January/February 2014 Omaha Home

omaha magazine • january/february 2014 137

OLD

January/February 2014

Always Local, Always Beautiful

A Publication of

Design ChallengeFrom Debris to Darling

TransformationsFive Fountains Basement Finish

THE ARTOF ARCHITECTUREand the architecture of art

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H4 january/february • 2014


VOLUME 4 • ISSUE 1

OMAHA HOME MAGAZINE APPEARS

AS ITS OWN MAGAZINE AND

AS A SECTION WITHIN OMAHA MAGAZINE. TO VIEW THE FULL

VERSION OF OMAHA MAGAZINE,

OR TO SUBSCRIBE, GO TO

OMAHAMAGAZINE.COM/SUBSCRIBE

omaha publications editor

david williams

omaha home contributing editor

sandy besch-matson

assistant editor

chris wolfgang

editorial intern

anna hensel (#33)

creative director

john gawley

director of photography & interactive media

bill sitzmann

senior graphic designer

katie anderson

junior graphic designer

paul lukes

production artist

marti latka

graphic design interns

carrie hausman (#30)

contributing photographer

lisa louise photography

editorial advisors

richard carey and david scott

contributing writers

molly garriott • marian holden jasmine maharisi • erin svoboda

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sales associates

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vice president

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vice president of operations

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executive vice president sales & marketing

gil cohen

gil cohen's assistants

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senior sales executive

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ACCOUNTS & OPERATIONS STAFF

Comments? Send your letter to the editor to: [email protected]

All versions of Omaha Magazine are published bimonthly by Omaha Magazine, LTD, P.O. Box 461208, Omaha NE 68046-1208. Telephone: (402) 884-2000; fax (402) 884-2001. Subscription rates: $12.95 for 6 issues (one year), $19.95 for 12 issues (two years). No whole or part of the contents herein may be reproduced without prior written permission of Omaha Magazine, excepting individually copyrighted articles and photographs. Unsolicited manuscripts are accepted, however no responsibility will be assumed for such solicita-tions. Best of Omaha®™ is a registered tradename of Omaha Magazine.

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Omaha Home: contents january/february 2014

features H24 Cover Feature:

The Art of Architecture

H35 Downtown Living: The Greenhouse

H40 Feature: From Frenzied to Functional

departments H9 Editor’s Letter

H10 Q&A: The Handyman Diaries

H12 DIY: Design Challenge

H18 Neighborhood Profile: Little Italy

H22 Room: Joslyn Castle Turret Room

H38 Landscaping: Winter Yard Care

H44 Transformations: Five Fountains Basement Finish

H50 Home Happenings: Omaha Home & Garden Expo

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Omaha Home: from the editor

May all your troubles last as long as your New Year’s resolutions.

Joey Adams

I HOPE EVERYONE HAD A wonderful holiday season! While most of you are ready to jump into 2014, I wanted to send you very hearty New Year’s wishes from everyone here at Omaha Home.

You might say the cat dragged home all that stuff that’s sitting in my garage or stuck in the basement just begging for an extreme makeover. So you can bet I’ll be seeking inspiration from our Cyndy Salzmann “clutter coach” story on pg. 40.

On the topic of inspiration, I also had fun diving into our “From Debris to Darling” Design Challenge. The old adage about “one man’s trash is another’s treasure” was never more true than when I visited A&R Salvage and scored the items shown in the “before” pictures below.

And a big thanks to my dear friend Angie Hall, partner in crime, she also called in a favor with Stuart Peterson, who just so happens to have a heated shop in his

home. I think he was a little worried when we massacred the tin ceiling tiles with metal snips, and when we...oh, let’s just skip ahead to the finished results on pg. 12.

And to think of all the years I’ve lived here and never even knew that A&R Salvage existed. Such fun!

We wish you a year of glorious change!

SandySandy Besch-MatsonContributing EditorOmahaHome

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Story by David Williams • Photos by Bill Sitzmann

Omaha Home: Q & A

The Handyman DiariesWho ya gonna call?

