Every morning before school, Jason and Alyssa Avenell’s three daughters head out to eat breakfast with their grandparents. Caleigh, 12, Nora, 10, and Larson, 8, needn’t travel far or even outside—just a quick jaunt through connecting garages and a back door to “Papa and Grammy’s” kitchen.
Alyssa’s parents—70-something retirees Bob and Mary Litz—live next door to the Avenells in an adjoining home in Newport Landing on Bennington Lake. The luxury duplex of sorts makes frequent family check-ins a breeze, but always with a phone call or doorbell ring first.
“We love it when they walk in the door,” said Mary about her granddaughters. “They give us big hugs and smiles and are genuinely happy to see us…Makes for a perfect start to our day. Or when they come over to help me cook or bake. We couldn’t imagine a more beautiful time in our lives, living next door to Jason, Alyssa, and the girls.”
Jason said the idea to build a dual home with his in-laws came up one family Christmas. After a few more conversations about logistics and respecting boundaries, all were on board. The Litzs sold their home three miles away in Stratford Park and moved in last fall.
“I lost my dad when I was 3 and my mom six years ago,” Jason said. “We decided, with Alyssa being an only child, we wanted her parents close.”
“They’re in great health now. They’re very active and they travel a lot, and my dad golfs probably 300 times a year,” Alyssa said. “This was just a way they can be near the kids and, when they do need help later, then we’re here.”
The Avenells, who were already residents of Newport Landing, were pleased when they found a lot just one cove over to accommodate the footprint of their 11,000-square-foot new build.
“We lived at our last house for five years and loved being on the lake,” Jason said. “And we wanted to stay here for the girls…they love their school. They attend Bennington.”
The unique property, designed with VirtuActive 3-D Drafting and Design and constructed by Arjay Builders, was completed in September 2023.
Outside, the two homes share a modern farmhouse exterior, with off-white board-and-batten siding, a stone facade, black-clad windows and doors, and black shingle roofing. Yet, each home has its own proper front entrance, garage space, private deck, and mailbox. (The houses have the same street number address, with ‘A’ and ‘B’ attached.)
The homes also share the property’s vacation resort-caliber outdoor amenities, including an in-ground pool, two natural gas firepit areas, a large paver patio with seating, and Bennington Lake access with a boat dock. The outdoor areas and landscaping were designed and constructed by Groundscapes.
There’s also a fenced dog run for the Avenells’ three pooches—an English bulldog and two Frenchies. “We learned,” Alyssa said, grimacing. “At the last house, they destroyed our backyard.”
Inside, the Avenells’ home features 5 bedrooms, 6 ½ baths, and dozens of special features—some practical, others indulgent—that elevate daily living and the home’s connectedness to the outdoors. Alyssa said she chose many of the hard finishes and fixtures herself and brought in Melissa Glenn, a designer with Fluff Interiors, to consult on the décor, furniture, and soft finishes.
“Jason and Alyssa wanted a modern farmhouse design with a touch of glam,” Glenn said. “We carried a beautiful white paint throughout the home to keep everything bright and airy and balanced it with warm wood tones in the finish materials. We softened spaces with rustic case goods, cognac leather, and performance fabrics for their busy family. Then, we added a touch of glam with metal artwork and wallpaper throughout.”
At center stage is the great room with soaring 20-foot ceilings and a wall of windows dressed with auto blinds and smart-tint glass to keep the house cool and furnishings from sun fading. The tint, which looks like frosted glass, can be controlled by remote and offers privacy when desired.
A two-sided gas fireplace separates the great room from the more intimate keeping room, with 10-foot ceilings, wood beams, and a wall of white oak cabinetry with LED-lit display space and hidden storage for everyday essentials.
“For the fireplace wall, instead of stone or tile, we went for a cement look with a stucco finish,” Alyssa said.
“We love to vacation at a place in Tulum, Mexico, and this fireplace and a lot of this house was inspired by the décor at that resort,” added Jason.
The kitchen features matching white oak cabinetry. Quartz countertops and a deep copper sink dress up the large kitchen island. “It’s difficult to take care of but beautiful,” Alyssa said of the copper. A butler’s pantry with a built-in coffee maker and additional ovens is down a short hall. Off to one side is a large dining table, though the Avenells confess they typically pull up chairs to eat at the island bar.
