By TERRI GLAZER • Photography by RORY DOYLE
Blending new elements with treasured pieces, this Cleveland couple is downsizing by design
“The one goal I wanted for the house was every time I pulled up in my driveway, I wanted to have a smile on my face, and the team accomplished that. We love it.” Lynn Radicioni could not be happier with her new home.
The longtime Cleveland resident and her husband Louis decided it was time for a change in 2023. That decision didn’t come easily; they had lived in their previous home for forty-nine years. The couple loved their neighborhood, which full of young families while they were raising their three children. As their family grew, they completed several additions to the house, but as empty nesters their lifestyle changed. “We both retired and wanted to have a space that would fit our new needs,” Lynn says.
After searching for an existing home, the Radicionis made a big decision—they would buy a lot and build a new house in Cleveland’s Mockingtrail Square, a new development targeted toward home buyers looking to make a change. Says developer Chris Collins, “There was a need in Cleveland for people aged 50 and over, who wanted to downsize, to be able to do that and have a nice area. I was trying to come up with a concept that would appeal to that age group.” The owner of Roy Collins Construction teamed with local homebuilder Kim Buehring to develop the 50-lot neighborhood.
Baton Rouge-based architect Michael Hogstrom laid out the lots and drew potential floor plans that incorporated Collins’s vision. “I wanted [the houses] to be filled with light,” the developer recalls. “I told him the primary baths and bedrooms, the dens, and the kitchens had to be comparable in size to what [future owners] had in their original houses because those are the spaces they would use the most. And throughout the houses, we wanted great finishes.”
Buehring says she understands that the building process can be a bit daunting for clients. “Moving from a bigger home where they raised their families can be a hard change. We want to make their experience as easy and stress-free as possible. We want them to be excited for their transition to their new home.”
After experiencing a bit of that apprehension initially, Lynn soon came to enjoy the challenge of creating a home that would meet their specific needs. Knowing a dream team was by her side made all the difference, she says. She credits Buehring for making the construction process a breeze. “Kim was instrumental to success in the day-to-day building process. Any questions or concerns Louis and I had she addressed immediately.”
Hogstrom created a custom plan that accommodated the Radicionis’ desire for an open layout. Designer Judy Wilson came on board from the beginning, and her help proved invaluable, as she suggested modifications to further personalize her clients’ new home. “Being involved at the start, we were able to make small changes that had a big impact, like replacing built-in bookcases around the fireplace with windows to maximize light in the living room,” she says.
Wilson also helped the Radicionis decide what to bring from their previous home. “My other house had more walls and cabinets, and we had lots of furniture and accessories, so we really had to downsize in that respect,” says Lynn. The couple knew they wanted to keep their dining table and chairs, along with some other furniture and rugs. Wilson incorporated their treasured pieces into a design plan that respected the owners’ traditional taste while adding more modern elements for an updated feel. “Above all, the house is comfortable,” says Wilson. “Although it has some dressed-up elements, it isn’t overly serious; it’s elegant, yet casual.”
The designer achieved that ambiance in the living room by pairing a velvet sofa with a more casual seagrass rug. New additions like gold tone and glass tables blend seamlessly with some of the Radicionis’ favorite pieces collected throughout the years. An antique pub table and chairs were on the must-bring list. Nestled in a sunny corner of the room, the grouping is a favorite spot for the couple to play games or enjoy a snack with their grandchildren, who visit frequently.
The room opens to the kitchen, where crisp white wall cabinets reach to the 12-foot ceilings. Their generous scale provides abundant storage, even room for a concealed coffee bar that can be hidden when not in use to keep the sightlines clean and uncluttered.
Wilson covered the dining room walls in a subtle paper. “It creates a little soft separation in the open concept,” she says. A new acquisition, “Whirlwind,” part of the John Richard Collection, employs white leather ribbons to create the three-dimensional design. The contemporary piece looks right at home juxtaposed against the family’s Queen Anne dining set.
The mood takes on a bit more drama in the attached butler’s pantry, another spot where Wilson modified the original blueprint. Though the plans called for upper and lower cabinets, the designer deleted the uppers on one side. Art above and a pair of tall lamps on the quartz counters elevate the feel of the walk-through pantry. On the other wall, full-height cabinets, dressed up with decorative millwork and mirrored backs, complete the snazzy look and also provide plenty of storage space.
The butler’s pantry walls, trim, and cabinets are all covered in the same saturated gray-green paint. “From the beginning, we were excited about the color,” Wilson says. To create flow throughout the home, she reprised the shade on the kitchen island and in the hall bath wallpaper and fabrics.
Because the hall bath doubles as a powder room when the homeowners entertain, Wilson made sure it had an extra element of panache. In addition to the Anna French wallpaper, she chose a Matouk shower curtain in place of a glass shower door. Its graceful monogram and full floor-to-ceiling expanse soften and beautify the space. Vintage statuettes on the vanity add an unexpected touch of chinoiserie.
As in the rest of the 2,000-square-foot home, the primary bedroom, and bath are “smart-sized,” large enough to be comfortable, but with no wasted space. In the bedroom Wilson freshened up a family heirloom spindle bed and other favorite pieces collected by the Radicionis by adding new upholstery, bedding, lamps, mirrors, and drapes. “They had so many beautiful things, accessories and furniture, for us to choose from, but we didn’t want to pack this new house full,” says the designer. Lynn is a fan of the new design. “I love having more of a minimal look, but still that homey feeling.”
The primary bath includes a feature the couple waited almost fifty years to have. “We are enjoying the double sinks, for sure!” She also beams about their custom walk-in closet. Thoughtful elements like a zero-entry shower and comfort-height cabinets reflect the consideration with which the home was conceived and constructed.
Both the owners love their new home, but Louis has a special affection for the covered patio. Just off the living room, the sizable space holds an outdoor kitchen with a grill, sink, and refrigerator, as well as a seating area with a television. Lynn explains, “It was important to him to be able to cook year-round away from the elements.” An outdoor heater keeps the patio cozy in the winter; in warmer months a large ceiling fan creates airflow and a motorized screen wall keeps insects at bay.
The Radicionis say one of their favorite things about their new home goes beyond the walls of the house—they love the neighborhood. Collins agrees wholeheartedly. “There’s such a neighborly feel. [The residents] all seem to be good friends. They walk and they visit; they check on each other.”
“We’re rekindling friendships and making new ones, too,” Lynn adds with a smile. “That’s been one of the most special things about being here.”
