“When James joined the family
in 1996, we chose to stay in Moreland
because we knew Mom would not
leave Shaker,” she explains. “I’m of
the generation that moved into new
builds, so we thought finding a place in
outer suburbia was what we should do,
until we realized that Mom would be
miserable there. In fact, our home is all
about family.”
Indeed, members of Vicki’s family
have been congregating there almost
annually for years. Among that group have
been her father, three brothers, aunts
and uncles, and other extended family
members, including their nephew, Mark
Johnson, who lived with Vicki and James
until his graduation from Shaker Heights
High School in 2010.
Vicki and James reside on the
second and third floors of the house,
and Mattie is on the first floor. Although
she didn’t know she had it in her, Vicki
began what would be a major makeover
of the property. “I live on HGTV,” she
laughs. Her TV heroes have included
Nicole Curtis from “Rehab Addict,” Chip
and Joanna Gaines from “Fixer Upper,”
and Jonathan and Drew Scott, “The
Property Brothers.”
The project began with the removal
of the ubiquitous green carpeting, which
revealed wood floors that appeared
to have been painted – and now are
lustrously refinished.
Elder later stripped many layers of
orange, blue, and purple paint from all
the woodwork and doors, which she also
refinished. The renovation began on the
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second floor and took more than three years. She used contractors for the specialized
work — floors, plumbing, electric, kitchen remodeling, and door relocations. She’s done
everything else herself. “I don’t really know what my design style is,” she says, “but I
don’t like all of any one style. I work with a room until it feels right.”
Her choice of art is also very personal. Above the fireplace in her living room is a
carved copper piece from Ghana, which Vicki purchased because it represents family. A
framed cloth hand-made in a South African orphanage founded by Nelson Mandela also
hangs in the living room (above) to remind Vicki of Mandela’s struggle and victory.
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