TUSCAN ESCAPE
photo by Janaya Burrell
H. Everson Designs provides both design and project management services while personalizing environments for their clients. Holly Everson and her team have spent years perfecting their craft and have become well known for creating stunning, functional, and comfortable spaces for homes and businesses.
Elevate your outdoor space into a luxurious retreat with our expert interior and exterior design services for custom pool houses and outdoor living areas. Whether you’re dreaming of a stylish lounge, a functional guest suite, or the ultimate entertainment hub, we bring your vision to life — seamlessly blending beauty and function.
3900 Medina Rd. in the Montrose Plaza Next to Vicious Biscuit
20 | TUSCAN POOL | photo by Janaya Burrell
by Colin Baker and illustration by Cameron Gorman
UNINVITED GUEST
THIS WINTER, WILDLIFE MADE ITSELF AT HOME IN MY ATTIC.
During one of this past February’s big flurries, I ended up with a thick layer of snow on my roof. As expected, my gutters froze over with ice — a common issue when warm air from the house melts the snow, only for the water to refreeze at the edges. I didn’t think much of it. It’d happened plenty of times before.
This time, though, my gutter didn’t just ice over — it came crashing down onto my deck with a thud so loud it sounded like a car fell off the roof. My reaction? Great. I’ll have to fix that soon.
Later that day, I bundled up and stepped outside in subzero temperatures to assess the damage. Not only had the gutter torn away but part of the siding had come off too — leaving a gaping hole where I could see straight into my attic. There was no way I was dealing with that in the cold.
A few days later, I was lying in bed when I heard movement in the attic — definitely bigger than a mouse. Maybe it was a squirrel or a chipmunk. It was still too cold to do anything, but the next day, I decided to take a peek.
My attic isn’t easy to access. The pull-down stairs are tucked in a tight hallway, so I don’t go up there very often. When I finally opened the door and scanned the space, I was met with two glowing eyes staring back at me: a raccoon. I quickly shut the stairs. This was officially above my skill level.
Luckily, the universe must have known I needed help. My sister, Jessica, handed me the card of a friend who traps wildlife. Enter Steve Hope of Brookside Wildlife Control.
The next day, when he showed up, the plan seemed simple: Chase the raccoon out, then seal up the opening. Logical enough.
Hope spent about 20 minutes in the attic. When he finally came down, I half-expected him to be holding
the raccoon by the scruff. That didn’t happen. Instead, he told me the raccoon had taken off — but he wasn’t sure if it had actually left the house. We took our chances, sealed up the hole, and set up live traps and a motion-activated camera — just in case.
That night, I heard it. The raccoon was still there, rustling around. Hope sent me a screenshot from the motion camera — there it was, standing by the trap, probably laughing at us for thinking it had left.
I could also hear it in the attic, trying to dig its way out like a drunken rock star trashing a hotel room. At that point, I had no choice but to climb back up, remove the board, and give it another shot. Then Hope came back to adjust the traps and camera. This time, we must have spooked the raccoon enough for it to leave on its own. We sealed up the attic. Since then, there have been no more noises.
After telling this story to a few friends, I heard all kinds of wild raccoon tales. They’re clever little creatures with sneaky hands and nighttime antics. It’s amazing that — in just a couple of days — one found its way into my attic.
I’m genuinely grateful to Hope for handling the situation with minimal disruption to my life. If you have a critter problem, call Brookside. This isn’t a paid plug — just my way of saying thanks for being able to sleep soundly without any uninvited critters afoot.
a supplement to Akron Life magazine
Publisher COLIN BAKER cbaker@bakermediagroup.com
Editor-in-Chief
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Graphic Designers
JAMES JARNOT FRAN SHERMAN
Contributing Writer
SHARON BEST
Contributing Photographer
DEANA PETERSEN
Sales
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Editorial Intern KALEB CLARK
spring 2025 | volume 7 | issue 1
33O HOMES is published by Baker Media Group, LLC, 1653 Merriman Road, Suite 116, Akron, OH 44313. Copyright 2025© by Baker Media Group, LLC, All rights reserved. Reproduction or use of editorial or pictorial content in any manner is prohibited without written permission. Unsolicited manuscripts will not be returned unless accompanied by an addressed envelope and sufficient postage. Baker Media Group, LLC and Akron Life accept no responsibility for unsolicited material. Subscription rates: Continental U.S., One year —$19.95, Two years —$34.95. Call for Alaska, Hawaii or international rates. Single issues available by calling the circulation department or visiting akronlife.com/store. $4.95 each plus $3.50 shipping & handling. Editorial, advertising and business offices: (330) 253-0056, fax (330) 253-5868.
by SHARON BEST and photos by LISA BUIE
TOTAL TRANSFORMATION
A FLOOR-TO-CEILING CUSTOM LIBRARY ADDS GRANDEUR.