I N THIS INCREASINGLY CORPORATE world of ours, it is somehow comforting to know that the age-old tradition of the neighborly, “one man and a truck” model of handyman services has not yet completely gone the way of rotary dial phones, 8-track tapes, and Polaroid

cameras. Jeff Toma of Accountable Construction is one such lone wolf, something of a folksy jack-of-all-trades when it comes to everything from quick fixes to remodels. OmahaHome

BEING A HERO“It’s not unusual to troubleshoot a problem

over the phone,” Toma says. “I might get a ‘Hey, my microwave is dead’ call, and that can often be nothing more than an opportunity to explain to a homeowner how the reset button on an electrical outlet works. I’m happy to help whenever and however I can.”

DIGGING DEEPER“Identifying and diagnosing more compli-

cated problems takes time. I’ll charge a fee for that in some cases, but I just lump it in with the job total when the homeowner gives me the green light to proceed.”

SCHEDULING“Being your own boss doesn’t mean that

I have a calendar that is a wide-open, drop-everything thing in terms of availability. Thursday mornings, for example, are out. That’s when I have a standing appointment at Pat’s. She’s in her 70s. We drink coffee. We chat. She’s like family. Eventually I’ll get to work on her to-do list.”

TIPPING“The general rule about tipping is that you

don’t tip the business owner himself; you tip his people. But I don’t have ‘people.’ I have bills. I’ll rarely turn down such a genuine offer of gratitude. It makes me feel kind of proud, especially after a tough or messy job.”

THE POWER OF DREAMS"This is going to sound crazy, but I some-

times come up with fixes in my dreams. I might go to bed bothered by some difficult or tricky problem that I just can’t quite work through, and the answer will come in a dream. Weird.”

SELF-AWARENESS“I don’t suffer from MAS (Male Answer

Syndrome). I know what I know, and I know what I don’t know. I don’t try to be somebody I’m not when it comes to my abilities.”

APPROPRIATE TOPICS OF CONVERSATION

“Fishing. Any and all kinds of fishing. I got it bad. You don’t want to get me started.”


Story by David Williams • Photos by Bill Sitzmann

Omaha Home: d•i•y

Design ChallengeFrom Debris to Darling

O MAHA HOME F O U N D B R E N N A

Maldonado rummaging through A&R Salvage and Recycling; the dusty, floor-to-ceiling treasure trove of everything you could pos-sibly want or need in terms of salvaged…well, floors and ceilings, and everything in between.

But would the Union Pacific train dispatcher stand a chance in a design chal-lenge when pitted against such seasoned pros as Omaha Home contributing editor Sandy Besch-Matson and the design mavens of Anderson Interiors—Lori Anderson, daughter Lindsey Anderson, and Erin Jerabek?

But Maldonado has an ace up her sleeve. She stud-ied interior design in college, and her home is filled with creative and budget-friendly trash-to-treasure projects.

Let’s see what happens with a $150 spending limit at A&R Salvage in a no-holds barred design throw-down…

Sandy Besch-Matson'sVanity

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“I love mixing the old and the new, espe-cially with lots of texture. In my mind I was thinking of something that could be used as a multipurpose piece just about anywhere in my house. Pictured here it serves as a vanity, but that could all change very easily. Next week it could be behind my sofa with a lamp!” Sandy Besch-Matson


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Omaha Home: neighborhood profileStory by Molly Garriott • Photos by Bill Sitzmann

Now That’s ItalianOmaha’s historic Little Italy is both timeless and ever-changing.


I T’S A BUSTLING THURSDAY after-noon at the Sons of Italy hall on South 10th Street. The hum of conversation is

punctuated by greetings from the regulars, and by 11:15 a.m. the hall is near capac-ity. Downtown business professionals mix elbows with construction workers at family-style tables. During campaign season, the Thursday lunch draws politicians like flies to honey—make that cannoli.

They are all here for the traditional Italian fare served up with a genuine smile and occa-sional wise-guy crack. Today’s menu: spa-ghetti and meatballs, salad, and fresh bread. Quintessential Italian but far from ordinary. The sauce has been simmering for over 24 hours, its seasonings taking on a richer, more complex flavor, just like the neighborhood. The troupe of volunteer cooks never work off a recipe. Rather, the sauce is a happy combina-tion of a few family recipes adapted over the years. Over 240 gallons are made for these Thursday lunches, a tradition that dates back 50-plus years. The men have cut over 200 pounds of lettuce for the salads and hand-rolled 2,000 meatballs. And if the early crowd is any indication of the late lunch numbers, they will need every morsel of this copious amount of food.

