Seventeen floors above downtown Dayton’s art district sits a hidden masterpiece that most of the community will only see by invitation. It’s a 2,800-square-foot penthouse at the very top of Performance Place, a high-rise office and condo building constructed in 2003 to accompany the city’s stunning Schuster Performing Arts Center. This past winter, this penthouse was the last living space to be finished in the property, and its owner, Patty Lavy, spared no expense to make it one of the most dazzling.
A shared vision
The penthouse boasts spectacular views of the city’s southeast side and was carefully designed to not only serve as a home, but also as a centerpiece for some of the city’s most prominent fundraising events. Every detail was chosen to enable the space to come alive at night and play off of the natural light and beauty that flow in from the penthouse’s enormous windows, which make up 40 feet of glass altogether.
Those who visit Patty’s home are overwhelmed by what they experience and often remark that they feel as if they have stepped outside of Dayton for an evening. The home’s contemporary and custom-built features make one feel as if they’re attending a Hollywood event rather than a Midwestern social.
“This was very different for us to build because Dayton is a very traditional town,” says John Albrecht, owner of Albrecht Custom Homes & Wood Interiors. “It was nice to do something different and it was a lot of fun.”
Albrecht, who handled all of the build outs for Performance Place, hired local designer Denis Bruss with Gene Zimmerman’s Interior Design Studio to transform the shell into a one-of-a-kind living space. Patty shared her vision of the space and let the duo loose to handle the rest. Both Bruss and Albrecht were floored by the freedom they’d been given to design and even more pleased when Patty loved what they dreamed up.
Creating a new shape
The first thing that had to be done was to rearrange how it was laid out. The property was plumbed and wired so that a huge designer kitchen could be placed right in the middle of the space. Albrecht suggested moving the kitchen to the side. As a result, a spacious living room was created with a bar, and Patty’s master bedroom was enlarged.
Bruss’ designs incorporated as many curves as possible to offset stark lines in the windows, the outside balcony and overall shape. Nearly every feature in the home has a circular shape including rugs, pillows, chairs, light fixtures and ottomans. These smaller details bring out the two massive radius’ shapes recessed in the nine-foot ceilings—one above the living room’s sitting area and the other one above the kitchen’s island.
The kitchen is now inconspicuously placed to the side so it can fade into the background at night. Albrecht custom designed all of the cabinetry with mahogany, including the oven’s hood, instead of alternative materials like stainless steel that would draw too much attention. The room’s focal point is its round island that is topped with a six-foot diameter piece of granite.
Most of the penthouse’s space is devoted to its dining room and living room areas. The dining room’s 10-foot long white oak table was stained with a dark mahogany stain and offers plenty of room for entertaining. The table’s chairs were one of the most surprising details for Patty who first questioned how their snakeskin coverings would blend with the rest of the décor. “At first I thought it was so wild,” she says. “But now they are the focal point of the whole room and at night the light just bounces off of them.”
A fireplace warms the room and its rounded hearth stays true to the curved features. A 42-inch television hides behind a mirror mounted above the fireplace waiting for its turn to entertain guests. A bar not only serves guests, but also acts as a buffer between the formal living space and Patty’s personal family room. Bruss designed the bar to be covered in black leather and recruited a gentleman who does car interiors to get it done.
Patty’s small family room is off limits to public entertaining, but guests often get a peek inside because of its open doorways. The room is outfitted with more traditional furniture and a 60-inch television. The room’s mural is what catches most wandering eyes. The painting is a skyline done by local artist Sondra Bakie to mirror the view from the outside.
Coming alive at night
Albrecht and Bruss’ work created a final finish that only reveals its full beauty in the evening. It’s then that the city’s darkness allows the penthouse to come alive. Numerous lighting fixtures come on to create a glow that dances off the penthouse’s blend of red, orange, amber, terra cotta and warm jewel hues.
The dining room table and the kitchen island were both carved out in the center so that a light could shine up and illuminate accessories resting above. Two light fixtures adorn the dining room table, offering soft light. These were chosen in place of a chandelier so that the outside view was never blocked. Meanwhile, two round light fixtures, created by Bruss, suspend over the living room seating area and the kitchen island.
Round support columns made of concrete are disguised with a painted faux finish and are also illuminated at night with hidden lights. The columns’ light bounces off the room’s ceiling, which was painted with gold and silver tones, and provides a shimmering effect.
Similar columns were constructed in the penthouse’s main hallway that stretches from the front door to the living room. Visitors are easily led down the 17-foot hallway with its herringbone flooring and 12, 9-foot columns that run all the way to its end.
Much like in the living room, these columns light up the evening, but what most onlookers won’t realize is that they are made up of PVC pipes so that even Patty can lift them and change burned out light bulbs. The dramatic effect of the columns helps hide the more common living areas—such as the powder room, laundry room and guest bedroom—located off the hallway.
Becoming a city girl
Patty lived nearly 30 years of her life as a small town girl before moving into her penthouse. She decided to move to Dayton from Greenville, Ohio, to be closer to her aging father. Her first instinct was to find a place out in the suburbs, but she quickly fell in love with the idea of living downtown.
She loves the amenities of a larger town like Dayton and, despite what some may think, she feels extremely safe. She envisioned the penthouse not only as a home, but as an extension of her job as a non-profit consultant. She’s already hosted several parties for her clients offering the beautiful space as a free location for fundraisers.
Her favorite part of the entire penthouse is her master bedroom where she can privately unwind from the day. She often lies on her custom-made bed and stares up at the ceiling, which depicts a starry scene reminiscent of the formation that adorns the ceiling inside the Schuster Center.
“Everything I need is there,” she says referring to a large screen television and the fireplace. “It’s so different and sophisticated. You feel as if you are in another world.”
And when she’s not in there, she’s often relaxing in her master bath where she can listen to music, watch TV or just enjoy its fireplace. Either way, Patty is still amazed that this place is hers.
“I love my place during the day and I love it at night,” she says. “I feel like I have to pinch myself to believe I can live here.”
Resources: Contractor and cabinetry: Albrecht Wood Interiors; Interior design: Denis Bruss, Gene Zimmerman’s Interior Design Studio; Flooring: Hardwood, Bob Madden Carpet & Tile; Electrical/lighting: Prestige Electric; Painting: George Koogler Painting; Decorative painting: Sondra Bakie; Appliances/plumbing fixtures: Ferguson Enterprises; Globe chandeliers: Tin Peddler, designed by Denis Bruss; Buffet/office painting: Mike Elsass