Turning
a nondescript
16-by-14-foot room into a Victorian library meant resetting the clock on design styles.
When Medina homeowners approached Architectural Justice interior designer Danielle Midlik about transforming a typical spare room into a distinct library for their cherished media collection, she was up to the task. Having worked with Midlik on other projects, the homeowners shared their vision of floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, arranged in very specific sizes to accommodate books, CDs and DVDs they had collected. The room also had to fit an electric keyboard housed in what looks like a baby grand piano. In terms of design, tin ceiling tiles caught the clients’ eyes. “We took those as inspiration for color and tone,” Midlik says.
The transformation began in fall 2023 and lasted through early spring 2024. The result? “It’s like stepping back in time,” she says.
Beautiful
Built-ins:
Midlik added distressed hickory floors to stay cohesive with flooring in the rest of the home. But choosing a wood type for the built-in bookcases was trickier — the homeowners wanted to avoid anything that looked too modern or Colonial.
Ultimately, red oak was the best choice. It hit the sweet spot for both aesthetics and material costs. The custom stain toned down any hints of orange to achieve a rich, historic look on the
shelves, ladder, doors and window shutters.
Elegant Ceiling: The Gilded Age-style tin ceiling tiles are perfectly centered in a simple flat red oak border, joined to red oak crown molding and the topmost bookcase shelves. This creates a sense of height that draws the eye upward.
“The room is very grand, so it needed that uplifting element to be a focal point,” Midlik says.
Thin strips of molding frame each tile, and
an ornamental finial completes each intersection. A silver brushed bronze finish on the tiles gives off a soft metallic glint that reflects ambient light.
“It’s a very ornate pattern,” Midlik says.
“We drew inspiration from that to create something that feels like it's been there for a very long time.”
Mood Lighting: The room’s light sources are drum-shaded sconces mounted on casework partitions, table lamps and natural light when the shutters are opened.
“We didn’t want any overhead light to keep that cozy vibe,” Midlik notes.
Other ways illumination sneaks into the room include windows in the double French red oak doors from the hallway and the single red oak door leading to the walk-in-closetturned-office.
Plus, the soft blue wallpaper the homeowners chose for both spaces features crushed glass in its damask pattern, adding subtle reflectiveness.
Fine Finishes: The homeowners completed the library’s classic look with traditional furnishings, including a family heirloom marble-topped coffee table and a tufted love seat upholstered in regal red velvet.
Echoing the light and dark tones of the tin ceiling tiles, oil-rubbed bronze hardware recedes from view on functional elements, like the ladder and shutters, whereas more decorative items — like gold shelf corbels, Victorianinspired porcelain doorknobs and cast bronze cabinet hardware with a gold finish that will patina over time — command attention.
“I like mixing metals,” Midlik says. “It creates more depth and interest.”
by CAMERON GORMAN and photos by DEANA PETERSEN
GROW AND GATHER
PLANT AND PRESENT BACKYARD BLOOMS IN STUNNING FLORAL ARRANGEMENTS.
The green-thumbed among us know that gardening is more than just a physical endeavor: It’s good for the soul.
“Working with plants can boost your mood and lower your stress levels. Gardening as an activity can even be a form of exercise,” says Karlie Graf-Curwen of Graf’s Garden Shop. “Being outside and being surrounded by beauty, whether that’s flowers or vegetable plants, it can be really healthy for all of us.”
Nurturing your own garden is both an active pursuit and an art form, especially with cut flower gardens. By planting and harvesting your own blooms, you can create beautiful, custom floral arrangements.
“What you can grow is going to vary,” Graf-Curwen says. “It’s OK to experiment
and explore.”
Though no two flower beds are the same, these tips can help you shape your own beautiful garden.
Growing Your Flowers
If you’re seeking to plant a cut flower garden, it’s crucial to begin with an evaluation of the amount of sunlight in your yard.
“How much sunlight people receive really guides what they can grow. It’s really important to look at your garden and say, OK, I’m receiving sunlight for this many hours,” Graf-Curwen says. “That light component is really key in determining what plants will successfully grow.”
