Sarah Lorsung Tvrdik is notable not only for her contributions to Omaha culture, but for her impeccable personal style. Her social media is a testament to tender moments taking place in vivid environments, but bold colors and vibrant lighting are only a backdrop to the sweet life she’s built with her husband, Jon, and their three children.
“We fell in love with how cozy this house is,” Sarah recalled of her move from Dundee to Rockbrook 10 years ago. “It was evening the first time we viewed it, and the lights were low. It had a glowing, warm feeling. There had been only one previous owner who raised four boys here. You could feel how much they loved it, and they were sad to leave it, but it was time for them to move into a smaller place since the boys had moved on.”
Sarah and Jon made a few reverent renovations to the living space, altering rooms to reflect their personal adventures and experiences, but hadn’t dug deeply into changing much about the home they loved so well—until kitchen appliances started going out, a clear sign from the universe that it was time to embrace a change.
“We do a lot of entertaining, and so one of the first things we wanted to do when changing the kitchen was to take down a wall that was dividing the kitchen and dining room,” Sarah said. “We lost a desk and some cabinet space with that move, but it immediately felt lighter. This made space for guests without creating any congestion.”
Though Sarah is known for her signature aesthetic, when it came to cultivating the perfect room, she consulted a professional.
“I have strong opinions about colors, wallpapers, print—but I don’t think I do an especially good job at designing a space. I had been online friends with an interior decorator, Megan Pettipoole, for years, and I knew that she had worked at Hutch a long while ago. I really loved her designs, so I hired her to consult.”
“I was so thrilled when Sarah reached out!” Megan said. “She has such a strong sense of style that I had really admired. When we first discussed her kitchen renovation, she already had a solid vision and had chosen most of the materials and finishes, which was great to see. The concept was already there, my role was really more about refining the layout and making sure everything felt balanced and intentional.”
The team decided to replace the upper cabinets with open shelving, change to new café appliances, and add a new waterfall kitchen island. Wood floors were installed to create a cohesion with the rest of the house.
“The home’s mid-century architecture had a big influence on the design,” Megan added. “The vaulted ceilings and gorgeous beams really caught my eye, but they presented a challenge. The natural inclination was to center the cooktop and hood, but we couldn’t because the beam would obstruct the venting. As a result, they had to be positioned off-center, and it was important for that placement to feel intentional.”
Megan suggested creating two floating shelves on one side of the hood, and just one on the other. “This created a balanced composition, while also playing up the asymmetry and making it feel purposeful," she added.
Pale mint paint for the cabinets complements the cream-colored appliances and rose gold hardware. Geometric half-moon brass pulls add a celestial whimsy to the warm, polished space. The Tvrdik family is happy to carry on the tradition of raising a happy, healthy family within the walls of their District 66 home.
You can find more of Megan Pettipoole’s work online at mpettipoole.com.
This article originally appeared in the May 2025 issue of Omaha Home Magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe.