The Sons of Italy is not much to look at from the outside. The only nod to its Italian heritage is the green, white, and red striped awning over the front door. But once inside, the hearty aroma of tomato sauce, the cheery red and white checked tablecloths, and ever-present laughter make you feel like you’ve walked into an Italian family reunion.

“It’s like coming home to Nana’s kitchen,” says Rich Mengler, who has been working the Sons of Italy lunches for 14 years. “I’m the kid here,” the 77-year-old quips. And if the name Mengler sounds more German than Italian, it is. “I’m an IBM,” he jokes, “Italian by Marriage.”

SETTLEMENT DAYSThe first wave of Italian immigrants arrived

in Omaha in 1893. The railroads, stockyards, and meatpacking plants provided the promise of work. Most came from Sicily—in particular, Carlentini—and settled in the area bounded by Pacific and Bancroft streets to the north and south, respectively, and from the river to 13th Street. They built businesses and wrote to family in Italy to come to the American Plains’ burgeoning Italian community. >>


Omaha Home: neighborhood profile

<< By the time immigration from southern and eastern Europe was cut off, more than 5,000 Italians called Little Italy home. “It was almost like a separate small town” within the larger city of Omaha, says Mike DiGiacomo, member of the Santa Lucia Festival commit-tee and trumpet player in its marching band.

Ties to the old country were strong, so strong that residents turned to their heritage to stave homesickness for Sicily. In 1925, Little Italy residents hosted the first Santa Lucia Festival, a New World version of the centu-ries-old festival held each year in Carlentini. They managed to raise an astounding $2,000 to replicate the statue of St. Lucy in Sicily for use in the Omaha festival.

The Santa Lucia Festival gradually evolved into a three-day party, including Mass at St. Frances Cabrini Catholic Church, a parade down 10th Street, music, rides, games, food, and the crowning of a queen at Lewis and Clark Landing. It is one of the Midwest’s oldest festivals, running continuously for 90 years, save the four years of World War II.

DiGiacomo says tradition and heritage have kept the festival afloat: “While many of these types of festivals have died off, the Santa Lucia Italian Festival has continued to defy the odds. The people who grew up with it, who are part of it, are so dedicated to St. Lucy and what the festival stands for. This festival is what gives the city character, a sense of community.”

NEW DEVELOPMENT WITH A HISTORIC FOUNDATION

The passing of time brings change. It’s inevitable. One of the neighborhood’s revered institutions, Caniglia’s, closed its doors in 2006. And when Frank Marino decided to finally retire at 80 and close the 13th Street grocery store his father had started 88 years prior, people lined up to buy the last of his homemade Italian sausages and ravioli.

But there is also continuity in Little Italy. Orsi’s Bakery, at 7th and Pacific, is still going strong. Owner Jim Hall spent much of his childhood at the bakery. His Little League coach was a driver for Orsi’s, so Hall would help him make deliveries on the weekends. In 2010 Hall purchased Orsi’s with his wife, Kathy. “It has such a longstanding history. I didn’t want to see it close,” he explains rather matter-of-factly.

Orsi’s offers a variety of Italian meats, home-made Italian sausages, pastas, and olive oils,


but bread from old Orsi recipes is the founda-tion of the business. Pizza is take-out only, or as old Mr. Orsi used to say, “Get it and hit it.”

Hall now sees a revitalization of Little Italy. DiGiacomo concurs: “While there was a feel-ing that the neighborhood was deteriorat-ing in the late ’80s and ’90s, that feeling is no longer present. Recent development has helped the neighborhood grow again and redevelop that sense of community.”

The Santa Lucia Hall is under renova-tion. Out of the ashes of Caniglia’s Steak House has risen a community of town homes called The Towns, developed by Bluestone Development. Its clapboard exterior recalls the siding popular with most of Little Italy single-family dwellings. Driveway names like Lucia and Caniglia Plaza acknowledge the neighborhood’s heritage. Twenty-something urbanites gravitate toward Bluestone’s apart-ment complex at 8th and Pacific.

The neighborhood’s price point and feel are appealing, says Bluestone’s Christian Christensen. “The vibe of Little Italy is very connected,” he says. “It’s a longstanding neighborhood and eclectic with 25 to 55 year-olds hanging out together.”