Those with shaded landscapes (four hours or less of direct sunlight) should opt for shade-loving plants, like ferns, while those with sunlight-flooded plots can spring for ray-loving
flowers like lavender, an herb which requires full sun. (Full sun is six hours or more of direct sunlight, and part sun-part shade is four to six hours of direct sunlight.)
Also important to note is soil quality. Graf-Curwen recommends amending your soil with nutrient-rich materials such as compost or Sweet Peet. These help feed the plants, as well as break up any clay.
“Clay soil means that it can hold on to extra moisture,” she says. “By lightening it up and adding other organic matter, it breaks up that clay and allows roots to grow.”
As your flowers blossom, make sure to water them properly. The amount of water needed depends on the type of plant — check seed packet labels or plant tags — and weather conditions.
“The weather is going to guide how much water they
need, so if we’re getting steady rainfall, they may only have to water a few times a week,” Graf-Curwen says. “If it’s 90 with no rain … they may need water every day or every other day.”
As you're cutting your flowers, place the harvested stems in a bucket of fresh, cool water. This will allow them to soak up the H20 more thoroughly.
Here are some flowers and plants that are easy to grow in Ohio gardens and look beautiful in floral arrangements.
Celosias
Also known as cockscombs, these plush flowers are great for drying. “They are a sun-loving annual, and they are very easy to grow,” GrafCurwen says. “They come in all different colors, and they have excellent vase life.”
Plant once soil temperatures are 55 degrees or higher.
Hostas
Wide-leaved, banded plants that produce lavender- or white-colored flowers, hostas are ideal for gardens in part sunlight or part shade to full shade. “They are excellent to put into arrangements, because they hold up for a really long time,” Graf-Curwen notes. “Their big leaves come in so many different colors … blue-greens, yellow-greens.” These perennials are low maintenance, but she warns of one pitfall: Deer love them. “If you have a garden that can be easily snacked on, hosta might not be the choice for you,” she says. Hostas can be planted throughout most of the year.
Irises
Though a smaller-flowered version is usually the type used in floral arranging, irises come in all shapes and sizes. Choose from purples, yellows, oranges and more — but make sure to plant these full-to-partsun-loving perennials early. “Most flower in the spring,” she notes.
Sunflowers
As their name suggests, sunflowers are full-sun-loving annuals — and easy to grow from seeds. “There are so many varieties of sunflowers to explore, from red ones to lime green ones to, of course, yellow and even orange ones,” Graf-Curwen says. Sunflowers can be grown in succession: planted and harvested in waves, providing you with a steady supply of blooms. Plant once soil temperatures are higher than 50 degrees.
Snapdragons
These delicate, blushed annuals can be grown from seeds or plants. “You want to make sure that you actually snip them back right before their first set of blooms,” she notes. “It helps strengthen the plant. … They’ll be able to produce more flowers.” (Do this when the plant is around six to eight inches tall.) Snapdragons, which are full-sunlight-loving and cool-tolerant, come in shorter sizes. Choose a taller variety for use in a vase. Ohioans should plant them in the spring.
Yarrow
These full-to-part-sunlight-loving perennials are an excellent choice for cut flower gardens and are easy to nurture. “They come in vibrant pinks and yellows to muted oranges and corals,” Graf-Curwen notes. “They can get a little top-heavy with their flowers. … We would recommend people stake them up or use a plant prop to keep them upright, so they don’t topple if we get heavy rain.” Plant from spring to fall.
Arranging Your Flowers
Floral arrangements are timeless objects of beauty — from centerpieces to bouquets, they evoke positive emotions.
“Flowers are very sentimental to people,” says Gregg Lauck, florist and owner of the Greenhouse in Hudson. “When they’re given the gift of flowers, it does trigger this beautiful response in their brain. … It’s so warm and inviting to come home to that.”
When arranging your cut flowers, Lauck emphasizes the importance of
keeping things fresh. Changing vase water daily is vital, and cutting stems at an angle is key.
“If you have a stem and you cut it straight across, the surface that’s going to be getting water is just this circular surface,” he says. “But if you take that same stem and you cut it at a 45-degree angle, the amount of surface … is much greater.”
Using your own flowers in an arrangement adds an extra touch of personality. After growing the selections above (and buying the rest from a florist), try these four ways to use your gatherings to maximum effect — livening up your home.
Arrangement 1
Hosta leaves, ferns, sawtooth buckthorns, ninebarks and lemon balms
Make use of foliage with this lush arrangement. “I love the different textures and colors of the greenery,” Lauck says. Place pre-soaked design foam and water in your vessel, then
start by anchoring larger hosta leaves in the foam. “If you want the leaves to hold a certain angle, or you want the leaves to actually not fall out of the container, then you need floral foam,” he says. Cut your stems at heights that fit your vessel. Add your ferns, and, finally, tuck in smaller stems.
