Living in tents in the desert, the eager apprentices of Frank Lloyd Wright
learned that architecture is inspired by nature, yet produced in a bustling
workplace. Look around Scottsdale and you’ll see this convergence of urbanity
and naturalism. “Scottsdale is like several cities,” says architect Vernon
Swaback, who served as Wright’s apprentice during the last few years of the
master’s life, attending Taliesin West, Wright’s school of architecture that’s
set on 600 acres of Arizona’s preserved Sonoran Desert. “As you go north into
the mountains you see large custom homes, while the south is anchored by
high-end mid-rise condos, a recent phenomenon for Scottsdale.”
Scottsdale,
dubbed “the West’s most Western town,” is multifaceted. It’s a place for horse
lovers, with WestWorld serving as a Mecca for some of the country’s most
prestigious horse shows. This desert is also a Garden of Eden for golfers who
come to play and live at the many golf-driven communities. While summer
temperatures can hit the triple digits, Scottsdale’s climate is ideal for
outdoor living—it is virtually free of bugs, wind and humidity.
This swath of a city stretches for 184 square miles and harbors
230,000 residents, with those who want to build big heading north, where
communities such as Silverleaf are allowing larger homes on their generously
sized lots. “It’s hard to find a decent piece of property to build a large
house,” says Bob Hassett of Russ Lyon Realty, explaining that preservation laws
require that owners keep a specific amount of their property as open space. For
those who pre-fer a more vertical lifestyle, Scottsdale has also embraced
the antithesis of the desert estate home with its multiple mid- and
high-rise condominium projects currently underway in the city’s downtown
district.
Top: A 4,420-square-foot home in the Legend Trail golf community, listed for
$12.9 million. Bottom: A $10 million home in Happy Valley. Photograph by Epic Multimedia. (Click images to enlarge)
Jane Blacker (480.283.3009,
www.scottsdalefineliving.com).
“We are a fast-growing city,” says Blacker. Specializing in the high-end condo
market in Scottsdale’s up-and-coming downtown area, Blacker holds a listing for
a three-bedroom, 3,400-square-foot penthouse ($2.2 million) at Main Street
Plaza, one of the many mid-rise projects that will open next summer.
Bob
Hassett (602.750.1000,
www.bobhasset.com). Responsible for
brokering the most expensive resale in Scottsdale’s history at $10 million,
Hassett says the upper-end market is doing well. “Buyers looking in the $5
million to $15 million range want to be in North Scottsdale at DC Ranch, Desert
Mountain and Silverleaf.”
Cynthia Penwell (480.502.6902,
www.silverleaf.com). Situated in the
master-planned community of DC Ranch, Silverleaf has quickly become Scottsdale’s
most sought-
after high-end community. “We currently have five homes listed
in the $10 million to $12 million range,” says Penwell. Silverleaf boasts lot
sizes twice the norm for Scottsdale; recent transactions include a new
11,000-square-foot home priced at $9.5 million.
Mike Sweeney (480.282.5656,
www.dmbrealtynorthscottsdale.com).
This firm specializes in real estate in the North Scottsdale communities of DC
Ranch, Whisper Rock, Grayhawk and Desert Mountain.
Architects/Designers/Builders
Mediterranean, ranch and contemporary homes
rule in Scottsdale, but no matter what the style, the most important aspect for
homeowners is to have a design that allows them to move easily from indoors to
outdoors. “We can live outside if we do it right,” says Cathy Hayes of Hayes
Architecture/Interiors. Outdoor living rooms and sleeping rooms as well as
accents such as fire pits and pools with water features allow Scottsdale
homeowners to entertain on their terraces throughout the year.
Top: Vernon Swaback’s Skyfire home. Bottom: Another Swaback design. Photography by Dino Tonn Photography. (Click images to enlarge)
Vernon
Swaback (480.367.2100,
www.swabackpartners.com). This Frank
Lloyd Wright apprentice is responsible for planning some of Scottsdale’s
most exclusive communities, including DC Ranch and Silverleaf. “My homes
celebrate the desert and the indoor/outdoor connection,” says Swaback,
whose firm’s mantra is “design never stops.”
