Instead of downsizing, empty nesters Jeff and Tommi Floyd hoped to create a space worth returning to as their family continued to grow. In 2024, they decided to build a new home just a half-mile down the road from their former Jackson Township residence.
It wasn’t just about making sure their family had a place to land — they also wanted to maximize the possibility of outdoor living across all four seasons.
“We didn’t really have any outdoor living at the other space,” says Tommi.
John Mizener, family friend and designer for Rembrandt Homes, had designed their original residence. He made their new dream home a reality.
“They came to me and said, John, we don’t want to go to the country club pool. We want our kids to come to the house and feel like they’re at the country club,’” recalls Mizener. “They wanted their home to be a place where everyone could get together, and they could be inside and outside all at the same time.”
From the second you reach the great room of this 4,800-square-foot abode, the natural beauty of the outdoors blends in effortlessly with a modern take on wabi-sabi, a Japanese aesthetic that finds natural beauty in imperfection, asymmetry and simplicity. Mizener used oversized quarter-sawn white oak beams to anchor the vaulted ceiling so that it would be warm and comforting. With one straight chase and one angled chase that conceal the chimney flue, stacked one on top of the other, the ArcusStone fireplace becomes a focal point, inviting rest and relaxation. Antique Indian shutters from East End Salvage out of Texas stand firm on either side. Framed by vases holding branches from a dogwood tree that was torn down during construction, the space is rooted in clean lines and natural accents.
“I dried those large branches out because it was important to be able to bring part of their lot inside,” says Mizener.
Off the great room, through a set of accordion glass doors, there’s an indoor/outdoor patio that holds cushioned seats and a low stone table in front of a bluestone fireplace with a mantle and mounted TV. The same bluestone that’s used for the outdoor porches is pulled into the sunroom, which is heated for year-round use. A remote-controlled phantom screen allows easy access to the backyard pool, and another set of accordion doors leads to the sunroom, where bluestone is used in a second fireplace.
“They really wanted the whole room to flow, so we really tried not to bring in too many different substrates,” Mizener says.
That design choice carries on. Nearly every room on the first floor is treated with ArcusStone. This suede-like crushed limestone gives each room a unique, mottled marble appearance. A slight shimmer and pearl-like depth catch your eye.
“It’s so subtle, but when you walk into a room, you just know there’s something different,” says Tommi.
In the kitchen and dining area, find Taj Mahal quartzite running throughout the custom hood, backsplash and countertops. LED lights are encased inside a rectangular onyx chandelier above the dining table. A functional brass pot-filler sits on a dividing wall, waiting to be used over a Thermador 48-inch-wide range top. An ornate pantry is complete with reclaimed breadboards, a rolling ladder rail system and 30 paned glass cabinets that contain antique pottery, bottles, tea kettles, dishes and more.
“I love designing homes where their art meets their function,” says Mizener.
Functional art runs through nearly every room, including the mudroom. The original plan was to build a set of lockers across from a closet.
“We decided we wanted every room to have something you wouldn’t normally see,” says Mizener. “So, we decided to blow that closet up and make it more relaxed, so it functions more like a statement piece.”
Mizener bleached three antique white oak barn beams and used them to frame out a nook with oversized lights, brass hooks and a simple wooden bench.
“Good design doesn't always have to cost you money. It has to cost you foresight,” he says. “You have to think way in advance to be able to have ideas that are outside the box.”
Some challenges were unexpected. When designing the owner’s suite bath, Tommi picked out a 1,200-pound concrete tub. Because it was so heavy, they needed to build a brick column underneath it in the basement.
“That brick column supports the weight for the bathtub above it, but we use it to hold our towels when we use the sauna or the hot tub out back,” says Jeff. “It didn’t take away from the area, and it helped break things up.”
The Floyds wanted the basement bedroom to feel like a high-end hotel where their daughters and friends could stay. It contains a mercury-smoked glass mirror alongside framed antique rugs with beautifully worn patterns — a combination that’s both Old World and Baroque. Seventies saddle-style heirloom leather Halston chairs from Four Hands provide laid-back luxury in a red-brick lounge and bar. Antique windows from Old School Architectural Salvage in Cleveland separate another gathering room from the workout room.
“The basement is essentially one gigantic room segregated by brick columns and wood headers,” says Mizener. “Even the theater room is open.”
It’s that sense of togetherness and a consistent flow between the outdoors and the comforts of home that really makes it shine.
In warmer months, Tommi likes to relax in the suspended daybeds that hang from a fully screened-in porch — with rough-hewn concrete walls — right off the owner’s suite. From there, she can watch the kids swimming in the in-ground pool or lounging underneath the pavilion. Sometimes, they step out to a fire pit surrounded by six chairs. On quiet nights, a hot tub brings relaxation. Each area provides something different — but entertains all the same.
“Each tier has a specific purpose for every season,” says Mizener. “They wanted us to pay as much attention to the outdoor living areas as the interior, and I think we pulled that off.”
Andrew Webb
Andrew Webb
Andrew Webb
Andrew Webb
Andrew Webb
Andrew Webb
Titus J. Kurtz of TJK Media
Andrew Webb
Andrew Webb
Andrew Webb
Andrew Webb
Titus J. Kurtz of TJK Media
A Closer Look
Bar
When alcohol and liquor were outlawed during Prohibition, the only legal way to get a sip was through a physician's or pharmacist’s prescription. Some spirits — like whiskey or brandy — were said to cure ailments, like pneumonia or high blood pressure.
When designing the red-brick basement bar, Rembrandt Homes designer John Mizener aimed for an Old World speakeasy aesthetic. For sale on eBay, this set of antique Prohibition-era prescriptions fits the vibe. He purchased a set of eight and had them custom-framed behind the bar. Dated Dec. 27, 1923, one permit prescribes two drams of whiskey at bedtime.
“Anytime we’re designing a home or interior space, we want every piece to be unique,” says Mizener. “This gives people something to talk about.”
Andrew Webb
