A nonprofit publication of the Kentucky Center for Public Service Journalism

Beyond the Curb: This River City Living home is a weekend place for owners who live in the country


Everyone is familiar with the concept of living in the city and weekending in the country. Kimberly and Sarah Patton, owners of the property featured in this week’s episode of Beyond the Curb: River City Living, do the opposite, living in the country and spending weekends in the city.

After searching for some time, the Pattons bought a big house in Covington’s MainStrasse Village neighborhood and have converted it into four short-term rental units and a third-floor apartment for themselves.

“We love being in the middle of everything here, going to the bars and restaurants, getting to know the owners of the coffee shop, people watching from the front stoop,” they said.

They have enjoyed designing and furnishing the rental units, layering fresh colors, modern lighting and mid-century furniture over the 150-year-old flooring and brick walls. Several of the original doors have been split down the middle and reinstalled as swinging doors or else preserved as they were but rehung with sliding barn door hardware.

In two of the units, the tiny kitchens have been enlivened with bright red, retro appliances and red open shelving.

In the Patton’s own third-floor apartment, they continued the mix of old and new. When replacing the window casing in the living room, they realized it was the perfect opportunity to use the elegant trim that Kim salvaged from an office renovation nearly 20 years ago. “I was waiting for the perfect spot for it,” he said.

Their future plans for the building including adding a roof deck, which will have views of the Cincinnati skyline. They plan to retire to this apartment, in order to “downsize the house budget and upsize the travel budget,” as they put it.

In the meantime, they are enjoying being in right in the heart of MainStrasse Village every weekend.

Each Friday, a new episode of Beyond the Curb: River City Living is released. Previous episodes can be viewed here.

The Catalytic Fund is a private sector, not-for-profit organization that provides financing assistance and related services for developers of quality residential and commercial real estate projects in Northern Kentucky’s urban cities of Ludlow, Covington, Newport, Bellevue and Dayton.

Third Floor kitchen

Third Floor master bedroom.

Third Floor living area


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