Back by popular demand, Arizona Foothills Magazine brings you the Designer Showhouse 2009. We asked the Valley’s top interior designers to deck out the sumptuous spaces in this 24-room, 23,000-sq.-ft. fortress, located in Paradise Valley.
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F.O. Buck and his team at Paradise Valley Mountainside Homes spent two years building the regal residence, alongside nearly 50 contractors. The result is this Southern European-inspired estate (the priciest spec home on the market in Arizona), which features such jaw-dropping details as a 1,500-bottle wine vault; a private grotto with waterfall; a breathtaking double staircase; Venetian hand-plastered walls and many more plush components. Read on as we take you through this fairytale castle, space by superb space, and learn each designer’s inspirations, challenges and tips for beautifying your own abode.
Dining and Living Rooms
Sometimes going with the flow is the ideal method of execution. Such was the case for designers Kacie Moore, Stacy Scharf and Julie White of Est Est, who utilized the subtle hues of the palatial home to intermingle the living and dining rooms. “We continued with the neutral backdrop of the house and added hints of color while still keeping the soft Tuscan feel,” Scharf says. The melding of color palettes also allowed for an easy transition of the eye from the central dining area to the adjacent living space.
Large console tables help to distinguish the different spaces and focal points scattered between the two areas, while a substantial entertainment armoire, a large-scale sofa and a dining table help develop each space’s purpose. Sizeable plants along the perimeter of the rooms add color and liveliness while also attracting attention upward to the extraordinary beam work on the ceilings.
While both spaces are filled with plush places to relax, a cushioned sofa and winged-back chairs located in close proximity to the dining room table provide a respite after long dinners or a place to siesta between courses. —N.B.
Est Est
Kacie Moore, Stacy Scharf and Julie White, designers
480.563.1555, www.estestinc.com.
Elegant Entertaining
Family Room and Kitchen
Catering to the whims of the most experienced entertainer, this kitchen and family room join together to form one open and airy space. Champagne’s Home Décor’s director of design, Don Myers, incorporated shades of chocolate brown with red accents in the rooms, emphasizing the home’s Southern European charm. Not to ignore the details, Champagne’s chose a family room sofa with a pattern that mimics the wood overlay on the kitchen windows, tying together architecture and design.
Despite the space’s Mediterranean influences, the grand living area integrates African accessories like antique Moroccan lanterns. “The kitchen or the great room is the heart of the home and that’s where the main focal point is and most of your living is going on,” Myers says. “It’s where the family meets.” The large round kitchen table makes for an easy gathering spot, while the collection of leather-embossed swiveling bar chairs located at the wet bar allows guests to spin their seats and be involved in all the entertaining action. —A.S.
Champagne’s Home Décor
Don Myers, director of design;
Varva Usis, designer
480.483.1010,
www.champagneshomedecor.com.
Fit for a King (and Queen)
Master Bedroom
Apart from a few hints of North African influence, much of the master bedroom’s style was kept fluid with that of the rest of the home. “It is traditional with touches of Southern European,” says Don Myers of Champagne’s Home Décor. “The room is done in shades of butter yellow and rust to dark ox-blood reds with gold accents.” This lavish look was achieved by incorporating pieces like a gothic-inspired bed; a Moroccan lamp; a large-scale sofa with curve detailing; and a topaz, crystal-drop chandelier.
As a part of the master bathroom, the dressing area—accented with a large, round, leather borne (a three-sided sofa)—provides a secluded space for getting glamorous. “[The dressing area] is geared for the woman of the home, where she and her friends can have a large enough space to get ready to go to a social function,” Myers says. —A.S.
Champagne’s Home Décor
Spalike Serenity
Master Bathroom
The master bathroom spa is a luxurious place to primp for the day ahead, but it is also an area in which to relax at the end of a long one, as created by Susan Caras Interior Design. “I would describe it as a very opulent space,” says head designer Susan Caras Marchese. “It allows you to really relax and repose and get away from everyday life.” One of the key relaxation destinations is the textured, cream-color daybed, located underneath the gem-studded chandelier— a convenient spot for taking in the city and mountain views.
