Trains pass through the night in the quiet South Omaha neighborhood where Rachael and Ryan Johnson reside in an alabaster stone house. Built in a European style with a sloped timber wood roof, it houses a very quaint room: an attic bedroom that’s fit for exploring. The Johnsons never strayed too far from the train tracks; their last home was close to Lauritzen Gardens.
When Ryan first saw the bones of the house and the open ceilings, he knew it was the place he wanted to buy.
“I always wanted to live in an old church,” he expressed.
The architectural cinder block house comes pretty close to this dream with its knotty pine tongue and groove-vaulted cathedral ceilings. The loft-style upstairs master bedroom goes for a dramatic effect with a black accent wall that embraces darkness, juxtaposed with a pendant cathedral light from a church that hangs overhead—a rare find on Facebook Marketplace. The ambience of a luminous lamp and hanging light fixtures draws warmth and coziness to the room.
At first, Rachael had to talk Ryan into painting the wall black, but eventually he relented. He knew that Rachael’s style was always evolving, and she was in search of an above-the-ordinary interior design aesthetic. She had worked as a teenager in the Old Market at Retro, and her parents are originally from the antique hub of Walnut, Iowa, so she was naturally drawn to an Old-World style. Ryan’s sister had also painted both her kitchen and bedroom black, which served as a source of inspiration.
Once construction began and they set out to revamp the loft, the design process was long, but it organically came into place. Ryan has a construction background, and he had done most of the remodeling in the attic himself along with the help of some friends and family. “I wanted to give her the room she’s always wanted,” he said.
Rachael had joined a “moody decor” group on Facebook to glean inspiration and get much-valued feedback. In navigating her own style choices, she chanced upon a dreamy aesthetic she’d call her own. The black attic has a lived-in Gothic vibe that exudes a vintage touch, otherwise bordering on a Dark Academia theme.
Dark Academia, often described as a romanticized internet aesthetic, originated from literature such as Donna Tartt’s “Secret History,” which lauds subcultures entrenched in eccentric elitism, secrets, intellectualism, and a love for classical art and history. An ode to the past, the trend has segued into both fashion and interior design. Moody at its core, the aesthetic can even branch in a “mystical” direction. Ambient lighting in this case achieves the fantasy elements of the aesthetic.
Rachael and Ryan appreciate an amalgamation of eras and couldn’t pick just one, so they decided to intertwine them. Since they’ve been newlyweds, they’ve abided by an adage in their family: “If you see something you love, get it and figure out how to make it work in your space.”
A velvet emerald green headboard is set against a backdrop of champagne velvet curtains while decorative throw pillows in splashes of sage, olive green, and teal are arranged on the bed, providing a jewel-tone palette. In the corner is a glowing amber standing lamp reminiscent of one you might see strolling the cobblestone streets of Edinburgh with its Gothic-inspired fixtures. Its orange hue warms up the room significantly against the black, evoking a type of sentimentality often reserved for crisp fall nights and Victorian-era parlor musings.
Pieces of family history also stand in the corners of the room, tangible remnants of the past. “His and hers” period armoires gifted from both sets of grandparents as well as an antique vanity from Rachael’s grandmother add sentimental value and character. The vanity in particular showcases some unique heirlooms—an old-fashioned mirror and a saucy “Turn of the Century” chapter book published in 1909.
Rachael’s love of antiques paired with the dark, cozy vibes of an intimate master bedroom make this space a lush, Gothic retreat. The result is magical: a romantic atmosphere of jewel tones, a menagerie of collectibles and vintage curios, and an ambience that’s perfect for moody and cozy evenings where you want to curl up and read a book by the glow of lamp light.
This article originally appeared in the May 2024 issue of Omaha Home magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe.