To wit: Fork Fest, a neighborhood festival centering on music, a bocce ball tournament and scavenger hunt, camaraderie, and food (of course). Andrew Marinkovich is one of Fork Fest’s founders. Its success, he asserts, is a communal effort. “You become part of the neighborhood’s fabric” when you move there, Marinkovich says. “You are so close to everyone, you are forced to interact.”

A tight-knit, historic neighborhood is what Michael Giambelluca and his wife, Donnamaria, were seeking when the couple relocated to Omaha this past summer after Michael accepted a job as Creighton Preparatory School’s new president. “Little Italy still seems to have that old-fashioned neighborhood feel that Donnamaria and I had growing up in our own respective areas of New Orleans,” he says. “People know each other and look out for each other. And people have a real pride in the place, that it has deep roots, and wonderful tradition.” OmahaHome

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Omaha Home: roomStory by David Williams • Photos by Bill Sitzmann

Off-Limits OddityThe Joslyn Castle’s Turret Room

T HIS EDITION OF "ROOM" explores one of the many

mysteries of the Joslyn Castle. Exactly how the family used the fourth-floor Turret Room has been lost to history. Shown here in the perfectly octagonal room is the dog collar of Modjeska, the Joslyn's beloved St. Bernard. The pet was named for Sarah Joslyn’s friend, the Polish-born Shakespearean actress Madame Helena Modjeska. It is said that on the most ethereal of mid-nights, Modjeska’s keening howl still echoes from the this long off-limits aerie.

Okay, so we totally invented the ghostly half of this story, but it doesn't change the fact that there is something downright other-wordly about this space, one that is both a literal and figu-rative highpoint of the Joslyn Castle. OmahaMagazine


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Omaha Home: at homeStory by David Williams • Photos by Bill Sitzmann

THE ARTOF ARCHITECTUREand the architecture of art

W H E N ASKED ABOUT

the design principles behind his contemporary, DIY home, Joel Holm employs a more-than-pregnant pause. Finally collecting his thoughts, he borrows—intentionally or otherwise—from Monty Python's Flying Circus.

“The idea,” he says, “was to do…something com-pletely different.”

But there is so much more than “something completely different”—as dramatic as it is in this case—about the plot of land just a few doors south of Leavenworth on 52nd Street. The home, which he shares with his wife, Melissa, and their three children, is something of a forever-in-progress DIY proj-ect for Holm. He built most of it himself. More than just a basement workshop tin-kerer with a table saw and tool belt, Holm is a remod-eler whose H Aesthetics busi-ness recently merged with Workshop Unknown.

The design vision for the home and everything that followed became for the Holms an exercise in simple living.

“I’ve often thought about why we use this material instead of that material in homebuilding,” Joel explains, “especially when it would be cheaper, friendlier >>

continued on page 28


Omaha Home:Story by Linda Persigehl • Photos by Bill Sitzmann


Omaha Home: at home

<< to the environment, and would last a heck of a lot longer if we used what we normally think of as industrial materials—and used them in new ways.”

Square Hardie Board panels form a blocky geometrical array on the home’s exterior. Affixed with rivets that are proudly left visible and with the material’s aquamarine hue, the home almost takes on the vibe of a vintage seafaring vessel, that of an algae-encrusted steamer or battleship. Abutting those lines and introducing a contrasting motif is corrugated, recycled roofing material

continued from page 25


Omaha Home: at home

in red. The material's striated ridges disrupt the cube theme that could otherwise domi-nate the façade. Adding to the industrial look are heated cement floors, commercial windows, and a CMU, cinder block-style block foundation.

Reclaimed strips of acrylic ingeniously incorporated into the pivoting front door create a dramatic, twice-daily light show. Viewed from inside the home, the morning sun streams through the door’s acrylic insets. At night and from curbside, the home’s inte-rior lighting hits the slats in reverse fashion.

The overall effect is that of electrified neon, and it takes closer examination to discern that there is nothing more at play here than beams of filtered light.

