Real Estate Information Archive

If you've been scrolling through design inspiration lately thinking "my kitchen feels... blah," you're not alone. The good news? 2026 is ushering in some of the most exciting kitchen trends we've seen in years, and they're actually achievable for Omaha homeowners looking to refresh their space without a complete gut job.

Color Is Making a Bold Comeback (But Not the Way You'd Expect)

Say goodbye to the stark white kitchens that dominated the 2010s and the sage green explosion of the early 2020s. This year, we're seeing a gorgeous shift toward warmer, more sophisticated hues that actually make sense for Nebraska living. Think warm taupes, moody mushroom tones, and rich greige colors that feel cozy during our cold winters. For those ready to go bolder, deep olive greens, smoky blue-grays, and even terracotta are having major moments. The secret? These colors work beautifully with the natural light patterns in Omaha homes and create spaces that feel inviting year-round. Designers are even bringing back colorful stone countertops—particularly in stunning green tones that add visual interest without overwhelming the space.

Natural Materials Are Taking Center Stage

The kitchen trends dominating 2026 share one thing in common: they celebrate natural, quality materials that develop character over time. We're talking:

• Dark wood cabinetry in walnut and mahogany that brings warmth and timeless appeal
• Aged brass hardware that actually looks better as it develops patina (perfect for busy families who actually use their kitchens)
• Curved elements everywhere—from rounded backsplash edges to arched range hoods that soften all those hard lines and make spaces feel custom-designed
• Worktable-style islands that look more like beautiful farmhouse tables than built-in boxes, adding personality and flexibility

This shift toward European-inspired, "unfitted" kitchens means Omaha homeowners can create spaces that feel collected over time rather than installed in a day. It's the antidote to that cookie-cutter look.

Smart Function Meets Real-Life Living

Here's what's really exciting: 2026 trends aren't just about looking good—they're about kitchens that work for how families actually live. Integrated, seamless storage solutions are in high demand, with hidden appliances and smart organizational systems that keep clutter at bay. Touch-to-open cabinetry, voice-controlled lighting, and even sensors that track your pantry inventory are becoming standard features. For Omaha families juggling busy schedules, these innovations mean less time searching for that missing measuring cup and more time actually enjoying your kitchen. The focus is on creating "lived-in" spaces that layer function with beauty—kitchens that support your real life, not just your Instagram feed.

Whether you're planning a full remodel or just looking to refresh your current kitchen, these 2026 trends offer something for every budget and style. The best part? Unlike trendy design moments that flame out quickly, these are thoughtful updates rooted in quality, functionality, and creating a space where your family actually wants to gather. And in a market where kitchen updates consistently deliver strong ROI for Omaha homeowners, investing in these timeless-yet-current elements makes smart financial sense too.

Ready to explore how these trends could transform your kitchen? The Heim-Berg Team would love to show you what's possible in today's Omaha real estate market—whether you're looking for a home with an already-updated kitchen or a property with great bones ready for your dream renovation.

Do you have a small bedroom in your Omaha home that you can't seem to fit into? Or maybe you're living in a tiny home in Omaha? The key to making the most out of a small bedroom is to know how to decorate it. There are many tips and tricks that can be used to decorate a small bedroom and make it look great. With a little creativity and ingenuity, a small bedroom (or home) can be transformed into a cozy and inviting space. 

Storage Beds

Space is a major problem in small bedrooms. An effective way to tackle this is to get multi-purpose furniture or beds. This way, you can make the most of the limited space you have.

Additionally, sofa-cum-beds are a great option for those who want to save even more space. They can significantly free up a lot of space, allowing you to make the most of the space you have.

Raise Your Storage

An effective way to create storage and leave space on your bedroom floor is to build shelves on the walls. This can be done by utilizing the vertical space in your room and installing shelves from the floor to the ceiling. This will allow you to store items such as books, clothes, and other belongings up off the ground, creating more floor space.

Additionally, you can also use this space to hang lamps or other decorations, further freeing up the floor area. With this measure, you can significantly reduce the clutter in your bedroom and create a more organized and spacious environment.

Awkward Corners

If your bedroom has weird angles, you can find creative ways to turn them into shelves or cupboards for storage. Look online for inspiration and ideas that will help you make the most of the space.

Lighten Up

When decorating a room, make sure to not cover up windows and allow plenty of light to come in. This will create an illusion of airiness and make the room feel more open. To further this effect, use lighter color curtains to make the space seem more minimalistic and less cluttered. Doing so will give the room a look of freshness and take away the compact, closed feeling.