Cathy Hayes (602.840.2553,
www.hayesstudio.com). “There are a lot of
homes in town worth renovating,” says Cathy Hayes. Her architectural and design
firm specializes in custom homes of all styles, paying close attention to
historical accuracy. “I took my clients who wanted a Spanish Colonial to
Montecito and Santa Barbara and encouraged them to go to Spain.” She also urges
her clients to use green recycled materials.
Top: A condo by Cathy Hayes. Photograph by Christian Blok. Bottom: A Neal Jones residence in Estancia. Photograph by Tim Hursley. (Click images to enlarge)
Neal Jones (602.264.2941,
www.jonesstudioinc.com). “The desert is
a harsh climate, so the building materials have to be durable—no wood or paint
because the sun will eat them up,” says Jones. He works with concrete block,
rusted metal and titanium zinc, but not stucco.“Stucco is fragile—it cracks
and it needs paint.” Rainwater harvesting is also important to Jones. “We try to design our roof structures to
collect rainwater so it can be stored for landscape irrigation.”
Craig
Wickersham (480.609.6766,
www.craigwickersham.com). Specializing in
high-end custom homes, Wickersham caters to couples with diverging lifestyles.
“Bedroom design is based on their sleeping schedules, with a living room and two
adjoining retreats,” says Wickersham. Minikitchens are also big in the bedroom.
“In the morning they get up, push a button and start making espresso.” His most
current project is the clubhouse at the Sereno Canyon community.
Top: Inside the Silverleaf Country Club. Photograph by Steve Walker. Bottom: The library of an
11,000-square-foot Mediterranean home designed by Craig Wickersham. Photograph by Rick Brazil. (Click images to enlarge)
Don Ziebell
(480.443.4904,
www.ozarchitects.com).
Known for incorporating antique building materials to help give a property a
sense of place, Ziebell designed some of Scottsdale’s most notable resorts,
including the Royal Palms and the clubhouses at Silverleaf and Superstition
Mountain.
Camelot Homes (480.367.4300,
www.camelothomes.com). This family-run
business has a 35-year history of building high-end homes in Scottsdale. Current
projects include homes at the Verandah at Silverleaf and the Villas at Desert
Camp.
Monogram Builders (480.513.9600,
www.themonogramcompanies.com). Founders and
native Arizonans Don Allison, Russ Hermann and Dan Hellman created Scottsdale’s
Turquesa Equestrian Estates. The company specializes in developing and building
infill residential communities.
Ensuring that your home is properly oriented
and shaded from Scottsdale’s intense sunlight is an important issue for home
design. “I like to get a landscape architect involved with the project as soon
as the client hires me,” says designer Cathy Hayes. In addition to choosing the
proper plants for outdoor appeal, Scottsdale homeowners rely on local
craftspeople to add unique accents to their home interiors.
Landscape designs by Jeff Berghoff, whose firm concentrates mainly on high-end
projects in Silverleaf and Paradise Valley. Photography by Timmerman Photography. (Click images to enlarge)
Jeff Berghoff
(Berghoff Design Group, 480.481.3433,
www.berghoffdesign.com). This company
offers comprehensive residential landscape design and garden
services.
Enchanted Garden Landscape (480.483.7289,
www.enchantedgardenaz.com). This full-service landscape design firm
specializes in high-end residential arid-region landscaping.
John Francis
Manufacturing (480.563.3945,
www.johnfrancismfg.com). Specializing in both
custom built-in and freestanding furniture, John Francis says Scottsdale
homeowners want custom home offices, closets and dressing rooms. “Secret doors
and panels are also becoming popular,” he says, as he has designed several
hidden doors that lead to secret rooms where residents can store valuables or
exit the home.