A passerby’s first impression may be that the boxy, 3,500 square-foot home is a volcano of “contemporary” erupting in the brick-clad charm of the surrounding Elmwood Park neighborhood. But take a step back for a wider view, and you’ll notice that the Bauhaus-ish lines of the home subtly mirror those of the Prairie-esque ones of the property next door to the south. >>



Omaha Home: at home

<< “We didn’t have any particular architec-tural influence in mind with the design of this home. When I think of what we did here, it is that this is a just a better way to build a house,” he says of the home that was showcased in the 2011 Green Omaha Coalition Tour.

“Too many homes, to us, look alike,” adds Melissa. “After awhile, traditional homes built with traditional materials all tend to be the same.”

The master bedroom suite is located on the main level while the kids’ bedrooms occupy the upper level. Instead of a standard hallway in a home where nothing standard is to be expected, the children’s bedrooms are con-nected by a wide concourse that acts as a play and study area all their own. Oversized sliding bedroom doors provide alone time in this most open and airy of settings.

“Having it be a very open space was impor-tant to us,” says Melissa. “It’s a lot of house, especially when compared to where we came from [only blocks away]. Our previous home was very quaint and charming, but it was cut up into too many individual rooms. When company came or when we had parties in the old house, it was always that awkward sort of arrangement where four people would have to be seated in another room and then a few more would be tucked around the corner from there.”

Initial construction of the home designed in collaboration with architect Eddy Santamaria of Contrivium Design + Urbanism spanned almost two years.

A walking club made up of seniors from Elmwood Tower, a nearby independent living facility, peppered Joel with questions almost daily as work progressed. “I could have talked to them all day about what we were build-ing,” he quips. “I’m sure I lost a month in the construction process talking to them.”

“And we were both surprised how much most of them liked it,” Melissa adds. “We had thought that older folks might not get it—might not get what we were doing—because even a lot of younger people don’t get it. People either love it,” she says with a shrug, “or hate it.”

Such major additional projects as a fireplace are planned as time allows sandwiched in between a busy schedule of school and other activities for daughters Avery (7) and Kinley (15) and son Kaleb (12).

The Holms are also thinking about getting around to doing something with a pair of >>


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<< “doors to nowhere,” ones that will eventu-ally lead to a yet-to-be-built deck in one case and balcony in the other.

Mirroring the contours of a softly sloping lot, the home has six distinct levels plus a basement. To travel from the mudroom at the rear of the house to the front door, for example, it is a gradual one-two-three ascent of gently rising levels. In between, the space is full of subtleties that serve to break up the right angles that are otherwise everywhere to be found. A mini-flight of steps leading from the living room down to the kitchen area, for example, is sliced into a wedge configura-tion. The continuity of the open living room/kitchen space is never completely severed, Joel explains, but is instead merely interrupted in a way that delivers a sense of “roomness” between the two.

The centerpiece of the kitchen is a custom table crafted by Workshop Unknown. Its acrylic surface and arcing, birch-laminated legs complement the acrylic and birch found elsewhere throughout the home.

“It’s such a simple and elegant wood,” Joel says of the birch, “and it’s a lot cheaper than many of your other choices.”

Expansive walls of glass in the main living area make for wide-open vistas but took some getting used to, Melissa says, especially when the family first moved in.

“We had people showing up outside and cupping their hands against the glass to get a look inside,” she chuckles. “They must have assumed it was a dentist’s office or something like that because our home is so different from everything else around here. I’d be reading a book or watching TV, and I’d catch some


Omaha Home: at home

movement out of the corner of my eye, and there’d by some guy making nose prints on my windows!”

If the home was in any danger of feel-ing cold or sterile, works by area artists and beyond lend a warm and vibrant touch in a color palette grounded in organic ochres.

“That was also an important driving force in planning our home,” says Joel. “We knew we wanted a place where we could display a lot of art, some of it on a pretty large scale.”

Everything about the lines, forms, and spa-tial composition of the Holms’ place suggest an acute attention to the art of architecture and the architecture of art.

“We do consider the house a work of art,” Joel explains as Melissa nods in agreement. “It’s something of a living sculpture but a very functional one for our family.” OmahaHome


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February 6-9, 2014Don’t Miss The Home & Garden Event of the Year!

Build • Remodel • Decorate • Landscape

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Story by Jasmine Maharisi • Photos by Bill Sitzmann

Omaha Home: downtown living

The Greenhouseis why Marge Tilton stays downtown.

