8459 Woolworth Ave.; Omaha, NE (map | directions)
Steven Ginn – Architect

The existing Woolworth kitchen was a long, narrow and cluttered spacewith dated 1950’s decoration. The client desired to utilize the existing space to create a clean, contemporary kitchen with a strong focal point and add a simple, organized home office.

The design’s central focal point is a custom cast-in-situ concrete island, framed from above by laminated maple ceiling panels. The island retains the wood texture from its formwork and leans outward as it curves through the narrow space, allowing ease of use for the disabled. The routine act of boiling water was the inspiration for the ceiling panels, which were executed with a CNC three axis milling machine and finished with hours of hand-sanding. Black quartz and a custom-designed LED lighting panel that slowly cycles through a variety of colors highlight the central area. The kitchen also includes a custom operable handicapped ramp which is simple, manual, and direct so that it will be nearly maintenance free.

The design and execution was achieved through the use of high-tech computer modeling and skilled craftsmen using age-old building techniques. The final result is a carefully-crafted and composed interior that meets the client’s demanding expectations to both celebrate and simplify the working side of the family home.