Although this space screams glamour, worldly accents make the room unique. “Most of my main accessories create a Moroccan feel,” Marchese says. “No matter what I do, I always try and make it a little bit quirky with something a little bit different so it doesn’t look like your ordinary, mundane [space].” —A.S.
Susan Caras Interior Design
Susan Caras Marchese, head designer;
Jane Regan, designer
602.992.2508.
Warm Welcome
Foyer
Blending contemporary art and sculpture with more traditional pieces, Sam West and her design team at Ladlow’s Fine Furniture were able to achieve the goal of any entry way: to be a welcoming—yet intriguing—space that gives guests a taste of what’s to come. West says this combo of contemporary and traditional resulted in an almost Roman-like look, and the space is rounded out with horn lamps and a large console table that repeats the medallion pattern seen in the flooring.
Apart from melding two varying styles, the foyer also features another eye-popping juxtaposition. “We wanted to have an invitation up to the second area,” says West, referring to the platform between the first and second stories. “We [did] some window coverings to soften the window and the granite rock on the outside. It [gives it] a softer edge so you have that difference in texture between the hard and the soft.” —M.L.
Ladlow’s Fine Furniture
Patty McCartney, Michal Runge
and Sam West, designers
480.609.5000, www.ladlows.com.
Mirror, Mirror
Bedroom Four
The first thing you’ll notice upon entering this lower-level bedroom, also designed by Ladlow’s Fine Furniture, is the use of mirrors, including a mirrored screen and entertainment center. The purpose of these luxe looking glasses is two-fold: 1) they create the illusion that the room is much larger than it is, and 2) they accentuate the stunning view. “There will be a point of reflection from each side of the room that we hope will capture both the view and [act as] an invitation into the room from the entry way,” says Sam West, one of the room’s designers.
Another dramatic feature of the room is the bed, with its distressed black coloring and ornate headboard. (West notes that the bed always sets the mood and style of a bedroom.) The use of the color black actually acts as a unifying theme between the pieces in the space, tying together the bed, the frame around the mirror screen and the fabrics used throughout. —M.L.
Ladlow’s Fine Furniture
Au Natural
Bedroom One
Combining masculine qualities with feminine touches is the work of Lohoma Eckroat, interior designer and owner of Interior Studio 54, and the result is a bedroom with a sense of simplistic European comfort. “I tried to introduce a lot of organic-type designs and objects into the room to make you think you are on the [Italian] coast,” Eckroat says. Some of these cozy details include a woven-rawhide bed; a woven-wood framed mirror; wood and bronze-brass lamps; and plenty of energizing plant life.
The warm coloring throughout—shades of copper and dark brown in the bedspread and splashes of muted greens in the artwork—makes for a gender-neutral place to crash at the end of the day. —A.S.
Interior Studio 54
Lohoma Eckroat, designer
602.692.1727.
Très Chic
Bedroom Two
The second bedroom in the expansive layout offers feminine nuances that dance with French-inspired furnishings and fabrics. The focus of the room is two-fold: Designer Marty Yates of Desert SW Design desired a parlor-style boudoir with separate sleeping and seating areas. She achieved this goal through unconventional placement of a Campaign twin bed that parlays a mid-1800’s classic French appeal and custom-designed serpentine chairs that define a seating area at the base of a curved wall of windows.
Navy blue tones set the vibe of the room while a leather ottoman, a red dresser and a crystal chandelier provide punctuation for the space. Original oil paintings cased in simple to ornate framings provide additional elegance and further exude the bedroom’s timeless French flair. —N.B.
Desert SW Design
Marty Yates, designer
480.284.5272,
www.desertsouthwestdesign.com.
The Art of Travel
Bedroom Three
Inspired by worldwide travels, designer Gabrielle Roeckelein of Park Avenue Design describes this lower-level bedroom as an international trove of treasures—many of which were collected by the designer. Her goal was to “use items from Portugal, Spain, Peru, Russia, Italy and other global areas,” she says. The room’s one-of-a-kind, custom antique Portuguese spindle-designed bed takes center stage, and across from it hangs a Peruvian mirror over a lion claw-footed dresser from Spain. The décor’s soft green, lavender and black tones help outline the room’s pop of purple accents. The final curtain call comes from the space’s sophisticated window treatments, which elicit a romantic vibe and unite the space. —C.W.