Cascading patio doors lead to another family gathering spot—a covered indoor/outdoor deck with a grilling station, gas fireplace, sectional seating, mounted TV, ceiling heaters, and remote-control screens that create an enclosed porch when bugs begin to bite. The deck faces west, offering cool morning shade and picturesque views at sunset on the water.
A front music room showcases a black grand piano, which Jason’s mom gifted the family. “She was heavily into music,” Alyssa said. “In fact, music is important to both our families. [Our daughters] were all in lessons for a time.”
Jason, who is part owner of OneStaff Medical, typically goes into the office every day, but when he does work from home, it’s in style. “We contrasted the brightness of the stunning two-story great room with a very dramatic and moody feel for the office, going with all dark walls and a dark wallpaper on the ceiling,” Glenn said.
Alyssa also indulged in a special room just off the elegant primary bedroom suite—a spacious “hers” closet with an island dresser, tons of built-ins for storage, and LED-lit display cases for her expansive bag collection, on exhibit like works of art. “I have an addiction with purses and handbags,” Alyssa admitted. “I just love them.”
Upstairs are the girls’ spaces, including a large playroom for Barbies, play furniture, and toys, which can be closed off by a pocket door. “This will eventually become their teen lounge space,” Alyssa said. There are also three bedrooms, each with an ensuite, window bench seat, and built-in shelving. “Melissa did a great job trying to capture the personalities of our girls in each of their rooms,” Alyssa said. “They helped choose colors, fabrics, [and] light fixtures.”
“We installed a different accent wall treatment in each to make their rooms feel unique and special,” Glenn explained. “In one there’s neutral wallpaper, in another a vertical board-and-batten treatment, and in the last a custom rainbow mural. The girls were very much a part of the design process.”
The Avenells’ basement is an entertainer’s dream, with a stone fireplace, a shuffleboard table, and ‘pit’ lounge area ideal for movie watching and hosting friends. Nearby is a full kitchen with an indoor grill and pizza oven, bar seating, and a second set of cascading patio doors leading out to the pool deck and patio. “We hope the kids will bring their friends over as they get older. We want to be the house where they hang out,” Alyssa shared.
There’s also a changing room/shower for pool guests, a home gym with sauna, and a golf simulator room for Jason. “He’s a big golfer. He hopes to get the girls involved, and my dad is going to take them one day a week this summer,” Alyssa added.
Lastly, there’s a speakeasy bar hidden behind a hall bookcase. A red brick accent wall, checkerboard floor, and comfy lounge seating help create an intimate club feel, perfect for hosting friends after a day on the water.
By comparison, the Litzs’ 2-bedroom, 2 ½ bath home with just over 2,000 square feet of living space seems small, but it’s just the right amount of space for the retirees. “It’s a similar configuration to the one we had in our last house,” Mary said. “Jason and Alyssa asked the right questions for our input and then relayed that to the architect.”
The open-concept home includes many high-end finishes and design features that suit their stage of life and snowbird lifestyle, including built-in closet cabinetry for out-of-season clothes, a zero-entry shower and flooring throughout, and a basement pool table, card table, and guest suite for visiting friends.
Glenn consulted with Mary and Bob on their décor and furnishings as well. “There are some similarities in the overall look and feel, but it was treated as a completely separate project,” she said. “We incorporated many shades of blue that they loved and added lots of warmth and texture with pillows, drapery, rugs, and leather furniture to create a lovely, inviting home for entertaining, hosting family, and enjoying retirement.”
The Litzs have grown to love lake living, both for the family connection it builds and the lifestyle it promotes.
“[My parents] go out on the water with us, and my dad actually just bought a jet ski,” Alyssa said.
“First thing in the morning, seeing the beautiful sunrise over the lake is truly food for the soul,” Mary added.
The Avenells said they’ll always be grateful for this time with their parents closeby. “You can’t put a price tag on your kids having a relationship with their grandparents,” Jason said. “They’re amazing grandparents, and now they’re right here.”
“…making memories with them, every day,” added Alyssa.
*Footnote: On April 26, 2024, the Newport Landing community experienced the wrath of mother nature when an F-3 tornado cut a path through the lake community, damaging many homes and destroying others. The Avenell and Litz residences were fortunately spared.
Omaha Magazine extends our sympathies to those families impacted by this storm and wish them a speedy recovery. #NebraskaStrong
This article originally appeared in the July/August 2024 issue of Omaha Home Magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe.