Photograph by Cincy Photo Pro / Coldwell Banker Realty
Marilyn Zayas has called 7306 Riverby Dr. home for more than a decade. But, if she’s being honest, she’s never truly felt like the owner. “I’m the custodian of the house,” she says. “And it’s time for me to allow another family to be custodians of the house.”
Photograph by Cincy Photo Pro / Coldwell Banker Realty
It’s a bittersweet farewell for the longtime Hamilton County Court of Appeals judge, who purchased the nearly 4,000-square-foot Hans Nuetzel masterpiece in 2010. An avid admirer of all things Mid-Century Modern, Zayas is a member of Cincinnati Form Follows Function (cf3), a local collective of modern design enthusiasts. In June, just days after the house went under contract, cf3 gathered at the Anderson Township home for a special viewing that was, maybe unintentionally, also a bit of a goodbye party for the homeowner.
Photograph by Cincy Photo Pro / Coldwell Banker Realty
The home may have been imagined by Nuetzel, but it was the judge who meticulously maintained it, doing the bulk of the remodeling—including all of the wood refinishing—herself. Throughout the process, she was adamant about staying true to the home’s original character, which meant skirting the advice of friends who tried to convince her to swap classic Mid-Century details, like the entryway floor tile, for more 21st century finishes.
Photograph by Cincy Photo Pro / Coldwell Banker Realty
The space unfolds in what Zayas likes to call “vistas”—largely unobstructed views both inside and out. Nuetzel designed the home in consultation with its first owner, an engineer, incorporating bold asymmetry and sharp angles that guide the eye both up and out. Thanks to the floating staircases, each room on the first floor bleeds seamlessly into the next. Many of the windows open up to 180-degree views of the Ohio River below. Occasional restoration projects (and the primary bathroom, which was completely reimagined) aside, Zayas intentionally left much of Nuetzel’s work alone, opting instead to simplify and enjoy what the architect created. Letting it go isn’t going to be easy. She’s saved the original blueprints and photos of the home for the next owners. Ahem, custodians. “I feel like this house gives me a warm hug when I need a warm hug,” Zayas says. “I love the house. But it’s time.”
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