Park Avenue Design
Gabrielle Roeckelein, designer
480.961.7779, www.parkavenuedesign.com.
Extended Stay
Guest Suite
Having a guest suite so “sumptuous,” as designer Rhonda Greenberg of Studio Paradise puts it, can pose the age-old problem: Your guests will never want to leave. “The guest suite is the second master in the home so we wanted it to be opulent and highlight the extraordinary views,” Greenberg says.
The suite offers the amenities of a well-appointed resort, plus a complete kitchen with a Wolf range. However, with the enticing comfort of the rich walnut woods of the bed, wood-framed sofa and chest (all by Davis Home Furnishings, whose designers helped Greenberg fashion the space), accented by copper-velvet linens and fabrics, guests may desire to do more lounging than sautéing.
The pièce de résistance of the suite is a carved wooden bed detailed with scroll carvings framed by hand-painted crackle panels. The setup acts as the anchor of the design and is dressed with a chocolate silk balloon bed skirt, oversize chocolate Euro shams and faux mink pillows. —N.B.
Studio Paradise
Rhonda Greenberg, designer
480.948.9899, www.paradiseinterior.com.
Davis Home Furnishings
Michelle DeSanti and Chris Hagood, designers
480.607.0740.
Read Between the Lines
Library
The Elements of Design group did not envision a standardized look for the library. Instead, they combined both masculine and feminine items along with old and new accents to create an eclectic reading room. A focal point of the library is the black velvet chesterfield that is situated across from two Swaim chairs, the fabric of which is playfully adorned with crickets. “It is very subtle,” says designer Lina Quintero. “You have to look at the fabric to see the crickets, but it kind of reminds us not to take life too seriously.”
Another eye-popping feature is the curtains, which were made by sewing together three different fabrics to create an illusion of large stripes. “The silky texture of the three fabrics softens the window treatments and helps maintain a sense of equilibrium between the dominant dark fabrics and their creamy counterpart,” Quintero says. —A.F.
Elements of Design
Gena Chipley, JoAnn Johnston
and Lina Quintero, designers
480.443.9646, www.elementsofdesign.com.
A Walk to Remember
Guest Hall
Roll out the red carpet—or a lovely Tibetan hand-knotted rug, in this instance. Positioned at the end of a contoured passageway to the guest suite, this beautifully crafted rug features black, beige and pomegranate coloring and is accessorized with a Baroque-antique side table. Two carefully appointed consulate benches flank either side of the suite’s entrance, “adding a sense of nobility,” says designer Denise Walton of Denise J. Walton Design. “I wanted to design a space that would conform to the contour of the space.” —C.W.
Denise J. Walton Design,
Denise Walton, designer
602.788.5880.
Alfresco Retro
Guest Suite Patio
To overcome the atypical, curvy shape of the guest suite patio, Lawrence Lake of Interplan Design Group created multiple entertainment spaces for lounging, dining and gathering around the fire pit. A queen-size, iron-framed canopy bed designed by Lake headlines the nightclublike area, and vintage draperies with Frank Lloyd Wright-designed patterns hang from the background of the bed. Cushioned benches, overstuffed chairs and cocktail tables fill out the rest of the space. Near the barbecue, there’s a rectangular dining table with retro orange plastic chairs. Several black and white chairs as well as seats with automotive-inspired colors, like electric blue and cherry red, are arranged by the fire pit. The concept is to create a hip lounge for party guests to relax and play, Lake says. —R.L.
Interplan Design Group
Lawrence Lake, designer
480.443.3400, www.interplandesigngroup.com.
Petite Perfection
Powder Room, second floor
The second-level powder room may be one of the smallest rooms in the house but designer Liz Hepper of Liz Hepper Interiors found it the most inspiring. “I imagined a private chapel in a centuries-old European villa,” Hepper says. The 10-foot cathedral window is draped with a bold, terra-cotta silk and accented with a juniper tree on either side. “[It’s] very elegant compared to the stone floors and rougher elements in the room,” Hepper says. Another dramatic focal point is the rustic, Italian chandelier that hangs from the 14-foot vaulted ceiling. —A.F.
