The family that rides together thrives together in this citrus grove abode.

In the historical orange groves of East Mesa, a family of six enjoys an estate-size home that celebrates family traditions and French connections; their love of horses; and a commitment to the finest details of workmanship and design.

On 5.5 acres with decades-old orange trees, the East Mesa campus includes a 12,000-sq.-ft. three-level main house and a 1,200-sq.-ft. guest house, a resort-size pool and ramadas, an expansive back lawn (for a future horse barn) and a children’s playground with an in-ground trampoline.

"This beautiful home is a unique and detailed residence—one of a kind," says Tony Sutton, president and owner of Scottsdale interior design firm Est Est. Participating with him in the home's design were company designers Julie White and Kacie Moore. In 2001, Sutton began working with the clients and Phoenix architect Mark Fredstrom. Construction began in spring 2005, with completion in fall 2006.

The architect's goal: Create the ambience of an Old World estate within the privacy of the citrus. The formal symmetrical site recalls homes in Santa Barbara or Montecito, Calif. "The home has the feeling of being secluded within the grove but also has a very spacious feel upon entering the site," notes Fredstrom, who formed his practice in 1979.

"We established a rapport and discovered our clients’ interests and living habits through several design development meetings as well as a visit to their previous home," Moore says. "We strive to provide a unique design that is tailored to each client's lifestyle, personal beliefs and design taste." The homeowners wanted a variety of spaces for different aspects of their lives: formal, more traditional areas in the public spaces and casual, relaxing areas for family gatherings in other parts of the home.

The husband and wife looked through magazines for design elements they liked, then depended on Fredstrom and Est Est to realize their vision. Discriminating in taste, knowledgeable of building materials and appreciative of fine workmanship, the family approved physical samples and drawings, while relying on the team to deliver the highest quality home. For artwork, they chose a variety of pieces, including religious paintings and family portraits that they had commissioned through the years.

A private gated entrance leads from a bustling arterial past an expansive entry lawn: The traditionally designed home delivers exceptional approach and transitional drama-as if leaving the city for the countryside. While grand—with Cantera columns and fountains at the porte cochere and a custom front door incorporating wood, glass and iron scrollwork-this is foremost a family home, one that the owners have designed for years of residency.

While the size of this home is impressive, details consistently inspire closer observation. Outside, Cantera columns and casings frame exterior windows, and almost every room is meticulously fitted with crown moldings. Ceilings have multiple offsets, and the millwork features uncommon woods that are superlatively crafted and finished.

The living room features a Crema Marfil fireplace, handcarved from a chunk of marble, and the pear-wood cabinetry reveals a rarely seen grain patterning. In the dining room, upholstered silk walls add texture and elegance. All the walls in the husband's office are fashioned of carved mahogany, and the floor is mahogany as well. On the ceiling, mahogany beams are inset with custom leather paneling. The adjacent office bathroom includes a sauna and a steam shower.

The breakfast room is particularly attractive, with inset wood flooring details that coordinate with the kitchen cabinetry carvings. The border is a colorful grapevine and leaf pattern in maple and cherry. Also on the first level, the very traditional master suite combines true Venetian plaster and silk wall covering with travertine columns and light and dark Emperador marble at the fireplace and cherry-wood cabinetry and built-ins.

The four childrens' bedrooms are upstairs, all individually themed and boasting full baths and walk-in closets. A central game room has a full kitchen, a full bath and a pool table. For the youngest girl, the team designed a secret room hidden behind a shelving unit in the playroom. When first designed in 2001, this was to be her hiding place and where she housed her doll collection. Now nearing junior high school, she enjoys a bathroom that is distinctly feminine, with a large striped fuchsia wall covering, off-white painted cabinets, and light ivory travertine walls with glazed accent tiles of bumblebees and flowers.

The home carries many Western influences—family members compete in horse competitions-as well as French influences reflecting their background. The guest casita includes living and dining rooms, a kitchen, a powder room, a bedroom with a full bathroom and a walk-in closet. Completed in a Western cowboy theme, it has a leather shag area rug and a Dutch door. The children’s game room in the main house also incorporates similar design motifs.

The homeowners celebrate their French heritage in the mud bathroom, which carries a colorful full-wall mural of a French street-cafe scene.

The basement and craft room celebrates the family's love of horses by means of Western and English riding décor. The home theater has large motorized seats with custom branding on leather backs, woven leather cord trim and light tan suede upholstery. The upholstered walls, with custom nail-head designs, cover acoustic panels. A motorized drapery wraps the movie screen. Large Cohiba wood beams and twisted columns with clavos details, made in Brazil, as well as a one-of-a-kind chandelier and wall sconces, complete the high-tech, highly regional space.

Most important, this home is designed for family: Gathering together and with close friends takes place on the large family room sectional sofa (a favorite for the family dog, too); in the gathering island in the craft room; and, just off the kitchen, around the large serving area with a raised bar counter and eight barstools.

"We built our home with the needs of our family first and foremost in our mind," says the wife. "We wanted our home to be a place where our children and their friends could come and have fun. We also planned for the future—as our family will someday expand to include grandchildren."