Use Mirrors

Mirrors can be a great way to add dimension and make a room look larger. When placed in front of a window or light source, the reflection creates an optical illusion of more space. This can give a room a chic and spacious look at the same time.

Visual Trickery 

One of the major drawbacks of small rooms is the height of the ceiling. However, you can use visual tricks to give the illusion of more height and room. For instance, you can hang curtains from the ceiling to the floor to make the walls look longer.

Alternatively, you can choose a longer headboard for your bed or a poster bed to complement the size of your room. Moreover, you can try painting the ceiling and the walls to give the illusion of a larger un-ending room.

Add Dimension

When choosing a statement wallpaper or paint color for the wall behind your bed you have a few options. Lighter colors will create an airy atmosphere, while darker colors will make the room feel cozier.

Alternatively, you could opt for alcove walls to give the illusion of more space. Horizontal wall paneling is also a popular choice as it adds width to the room. Ultimately, the decision is yours and should be based on the vibe you want to create.

Multi-purpose Furniture 

Instead of trying to fit every piece of furniture into a small room, look for multi-purpose furniture. This is one of the most cost-effective decorating ideas for a small room. For example, you can get a workspace that doubles as a vanity. This will save you both space and money.

Additionally, you can get a dresser that doubles as a nightstand. This will provide you with a convenient place to store important accessories.

The purpose of decorating any space is to make it your own. Creating a space that is uniquely yours should be a fun and individualistic process. When decorating a bedroom, it is important to make sure it is comfortable and relaxing. These tips can help make the process easier and can be applied to any small space.

Have your home needs changed in the past year? Perhaps you’ve outgrown your present home, or need to downsize to a more suitable home. If you’re ready to make a move, let’s connect and talk about all the amazing opportunities that are available to you!

If you have ever been in a relationship, you understand that the ‘honeymoon phase’ does not last forever. The excitement and sparkle of anything new tends to fade over time, and your feelings towards your home are no exception. This is especially true if your home has not been well maintained over the years and things are fallings apart and/or outdated. But, with a few simple tips and tricks that we have listed below, you may just find yourself getting that sparkle back in your eye and falling back in love with your home!

Our first tip for you is to have some fun with interior design. Now we understand that the phrase ‘interior design’ can seem a little daunting for some people. And no, you do not have to have a college degree in the subject to dabble in the creative process. Simply finding the right accent pieces and changing things up a bit may be all you need to transform your space. You do not need to break the bank to accomplish this either, as few staple pieces in a few key rooms may do just the trick! You may be surprised just how fresh your home will feel by simply incorporating a few new design elements.

Our next suggestion is to do a little fall cleaning. There is nothing that will make your home feel cluttered than having too much ‘stuff’ around. Take a weekend to donate, recycle and/or throw out items that you no longer need, and spend some time organizing the items that you kept. Also, a deep cleaning never hurt anyone – whether you break out the Clorox and do it yourself or hire in a cleaning service. Regardless, your decluttered, clean home will make you look at your space in a whole new light. Lastly, decorating for the holidays will make your home feel festive and lift your spirits every time you walk through the door. Simply hanging a wreath on the front door, lighting scented candles and having a few decorations throughout your home is just enough to fall in love with your space once again.

If you decide to put time, effort, and money into making improvements on your home, you might want to take some time to consider whether or not those improvements will increase your home's value. Someday, you might decide that you want to see your home, and home improvement projects that will increase your home's appeal to potential buyers ensure you that you're thinking smart about home improvements.

When determining which home improvement projects will increase your home's value, there are quite a few different factors to consider. You want to make sure you don't cause your home to become overpriced for the local market in which it is located. If you create an expensive home in an inexpensive neighborhood, you might find it hard to get any return on investment on the improvements you've made. Of course, you should also concentrate on getting the most out of your money. Opt for the least expensive projects that will lead to the largest increases in home value. 

Another thing you can do if you want to maximize the ROI on your home improvement investment is research projects that are known to increase appeal among buyers. The following are all possible home improvement projects that regularly prove to be useful in terms of thinking smart about home improvements:

• Enhance the look of your home's exterior - Curb appeal has a huge influence on potential buyers. Consider landscaping work, gutter cleaning, replacing or repainting siding and windows, and more.
• Increase your home's energy-efficiency - Concern for sustainability and minimizing a home's carbon footprint is gaining consciousness among the general public. Increasing your home's energy-efficiently will not only make your home more attractive to future buyers, but it will also save you money on energy costs in the meantime until you decide to sell your home. 
• Redesign interior spaces - You should be taking advantage of all of the space in your home. If you have a room that you're not using, consider creating a convenient purpose for it. For example, you can create a home office from an unused extra room or you can create a media room if you have a dining room that you never use. 
• Re-facing your old fixtures - Although it can be expensive to completely remodel your kitchen or bath, you can significantly improve the appearance of these rooms by simply making small replacements of parts such as appliances, cabinets, and countertops.

