Spacious Home, Personal Touches
When Dan and Allie Allison moved back to Omaha from Arizona, they sought a contemporary abode with abundant natural light, plenty of play space for their two boys and an outdoor living space.
Not finding what they wanted on the market, the couple followed friend and realtor Stacey Childers’ advice and decided to custom build. The home they built in the West Bay Woods neighborhood, near 180th and Center, reflects the family’s contemporary aesthetic and individual desires.
Allie’s favorite space is the kitchen and great room. South-facing windows draw the natural light that Allie loves.
The focal point of the large, open area is the sleek fireplace in warm neutrals, created by designer Stacey Muhle of Artistico design. Mocha-colored cabinetry and floating shelves surround the fireplace area. Allie, a bargain shopper who loves to play with unique pieces, selected the décor for the home. She printed large canvases with black and white photos of her children for the floating shelves. The neutral colors of the walls, wood trim and fireplace serve to make the boys, ages 10 and 6, all the more striking. Amid the taupe, chestnut, coffee and black colors, Allie added pops of bright apple green to liven up the space.
Designer Muhle helped Allie and Dan navigate the many choices of tiling, cabinetry and hardware for the home. Allie chose lighter wood cabinets and tile for the kitchen to keep things bright, with darker chocolates and blacks reflected in the glass-tile backsplash and granite countertops.
Curved lines contrast with more contemporary geometric styles throughout the home. In the downstairs half bath, Muhle suggested creating a curved privacy wall to separate the toilet from a floating sink. That same S-curve is reflected in the great room where a curved carpet edge merges with the entryway and kitchen tile.
A small desk and office space is tucked behind the kitchen: the control room where stay-at-home-mom Allie manages the home. “I knew I had to have an office space, but I liked that it was tucked in its own niche,” she said.
In the basement, business consultant and public speaker Dan has his personal office. Both Dan and Allie love the exercise room they prioritized as part of the basement plan – they use it daily.
Upstairs, sons Ashton and Braxton make use of spacious bedrooms and a Jack-and-Jill bathroom with darker, more masculine neutrals. Dan and Allie’s master bedroom and bathroom is across the hall. Their bathroom features coffee-colored tiles with penny-like circle details and a spacious, walk-in shower – no shower doors to clean, Allie notes.
The kids have ample space to play both downstairs and upstairs. A small room off the main floor entryway serves as a mini-living room for the boys. Upstairs, a bonus room houses toys, video games and is also the home of Bentley, the family pet lizard.
The whole family enjoys the covered patio and outdoor fireplace. The patio features remote-controlled patio shades that reduce glare when the family is watching the outdoor TV. A planned pool will take the family outdoors even more next summer and bring a bit of Arizona to the Elkhorn home.
With its mature trees, the Lanoha-developed West Bay Woods neighborhood attracted Allie and Dan. Allie’s sister lives close by, and the kids go to school just down the road. “We fell in love with the schools, restaurants and the up-and-coming area,” she said.
More stories like this one can be found at Our Home.