Robb & Stucky (480.922.0011,
www.robbstucky.com). “Our clients want
one-of-a-kind pieces,” says Kris Kolar, vice president of interior design for
Robb & Stucky. In addition to calls for rugged handcrafted furniture that
matches the Tuscan- and Spanish-style homes in the area, Kolar says that she has
received requests for smaller-scale, classic pieces that work in the new
high-rise residences in town.
Cavalliere’s Blacksmith Shop (480.945.6262).
This longstanding family-operated business specializes in handcrafted stairways,
railings, gates, lighting, hardware, furniture, accessories and artistic pieces.
Bob Berg (Chanikva Studio, 480.443.1668,
www.chanikvastudio.com). The artist specializes
in custom leaded-glass windows, doors and lighting, as well as bronze sculpture,
gates and door pulls.
In Scottsdale, shopping is sport. One of the best ways to learn the
ins and outs of Scottsdale’s many malls and districts is to book a
limo-chauffeured Home Chic Home tour with Spree (480.661.1080,
www.azshoppingspree.com). By
previewing the more than 150 shops in her portfolio, Spree’s founder Nancy Shina
is able to customize shopping trips for her clients. “If you like Old World,
we’ll handpick the stores for you,” she says. Shina’s must-see areas include the
Scottsdale Marketplace, which holds a collection of high-end antique and home
decor vendors, and the Scottsdale Arts District, home of the Thursday evening
art walk.
Top: Contemporary art at Larsen Gallery. Photograph by Bob Springgate. Middle: Ironwork from FeriArte. Photograph by Eric Swanson. Bottom: Imported
furnishings from Bungalow. (Click images to enlarge)
Bungalow (15330 N. Hayden Rd., 480.948.5409). This store features
an eclectic mix of imported furniture, including a private teak line,
upholstery, lamps and accessories.
Chiaroscuro Gallery (7160 Main St.,
480.429.0711,
www.chiaroscurogallery.com).
Specializing in contemporary art, Chiaroscuro exhibits established and emerging
artists from the United States and Europe and holds monthly
exhibitions.
The Conservatory (4167 N. Marshall Way, 480.946.1300). This
collaboration of two interior designers features a collection of antiques,
furniture and accessories.
FeriArte (7101 E. Stetson Drive, 602.309.0558).
Specializing in antique Spanish ironwork from the late 1400s to the early 1900s,
including crosses, swords, candleholders, andirons and early hand-forged
pieces.
Fiesta Furnishings (15320 N. Hayden Rd., 480.951.3239). Specializing
in one-of-a-kind furniture and accessories from Spain, Mexico and South America.
Design services available.
Larsen Gallery (3705 N. Bishop Lane, 480.941.0900,
www.larsengallery.com). This gallery
features contemporary artists as well as consigned artwork from private
collections on the secondary market. Featured artists include Anne Coe and Fritz
Scholder.
Tierra Del Lagarto (15530 N. Hayden Rd., 480.609.1289,
www.tierradellagarto.com). Direct
importers of furniture, lamps, architectural elements and accessories from
places such as Indonesia, Morocco and Turkey.
Scottsdale’s busy
annual calendar of events kicks off with college football at the Fiesta Bowl
(480.350.0900,
www.tostitosfiestabowl.com). More than 1,000 classic cars
roll into town for the Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction (January,
480.421.6694,
www.barrett-jackson.com), known as one
of the world’s premier automotive lifestyle happenings for its collection of
galas, charity events and fashion shows. For the golf-crazed, the FBR Open at
the Tournament Players Club (480.585.4334) draws big crowds and big names, such
as Phil Mickelson and Vijay Singh. In February, the Scottsdale Arabian Horse
Show (February 16–25, 480.515.1500,
www.scottsdaleshow.com) caters to the
equestrian set by attracting more than 2,000 horses, along with top owners,
breeders and trainers.
