by Suzanne Koch
Best Appliance Store: Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Cove
Shop best-in-class appliances including Sub-Zero refrigeration and wine storage, Wolf cooking and Cove dishwashing products. The Sub-Zero lineup includes refrigeration, freezer and wine storage appliances while the Wolf brand’s cooking products span from ranges, cooktops and wall ovens, to warming drawers and more. The newest brand, Cove, features a lineup of dishwashers. Visit the showroom in North Scottsdale to experience products firsthand through kitchen vignettes, live chef demonstrations and free hands-on classes. subzero-wolf.com.
Best Architect/Architecture Firm: Drewett Works
Responsible for some of the Valley’s most beautiful homes, Scottsdale-based Drewett Works specializes in high-end residential and commercial projects with a luxury focus. Always looking to stretch their creative boundaries, the team involves clients in every step of the process. Recently, the team was awarded Home of the Year in the 2018 Best in American Living Awards by the National Association of Home Builders for Outdoor In, a stunning custom home at the base of Camelback Mountain in Paradise Valley. Current projects include Desert Mountain’s new clubhouse and the Ritz-Carlton Estate Homes in Paradise Valley. drewettworks.com.
Best Arizona-Based Homebuilding Company: Forté Homes
Forté Homes has been providing luxury custom homes since 1993. Along with its beautiful abodes, Forté prides itself on its four strengths: teamwork, predictability, value and convenience. Each customer is supported by a four-person team and backed by a fixed price contract to provide peace of mind. Collaborating with some of the top architects and interior designers, Forté has experience building all architectural home styles, including Spanish Colonial, Mediterranean, Tuscan, Santa Barbara, Transitional, Modern, Prairie and Contemporary. fortehomes.com.
Best Condo Development: The Arris
Formerly known as Chateau On Central, these brownstones are what urban dreams are made of. Located in vibrant Downtown Phoenix within walking distance or a quick light rail trip to all the city’s action, the five-level homes with elevators feature commercial-quality construction including hand-laid jumbo brick exterior walls. Modern finishes include hardwood floors, Wolf Sub-Zero appliances, solid cabinetry, cambria quartz countertops and more. Potential homebuyers can choose from several move-in-ready floor plans or customize their own floor plan. thearris.com.
Best Custom Homebuilder: A Finer Touch Construction
Whether building from the ground up or diving into a remodel, A Finer Touch has assembled a talented team with more than 110 years combined industry experience to exceed the expectations of their clients. The staff’s roster of previous projects in Phoenix include Omni Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Montelucia where they worked on many aspects of the hotel including guest rooms, private residences, custom homes and more. aftconstruction.com.
AFM Fave! Best Custom Homebuilder: Salcito Custom Homes
Since 1978 Salcito has been delivering distinct, quality projects that check all the boxes. Specializing in luxury custom homes, they are a full-service design-build firm that’s known for their consistent results and attention to detail. From sprawling desert abodes to lavish estates, their projects can be found in some of the Valley’s most elite communities like Silverleaf, DC Ranch, Paradise Valley and Desert Mountain. Salcito offers a variety of services including construction management, interior design, in-house framing and trim carpentry, and home concierge services to clients in Scottsdale and Paradise Valley. salcito.com.
Best Flooring Company: OneSource Flooring & Interiors
This marks the third year in a row that OneSource has won this distinction. The company specializes in all types of flooring, countertops, tile and stone applications and interior design services for residential, multi-family, commercial and custom builder clients including Salcito Custom Homes, Santorini Homes, CSE & Associates, the Residences at Ritz-Carlton and Hotel Adeline. A new 17,000-sq.-ft. warehouse is a testament to its growing business, and prospective clients can visit the design center in Phoenix to work with in-house designers and more. onesourceone.com.
Best Furniture/Home Store: CC Patio
Spruce up your outdoor space with custom-made furniture to fit your exact style, taste and budget. Family-owned and -operated since 2015, CC Patio caters to commercial and residential clients of all budgets, needs and size. Since everything is made to order and handcrafted in Arizona to withstand the elements of the desert climate, clients are free to dream up their ideal patio. The team guides clients through every step of the process, from the on-site consultation to the delivery and staging of the final product. ccpatio.com.
