Driving up to the Pancheri home in The Prairies in Elkhorn, one is struck by its modern exterior and massive size. The 13,000-square-foot abode features alabaster stacked stone and siding paired with ebony painted brick, linear, black-clad windows, and frosted-glass garage doors concealing parking for six. Metal MCM house numbers sit on an island in the u-shaped driveway.
With its nine bedrooms (including three master suites), 10 bathrooms, theater room, fitness room, indoor sport court, basement man cave, and 18-foot-by-40-foot saltwater pool, the family of six has more than enough room to rest and recreate. In fact, getting the enormous house to fit on the corner Prairies lot took some innovation by VirtuActive, which drafted the plans. Arjay Builders was the contractor.
Kimberly Cahoy, owner/principal designer with Kimberly Cahoy Design, consulted on the plans, as well as the interior. “Kim was involved from the very beginning,” said Brittany Pancheri. “She chimed in on ways to better utilize the space and had ideas for all the finishes. She was very organized!”
Inside, the home continues the contemporary vibe, with soft white walls, oversized, drywall-wrapped windows, an airy floor plan, and neutral, comfy furnishings throughout. Gleaming quartz countertops, iridescent glass tile backsplashes, sleek porcelain tiles, and Eurowood Cabinets add a modern, glam aesthetic, with bits of aqua, teal, and other sea-inspired accent colors lending a coastal feel. Elegant custom wallpaper from Vahallan of Lincoln adds shine and texture on the main fireplace feature wall. Statement-piece fixtures—faucets, lighting, hardware, and more—act as works of art in the minimalist spaces.
Then, upon closer inspection, one discovers something unexpected: Disney ‘Easter eggs’ hidden amongst the home’s décor, which Kim helped Brittany incorporate into the design. Like a whisper of Tinkerbell fairy dust sprinkled throughout the home, these elements add sparkle and a bit of fantastical fun.
Brittany is a confirmed “Disney Adult,” a term coined to a describe a ‘grown-up’ who simply adores the Magic Kingdom and anything Disney-related—vacation resorts, theme parks, collectible figurines and apparel, and of course, the Disney films and characters. “My grandfather was an artist…He found Disney to be an inspiration, and his love is what created my love for Disney,” Brittany shared. “Then my husband introduced me to Disneyland and, after two years of dating, he proposed to me there.” The couple went to Disney World for their honeymoon, and Brittany and her mother take the kids there every year.
Given this affection, it’s no surprise Brittany’s passionate about sharing that love with her four children—including sons Arthur, 14, Calvin, 5, and Dylan, 4, and daughter Brooklyn, 8—and found myriad ways to incorporate that fandom into their home’s décor; sometimes subtly, other times more obvious.
Take for instance the dining room ceiling, with its 3-dimensional panels that mimic Spaceship Earth at Epcot, Brittany’s favorite theme park. Hidden LED lights line the perimeter, changing its hue from pink to purple to red at the touch of a remote. Centered above the dining table is a geometric light fixture that outlines a Mickey Mouse face, complete with ears. A commemorative 50th anniversary Disney World castle model sparkles next to Mickey drinkware on an adjacent bar.
Then there’s the music/prayer room. A black grand piano from John’s former home in San Diego takes center stage (Arthur and Brooklyn take lessons) while a glitzy, mod light fixture gleams above. Iridescent wallpaper lends more magic to the room. Religious statues, candles, and other articles of faith sit on the floor and a bureau nearby. The family is active in St. Vincent de Paul parish and uses the spiritual room daily. “I didn’t want the piano room or the dining room… but my husband wanted them,” Brittany said. “Kim helped make them work for me, and now they’re amazing spaces.”
Keep looking and you’ll find more Disney symbols, including a white coral chandelier in Brittany’s primary suite closet—a nod to “The Little Mermaid,” Brittany’s favorite Disney film. And then there’s the creative element their landscaping company, Groundscapes, added—a crushed-gravel fire pit area in the shape of a Mickey Mouse head; the character’s outline most obvious viewed from the second-story deck. “That was a fun surprise,” Brittany said. “They came up with that on their own.”
Brittany and John agreed on home style, desiring a West Coast contemporary vibe much like their home in southern California, where John grew up and the couple lived before relocating to Brittany’s native Omaha in 2020 to be closer to her family. They moved into the new build in September 2023.
Brittany’s mother, who handles HR for John’s ticket brokering business and helps with the kids, enjoys her own dedicated suite when staying over. Hers is the only bathroom with a soaking tub, as the family prefers steam showers. “We generally just have a shower party and throw the little kids in,” Brittany said.
John, too, has his own master suite in the basement next to his home office and dark, moody man cave. “There are times when my husband is up all hours of the day [for his job],” Brittany explained. “This way, if he’s downstairs getting his three hours of sleep, we don’t wake him when we’re up at 7 a.m.”
Brittany’s affinity for white, uncluttered spaces seemed incompatible with having four young children, yet Kim found ways to make it work in both the home design and furnishings. White sectionals both up and downstairs have slip covers that can be washed as needed. The main level has minimal wall art or accessories, save a collection of Mickey & Minnie-themed canisters displayed in the butler’s pantry. Hidden storage for toys, crafts, blankets, and other children’s items is plentiful, with most playthings contained in the second-story loft.
The airy floor plan also provides great sight lines for keeping tabs on kids. “I like open concept. I always get FOMO (fear of missing out)…What is going on out there? What are the kids doing, what are they playing with?” she said, laughing. She’s even able to keep a watchful eye on them in the sport court while working out herself in the fitness room through a huge picture window.
Brittany said she’s grateful for her Disney house, but especially so for its location. “My parents live three blocks away…Moving back to Omaha was a wonderful opportunity,” she said. “I’m so glad we were able to make all this work.”
For more inspiration, visit kcahoydesign.com; virtuactive.com; arjaybuilders.com and groundscapes.com.
This article originally appeared in the October 2024 issue of Omaha Home Magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe.
