As Brilliantly Unexpected as the City that Inspired It

Located near the Gene Leahy Mall and bustling restaurants, Landmark Tower has long been a prominent structure in Omaha’s Old Market district. Contributing to the area’s revitalization, local developers converted part of the mixed-use building into an upper-upscale hotel centered on hometown pride. The Farnam is a tribute to the ambitions of Omahans, past and present. A home away from home for movers and shakers seeking to make the most of their time in the city, the way they did as they stepped off the Pacific Railway a century ago. The Farnam offers guests an experience that captures the energy and ingenuity of the city. Today, tomorrow’s billionaires gather at The Farnam to ply their resourcefulness and pluck in pursuit of dreams beyond the imaginings of their forbearers, following in their footsteps while paving new paths toward fortunes of their own.

When President Lincoln signed the Pacific Railroad Act of 1862, railroad engineer Henry Farnam ambitiously lobbied to set the railroad’s terminus in Omaha. This success forever changed the city’s trajectory, positioning Omaha as Nebraska’s metropolis. Farnam, the namesake of the hotel and its street address, is emblematic of the city’s entrepreneurial spirit. Our branding draws inspiration from this historic feat. Patterns and lines represent railroad tracks running through Omaha, while a crest references railway stamps. A humanistic typeface combined with a modern serif lends warmth and friendliness. A muted color palette aligns with the hotel’s interiors, feeling humble in character.

The interior design reflects the city’s character and innovation, creating spaces where locals and visitors can learn about the city’s enterprising spirit. Contemporary interiors balance the city’s industrial boom with the natural landscape. Historic details like railroad lantern lights fuse with modern black metal finishes. Soft nature-inspired elements evoke the Nebraska plains. Layered patterns and textures feel simple and organic, while architectural nuances add definition. Additionally, because the hotel is part of a mixed-use building, Gettys Interiors ensured wayfinding was definitive and clear for both hotel guests and office workers.

In the lobby, large black wire light fixtures are a modern interpretation of a prairie flower; the carpet captures the essence of a native bird’s patterned feathers. A reception desk constructed of railroad ties adds a historical touch. Clean neutrals and rich textures feel true to the city’s stylish ambition. Gettys Interiors worked with the client and an art consultant to source artwork for the hotel’s public areas and guestrooms. All pieces were created by local Omaha artists in various mediums and styles. Above the reception area hangs “Notion” by Hope Dendinger, an original 10-foot piece created during the pandemic. Painted millwork wall panels—fabricated out of scrap wood from the project—wrap from the front of the lobby bar to the elevators and resemble aerial views of Nebraska farmland. Custom carpet throughout the corridors nod to aerial views of the Missouri River and goldenrods, the state flower.

Guestrooms incorporate high ceilings, quality finishes and layered forms to create an urban loft feel, and boast more space than a typical hotel room. Railroad inspired lighting hangs alongside pieces of local art, and spacious bathrooms are outfitted with rain showers and convenient ledges for shaving. To achieve the client’s desire to create the best hotel bathroom experience in Omaha, we approached design with an entrepreneurial eye. Innovative details add function and luxury, like an amenities shelf above the vanity with integrated towel bar and makeup mirror, expansive walk-in rain shower with shaving ledge, and a modern art easel doubling as a towel bar.

The Billionaire Suite is designed with the great ambition of Omaha’s first visionaries in mind. The suite features separate living and dining areas, high ceilings, and two bathrooms. The luxurious main bathroom features a wet room with a bathtub that fills from the ceiling.

The hotel offers nearly 5,000 square feet of flexible and modern space to cater to all types of groups. Existing conditions had lower ceiling heights, so we implemented ceiling design and lighting solutions to elevate the space. Recessed roller shades on floor-to-ceiling windows show off the city’s parks, skyscrapers, and nightlife, turning the city into a focal point.

Dynamite

Inspired by Omaha’s historic booms, The Farnam’s signature restaurant tells the story of a lit fuse and the detonation of bold flavor. At Dynamite, the modern industrial aesthetic of the hotel interior is brought to an elevated experience with a focus on the process and flavor profile of smoked meats and open flame. Inside, rustic details are executed with playful artistry— positioning the restaurant as a vibrant yet hearty downtown experience far from its no-frills competition. Dynamite offers guests wood-fired and smoked meats with a twist, and a taste of old and new—a familiar meal with unexpected style in a wild, creative environment. In addition to creating the brand narrative, we crafted advertising copy including a set of headlines: Bold style, explosive flavor. Wood-fired and smoked meets with a bang. Bursting with flavor.

The branding incorporates elements inspired by dynamite and flame—like a dotted texture that draws from match strike paper. The logo is inspired by dynamite packaging as well as butcher labels, tying together the restaurant’s brand story and its menu offerings. Butcher-inspired stamps and rules of varying styles add visual interest. A bold color palette combines a smoky gray with vibrant reds.

Gettys Interiors sought to capture the local spirit and energy of Omaha’s great thinkers and pay homage to the locale’s culinary delights. The bar and open kitchen highlight the meat smoker, a prominent design element that brings the sights, smells and heat of a real fire to the restaurant. The central feature is a custom ceiling graphic and light fixture sending ripples of energy, light, and shrapnel in all directions—just like an actual explosion.

The private dining room’s dramatic art installation is made of charred beams salvaged from the nearby M’s Pub explosion and fire in 2016. Light features throughout Dynamite’s interiors are inspired by the radial energy created by Omaha’s booms. Our outdoor dining space features FF&E inspired by Dynamite’s booming industrial spirit and boasts views of the new Gene Leahy Mall across the street. Omaha’s patio season may be short, but locals make the most of it.

Catalyst

Some great ideas don’t start with a boom; they’re the result of small insights—chance observations and realizations—that add up to something bigger. Catalyst celebrates the quiet moments of discovery that can happen when guests leave themselves open to chance: happening upon their new favorite cocktail, finding that ideal perch for Old Market people-watching, a local seeing their hometown from a fresh perspective. Here, each guest has an opportunity to stumble upon the billion-dollar idea: that this is the ideal place to enjoy Omaha. Our team crafted a set of advertising headlines to communicate the brand’s messaging to the market: Celebrating small moments with big flavor. A toast—to your next great idea. Old Market’s new flavor.

A custom monogram is inspired by the geometric structure of chemical compounds, echoing the architectural angles of the building. The minimal, geometric typeface of the logo complements the mark. A set of custom geometric patterns tie the branding together.