I T’S A CHILLY WEDNESDAY evening in Downtown Omaha, and Marge Tilton is just coming home from a yoga class. It’s

been a busy day for the 86-year-old personal assistant. While the temperature decreases and the Old Market’s hustle and bustle con-tinues outside her building, Tilton sits in her warm loft in The Greenhouse without hearing a peep.

“Years ago,” she recalls, “there was a big sign on this building that read ‘If you lived here, you’d be home by now.’ That intrigued me, and so I decided to check it out.”

Tilton’s one bedroom, 720-square-foot loft boasts an open floor plan with a washer-dryer and access to an underground garage. Each loft is unique in its own way with high ceilings and exposed brick and piping. Sizes of the lofts range from 625 square feet to 1120. >>


Omaha Home: downtown living

<< The building also features a fitness center and a security and intercom system. Most impressive though is its location across ConAgra Foods’ Downtown campus, a fea-ture that has attracted an eclectic mix of resi-dents from grad students to retirees.

“I feel like I don’t have to go out to be part of the action,” Tilton says. “I can just open my blinds, and it’s all right here. I feel like I’m a part of Downtown.”

Assistant Manager Mary Whittington says many of the building’s tenants share Tilton’s views on the property’s prime location. “It is in the middle of the Old Market,” she says. “For retired people, it gives them kind of a

young feel, and for grad students, it’s the loca-tion that appeals to them as well.”

The lofts occupy the former McKesson-Robbins Warehouse on 9th and Farnam streets. It’s one of the few remnants of Jobbers Canyon, an industrial and warehouse district that solidified Omaha as a central hub for the transportation boom in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Also known as Nash Block, the nine-story, Renaissance Revival-style struc-ture itself was designed by Thomas Rogers Kimball, the architect-in-chief of the Trans-Mississippi Exposition. Kimball also designed such extraordinary Omaha structures as the St. Cecilia Cathedral, the St. Francis Cabrini

Church, and the Downtown Omaha Public Library. Construction of the McKesson-Robbins Warehouse was funded by Catherine B. Nash—one of Omaha’s wealthy elite—and completed around 1905.

Tilton adores the history of the building and especially likes the way it was renovated to make lofts in the 1980s. These condos still have some of the best views in Omaha of Downtown and the Riverfront. Tilton takes advantage of that view every New Year’s Eve when she hosts a small party in her loft. She and her guests are able to watch the fireworks from the comfort of her fourth-floor space.

The parties shouldn’t be too much of a

A good view of Downtown is essential to feeling like you’re part of it all, according to Marge Tilton.


problem for other residents. “A lot of older buildings, especially warehouses, have very thin walls, and you can hear everything,” she says. “But I’ve never had a problem with noise since I’ve lived here.”

If she ever had an issue, Tilton says she is confident that management would take care of it right away. The responsive management, coupled with the sights of one of Omaha’s most alluring districts, is exactly why Tilton has lived in the Greenhouse for so long.

“I couldn’t be happier here,” she says. “Fourteen years later, I still get excited when I pull into the garage.” OmahaHome

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Omaha Home: landscapingStory by David Williams

Greener Days AheadBundling Up for Winter Yard Care

I T IS IN THE throes of winter that memories of summer are the most persistent. Even though your lawnmower is now snoring away for the season, there is still plenty of work to be done to ensure that your property enters greener times at its blooming best. OmahaHome

THE BASICSJust like the icicles hanging from your eaves, your lawn becomes brittle during its winter slumber. Keep foot traffic to a minimum during the colder months. And it’s never too

late to apply an insulating blanket of mulch to a depth of at least three inches around plants and shrubs.

For more information on sustainable horticul-ture, visit the University of Nebraska Extension Division in Douglas and Sarpy Counties' website at douglas-sarpy.unl.edu.

SNIP-SNIPPruning, especially for fruit trees,

ensures that any given plant doesn’t have to work too hard to feed itself. For a host of videos on this and other topics, Fech recommends visiting the YouTube

channel of Backyard Farmer, the NET television program pro-duced by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

TO SALT OR NOT TO SALT?“There needs to be a bal-

ance between trac-tion safety and plant safety,” Fech says. De-icing products are great for what

they are designed to do, but you pay a price

when neighboring shrubs, ground covers, trees, and grass absorb all that salt.

