Kenny and Judy Huber are walking advertisements for the Louisville Downtown Development Plan. In 2003, the couple decided to abandon their home in a tiny Floyds Knobs subdivision and move across the bridge to
Kenny Huber knows a sure thing when he sees it. “We figured downtown
board when we bought here and there is a lot more now,” he says enthusiastically, listing the arena, Museum Plaza skyscraper, Iron Quarter redevelopment on West Main, and plans for retail redevelopment of the old Louisville Water Company block announced this past July.
The upper, upper grandstand: The Hubers and two grandchildren take in Slugger Field from 19 stories up.
The empty-nesters were also interested in trying the carefree lock-it-and-leave-it condo lifestyle. “Our old house was too big for the two of us. We were pinned down to a lot of commitments — the landscaping, the maintenance,” Judy says. “With a condo, travel is easy. You come back and everything is just like you left it.”
Finally there was the appeal of the building itself — a modernistic design with over 75 percent of the exterior constructed of glass. “We knew the view would be spectacular,” Kenny says, “the river and Great Lawn to the north, Louisville Slugger stadium to the east and the city to the west and south.”
The couple purchased a 5,000-square-foot custom unit on the 19th floor, providing them with a 360-degree view and full design control. It took a year and a half — and the expert advice of architect Frank W. Pierce and interior designer Victor Saho of J. Victor Interiors — to transform the concrete-and-glass shell into a home. The resulting design not only takes advantage of the unit’s breathtaking view, says Kenny; it embraces the Hubers’
To preserve the view, the condo’s main living areas have no walls. The foyer, grand salon, kitchen, breakfast room and great room are one big room. Key to making the floor plan work was “to define the spaces and create a different mood for each space,” Saho says. “We needed to warm it up so it no longer felt so large. It needed to feel like a home and not an office building.”
Ceiling and floor treatments were critical. The foyer, for example, is delineated by a faux-painted dome overhead and a stone medallion and contrasting border on the floor. Tray ceilings create intimacy in the dining area and breakfast room, while the great room ceiling features raised panels. Flokati rugs in the same golden tones as the polished Noche travertine floors define conversation areas in both the grand salon and great room.
Upholstered cornice boards with legs hide the windows’ unappealing white metal frames and outline the view. Window treatments in the grand salon feature a Robert Allen fabric reminiscent of river waves. “We heightened that effect by rolling the cornice on top of the windows,” Saho says. In the great room, the buttoned cornice boards echo the design in the raised-panel ceiling. For the blinds, Saho selected Hunter Douglas Alouette Light Louvers for their wide fabric blades. The color palette is a combination of robin’s-egg blue and golden coppers. “It’s subdued but warm and doesn’t compete with the view,” Saho says. “Instead it pulls the outside in.”
Clockwise from top left: the breakfast room looking toward the great room; the master bath; the foyer with faux-painted dome; the off-kitchen powder room; and the master bedroom.
The furnishings, which Saho and the Hubers selected together at the
While the Hubers take frequent advantage of downtown’s many fine restaurants, Judy is an excellent cook, so a fully functional kitchen was a must. What she didn’t want was for the kitchen to become a gathering spot during parties. “We wanted people to spread out,” she says.
The result is a one-cook kitchen equipped with an Advantium oven, double-wall ovens and an electric cooktop. A granite breakfast bar across the front keeps guests out but allows Judy to enjoy the party and the view and watch the TV in the great room. A bank of espresso-stained cherry cabinets in the adjoining hall provides all the kitchen and pantry storage she needs.
Helping to keep traffic flowing during Thunder Over Louisville celebrations is the great room bar. Equipped with a microwave oven, dish drawers, refrigerator, freezer drawers, icemaker and full-sized sink, the bar provides a second spot for serving refreshments. The Hubers also take advantage of the facilities
Leading to the bedrooms and Kenny’s home office is a gallery hall displaying contemporary art by local faux painter Linda Sublett. The pictures feature triangles and circles in the same color palette as the decor, creating a smooth segue between the condo’s common and private rooms.
Visual drama abounds in the two-table dining area, with sleekly lined cabinetry.
In the master suite, Saho angled the bed and placed halogen lights beneath both nightstands and the armoire. “They cast a soft glow on the floor in the evening, so you can lie in bed and look out on the view of the city,” he explains. Adding softness to the bed’s pared-down lines is the upholstered wall above the headboard. A lighted display cabinet in the bedroom holds Judy’s crystal collection — among the few accessories the Hubers took with them from their 
The master bath features his-and-hers vanities with Kohler Kathryn self-rimming sinks. They offer the look of a vessel, but have space around them for holding toiletries, says Judy. The arch over the whirlpool is a combination of travertine and faux painting. Small tiles add sparkle to the design.
A year after moving downtown, the Hubers couldn’t be more pleased with their decision to flee suburbia. “Now concerts and entertainment come to us,” Kenny says. The only things missing, adds Judy, are a grocery store and major department store. Both hope they’re on the drawing board.
Contributing editor Donna Russell may be reached at editorial@loumag.com.
