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At the end of a long, ribbonlike driveway sits a ranch home —complemented by a newly planted orchard of about 50 apple trees, raised garden beds, a detached garage and a large pond.
“It is peaceful, it is quiet, and it is surprisingly not in the middle of the country,” says Tony Ponikvar, a partner at Alair Homes Hudson, which managed the project. “It’s all just wooded land. … It gives them that ability to be not so far away from everything but also feel like they are.”
From start to finish, the planning and construction process took about a year and involved clearing a large swath of land — with project completion in 2023. The homeowners purchased additional lots surrounding the home for extra privacy, creating a secluded estate.
“That was retirement for him — just going out and taking care of the property,” says Ponikvar of one of the homeowners, who loves to garden.
The 2,679-square-foot rustic-traditional house, located in Hambden Township near Chardon, is both a comfortable retreat and the centerpiece of a miniature homestead: a place for its owners to nurture a hidden corner of the world. As they approached retirement age, Ponikvar says, they wanted to build their last home.
Planworks architect Dan Posar, who was working with the homeowners, brought their project to Alair. He worked with Ponikvar and interior designer Jena Walker of Jena Walker Interior Design — both previous collaborators — to bring the unique, custom home to life.
“There’s not many homes that are being built these days that are stone siding on the exterior,” Ponikvar says. “Their basement’s completely unfinished. But it is set up for a potential bathroom down the line if they decide to. It gave them that ability to kind of a la carte build — choose the things that were very important to them.”
The homeowners approached Walker with a wish list, including beams on the kitchen’s cathedral ceiling, a stone feature wall and workstation sink with two faucets, both in the kitchen, and a custom fireplace — all features that made it into the home’s final design.
“They definitely wanted more rustic elements brought in,” Walker says. “It is a new construction home, but it feels really warm and inviting inside.”
The home’s exterior cultured stone veneer, from Casa Di Sassi, is both practical and eye-catching, requiring minimal maintenance.
“Stone ages naturally. It’s a unique look,” Ponikvar says. “The only maintenance you really have on that facade is you may have to repair some mortar joints over time.”
Stepping into the spacious foyer, guests are greeted with an immediate sense of cohesion — created with neutral beige and gray tones, as well as organic accents. A massive set of double doors, framed by sidelight windows overlooking the distant pond, continues the property’s seamless connection to the natural world.
“The double doors really creates a grand entrance with the sidelights looking out. You’re still getting a lot of natural light and being able to see the property,” Walker says. “The front yard is really beautiful.”
The flooring, luxury vinyl planking imitating dark wood, is used throughout the house. It features variations in its grain pattern, lending a more rustic feel to its aesthetic while maintaining a pragmatic flair — it is water-resistant. That’s key for its use in the home’s two en-suite bathrooms.
The guest room features views of the property and stacked-profile wood trim around the windows. A space-saving sliding pocket door leads into the compact bathroom, complete with a coffee brown natural granite countertop.
“They liked a lot of darker countertops, pulling in these natural, earthy elements — creating a little bit of drama,” says Walker.
In the main suite, large windows and a beamed cathedral ceiling create an airy feel, highlighting the bedroom's height. The spacious attached bathroom is painted in a light neutral tone and features a porcelain tile accent wall, which runs into the open shower. Inside, a built-in niche for bath products, a handheld shower head and a raised, natural river pebble stone floor offer additional luxury.
“It feels super nice, like a massage, while you’re on there,” Walker says of the shower floor. “Again, bringing in those outdoor elements of this beautiful property.”
A double-sink vanity, crowned with white quartz, creates a centerpiece for the bathroom.
“It’s a manufactured stone, so nonporous — nothing is going to stain it,” she says. “That’s really nice in a bathroom with things like mouthwash and toothpaste.”
A third bedroom is used as a study. Enter through double glass French doors to reach a comfortable office, replete with natural light.
The heart of this home, however, is its kitchen. Seamlessly connected to a butler’s pantry, with additional counter and storage space, it utilizes a large, arched pass-through window to maintain a direct line of sight from the pantry to the cooking area.
“It’s right off the garage, which is nice, to be able to come home and sort of drop your groceries,” Walker says. “We also wanted to keep it pretty too, because it is part of the hallway, part of the home and has these really big windows that look out the front.”
The kitchen itself features an open floor plan, flowing directly into a dining area that includes a large, oval table.
An expansive island — its base cabinets made of stained wood, the same shade as the electric stove’s wooden range hood — is topped by natural marble. Ample counter space and a gray stove backsplash, both also marble, create room for culinary exploration. Beige-painted wood cabinets, an enclosed fridge and a beverage fridge make dinner parties a breeze. But the room’s true highlight, a large, cultured stone veneer feature wall, was a homeowner must-have.
“When you’re entertaining, everyone gathers in the kitchen. Everyone’s going to hang out around that big kitchen island. Having this dramatic feature wall, stone wall, to look at … it creates a wow factor,” Walker says.
Branching from the kitchen is access to the home’s mudroom, which includes space for laundry and storage for coats, hats and shoes. An additional sink and more counter space round out the practical area.
Guests can also meander from the kitchen to the great room, thanks to the open floor plan. Spotlighting a custom-built cast-and-cultured stone hearth — with a gas-burning stove inside — the room also offers access to a covered porch. Perfect for both aging in place and gathering with family, the home captures the beauty of its surroundings by incorporating natural elements into its design.
“If you had walls there, you’d really lose a lot of the sight line to the exterior of the property — keeps the flow open too, if you’re entertaining,” Walker says. “You don’t have people in separate rooms. It’s one big, cozy space.”
