Homes: You Can't Beat This Prospect Hill View

A secret room. An art gallery. A dumb waiter. ... There's plenty to mention about this Prospect Hill home. But the most standout feature arrives when you walk up the steps to the main floor.

WOW.
WOWZERS.
WHOA.

The view is simply spectacular.

We all know that there are a number of great skyline views in & around Cincinnati. Mt. Adams, Covington, or, in this case, Prospect Hill (just north of OTR). The list goes on. No one vista is necessarily better than another. ... Except maybe this one. You feel like you could reach out and touch the buildings.

Like I said, though, there is plenty more to discuss when it comes to the gorgeous home of Kim Klosterman and Michael Lowe. Klosterman (of Klosterman Breads fame) has a thriving jewelry business. Lowe is a well-regarded art dealer of minimal and conceptual art. He has a location Downtown as well as a gallery (you guessed it) right in the house.

They moved into the property 10 years ago, ahead of the "let's flock to anywhere near OTR" trend currently sweeping the city. (No judgment here. It's an idea whose time had come. Just saying Klosterman and Lowe made it look good long before there were that many folks paying attention.)

The couple teamed up with architect Eric Puryear of Beck Architecture, Inc. to formulate the plans. Included on the property was an already-existing 1880s Italianate townhome, which they wanted to incorporate into the design of an entirely new structure. Big goals. Stellar execution.

"Kim and Michael are both well-versed in architecture and the arts," said Puryear. "So the dialogue leading up to the finished plans was often more like a dinner table conversation than a client meeting." Of course, because the house is located within a historic district, a few creative workarounds were required. Though the street facade remained consistent with the surrounding neighborhood's traditional aesthetics, the backside (the side with that amazing view) was an open canvas.

The interior of the home is quite modern. Fans of '60s and '70s furniture, Klosterman and Lowe utilized vintage pieces to decorate the open loft space. That multifunctional room flows naturally into the kitchen, making it easy for entertaining (which Klosterman and Lowe love to do). And when the weather finally becomes consistently warmer, the garden will get its share of action as well. (It also serves as a wonderful source of food to accompany Klosterman's homemade meals.)

Beautiful garden, modern interior, and killer (repeat: killer) view aside the best part about this home is how it allows itself to simply be. There's nothing "too much" about it. Sometimes a home's architecture or interior design can make guests feel overwhelmed or unwelcome. That's certainly not the case here.

All in all, the home is a perfect reflection of Kim & Michael's personalities, passions, and interests. "There was an attempt to make the architecture back off on the inside [of the house] and allow their incredible art collection to take the stage," says Puryear. "And I think it does."

We do, too.

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If you're impressed with this house (as you should be), you can take a gander at more of the work done by Beck Architecture, Inc. by clicking here.