Discover The Details Inside An Art-Filled Scottsdale Abode

When the powerhouse duo of designer Rebecca Salcito and general contractor Anthony Salcito created this Scottsdale residence for themselves, they knew it was for keeps. That concept wasn’t a given, considering Anthony has built more than 400 homes in the area, and the couple could theoretically move on a whim. But this dwelling, designed with their friend and frequent collaborator architect Erik Peterson, has a place in their hearts. “This is our fourth house that we’ve built and lived in,” Rebecca says. “Each has had a little bit of a different style, but I would say this one is the most elevated—and my personal favorite.”

But when you are in the business, as the late legendary designer John Wheatman once said, a good house is never done. And, after seven years in residence, the Salcitos wanted to make minor, but impactful, updates. As with every project, the couple brought their unique skill sets to the task. “I concentrate on the big picture—such as making the rooms light-filled,” Anthony explains. “And Rebecca is focused on the finishes, furnishings and artwork.”

You could say that the couple’s art collection was the genesis for the home’s original design, which was inspired by their travels in Europe and created as a beautiful backdrop for the things that interest them. “We love art,” Rebecca says. “Everywhere we go, we’re going into galleries, looking at artworks and commissioning new pieces.” In fact, they are so committed to collecting that they have a storage building for their art, allowing them to rotate their collection as a museum might. The cycle is constant: “We buy a painting, we put it up, and then we might see something else that we fall in love with and purchase,” Rebecca explains. In the home’s refresh, paintings by Hunt Slonem in the living room and the memorable, whimsical piece by DeVon in Rebecca’s office showing Audrey Hepburn blowing bubblegum, spark a fresh atmosphere.

The soaring living room is a study in scale. The ceilings reach 16 feet, and to make such volume feel intimate, the couple devised a clever plan: “In the beginning, I decided that we were going to have two fireplaces, one on each end of the space, and also two chandeliers,” Rebecca says. One side channels ceremony with a formal fireplace and antique mantel mirror. The opposite end of the long room reflects another side of a coin: “This is our casual side, where we can be a little more relaxed,” she notes. A U-shaped sectional embraces the modernist fireplace, creating a seating plan reminiscent of a conversation pit. Rebecca describes it as “feeling very warm and comfortable.”

Nearby in her office, things take a moody yet joyful turn with black paneling that makes the light fixture’s glass orbs sparkle. In addition to the oversize image of Hepburn, new floral textiles give the space a feminine touch and divert the eye from a spy-worthy twist: a bookcase that swivels to reveal a home gym. The same dark and delicate nature is present at Rebecca’s vanity in the primary bathroom, where ebony marble with amber veins meets crystal sconces, brass fixtures and floral motifs.

In the kitchen, Rebecca designed around a polished Arabescato marble they discovered while combing nearly “three football fields of slabs,” she recalls, in 115-degree heat. The endurance sport was worth it for the showstopping veining, now softened by counter stools in a whispery pink.

Outside, the couple agreed to both embrace and reject local norms. The terrace, outfitted with a plush sofa and a generous, well-equipped bar, is Arizona outdoor living at its finest. But, after more than three decades in the Grand Canyon State, Rebecca longed for the lush green she experienced living on the East Coast. She aimed to “replicate that feeling of many layers of green,” she says, so that stepping into the garden, conceived by Anthony and landscape designer Jeff Berghoff, feels like recalling a memory.

Pair the home’s verdant grounds with its European-inspired interiors, and it almost feels like you are in another world when visiting, one that sprang from the Salcitos’ combined creativity. Says Rebecca: “You wouldn’t know that you’re in Arizona when you walk through the front door.”