Home Decor

High Style

Patty and Jerry Jurgensen enjoy the city they love from a bird's eye view

Kristy Eckert

Capital Style

Patty and Jerry Jurgensen have lived all over—Omaha, Minneapolis, Chicago. But Columbus did something that no other place could: it made them stay.

“It’s a wonderful city,” Patty said. “We love it here.”

The couple grew up together in Omaha, started dating in college, married 40 years ago and raised two children. When they landed in Central Ohio in 2000 for Jerry’s job—he’s the former chief executive at Nationwide Insurance—they moved into one of Bexley’s classic homes.

But after deciding to retire in Columbus, the couple—namely, Patty—became captivated by the idea of Downtown living. A home in The Condominiums at North Bank Park would allow them the opportunity to travel (they have a second home in Arizona) without worrying about maintenance. Plus, the possibility of walking to dinner, the movies and sporting events was alluring. So Patty sold the idea to her husband by promising a golf simulation room (“It was sort of how she got me to leave my house,” Jerry joked), and the couple purchased the high-rise home in the Arena District complex before a shovel ever entered the ground.

They worked with renowned Columbus architect John Behal of Behal Sampson Dietz and Dublin interior designer Susan Matrka to create a space that made the skyline shine.

The home, finished in 2008, was constructed around the building’s central elevators and stairs, so that rooms flow together in an almost-circular pattern and nearly every room has at least one wall of floor-to-ceiling windows.

“The concept of the entire home was to let the view outside be the focal point, and not to be distracted by anything inside,” Patty said. Even guests who are city natives often gasp over the views. “It’s a perspective of Columbus,” Jerry said, “you just can’t appreciate from the ground.”

But the greatest accomplishment, Behal said, was highlighting the city while keeping the space inviting. Patty agreed.

“The biggest compliment we receive, and we receive it every time we have visitors, is that it feels comfortable,” she said. “And every time I feel gratified, because that was the goal.”

The Sunroom
Situated in the home’s southeast corner, the sunroom connects the living room and library, and is often the place Patty plays bridge with friends. Its highlight is a commissioned “family portrait” by an artist in Scottsdale. The dogs represent, from left, Jerry (red for his strong, outgoing personality), Patty, their daughter and their son. Small birds represent their grandchildren. The couple keep patio furniture tucked in a nearby closet to use on the balcony when the weather is warm.

The Living Room
The neutral palette throughout this home is a far cry from the French Country décor in the couple’s Bexley house, which was filled with reds, greens and florals. Their two rules for keeping the focus on the skyline? One, stay neutral with color. Two, no artwork on walls adjacent to the windows. Three, focus on texture. Inspiration for the living room came from a painting by Columbus artist James Hopkins that hangs above the limestone fireplace. Hopkins, a longtime chair of the Ohio State University Department of Fine Arts, created the piece while studying in Paris in the early 1920s. Patty was drawn to its soft, pretty colors. “I think I was French in another life,” she joked. She had several pieces of furniture from the Bexley house reupholstered to use here. The wallpaper is from Paris. The light fixture is made of Murano glass from Italy.

The Library
Jerry spends much of his time in this room, which doubles as his office and holds his extensive collection of books. (He has first edition copies by 19th-century American literature authors like Mark Twain, Ralph Waldo Emerson and Columbus’ William Dean Howells.) Patty wanted it to look like a place where men had long smoked cigars, so decorator Susan Matrka found wallpaper for the ceiling to offer that effect. Patty also likes the sable marble on the fireplace (she hand-rubbed it with oil to soften the look). And she’s happy the four-chair conversation spot she wanted is having its desired effect—often drawing the couple and friends for a nightcap. The room is populated by the work of Ohio artists, from Aminah Robinson to Ohio State professor Sid Chafetz to Columbus College of Art & Design President Denny Griffith. A highlight? Beautifully juxtaposed boxing pictures—one by George Bellows and beneath it an original cartoon by James Thurber (created when he was nearly blind). A few sports mementos decorate the room as well, including a photo of Jerry golfing with George H.W. Bush in Kennebunkport, Maine (“I shot 71 with the President, and he told me ‘Well done,’ ” Jerry said). And if you push the proper wall, it leads somewhere special...

The Great Escape
Push the proper wall in the library, and it leads to this—a man cave in the sky. (The Jurgensens still appreciate the effort it took to create that entrance: the 500-pound piece of steel encased in the rotating wall would not fit up the elevator, so workers had to carry it up 20 flights of stairs.) The room includes a golf simulator where Jerry can play different courses. He also uses it to test clubs and shafts for himself and friends (he tinkers with them in a workshop beside this room). And he toys with his newest hobby—drawing—in here as well. “I just do drawings of my grandkids—that’s about all I’ve done,” he said. “I’m not an artist. I’m an accomplished doodler.”

The Family Room
The Jurgensens spend much of their time here, where the woodwork, ceilling and chandelier help create a warm vibe. “Because the ceilings were so interesting, we felt like we had to do something really spectacular with the light fixtures (throughout the house),” Patty said. This one is from California. And while architect John Behal’s ceiling work is noteworthy, some of his best work is actually unseen, as he strategically hid about two dozen pillars throughout the home, including a few in this room.

The Kitchen
After struggling to find a type of wood perfect for the kitchen cabinets, architect John Behal returned from a trip to Newport, R.I., with a solution: butternut. In vogue during the ’50s, the wood is soft and rare. (It’s used in the family room, too.) The hardware in here, and throughout the home, is from Premium Hardware. (Patty stopped there after golf every Tuesday for a whole summer to shop.) To the far right of the stovetop, an appliance garage door (Jerry’s idea!) hides things like the toaster. Other hidden perks include two dishwashers—one regular, one mini—and a giant spice cabinet at the end of the island.

The Dining Room
The dining table was custom built by Darren Thompson to fit Patty’s specifications. She wanted it extra wide. She wanted leg room under each place setting so that everyone could comfortably cross their legs. And she didn’t want a header or footer “so everyone felt equal at dinner.” Beneath the table is a custom, hand-woven rug. Above it are French chandeliers made of Venetian silver and crystal. The fireplace is crafted from Chinese marble shipped in by Classico Tile & Marble in Grandview. “It’s very unusual because there’s no white veining in it,” interior designer Susan Matrka said. The blown-glass bowl on the table was purchased at Hawk Galleries.

The Butler’s Pantry
The butler’s pantry is the perfect party-prepping room. It’s practical, with a refrigerator, warming drawer and the like, as well as handsome: the backsplash is made of pewter subway tiles and the countertop is plywood with a pewter wrap.

The Wine Cellar
Tucking the wine cellar into this spot across from the butler’s pantry was one of Patty’s inventive ideas, architect John Behal said. The cellar houses wine, Patty’s wine glass collection and an impressive bottle opener.

The Master Suite
The bedroom includes a custom bed and luxurious bedding. But the room’s highlight is its views of Huntington Park. And yes, they sit here to watch games. (Jerry, who was a pitcher on his high school’s state championship baseball team, occasionally walks down to the park for Dippin’ Dots.) “We sit in our chaises and watch life go by. We sit in our chaises and read books,” Patty said. “We probably sit in these more than any other place in the house.” The suite also includes a spacious bathroom and his-and-hers walk-in closets.

Photos by: Will Shilling

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