11,000 SQFT
USA
Set on five forested acres in Hunting Valley, where the Cleveland elite reside, rural, private, prestigious, old money feel in a rural landscape. Complete contrast in Ohio, this seasonal retreat was conceived as a bright, Midwestern counterpoint to the owners’ primary residence abroad. With winters that can linger from November through March, the brief called for a home that would banish overcast gloom while still embracing the region’s lush summers. Expanses of glass, luminous brass detailing, and light-reflective finishes create an airy, hotel-like atmosphere, allowing the couple to savour sweeping woodland views when they visit, and to share the property with their extended family when holidays roll around.
The first design challenge was balancing year-round brilliance with winter warmth. To offset Cleveland’s six months of grey skies, the team introduced floor-to-ceiling glazing oriented for maximum daylight, then tempered that brightness with toned-down walnut millwork, burnished metal trims, and a high-performance envelope that retains heat. By day, sunlight bounces across pale timber floors and brass accents; by night, a layered lighting plan and energy-efficient fireplace systems sustain a cosy glow without compromising the crisp, modern palette.
A second hurdle involved scale: the owners wanted intimate corners for just two people yet generous rooms for multigenerational gatherings. The solution was a flexible floor plan that clusters private suites around a soaring central volume. Operable walls, dual kitchens, and covered terraces blur interior-exterior boundaries, expanding social areas for summer cookouts while allowing wings of the house to close off in winter, conserving energy and creating snug refuges.
Finally, the steep, four-level site demanded clever vertical circulation and neighbour-friendly privacy. A sculptural spiral staircase, wraps a glass-lined elevator, turning a structural necessity into a sculptural focal point that anchors every floor. Custom art-grade glazing along tight boundary lines diffuses sight-lines, filters sunlight, and becomes an ever-changing artwork in its own right. Together, these solutions transform environmental and spatial constraints into a luminous, welcoming retreat that feels both grand and deeply personal, perfect for quiet winters and lively summer reunions alike.