Arrangement 2
Yarrow, sedums and hosta blossoms
If you’re searching for a simple, elegant way to bring the outdoors in, a grouping of vases may be your best bet. “If you just have one or two blossoms of one item … this is the perfect example,” Lauck says. These paler colors blend nicely. “It creates ambience. It creates a mood. It creates a setting.” Simply cut your flowers at a severe angle, find a clear vase and place them in fresh water.
Arrangement 3
Yarrow, ferns and iris pods, lavender and alliums, lemon balms and celosias
These flowers stun in simple clusters and their own vases. “Just a few choice flowers or greens … turns into this lovely design,” says Lauck. This arrangement could last a week or longer and features stems as a design element. “You want there to be some unexpectedness.”
Arrangement 4
Hosta leaves and blossoms, goldenrod, snapdragons, celosias, sunflowers and variegated grass
This vivid bunch of flowers conjures summer. Amongst the pinks and yellows, grass is rolled and tucked into floral foam, creating a unique accent. To make it, follow the same initial steps as the first arrangement (with floral foam), then work your way from the largest pieces to the smallest. “You’re actually just wanting to fill in the bouquet, fill in the voids,” he says. Sunflowers, which provide strong bursts of contrasting color, are some of Lauck’s favorites. “It’s bright, sunny and cheerful,” he says.
Selecting Silks
Arrange flowers in a flash by buying silk blooms.
If you don’t have the space or time to devote to growing flowers, consider creating an arrangement using silk florals. “Silks have a lot more forgiveness, because you can bend and cut the stems. You can mold them. They don’t break like a fresh flower does,” says Gregg Lauck, florist and owner of the Greenhouse in Hudson. Here are tips on shopping for silk florals.
Know Your Budget
There are different levels of silk florals, from cheaper versions to intricately detailed iterations, so find the best within your budget. The Greenhouse sources its false blossoms from AmericasMart Atlanta, which sells to wholesale buyers. “Everything that’s in the showroom is really the highest end of artificial florals you can get,” Lauck says. “They’re pricey, but they are realistic looking, and they will last forever.” Beginners may want to start with their local craft store.
Prioritize Realism
When searching for the perfect silk flowers, Lauck often seeks out lifelike blooms. “I tend to buy flowers that look realistic,” he says. “I don’t really care what they are, as long as they are the best representation of what that flower is.” Some of the most naturalistic silks are known as “real touch” flowers, which feel soft like the real thing.
Stay Flexible
Lauck is always looking for new options. “I go with an open mind,” he says. “Now, do we always get hydrangea? Yes. Do we always get roses? Yes. … But there’s always things that do surprise me, and manufacturers are always coming up with new techniques.”
by CAMERON GORMAN
photos by 12 STONES PHOTOGRAPHY
Lakeside LIVING
A modern Portage Lakes house embodies natural glamour.
For 20 years, Gary Muravin longed to live near a recreational body of water. The Cleveland area native knew he wanted the ideal waterfront vista: A contemporary home in which he, his wife and his two daughters, now 16 and 11, could enjoy the water and live peaceful lives. In Ohio, he wasn’t sure the vision existed.
“Three years before we found this property, we bought our house in Hudson, and I thought that was gonna be it. This is where I’m gonna grow old,” says Muravin, who owns and operates a real estate brokerage with his wife. “Kind of gave up on the dream.”
But in 2020, Muravin’s wife scheduled showings of a few Portage Lakes properties. The last house on their list, a modern home wrapped in the East Reservoir on three sides, immediately captured his interest. “I just stand there for liter-
ally a minute, and I tell my wife, Whatever we have to do — we have to buy this house today,” Muravin recounts. “That evening, we were under contract.”
The Muravins loved the lake lifestyle so much that they decided to make the property their main home — asking Sadie Beachy, principal at S. Flynn Design & Build in Millersburg, to transform it into the residence of their dreams. With a dramatic, contemporary redesign — and an approxi-
mately 600-square-foot three-story addition to the basement, main floor and upper floor, as well as an upstairs bathroom addition — they got their wish, moving into the now-2,500-squarefoot home in 2021.
“The windows stayed, but other than that, we had complete freedom,” Beachy says. “We were able to touch [nearly] every material in the house.”