“Nobody likes the brown-outs that these products can cause,” Fech says, “especially because the plant materials can take until mid-summer to recover, if at all—so use them sparingly.”

EVERGREENSUnlike trees that

drop foliage in the fall, evergreens

continue to tran-spire year-round, meaning that moisture

absorbed through the soil is lost through leaves and needles.

“Apply an anti-desiccant spray on days above freezing,” Fech says. “This will protect against

damage from the wind and cold.” Fech recommends a rotation of three applications. “A good memory-jogger to use here is to think in terms of spraying on New Year’s Day, Valentines Day, and Easter,” or as close to those days as the weather allows.

A loose wrapping of burlap around shrubs provides extra protection against the elements while still allowing the plant to breathe.

WATERINGFor maximum root nourishment, don’t forget

that watering is a 12-month task. “Any time that the temperature climbs above 40 degrees, it’s a good time to water,” says John Fech, an extension educator at the University of Nebraska Extension Division in Douglas and Sarpy Counties. “This is particularly important for new plantings of any kind.”


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Story by David Williams • Photos by Bill SitzmannSalzmann’s Team • Interior design and painting by Renee Quandt, Clean Slate Interiors; Custom pullout shelving by Nick Starkey, ShelfGenie of Omaha

Omaha Home: feature

From Frenzied to Functional

Getting Organized for a New Year

Cyndy Salzmann and her bag of tricks


J ANUARY IS GET ORGANIZED Month, so we asked local author and clutter coach, Cyndy Salzmann, to trans-

form from frenzied to functional the tiny laundry room of a busy Elkhorn family.

Salzmann is the author of seven books, including her recently released Organized by Design: Using Your Personality to Get and Stay Organized, and she takes a unique approach to organizing a space. “A lot of clients want to start a project by digging into a closet,” says the pro who has also appeared on A&E’s Hoarders. “I insist on first digging into their personalities to make sure we design systems that produce long-term results.”

Dave and Debbie Raymond have a blended family of nine and need every inch of their 2,900 square-foot home. They use the laun-dry room for much more than just soap and suds—it’s command central for winter wear, cleaning supplies, gift wrapping, and is an >>

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Before

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Omaha Home: feature

<< overflow area for wayward kitchen items. Unfortunately, the multi-functional room ended up being more of a “multi-mess.”

ASSESSMENT“I ask each new client to take a personal-

ity inventory,” says Salzmann. “Test results as well as discussions with family members indicated that Debbie’s creative bent led to ever-changing systems of organizing things—a source of frustration for Dave, who is orderly and perhaps a bit more right-brained. A col-lection of sentimental items belonging to Debbie’s recently deceased mother added to the chaos. Finally, poor room design with high shelves and an open area under the coun-ter wasted valuable space.”

DESIGN“Once I determined the family’s organiz-

ing style and needs,” Salzmann continues, “I pulled together a team to transform the room. We used flexible pullouts and open shelving along with other design elements to motivate family members to maintain the space. Debbie is a strong woman of faith with a vibrant personality, so I wanted this room to also feed her spirit.”

TRANSFORMATION“A soothing paint color grounds the space

while design elements provide splashes of color,” Salzmann explains. “Meaningful objects, such as colorful canisters from Debbie’s mother, provide function and serve

to personalize the room.“I was able to take advantage of unused

space by installing pullout shelves under the counter. The contents of two plastic drawer units with a jumble of mittens, hats, and gift-wrapping supplies are neatly organized in a deep pullout with dividers. Dishes formerly stored openly on top of the refrigerator slip neatly into drawers. Shelves for laundry bas-kets keep the counter clear for folding.

“A clear, plastic bin corrals items Debbie is collecting for her oldest daughter’s upcoming wedding, while the creative label builds excite-ment for the special day. Cleaning supplies, formerly stored on too-high shelves, are now easily within reach in a pullout shelf under the sink. Infrequently used items, stored in


bins on high shelves, have dry erase labels to identify contents.”

AFTERMATHSo how do the Raymonds feel about

their “new” laundry room? “We love it!” says Debbie. “But more importantly, it’s not so overwhelming for us to now think about tackling another space in our home.” OmahaHome

Salzmann will be blogging about her experi-ence throughout January. For more project details and inspiration, visit cyndysalzmann.com.

