Walk into Heather Starmer’s home, and the first thing that becomes evident is just how laid back the vibe is. Nestled in Elk Ridge Estates, a quiet gem of a neighborhood in Elkhorn, the 3,500- square-foot new build has a decidedly tranquil feel.
That might be surprising, given that Starmer shares the abode with her partner, Aaron Horn, and their three children—Hudsen, 18, Bennett, 14, and Brady, 11, and a curious ginger tabby cat named Noodle. Still, given that Starmer is a realtor with Berkshire Hathaway who stages homes for selling and does interior design work on the side, it makes sense that careful curation went into every aspect of the home’s decor.
The couple purchased the 1.5-story new-build by Huntington Homes in 2020, and Starmer said it was the distinctive details that sold her on the property. “I really loved the light fixtures, the openness of the floor plan, and the walls,” she shared. “All the finishes were done when we moved in.”
Those high-end finishes make an impact throughout the home. A black shiplap accent wall—dressed in “Iron Horse” by Sherwin-Williams—dominates the music room/office. (Brady is talented on both piano and violin.) A gold chandelier provides a metallic sheen that Starmer accentuates via decorative mirrors, sculpture, and artwork. Bright blue accessories offer additional design power.
“I used decorative colors from the old house to brighten up the black a bit,” Starmer explained. “It had to be the right shade of turquoise.”
Warm wood floors spread throughout the open-concept main floor. The living room accent wall provides an unexpected design detail. At first, it appears to be gray flagstone or slate, but closer inspection reveals that it’s instead composed of large-scale tiles.
An ivory leather couch, complemented by a dark brown leather side chair, provide ample seating in the large, yet cozy, space.
“Because the wall colors are neutral, I like to add warmth with leather, which is fun,” Starmer observed. “I plan to break up the white of the sofa by adding darker elements through pillows and blankets.”
Noting the midcentury-inspired light fixture and two side tables, Starmer cautioned against focusing too much on one style trend. “I like to have a mix so that the decor is more transitional,” she explained of her design approach, which incorporates both traditional and contemporary elements. “This is modern with a mix. Without that mix, it would be too sterile.”
The homeowner needn’t be concerned. The kitchen incorporates novel design embellishments that combine culinary function with a sleek aesthetic. Hardware is black, silver, and gold—a combination that works together seamlessly.
“Really, all those metals make it so fun to decorate,” Starmer shared. “They are a great way to bring in a mix of colors to play off them, which is necessary when you have so much black and white. And when you have white walls in particular, you need to bring in lots of decor.”
A white quartz countertop veined in gray serves as both prep space and a breakfast bar. A similar countertop (minus the color detail) surrounds the stove, complementing the distinctive backsplash made of off-white, oblong tile with raised ovals, echoed in the adjacent coffee bar nook.
“I was really nervous about those tiles because they’re matte, and I do cook a lot,” the homeowner confessed, fearing cleanup would be difficult. “But they haven’t been a problem at all.”
The dining area includes a play of shapes with a large-scale artwork featuring swirls in gray tones and burnished golds, which play off a metallic circular mirror installed just opposite. (Starmer found both items on Uttermost, one of her favorite design sites.)
An accent wall covered in wallpaper with dark gray hatch marks serves as the perfect foil to the rustic wood sideboard and black wood dining table carried over from the family’s previous residence.
Wallpaper makes another, and decidedly more whimsical, appearance in the powder room. At first look, the paper’s pattern appears to be white fans splayed against a dark background; closer inspection shows it to be a flock of birds in flight.
“You have to be observant,” Starmer declared, speaking of the Art Deco Swans wallpaper by artist Kate Rhees, which she found on Spoonflower.
Another accent wall dominates the primary bedroom, this time a herringbone-patterned wooden wall painted in a calming shade of deep sage green. Starmer keeps the space relaxed by using mostly neutrals (golds and grays) throughout the room, but pulls in the wall color with decorative pillows, an accent blanket, and a deep green velvet chair set in the corner. (The gray upholstered bed, she said, was another carry-over item from their former home. “We didn’t want to buy all new.”)
To add warmth, Starmer added a wooden chest of drawers and a tree with khaki bark. A starburst light fixture completes the space, giving a golden glow to the room.
Those show-stopper light fixtures continue to make Starmer appreciate her new home. “There’s literally a different one in every room,” she said. “Light fixtures are so easy to switch out and will completely change your space. They are one of the big reasons we decided on this house.”
This article originally appeared in the July/August 2023 issue of Omaha Home magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe.