Now, the home is a beacon of Midwest coastal beauty. Entering through a
custom white oak pivot door, guests encounter a floating white oak staircase and brass-inlaid gray-and-white marble tile flooring — immediately setting a tone of modern glamour. The door and staircase materials came from Amish Country, as did several other elements used in the project.
“The door design actually came after the tiles,” says Brooke Troyer, a lead designer at S. Flynn. “It’s just a complete wow moment.”
Large floor-to-ceiling windows on either side of the door create an unbroken sight line to the lake and flood the space with light.
“The scale and style and magnitude of it really allowed them to create some curb appeal on the outside as well,” Beachy notes.
Past the entryway, the two-story open-concept living room offers easy access to the kitchen and dining area. An Amishmade soundproof glass wall allows guests to see into the second floor’s home office, expanding the space further, while a two-story raw steel-faced gas fireplace — built into a storage and entertainment center — adds an accent of metal. It’s echoed in a glittering, halo-shaped light fixture.
“That steel, when it’s heated, takes on … its own unique design,” Muravin says of the fireplace.
S. Flynn also installed beams for the room’s vaulted ceiling, colormatched to the custom
stained, Amish-made white oak floor. They jut over a white-painted cabinet-and-reading nook combination.
“A little reading nook with some sconces and some artwork … it definitely added a little bit of comfort and dynamic to the angled ceiling,” says Troyer.
In the kitchen, enclosed appliances mimic the clean, waterfall-edged white quartz island. Hosting a brass faucet — which mirrors a brass hood — and more storage space underneath, the island creates further room for prep work. Navy cabinets, built locally in Amish Country, replicate the color of the quartz’s veining — as do plush blue chairs in the attached dining space.
“We do a ton of cooking in there, a ton of entertaining,” Muravin shares. “When it’s not beautiful weather outside, you’re kind of congregating around the kitchen. And that kitchen is open to the rest of the first floor.”
From the attached dining space, slide open a glass door to step into a combination pantry and laundry room with a striking diamond-patterned tile floor. Built for functionality, it features a serving bar. The first floor also includes a mudroom, complete with a wooden sculptural element.
“We have the quartz counter as the seat, which is really neat,” Beachy says. “The husband loves the rich wood tones. We
did this creative installation here with the different varying pieces of white oak. … We reiterated that upstairs.”
Also on the first floor is a half bathroom, featuring a patterned blue concrete sink.
“We’re on the lake. They also have a pool. Family and friends are coming and going,” says Beachy. “If water splashes or sits, they want to make sure all the materials are going to be OK. So that’s why we did that tile wall halfway up. It also adds some great visual interest and fun. We like to pack a punch in guest bathrooms.”
Beyond the half-bath, the main bedroom sprawls — ample space and a lofty ceiling create an airy feeling, complete with a walk-out deck.
“They really wanted this to be its own retreat. So as soon as you walk through the master, you get hit with views of the lake,” Beachy says.” We added beautiful beams that follow the ceiling line. It was a natural fit. There were really stark, geometric ceilings, and the beams complement it so well.”
Softly striped neutral wallpaper with metallic flecks behind the bed leans into the glamorous aesthetic of the home, while the bathroom evokes a spa — Muravin’s wife’s vision — with a large, glassenclosed steam shower.
“The shower is definitely the focus,” Beachy says. “The pebble tile is really nice. It leans toward that spa feeling she wanted, but it also kind of massages your feet.”
Minimalist dual vanities continue the calming theme, crowned with quartz countertops.
“We intentionally did a chunkier, larger profile to get
a little bit of that glam and higher-end luxury feeling that the wife liked,” says Beachy. “Quartz — we love wherever we can put it. … It is so strong and durable.”
Upstairs, a glassenclosed office, an additional bathroom and two more bedrooms expand the family’s living space.
“We needed a nice office where we could really focus in on our work,” Muravin says. “I didn’t really want to close it off in just drywall. And so that’s where the idea came up with glass.” Those bedrooms belong to the Muravins’ daughters. Both are minimalistic — one with built-in shelving and another with a unique 3D blue accent wall — and feature plenty of storage space to grow into. Their bathroom com-
bines playful elements, such as brass drawer pulls and blue subway shower tiles, with a neutral color palette.
“They wanted something more fun and energetic, something that the girls would be proud of,” says Beachy. “We have the blue specks right in the terrazzo flooring. … We’ve mixed metals, so we’ve got black plumbing fixtures on the sinks and in the shower, with the black mirrors. But then all the cabinet hardware — the lights — is brass. Those are the elements that we’ve been carrying throughout.”