Liz Hepper Interiors
Liz Hepper, designer
480.367.1955, www.lizhepperinteriors.com.
All Fun and Games
Game and Billiard
“Since most of the house is so formal, we wanted to make sure the game room was an area where you can really relax and unwind,” says Michael Scott of Robb & Stucky. The center of the room features a large sectional sofa (Scott describes the fabric
as “soft buttery leather”), while five chairs surround the circular dining table—perfect for a game of cards. For chess masters,
the designers set up a beautiful chess board on top of an accent table, with two gothic chairs on opposite sides. The kitchen and bar area is yet another spot to lounge as there are four welcoming wooden barstools with leather seats.
Adjacent to the game room, pool sharks can start a round of eight-ball on the beige felt-topped billiards table. For those
waiting to get in on the next game, two corner seating areas encompass large, leather club chairs around a small side table.
Both the game and billiards rooms fit the designers’ theme of mixing Old World charm with contemporary elements. To achieve the transitional look, the designers adapted a neutral palette with various brown, green and blue hues, which complements the home’s interior and brings in the earthy tones of the outdoors. “The monochromatic colors we used create a calm and
inviting environment,” says Mina Kim of Robb & Stucky. —R.L.
Robb & Stucky
Michael Scott, design director;
Mina Kim and Priya Patel, designers
480.922.0011, www.robbstucky.com.
Life of the Party
Master Exterior
The spacious master bedroom patio, also designed by Robb & Stucky, sets the stage for a great party with a fire pit and a barbecue. “We see it as the space to really entertain for the home,” says Michael Scott, design director. To make this a perfect patio for get-togethers, the designers placed two sofas just outside the master bedroom, facing each other to promote conversation. They also arranged four chairs around the fire pit along with a set of eight chairs surrounding a large square table. The result is plenty of seating room for cozy evening gatherings. —R.L.
Robb & Stucky
Michael Scott, design director;
Mina Kim and Priya Patel, designers
480.922.0011, www.robbstucky.com.
Smoking Ace
Cigar Room
Originally intended for use as a cigar and poker outlet, designer Cote Butera-Gilmore of CBG Designs chose to keep the room sans the poker table. While conducting research for the project, she immersed herself in what she calls the cigar aficionado subculture. “The more I looked into cigars, the more I realized true cigar aficionados don’t play poker while they are smoking their cigars,”
the designer says.
Infused with eclectic styles, the goal of the space rested on optimizing the enjoyment in every puff while sitting on clean-lined chairs highlighted by soft textures and golden hues. An antique Oriental screen serves as the focal point of the stogie smoker’s haven, and a stencil that mimics the medieval-arched entry carries out the home’s grandiose architecture. Original cigar art from the 1800’s completes the ambiance. “It’s really dedicated to just a couple gentlemen sitting, smoking cigars and enjoying the view,” Butera-Gilmore says. —N.B.
CBG Designs
Cote Butera-Gilmore, designer
602.618.8384, www.cbgdesignsllc.com.
Crown Jewel
Powder Room, first floor
“It’s like the entrance to a castle,” says designer Karen Mandarino of Bella More Interior Design, describing the regal entry-level powder room, whose ceiling, walls and floor is lined with beautiful travertine and marble tile. To enhance the pedestal sink, which is the focal point of the room, Mandarino positioned a large, heavy decorative mirror above it. And to make up for the lack of windows, an elegant chandelier and flush-mount light fixtures are employed to bring light in the powder room. Additionally, an antique black-powder bench; a fresco scroll water receptacle; and planters with asparagus ferns were incorporated into the room to contribute to its lavish look. —C.P.
Bella More Interior Design
Karen Mandarino, designer
480.332.6919.
Vroom
Trophy Room
Initially planned to be an exercise room, Shairon Beale wanted to bring excitement to the space, thus transforming it into a handsome trophy room. With a mix of fun furnishings, like checkered flags and artwork of sports cars, Beale used the room as a dedication to a successful auto racer. An array of colors like black, creamy yellow and red are used as a backdrop to enhance the focus on the black leather chairs, which “look like racecar seats,” Beale says. She would know; the designer happens to be an avid racecar driver herself. —C.P.
