Star Struck

Sleeping under the stars in the comfort of a well-appointed bed is no longer just a fantasy for an Indian Hills, Ohio, homeowner thanks to the ingenuity of Cincinnati-based John Senhauser Architects. “The client originally asked for a retractable roof,” says designer Jane Keller, “but budget and space didn’t really allow, so we came up with another solution.” Instead of a movable roof, the architect devised a movable bed. She added 221 square feet to the existing upstairs master bedroom, extending the suite over a now-covered terrace and creating a balcony. On evenings with clear skies and warm breezes, a gentle push sends the owner’s bed gliding onto the balcony along a curved heavy-duty library rail and track system inlaid in the maple floor. When the bed rounds the curve and hits the accordion window-wall, Keller’s strategy gets even cooler. “The track had to stop at the door to maintain water-tightnesss,” she explains, “so the bed has two layers of steel frames—the top frame is like a drawer sliding open onto the balcony and revealing a cherry tabletop that acts as a nightstand while covering the bottom frame, which anchors the bed in place.”