Finally, descend to the basement to find a chic lounge area, bar, bathroom and gym. A large, circular, blue velvetupholstered white oak booth, crowned with a crystal-drip light fixture, allows guests to kick back
CLOSER LOOK
Inside the dual-purpose pantry and laundry room, a beverage station provides easy access to wine and tea.
with a drink — and is completely custom.
“We designed it from scratch. We were able to do that brass toe kick underneath just to give a little bit more glam,” says Troyer.
The quartz-topped white oak bar, with brass and black hardware, features working tap handles and another prep sink. All fronted in white oak, a mini refrigerator, ice machine, two fridge doors and a dishwasher make the area perfect for parties. “There’s a lot of functionality," says Muravin.
Today, Muravin and his family enjoy living full-time in their lakeside home — able to paddleboard, swim and kayak like he only once dreamed about.
“I am huge on outdoor activities,” he says. “It’s readily available. In that sense, it’s worked wonders for us.”
“This pantry has a little prep sink in it, with a dualzone wine fridge and then a spot for her English kettle and easy-grab glasses on the black floating shelf,” says Sadie Beachy, principal at S. Flynn Design & Build. “The same quartz that was out in the kitchen is in the pantry, and it goes up the backsplash to unify the spaces together. But then we have black metal floating shelves and black hardware to hit at those industrial elements that the husband really liked.”
Pale blue cabinetry keeps the space airy and light, while diamond-patterned cement tilework on the floor echoes design choices throughout the house.
“We didn’t want to go too dark, because … it’s a small space,” Beachy says. “The pale cabinets — the same cabinet fronts that you see out in the kitchen — it’s what we call a slim shaker. A nice modern look.”
Easy to access, the area gets plenty of use.
“I love the fact that it’s not a far walk," says homeowner Gary Muravin. "It’s just right there."
by SHARON BEST and photos by JANAYA BURRELL
TUSCAN LUXURY
NATURAL MATERIALS
AND UPSCALE AMENITIES BRING AN ITALIAN VISION TO LIFE.
In Northeast Ohio, it’s a tall order to create an outdoor oasis that evokes an Italian villa. But Alair Homes project manager Tony Ponikvar dove into the challenge with gusto. Aurora homeowners envisioned entertaining in their backyard, which borders a golf course — but it contained little more than a small screened porch, a wooden deck and an expanse of grass.
The family’s Italian native matriarch wanted the space to remind her of her homeland.
Ponikvar helped the homeowners realize a nearly 5,000-square-foot alfresco escape that serves as an extension of their home — and delivers the quiet luxury of a five-star Tuscan resort with stucco walls, natural stone accents and high-end amenities.
“It’s meant to expand the inside of the house to the outside and connect the two spaces,” he notes.
Playful Pool: A custom 40-by-20-foot heated swimming pool is the focal point of the outdoor living space. The pool and a nearby hot tub are surrounded by limestone pavers for a serene, natural vibe. Curtain waterfalls and arched fountains add visual and sound effects while circulating the pool’s water.
“The homeowner’s big into tech,” Ponikvar says, so the fountains, a double-sided exterior gas fireplace, a lounge fire table and exterior lighting can all be controlled from an app or the home’s Amazon
Alexa assistant. “The whole outside is basically a smart area.”
Creative Cucina:
Though the outdoor kitchen is not heated or cooled, its enclosed design — with bifold glass doors that open to the outdoors — welcomes off-season use. “You fire the pizza oven up,” Ponikvar says, “and it’ll get that room warm!”
The unique pizza oven features glass mosaic tiles that change color under different lighting, and the convenience of dual-fuel operation — gas or wood, depending on the chef’s preference. Additional amenities include a builtin grill, two drawer-style refrigerators, an exteriorgrade dishwasher and
under-sink storage, all in low-maintenance stainless steel.
Custom-stained tongueand-groove oak woodwork softens the hard surfaces of the space — and matches the two-story ceiling of the adjoining sunken square seating area, which includes a gas fire table. Lowering the
elevation of that space allows for a clear sight line from the main house to the outdoors.
Gorgeous Pool House:
A separate pool house offers year-round convenience. In the summer, a full indoor bathroom — featuring a no-step, glass-walled shower, ceramic floor tiles and a custom wood vanity — and
outdoor shower keep bathers comfortable while containing messes. Plus, a stainless-steel mini-fridge, shelving and cabinets below a bar area ensure everything from sunscreen and towels to drinks and snacks are within reach. In the off-season, storage space discreetly hides pool
supplies and furniture. The stucco and stone facade, accented by a black trellis roof, coordinates seamlessly with the home’s exterior.
