1 of 13
photo by Michael Timmer Photography
2 of 13
photo by Michael Timmer Photography
3 of 13
photo by Michael Timmer Photography
4 of 13
photo by Michael Timmer Photography
5 of 13
photo by Michael Timmer Photography
6 of 13
photo by Michael Timmer Photography
7 of 13
photo by Michael Timmer Photography
8 of 13
photo by Michael Timmer Photography
9 of 13
photo by Michael Timmer Photography
10 of 13
photo by Michael Timmer Photography
11 of 13
photo by Michael Timmer Photography
12 of 13
photo by Michael Timmer Photography
13 of 13
photo by Michael Timmer Photography
A reflecting pond under a red-beamed copper-wrapped pergola, the illumination of copper and glass lanterns, a waterfall, a teahouse and a far-off barn occupied by horses — this Akron home encompasses you in Japanese-inspired Zen.
Cynthia J. Hoffman Interior Design majorly renovated the home in 2015, adding on an owner’s suite with a bedroom, bathroom, sitting area and loft, relocating the kitchen and more, all with the vision of turning the formerly traditional home into a sanctuary for the couple living there.
“The wife does yoga, and she’s very much into that quiet, meditative sort of feeling,” says designer Cynthia J. Hoffman. “That’s what they wanted — a sanctuary where they can feel protected, safe and meditative.”
That mood is set in exterior details such as copper-outlined windows, smooth black stones below the back door and graduated Shou Sugi Ban siding, which is a technique using wood-burned planes of different widths championed by Japanese architect Terunobu Fujimori.
The great room immediately immerses you in that same tranquil atmosphere. Throughout, there is a neutral color palette accented with black and red, chosen to complement the natural wood of the hand-planed beams, as well as other natural materials.
“What happens with Japanese hand planes is that … you don’t have to finish it, paint it, stain it,” Hoffman says. “It burnishes the wood and reveals the true nature of the wood, and it’s absolutely beautiful.”
The couch provides a view of the reflecting pond out front, and the TV is mounted on the convex side of a floating concrete wall. On the concave side is the foyer, which has a floor with graduated slates matching both the exterior siding and the black slate fireplace in the dining area, which highlights pendant lights.
“That fireplace is such a monumental statement,” Hoffman says. “We wanted something that would be contemporary and fun, and that would really show up against that beautiful wall.”
The old-growth redwood slab dining table is set with high-back patterned host chairs and several smaller chairs in different styles that can be moved into the living area for the couple’s entertaining. The custom buffet nicknamed the “Walnut Wave” has sliding doors, a traditional Japanese style. Above it hangs a watercolor painting by California artist William E.A. Berger that incorporates the couple and their barn.
Sliding doors take you from the great room into the kitchen and breakfast nook, which used to be the sunroom. The “Sun Kitchen” features natural bamboo cabinets with sliding doors, a soapstone counter, a bamboo bookshelf for cookbooks and a black-and-gray mosaic backsplash with pops of red. In the breakfast nook, the built-in seating is augmented by repurposed painted piano stools. Together, the areas are “contemporary with a Japanese aesthetic,” linked by a real linoleum floor.
“We used all-natural fibers wherever possible,” Hoffman says, referencing the wool, linoleum and wood used throughout the house.
Before the renovations, the couple had a very small bedroom, and they wanted their new one to have a view of their backyard. They now have that view upstairs in the room that employs neutral colors, hand-planed beams and an antique chestnut post from a tobacco barn with a hand-carved stone base to contrast the charcoal-colored earth plaster on the walls, creating a warm feeling throughout.
“All of the structure, the beams, the Port Orfords — those are all of a Japanese design,” Hoffman says.
A stainless-steel water screen separates the bedroom from the bathroom, recirculating fallen water once it hits the smooth black pebbles beneath. Hand-carved stone steps surrounded by those same black stones lead to a standalone stainless-steel soaking tub with a custom-built wooden water filler and a view of the wooded property. Above the commode is a framed piece of art the couple brought back from a trip to China. “It really adds depth to that space,” Hoffman says.
Above the owner’s suite, there’s a particularly meditative space. “We created a loft for her so she could do yoga,” Hoffman says. “We also added clerestory windows … so it feels really light and airy up there.” The cozy spot also has an inset daybed for the wife to read at and a desk with a framed picture of a horse she drew in grade school.
The husband has his own space too, a loft above the garage. “He wanted sort of a man cave, although it’s far from a cave because it’s bright and airy,” Hoffman says. He has a cobalt blue recliner, floor-to-ceiling shelves and a custom, glossy Italian Ebony L-shaped desk under a stainless-steel beam mounted with lights. The office space is near a bathroom with matching glossy cabinets and a blue cobalt ceiling. “This has a totally different feel from the rest of the house, and [it’s] more contemporary,” Hoffman says. “It’s a nice juxtaposition.”
Despite that area featuring brighter colors than other parts of the house, it still has that soothing vibe.
“They each kind of have their look in their space, but they both love the sensibility of the natural fibers and the natural feeling in the public area of the house,” Hoffman says. “So we wanted to keep it very natural. The Japanese feeling kind of flowed.”