Best Home Accessory Store: Buffalo Collection
Shoppers can browse everything from sofas and bar stools to fine art, lighting, accessories and more. The Old Town Scottsdale showroom features buffalo leather furniture at its finest, along with one-of-a-kind pieces handmade in America by artisans and craftsmen that Buffalo Collection works with personally. Customers can expect heirloom-quality throughout the products along with a personal attention to service. buffalocollection.com.
Best Home Theater: Sound Effects
Amp up your next Netflix binge with Sound Effects, specializing in home entertainment solutions for homes, businesses and design professionals. The team is known for their highly detailed designs, great customer service and easy-to-use technology options to enhance daily life. Additional services include landscape audio, motorized shades, lighting and pool controls, home automation and more. Sound Effects works with new construction, remodels and more. sfxav.com.
Best Interior Designer/Firm: Suzanne Biers Harrington
Homes should showcase personal style while staying comfy and relaxed, something Susie Biers has down to an art form. Specializing in high-end residential projects, many homeowners in the Valley’s most exclusive communities have called on Biers to make over their interiors. Her top-to-bottom attention to detail, high level of organization and premier designs have earned her a strong following. sbiers.com.
Best Luxury Management Company: Alliance Residential Company
Headquartered in Phoenix, Alliance Residential is a fully integrated ownership, development and management company. With more than 112,000 units across 20 states, Alliance has won a variety of awards both for their properties and workplace. Its newest development opening in Phoenix, Broadstone Osborn, is located in midtown Phoenix with pre-leasing starting soon. Floor plans range from studios up to three-bedroom units. liveatalliance.com.
AFM Fave! Best Luxury Management Company: Mark-Taylor Companies
Mark-Taylor Companies is the leading developer owner and investment manager of Arizona’s premier rental communities. The company boasts more than $2.5 billion in investment real estate, 50-plus communities and 500 valued team members. Its priority is to create exceptional communities that invite, inspire and feel like home while also investing thousands of volunteer hours and dollars to improve the communities and neighborhoods in which its team members live and work. mark-taylor.com/azhills.
Best Luxury Rentals: Broadstone Scottsdale Quarter
Residents here not only get to enjoy resort-style living; they also get exclusive discounts and perks at restaurants and shops within walking distance. Community amenities include complimentary beach cruisers, an on-site self-serving pet wash salon, complimentary yoga classes, a saltwater pool and spa with cabanas, fitness center and more. Residents can even enjoy upgraded services like housekeeping and on-site storage for a fee. Floor plans range from studio to two-bedroom and start at $1,299. broadstonescottsdalequarter.com.
Best Master-Planned Community/Development: Estrella by Newland Communities
In 2018, Estrella was one of the top-selling master-planned communities in the country. Nestled into a natural desert setting in Goodyear, residents can enjoy more than 40 miles of trails, 30 neighborhood parks and two lakes spanning 72 acres. Three schools, a shopping center, dining outlets, medical center and more are also located within the community for easy living. Opening this spring is the newest village Lucero, which will be home to six new neighborhoods. Homes start in the low $200,000s. estrella.com.
Best Pool Company: Artisan Elements Pools and Landscape
Experts in designing and delivering on clients’ visions, Artisan Elements caters to those who value a high level of detail. The full-service design-build firm can turn outdoor spaces into paradise through all aspects from pools and outdoor kitchens to water features, unique fire elements and more. They will assist with colors, material selections, design, architecture, décor design and even layout, all leading to perfectly tailored results. artisanelements.net.
Fast Faves
Best Custom Cabinets: Distinctive Custom Cabinetry, distinctivecc.com.
Best Landscaping: Berghoff Design Group, berghoffdesign.com.
Best Nursery: Moon Valley Nursery, moonvalleynurseries.com.
Best Retirement/Senior Living Community: PebbleCreek, a Robson Resort Community, robson.com/communities/pebblecreek.
Best Rug Company: tie between Arizona Rug Company, arizonarug.com and Azadi Fine Rugs, azadifinerugs.com.