Par for the Course:
While much of the project’s design stemmed from the matriarch’s Italian heritage, one area highlights her husband’s favorite pastime: a private putting green. “He loves golf,” Ponikvar says, “[but] you’ll see the kids using it too.” The three-hole practice spot requires little maintenance, as it’s made of synthetic field turf in two sizes, emulating both a fairway and a green.
Light Landscaping: Ponikvar approached landscaping with a light touch to keep it low maintenance and harmonize with the surroundings.
Olive and lemon trees in planters add a dash of Mediterranean authenticity and can easily be moved indoors for Ohio winters. A stone wall features phantom hydrangeas with room to grow. Tidy rows of boxwood bushes frame the entire outdoor expanse, and Mexican blue stone rock beds balance the brilliant water features.
“Being reserved with the landscape helps it integrate nicely into the golf course,” he says. “It’s an accent more than a feature.”
by SHARON BEST
photos by BERT SLONE
Marvelous SIGHT
A retired architect and his wife design a unique home.
Bert and Kelly Slone’s custom retirement home almost didn't become a reality.
In 2020, as the couple was planning to build a home in Kent, Kelly became sick with an unknown illness. By September, she was bedridden. Bert insisted she be hospitalized. A diagnosis of stage four non-Hodgkin lymphoma came two days before they were scheduled to close on the Kent property deal.
“They said if I hadn’t received the chemo right away, I would have died,” Kelly says.
The couple canceled the project and devoted their time to Kelly’s treatment and recovery.
Bert remained her steadfast caregiver. But he quietly set aside his dream of designing a custom home in order to focus on Kelly's health.
“I said, We could just buy a standard house or a condo, [but] I’ll have to kill something inside me,” he recalls.
After her oncologist declared her in remission on March 19, 2021, Kelly was ready to dive back in. “I knew that building a retirement home was in Bert’s heart, and I wanted to fulfill that for him,” she says.
While Bert’s architecture career concentrated on commercial building system performance, he has
enjoyed drawing house plans too. Because he designed and built the Twin Lakes home he occupied for 30 years, creating the floor plan himself felt right. Bert loved the clean, simple lines of the midcentury modern style, and retired pharmaceutical representative Kelly had dreamed of a courtyard. They both wanted minimalist decor and a downsized home where they could age in place.
An open, flowing, one-story
floor plan — organized in a doughnut shape around a central courtyard with a nearly-flat roof, extra-wide passageways and tons of natural light — is the result. Their 2,845-squarefoot ranch home on the edge of Mogadore, with a 702-square-foot central courtyard, was completed in December 2023.
“We fit the house to us, rather than fitting us to a house,” Bert says.
The couple’s outsidethe-box ideas made it challenging to bring their unusual vision to fruition.
Several homeowners’ associations turned them down, so they broadened their search to residential infill lots — vacant spaces amid older homes in established neighborhoods. Finally, one lot checked all their boxes: flat land, mature trees, city sewer and water services and an eclectic mix of 1960s and ‘70s one- and two-story neighbors.
The couple interviewed six different builders, searching for the right fit. “There’s a lot of details that aren’t complicated — just nonstandard," Bert says.
The foundation, for example, includes 37 corners — whereas a typical house involves only four or eight. Plus, Bert’s midcentury modern vision required a different roof than the more common gabled, mansard and hip varieties. “Some builders looked at this house and saw something they hadn't ever built,” he says.
Enter Shultz Design & Construction. Bert
remembers Darren and Drew Shultz, the secondgeneration owners, saying, This is exactly the kind of thing we make our reputation on!
The custom builders welcomed every unique feature, going above and beyond to find ways to bring the Slones’ vision to life — like locating a truss manufacturer in western Pennsylvania that could accommodate the quarterinch-per-foot roof slope that is up to code for drainage but appears almost flat behind a black aluminum fascia. They also worked with Moisture-Guard Corp. — the pros who reroofed the original Akron Airdock — to install a single-ply EPDM roof, comprised of nylon-reinforced rubber that’s watertight and incredibly durable. While the exterior is typical gray vinyl siding with accents of brownish-gray manufactured stone veneer, its unique architecture draws attention — as do its wavy landscaping beds by Tom Fitting Landscape and Design.
“They made our dream come true,” Kelly says.
Bert dubbed their home “Bright Eyeland” because his nickname for Kelly is “Bright Eyes.” The home reflects the sense of escape they achieved by arranging their indoor spaces around an openair courtyard.
