The fireplace between the kitchen and family room. The homeowners now have plenty of space to entertain.
The Williamses took down the wall but left the fireplace between the kitchen and great room.
The red brick is likely to change. “Many people love the natural brick, but it’s so much red," Lorrie Williams said.
The entry, before the Williamses began their renovation.
A canvas with a saying by J.R.R. Tolkien, in the entry. Lorrie Williams said they are a family of readers.
The living room
Keeping the fireplace as a floating wall was also a cost-saving measure.
The wall was removed to open up the main floor.
The dining room before remodeling.
The dining room now.
The breakfast nook.
The kitchen before its transformation.
The kitchen feels wide open after the redo.
The remodeled kitchen is perfect for when the family is ready to entertain again.
Lorrie Williams at the island, which stretches more than 8 feet.
The kitchen is a mix of cupboards and open shelving.
A before look at the master bedroom.
Black shiplap makes a dramatic statement in the master bedroom.
The master bath before.
The couple had planned to wait on the master bathroom. Their contractor recommended otherwise, and Lorrie is glad that he did.
The master bath features a mix of matte marble slabs and hexagon tiles.
The guest bedroom.
The guest bedroom was painted and decorated with new doors and trim.
The Williamses kept the cupboards in the laundry room and just replaced the doors, lighting and flooring.
The laundry room before.
"It makes me happy every time I walk by it,'' Lorrie said of the photo wall. "Pictures can really make an impact when they are grouped together.''
The living area in the lower level gets lots of light. "It's really cozy,'' Lorrie Williams said. Her parents occupy the space.
The kitchenette in the living space for Lorrie's parents. It used to be a dart alley.
The office gets a lot of use while the couple work from home. "We're super grateful we have a space we can get some privacy when we need it,'' Lorrie said.
The covered deck gets a lot of use in the summer. Lorrie likes that it's off the kitchen and extends their entertaining space.
Three years ago, Lorrie and Andy Williams built a villa that was supposed to be their forever home.
“You are going to drag me out of here only to a nursing home or a funeral home,’’ Lorrie remembers saying. “I’m not moving again.’’
Several factors converged to make her change her mind.
Lorrie’s mom was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, and Lorrie wanted to be more available to help her parents. The couple, who love to entertain, realized that they only had room to feed eight. The villa was just too small.
Last March, they found another possibility — a ranch in Huntington Park in northwest Omaha. Although there was a little too much brick on the exterior for Lorrie’s taste, the interior had the potential to be everything they needed, with some major work.
That didn’t scare Lorrie, a partner and owner of Fluff Interior Design. She was excited about turning it into a new forever home for her and Andy and her parents.
With its two full baths, two large bedrooms, a laundry room, a living room, a new fireplace and lots of natural light, the already updated basement was perfect for Lorrie’s parents. They just had to add a kitchenette in what had been a regulation dart alley.
The basement had its own zero-entry from the fourth garage bay, so the two couples can have complete privacy when they want or can easily see each other for meals and conversations.
“It’s perfect for multigenerational living,’’ Lorrie says. “I just love it and love having them with us during this season of life.’’
She and Andy lived in the basement for 4½ months while they tackled the upstairs remodel and the addition of the kitchenette in the basement.
With the help of David Thoms Construction, they renovated every room on the main floor except for two bedrooms.
They opened up the wall between the kitchen and living room, leaving just a fireplace in between. They raised the headers on doorways, added wood flooring, redid the laundry room and guest bathroom, replaced doors and trim throughout and gutted the kitchen and master bath.
The remodeled kitchen now includes an 8-foot-plus island and a large custom farmhouse table.
“The island will be a fabulous and functional feature when we can entertain again,” Lorrie said.
A walk-in shower with body sprays replaced a dated cloverleaf tub in the master bath. A custom vanity and tower built by Thoms adds stylish and abundant storage space.
Black shiplap in the master bedroom is another custom touch that Lorrie loves.
The Williamses had originally planned to wait on the master bath, but Thoms convinced them it would be smarter to do everything at once. Lorrie is glad he did: It’s now one of her favorite spaces.
With the interior done, Lorrie would like to tackle the red brick exterior. She’s just not sure what they want to do to tone it down.
“My husband isn’t on board yet, but I really want to paint the brick,’’ she says. “Many people love the natural brick, but it’s so much red. I’m from Texas, and I also love brick, but this is a lot. Maybe we’ll add some stone to break it up.’’
Post-pandemic design: A rethinking of floor plans
The coronavirus pandemic could affect how people design their homes in the future.
“The desire to have a completely open floor plan is fading,’’ said Lorrie Williams.
That’s because with the virus, families are spending more time together at home.
Parents may need a quiet place to work while kids are doing remote schooling or making noise in the kitchen.
“People are wanting a little more separation in their spaces rather than a huge open great room area,’’ Lorrie said.
For the Williamses, a floating wall provides the perfect amount of separation between the living room and kitchen.
While considering your options, Lorrie recommends working with an interior designer to make sure your needs are met, not just now, but in the future.
“Whether it’s new construction or a remodel, a poor floor plan or the wrong finish choices can really impact the value of your house,’’ she said.
“I think a lot of people live with house regrets. When you are already investing tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars, it makes so much sense to make sure you are going to love it when it’s done.”
Photos: Inside a Bemis Park fixer-upper
Photos: Inside a Bemis Park fixer-upper
The front room at the Hepburn home. Megan loves using color; she thinks it’s more fun for daughters Harriet and Georgie. She painted the flower picture.
An address marker at the Hepburn home.
The front room used to include a bathroom.
Megan loves to decorate with older items.
The desk is a replica of one Megan’s dad used when she was a child. “I walked into a Goodwill and was blown away,’’ she said. “It was also only $10.’’ The stained-glass window was one of three found on a trip to Galveston, Texas, last January.
The entrance to the home, which the couple liked for its price and close proximity to the Interstate.
Megan had a vision for this part of the house, but the clearance paint she bought didn’t match the drapes. She mixed her own color and is happy with the results.
A few original features, such as this light switch, remain in the house.
The planter is a thrift store find. “I like old stuff more than new if I can help it,’’ Megan said. “I think it’s more fun.’’
Megan bought this painting from Posh Peacock, a consignment store. It was done by an artist from Vietnam.
Megan’s mom, Jean LeBlanc, made most of the quilts found in the house.
Megan and Pat with children Georgie and Harriet. They love their new neighbors and neighborhood.
A plant soaks up the sun.
Megan wanted to add whimsy for daughters Georgie and Harriet, hence the mice.
Harriet picked the color for her bedroom, a lilac shade. She loves to read, so her area is filled with books.
Megan drove more than six hours to get this door, which she found on eBay. It's more than 100 years old and was fitted for the frame.
The couple painted the existing shutters and added 16 more pairs. The pillars were painted, and the floor and ceiling of the porch stained blue.
marjie.ducey@owh.com, 402-444-1034, twitter.com/mduceyowh
Marjie Ducey
Marjie is a writer for The World-Herald’s special sections and specialty publications, including Inspired Living Omaha, Wedding Essentials and Momaha Magazine. Follow her on Twitter @mduceyOWH. Phone: 402-444-1034.
