Sassi

Experts: George Melara, principal at Nelsen Partners; Janet Henrich, vice president of Nelsen Henrich Interiorswww.sassi.biz Aesthetic: Old World romanticwww.sassi.biz Villa People: Inspired by travels in Italy, Sassi’s owner and Melara developed the 20,000-sq.-ft. Italian-style farmhouse and villa that comprise Sassi in North Scottsdale. Elegant, warm and charming, the secluded establishment embraces Old World architecture and Southern Italian hospitality and flavor. “We were trying to evoke [the] emotions of a place as much as the aesthetics of a place,” Melara says.
Evolution: The kitchen, dining room, library, enclosed garden terrace and other rooms each assume a distinctive function and design, which results in the impression that the farmhouse has evolved and been added to over time. Rustic timber beams, handmade terra cotta tile, authentic stone, plaster and bricks are used for ceilings, floors and fireplaces; bookshelves, high-backed upholstered chairs and iron chandeliers accent the rooms. “Of paramount importance was [authenticity] in every detail, from the food to the ambiance and the construction methods,” Melara says.
Live and Local: From design to cuisine, Sassi embodies locality and tradition. “We might make a pizza in the wood-burning oven using Bob McClendon’s organic tomatoes and Black Mesa Ranch goat cheese, or make a dessert of almond pound cake topped with fig preserves from our own fig tree,” says Stephen Plunkett, general manager of Sassi.
The Scoop: 10455 E. Pinnacle Peak Pkwy., Scottsdale. 480.502.9095, www.sassi.biz.