“Our neighbors are wonderful, but it’s nice to go outside and not be on display,” he says, gesturing toward the courtyard. “I truly did envision
that as an island.”
With stamped and colored concrete flooring, large windows and doors to the interior on three sides — plus stone veneer that matches the indoor fireplace and a Don Drumm smiling sun face on one wall — the courtyard is an alfresco extension of the couple’s living space.
The glass-enclosed 10-by-25-foot entryway, which Bert calls “the portal,” is eye-catching. Double glass doors face the stamped concrete driveway, so visitors don’t have to walk around to the front. The black fascia roofline juts out like a cantilever above
two-sided wraparound cement steps. A Doric column simplified the roof’s engineering, while cladding it in lightcolored wood created a bold visual statement.
A traditional ceilingmounted porch swing hangs inside, positioned toward the street.
“I said, Let’s do something a little different — make it a place you can enjoy fully protected,” Bert recalls.
“It’s relaxing,” Kelly says, noting how the swing helps her feel like part of the neighborhood. “I like waving at people as they go down the street. They honk and wave back.”
Starting in the por-
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tal, Kelly’s daily indoor walks circle the kitchen, continue down the wide hallway past the living area and oak pool table (which Bert designed), pass the guest room, home office and laundry room, and make a turn in Kelly’s boudoir — her dressing room filled with built-in shelves and a private powder room — to return in a loop. “We made sure when we were designing it that we had a walkway so I could walk every day in any weather,” Kelly notes.
Kelly’s health scare inspired the Slones to make architectural choices that could allow them to stay in the
Passersby are constantly curious about the Slones’ unconventional house. Most simply slow down as they drive by or stop to snap a couple of pictures. But some have walked right up the driveway, into the courtyard and peered into the home.
“Only a very few have been so bold as to put their face against the glass,” homeowner Bert Slone notes.
When the home was finished, Bert added a security gate to the courtyard, incorporating a design that harmonized with the architecture.
About six months after their January 2024 move-in, the pair tapped Glas Ornamental Metals of Barberton to fabricate and install a stylized gate — welded from lowmaintenance aluminum bar, tube and plate. Its composition of rectangular shapes and gridwork elevates both form and function.
home as they advance into their 70s and beyond. Generously sized hallways and doorways could accommodate a wheelchair or walker, and luxury vinyl tile, with a look of slate that’s cohesive throughout most of the home, would be easier to navigate with a walker than carpet. The main bath features watertight ceramic gray floor and wall tiles that continue the slate look, plus a no-door, no-step shower that could easily accommodate accessible grab bars.
Kelly chose a calming, simply elegant palette of gray, black and white tones that gives their interior design a clean,
uncluttered look.
“It’s serene and quiet,” says Kelly, who loves how the matte gray appliances complement the custom-built dark-gray cabinetry and swirling granite countertops in the kitchen and both bathrooms. The granitetopped kitchen island is sleek and modern, with ample space for dining. A contemporary take on a sliding barn door hides the sizable pantry behind frosted glass panels framed in black metal.
Sparse artpieces, such as metalworks by Don Drumm, provide minimalist decor throughout. A Drumm collage of stylized leaves graces the
thin stone veneer above the gas fireplace in the main living space, and recognizable Drumm depictions of cats and suns adorn the guest bedroom and bath.
The main bedroom boasts another 330 connection: a 2-by-8-foot sign from Kent’s former Treno Ristorante. Bert purchased the sign from the owners as a romantic gesture when the pandemic forced the eatery to close. The couple’s first date was there.
“The house draws on the industrial aesthetic of Akron,” Bert says, “and to have some Akron pieces blends that local feel.”
Minimalist decor can
come off as harsh, but the Slone home is not — thanks to Bert’s customizable LED lighting.
“I like lights you can play with,” he says. “It's like a canvas you can change every day.”
From an app on his phone, Bert toys with brightness, color and effects for cove lighting that rims the ceiling perimeter of the main living space. Neighbors notice the impact in the portal, so he can put on special shows for holidays — like a succession of red, white and blue lights last Fourth of July.
Sleek, vertical, black metal wall lights and floor lamps add accent light while dovetailing with the home’s midcentury style. Recessed LED downlights throughout the ceiling provide discreet, dimmable illumination.
Special narrow-beam spotlights above the open hallways where Kelly walks create a particularly dramatic effect on the otherwise blank slate. “They make little hot spots, like stepping stones,” Bert says.
The Slones are delighted to live in their dream retirement home — which looks and feels like a work of modern art. “I want my house to inspire me,” Bert says. “I feel something special here.”
