In addition to the views, of course, the Hurleys enjoy the many lifestyle amenities at Desert Mountain, including the golf courses and clubhouses like the 25,000-sq.-ft. Chiricahua where Chef de Cuisine Chris Nicosia and his crew prepare outstanding Tuscan-inspired food.
So, too, the Sonoran Desert, the earth’s most ecologically diverse desert, is especially abundant in its upper elevations at Desert Mountain. Game trails bisect the area, frequented by wildlife like the bobcat, mule deer, jackrabbits, javelina, desert tortoise, Arizona chuckwalla, great horned owl and red-tailed hawk, western diamondbacks—even an occasional mountain lion. Saguaros, palo verdes and mesquite provide natural landscaping. As a result, outdoor living spaces here, including the Hurleys’ entertainment area, interweave with nature.
Their desert lifestyle is reflected in specialty spaces that Giesen and Shiloh have created. On the rear side of the knoll, their negative-edge pool and spa connect by way of a created creek. The spa is conveniently located off the master exterior living space and the outdoor shower adjacent to the master bath. The Hurleys’ media room seats 10 and has a lobby and refreshment area, and the multipurpose upstairs game room features three built-in televisions, a sunken bar with a beer kegerator and great views of the Valley and the golf course. The intimate dining room is adjacent to a walk-in wine room, and the junior master bedroom has a sitting room to accommodate family and guests.
The Hurleys’ favorite room, the spacious great room, is connected to the kitchen by a viga ceiling, which slopes down to a stone kiva fireplace. “It promotes comfort in conversation and relaxation and is an ideal gathering location for all occasions,” Alison says. “As a result, it has become our everyday living and entertainment center.”
To complete the interior, the Hurleys met regularly with Scottsdale’s Janet Brooks Design to develop the overall design and materials and color palettes as well as with Shiloh to coordinate artisans and suppliers for doors, cabinetry, lighting and floor selections. The couple independently acquired their furnishings and artworks. “They were both very involved in the process and fascinated with the variety of design and material opportunities involved in building a home in this part of the country,” notes Brooks, who has provided award-winning work for more than two decades throughout the Valley and the Southwest.
Midwesterners newly enamored with the Southwest palette, the Hurleys chose strong desert earthy colors with great contrasts. For example, they chose Echo Canyon flagstone for the majority of their flooring—bolder in color and texture than typical Arizona flagstones—and a natural ledgestone on the exterior and for interior accents. “It has varying earthy brown tones and even goes a bit to the ‘purple mountains’ majesty’ end of the color spectrum,” Brooks explains. She adds that they also chose copper because of its importance in Arizona’s history; this accents the cabinetry by Glendale’s Kiesler Enterprises as well as appears on the kitchen backsplash, the front door and the gutters.
Because of the home’s circular forms, the furnishings created a few trips to the stores and online catalogs. “Getting the right items to fit several of the rooms was challenging,” Alison says. Similarly, finding art work and accessories to accentuate the curved walls also offered perplexing moments. They found their solutions working with the artist partners at Pinnacle Gallery in North Scottsdale.
With such an amazing desert abode, the Hurleys aren’t moving back to Cincinnati any time soon. They’re enjoying the lifestyle at Desert Mountain, the unique design and construction of their home, the specialty rooms as well as the spacious, comfortable outdoor living spaces that seamlessly extend their indoor spaces. “These attributes,” Alison says, “are enhancing our lives every day.”
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