There is a timeless elegance in the architectural style of Akron’s acclaimed Roy Firestone, whose home designs often reflect the nostalgic grandeur of times gone by. Many of Firestone’s iconic homes anchor Akron’s prestigious neighborhoods, reminders of the heyday of this Rubber City and the prosperity of its movers and shakers. Such is the history and legacy of the 4,800-square-foot home that is the site of the 24th Annual Sugar Plum Tour Patron Party.
Custom built in 1928 by Firestone for Della Wilcox, the widow of a prominent businessman and community leader, this distinctive Tudor Revival is perched above the Cuyahoga Valley on four estate-like acres. Commonly known as the “Jackson House” because it was the home of Lee Jackson, president of — serendipitously — the Firestone Tire & Rubber Company in the 1950s, the house is a standout with classic gables, a slate roof, a stone and brick façade, and massive chimneys topped with decorative chimney pots. Leaded glass windows with medieval-themed insets, an arched entryway framed with an intricately carved sandstone surround, and a perched lion statuary on either side of the front door make the house the epitome of Old World sophistication and classic style.
There is one caveat: In the past two years, thanks to the vision and creative design talents of its fourth and newest owner, the principal of Hudson Gray Design, this home is a place where everything old is new again. This treasure of a Tudor was gutted and renovated in just 16 weeks, honoring the craftsmanship and traditions of the past while introducing the simplicity and harmony of today’s design aesthetics.
Outside, lighted trees, glowing holiday wreaths, and two life-sized Nutcrackers greet guests before the oversized, wood-paneled front door opens to reveal the vestibule, foyer, and the first of the extensive renovations. The former dark wood paneling typical of this style of home (think Stan Hywet) has become a creamy palette of welcoming warmth. The herringbone pattern of the engineered white oak flooring helps to accent the warmth as a link throughout the first floor. Icicles dripping from the ceiling herald the holiday season and accent the crystal chandelier, while views of the new inground swimming pool, hot tub, and outdoor courtyard entice at the foyer’s far end.
This home is a seamless blend of old and new. There is a contrast between the soft, graceful archways, old-style window latches, and artisan doorknobs, and the stark modernity of the Calacatta Vagli marble and Cremone bolt hardware in the kitchen. The eclectic nature of modern light fixtures, ornate glass and crystal or soft, feather-like whimsy, is right at home amid shields carved in the wooden newel post, sandstone arches in the sunroom, and the clothes chute on the second floor.
The former carport, overlooked by a balcony off the primary bedroom from which the home’s first owner could greet guests, is now an intimate speakeasy with a beamed ceiling, painted brick, arched wood-framed windows, and black-and-white floor tile. The natural feeling of grasscloth wallpaper — the branches of a magnolia tree along the dining room walls or the subtle metallic tints in the primary bedroom — complements the intricate moulding of the breakfast room ceiling, the carved limestone of the living room’s fireplace surround, and the arched shelves both at the room’s far end and reprised in the front alcove.
Matchless craftsmanship and Old World tradition are hallmarks of this distinctive home; so, how to embellish a setting so grand for the Christmas holidays?
Place stunningly decorated, themed trees throughout the house, including an 8-foot-tall, flocked pencil tree dressed in burgundy and gold amid the festive touches of the living room; a 12-foot-tall tree framed in the window of the speakeasy; a decadently delicious charcuterie tree in the wine and cheese tent; a chic champagne and caviar tree in the primary bedroom; a Little Drummer Boy tree in one of the boy’s bedrooms; and a polar bear tree in the other.
Add sophisticated holiday touches in shades of burgundy, gold, and merlot, and intersperse those touches with decorative tabletop trees in every color and size. Then enhance them with florals, courtesy of Flower Bar, as well as oversized ornaments, candles, and ribbons.
Pose a life-sized gold reindeer in the oystergrey marble shower of the primary bathroom, where holiday flowers spill out of the nearby free-standing soaking tub.
Finally, imagine the gifted touches of an immersive chef showcasing his culinary talents in the dining room and a leather lounge smoking tent on the pool’s courtyard, and…
Who knows the other treats in store at this one-of-a-kind Patron Party during the 24th Annual Sugar Plum Tour of Holiday Homes?