The right color for the interior of your home is whatever color you like; however, if you don't feel confident in your ability to develop a harmonious color scheme, here are some tips to awaken your inner home-interior muse.

There are literally thousands, or perhaps even millions, of shades, hues and other variations of color "spokes" on the color wheel. It can be overwhelming, even intimidating, especially of you are a first-time home interior painter.

One way to simplify the process of choosing a color scheme is via shrewd manipulation of color hues. You might already be aware of the inherent impact colors and their hues have on us humans. They can make us feel happy or sad; manic or docile; annoyed or soothed; excited or laid back, which is why it's crucial to select the proper shade within a color family in order to set whatever mood it is you're going for in each room.

Here are some simple tips to help you achieve your desired mood altering color scheme:

• The amount of intensity a color displays is directly related to the amount of pigment within it
• Bright colors tend to create an energetic, upbeat mood; whereas dim or dull colors have a relaxing, more toned down aura
• Adding white creates a pastel hue or tint, softening the color's intensity
• Adding black creates a deep, dark color hue, commonly referred to as a shade
• Adding grey creates a comforting, neutral tone of a color
• Earth tones (generally brown and green color variations) give off a warm, outdoor vibe
• Dim hues of blue emanate a cool-breeze aura
• Manipulate color intensity through hue, shade, tint or tone
• Visualize each room painted in different colors
• Dark-colored rooms feel cozy, but also small
• Change a color's tone with complimentary colors around it

Saving money on home maintenance is not always accomplished through the initial cost of these renovations; it is often realized over a number of years. It's one of the sacrifices or compromises home owners have had to make for decades, like having to decide between aesthetically pleasing items, such as stone or wood, and easily maintained, such as vinyl or other man-made imitation.

Today, however, manufacturers have developed truly amazing products that mimic the real thing to such a degree that one might even say they are better than those created by Mother Nature. Listed below are some of these incredible innovations in new home maintenance:

Fiber-Siding Cement

Shingles and clapboards cut from sheets of flexible cement and stirred together with fibers of wood that will not warp, cup or rot. Its up-front cost, including painting, averages between $13,000 and $18,000, which is approximately 10 percent less than real wood.

Cellular PVC Trim

Manufactured out of the same material typically used in plumbing fixtures, with air thrown into the mix during construction for a wood like density, cellular PVC trim displays the natural look of wood, and can also be formed, cut and installed like its natural cousin. It's designed to last forever, never requiring a coat of paint, and costing about 10 percent less than real wood alternatives like pine.

Quartz Countertops

Cutting-edge pigments and resins are blended with real quartz chips to produce countertops and other stone items that display the variety and veining that's far more realistic than even those considered innovative a couple of years ago. It costs about the same as natural stone, like limestone and marble, and also enjoys several advantages over them. It's resistant to dark liquid stains, etching from orange juice and other similar household acids, and chipping via impact from heavy kitchen items like jars and cookware.

Curb appeal incorporates everything your home displays to the world, including the exterior siding type and color scheme, as well as the driveway, sidewalks and entryways.

Make your home sparkle like dew in the early morning spring sunshine with these simple and affordable projects:

Fencing

A fence does more than just protect you and yours from intruders or your neighbor's dog. It has a tremendous impact on your home's curb appeal. Instead of the replacement or removal of your entire fence, you can add a fresh coat of paint or blast it clean with a pressure washer. These are two simple and quick things that can yield significant results.

Roofs and Gutters

Eye-catching curb appeal is attained through meticulous attention to often overlooked details, such as the state of your home's roof and gutters

Gravity compels water to exploit the path of least resistance. On your home, this is often the imperfections like gaps holes and ever-widening cracks, which can lead it to invade your living space.

Landscaping

Impressive landscaping can be as easy as mowing your lawn on a regular basis, watering it, and keeping it clear of sticks, twigs and other organic material. You can also put an attractive face on your home by pruning your shrubbery, planting flowers and keeping it as clutter-free as possible.

Touch-Ups

Siding and paint will chip, peel and warp via the ravages of time. These can; however, be taken care of affordably and, in most cases, easily, with just a small amount of sandpaper and elbow grease. Afterward, simply apply primer and paint for a brand spanking-new exterior.

The first and last steps in any curb appeal boosting project is to actually go out and examine your home as if you're a potential homebuyer. An honest assessment can not only show you how to get started or how it looks after it's finished, but also clue you into other projects in your future.