Green SB Homes and Roche-Bobois
Shairon Beale, designer
480.234.9793, www.greensbhomes.com;
www.roche-bobois.com.
Hallway to Heaven
Hallway and Pool Bath
The hallway, designed by Katie Pacioni of Ritscher Designs, offers guests a relaxing retreat before entering the adjoining sauna room. “This tranquil space is meant to evoke calmness with a little fire and heart,” Pacioni says. The focal point is a black, hand-carved, imported Mexican bench, layered with pillows adorned in rich fabrics. Beneath the bench is a textured black-and-white area rug. The space is united by scarlet draperies hung from either side of the sauna’s entry. Inside, gold stone tile is accented by crimson and orange accessories. Finally, the vanity’s mirror and decorative sconce induce drama, while foliage adds a pop of nature. —C.W.
Ritscher Designs
Katie Pacioni, designer
602.404.5424, www.ritscherdesigns.com.
Mediterranean Masterpiece
Studio Room and Laundry Room
Valerie Borden of Chimera Interior Design envisioned this studio as an artistic space, with the room’s staple being a work table. “This is where everything begins and ends,” Borden says. “Creativity can be elusive. It is important to avoid visual distractions, while at the same time fashioning a room where one would be enveloped with inspiration.” The designer’s simplistic décor includes pieces that are usable and inviting. A leather chair highlights the room’s depth, while sheer draperies open the studio’s view to the outside. Monochromatic accessories assist in balancing the space.
The first-floor laundry room—often the most overlooked room—was inspired by the summer blockbuster, “Mamma Mia.” Below the beautifully crafted cherry wood cabinetry are vibrant Mediterranean-influenced fabrics. “This evokes fabrics hanging to dry in a Mediterranean courtyard overlooking the sea,” Borden says. Accessories in blue and green complete the scene. —C.W.
Chimera Interior Design,
Valerie Borden, designer
480.951.0168, www.chimerainteriordesign.com.
Wine and Dine
Wine Vault
To break up the uniformity of the Spanish cedar storage racks in this 1,500-bottle wine vault, designer Robyn Randall of Robb & Stucky opted to incorporate an intimate space in which to indulge in the grapey goodness.
“I am creating a little bit of an ambiance for a secondary private dining [area] for two—a combination wine tasting and intimate dining space,” she says. The star of the Old World-inspired space is a duo of chairs that have been upholstered in a cinnamon-and-brown paisleylike print and a spoon-carved wood-top table with an antiqued base. (The table happens to be the designer’s favorite element of the room.)
Above the short staircase that leads into the vault, guests are greeted with another standout feature: a beautiful mosaic that depicts a wine glass, a bottle of vino and a few three-dimensional bundles of grapes. —M.L.
Robb & Stucky
Robyn Randall, designer
480.922.0011, www.robbstucky.com.
Screen Time
Game Room Bath
The prize piece in this bathroom, also designed by Robyn Randall of Robb & Stucky, is undoubtedly the beautiful brown screen that separates the commode from the sink. And, according to Randall, the screen is more than just an ornamental element—it actually serves a practical use. “It [has a] dual purpose as a towel rack,” she says, noting the proximity of the bathroom to the pool area. “I designed some iron rings to be attached to the screen so that towels can hang from it.” —M.L.
Robb & Stucky
True View
Exterior Game Room Patio
Boasting a spectacular view of Camelback Mountain, Stephanie Ritscher of Ritscher Designs foresees the game room patio, which also has a negative-edge pool, a waterfall and a grotto, as an area where one can lounge around. “I really wanted to make it feel like an interior space and give it a feel of a room with a view,” the designer says. “[I wanted to] make it very personable and very comfortable.” To achieve the laidback feel, Ritscher started with a contemporary wickerlike bed, to which she added frilly trims and pillows. “I went with this bed because I envision curling up on it and reading a magazine or cuddling with someone,” she says. —R.L.
Ritscher Designs
Stephanie Ritscher, designer
602.404.5424, www.ritscherdesigns.com.