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Omaha Home: transformations

meet the designersMarian Holden, ASID

Erin Svoboda, ASID

Designer’s Touch

Transformations is a regular feature of Omaha Home 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.

Story by Marian Holden, ASID and Erin Svoboda, ASID • Photos by Lisa Louise Photography


Neutral,Natural, NotableFive Fountains Basement Finish

T HIS WEST OMAHA HOME in Five Fountains was featured in the Metro Omaha Builders Association

2007 Street of Dreams. When the clients decided to move forward in bringing their dreams to reality with the finish of their basement, they selected KRT Construction as contractor along with Designer’s Touch interior designers Marian Holden, ASID, and Erin Svoboda, ASID. The client’s goal was to transform the unfinished basement into an >>

continued on page 48



<< exquisite space for entertaining, fitness, and children’s activities.

A neutral color palette defines the space with rich shades of gray accompanied by cream trim. Dark alder doors punctuate a collection of natural elements, including rustic woods, leather, and stone. Shades of blue accent the palette while rich texture and large-scale patterns make up the furnishings in this space.

The professional eat-in kitchen features custom cabinetry with Arabesque White granite, metallic glass tile backsplash, brushed nickel cabinet hardware, and stainless appli-ances contrasting the French bronze lighting fixtures adorned with jewel-like crystals.

Natural elements of stone and alder wood were integrated into the design to create a focal point in the entertaining space that is rustic yet sophisticated. Luxurious leather seating

surrounds the fireplace for both TV viewing and entertaining. A custom metallic crocodile ottoman embellishes the space, along with custom shutters and window treatments.

A fitness center boasts floor-to-ceiling glass, a mirrored wall, and resilient rubber flooring, all complementing the modern amenities of the space.

Hang out or study in the children’s area that hosts a glass marker board, custom

continued from page 45

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cabinetry with corkboard, and polished chrome fixtures that play off a refined, purple wall color.

A guest suite with adjoining bathroom overlooks the beautifully landscaped out-door patio. The suite features luxurious bed-ding, custom window treatments, mirrored furnishings, glass accent tile, a charcoal-hued vanity, and crystal fixtures to add that finishing touch. OmahaMagazine

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48th Annual Omaha Home & Garden ExpoCenturyLink Center

February 6-9

T HE WEATHER OUTSIDE MAY be frightful, but the climate inside the CenturyLink Center will be delightful for the 48th Annual Omaha Home & Garden Expo. Now united with the Omaha Lawn, Flower & Patio Show, this extravaganza will showcase

the most comprehensive collection of creative home ideas to refresh and restore your faith in spring, that season when all things are new again.

This year’s show will combine all the latest ideas for today’s home consumers. From kitchens, bathrooms, and home-improvement products and services to a bouquet of sensory springtime scents that will get you thinking about greener times on your deck or in your yard, this is the must-see home and garden event of the year.

Stroll the area’s largest and most colorful exhibits of beautifully landscaped gardens with ponds, waterfalls, and blooming flowers at the biggest event of its kind for miles around.

This four-day celebration of the home will have attractions for adults and children alike. Nationally known experts and personalities will be on hand to share all of their professional secrets while the Fountain Café & Food Court will help fuel your explorations through more than 200,000 square feet of displays. The entertainment lineup, including exotic animals and special activities for the kids, makes this a great family outing. OmahaHome

The 48th Annual Omaha Home & Garden Expo and Annual Omaha Lawn, Flower & Patio Show runs Thursday, Feb. 6, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., Friday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sunday. 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Adult admission is $8. Children ages 5 -12 are $4 and kids under 5 are free.

Restoring Your Faith in Spring

When All Is New Again


Omaha Home: home happenings

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HOME I.B.C.

Selecting a builder is as much an expression of taste as it is a statement of confidence. No one understands this better than Curt Hofer & Associates. As one of the area’s most respected custom homebuilders and remodelers, we provide a one-of-a-kind experience in creating your once-in-a-lifetime home.

From individual rooms, to how these rooms come together to create a home, to the landscape and exteriors that immediately bid you welcome, the team at Curt Hofer & Associates knows how to bring the best ideas to life – yours.

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New CoNstruCtioN or remodeliNg – Curt Hofer & AssoCiAtes CreAtes An environment exclusively for you.

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January/February 2014 Omaha Home

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