings that have no square corners and make the room appear taller. The home’s original fireplace in the living area, once a main source of heat, has been converted to gas.

The kitchen has been modernized while retaining a 1930s feel. A bead-board ceiling and subway tile showcase the look of the era. A family room with a second fireplace sits in the basement.

Windows in the dining room overlook nearby Metcalfe Park.

Tucked off the living room is Jared’s small office, once a formal den. The room’s heavy wood doors with glass panes are original and elegant.

Kristine leads us to what she calls her “favorite room.” A striking master bath with the original

/ H42 /

OmahaHome • March/April 2016

tiles and a basket-weave style floor is striking in black, white, and gold. A pedestal sink has been replaced with a look-alike to preserve the era.

Also on the first floor is the master bedroom. Two more bedrooms are on the second floor.

A staircase curves provocatively off the living area around a corner to the upper level. “There’s kind of an elegance to that,” muses Kristine.

The Gerbers give credit to former owners for maintaining the spirit of the home and avoiding renovations that would have taken away its historical ambience. Their long search for the perfect house took them to homes poorly remodeled by their owners, says Kristine. They search no more. OmahaHome Visit historiccountryclub.com to learn more.

Thank you for reading Omaha Home.

This stand-alone magazine is also featured as a section of Omaha Magazine. Want to read the entire magazine? Visit omahamagazine.com/digital-flip-book JANUARY

/ FEBRUARY

2016

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/ H43 /

Transformations story by Becky Rea, ASID / photography by L Guerra Photography

MEET THE DESIGNER

Becky Rea, ASID Design Works Interior Design Group Inc.

Transformations is a regular feature of Omaha Home that spotlights a recent project by a local ASID interior designer. The story and photos are provided by the designer. Homeowners’ names may be withheld for privacy.

CLASSIC LIVING WITH AN ARTFUL FLAIR

A MIDWESTERN COUPLE FINDS A HOME WITH GREAT SPACE IN NEED OF TRANSFORMATION

/ H44 /

OmahaHome • March/April 2016

F

AMILY-FOCUSED, ENGAGED IN the

community, collectors of art, travelers of the world, and the consummate hosts, this Midwestern couple found the home of their dreams. The decade-old, stately home in an established neighborhood featured the space they needed to raise their family, but lacked the quality and comfort they craved.

So began a journey of transformation that would span several phases until the home met their classic, yet streamlined, style. > >

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/ H45 /

Transformations

< Upon entering the front door, eyes are drawn quickly to the vast living room with its vaulted ceilings and expansive windows. In a nod to the existing circular themes, flooring was updated and furniture was placed to highlight this unique pattern. The roomâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s entry columns were updated to complement the existing cherry wood fireplace surround and mantle. A new, modern light fixture took the place of an outdated ceiling fan and brings an interesting juxtaposition with the coupleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s exquisite sculpture standing prominently in the space.

Connected to the living room is the high-traffic family room and dinette space. With teenaged children and friends visiting often, the couple desired a functional space in which to gather and enjoy one another on the main level. Replacing a tired-looking ornate fireplace with the new wood

and quartz fireplace surround took priority and changed the entire feel of the space. Adding the curved LED smart television above the fireplace made the room a must-stop for daily television viewing. Updating lighting fixtures and upholstery made the transformation complete in this comfortable and popular space.

Hosting multiple community events each year made a traditional dining room a must. The transformation began with the selection of a sleek and classic pedant light fixture to highlight the unique architectural features of the room.

Furniture was selected to allow for flexible seating arrangements depending on the needs of the event, large or small. The opportunity to highlight additional artwork collected by the couple inspired the wall color and completed the room. > >

Hosting multiple community events each year made a traditional dining room a must.

/ H46 /

OmahaHome â&#x20AC;˘ March/April 2016

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March/April 2016 • omahamagazine.com

/ H47 /

Transformations

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< The first floor powder room was a complete overhaul, allowing the designer to begin with a blank slate. Taking a cue from the couple’s unique artistic sense, a triangular vanity made of walnut, stainless steel, and glass, complete with an onyx vessel, took center stage in this room. This oneof-a-kind piece makes the room a point of conversation for the couple’s many guests.

With a busy lifestyle and growing family, the couple desired a master bedroom that was relaxing but functional. Avid readers, they desired usable bedside space for their books and other projects.

A simple design sufficed for this transformation, including an accent wall, custom bedding, and furniture to welcome the weary couple at the end of the day.

The master bathroom was in need of significant renovation to match the couple’s style and functional needs. Removal of the antiquated tub deck with outdated Tuscan tile allowed the designer space to install a two-toned, free standing, air-jet whirlpool tub. In spite of dramatic draping around the exterior of the tub, and more artwork to draw the eye, the master bathroom is both peaceful and relaxing. Patterned tile floor and pendant lighting at the vanities complete the look.

From small to complete transformations, this home ties function with quality in every room. As the family continues with their busy, everyday life, the home is now positioned to provide them with the balanced style and comfort they set out to create. OmahaHome Visit idgomaha.com to learn more.

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/ H48 /

OmahaHome • March/April 2016

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