Step Inside An Indoor-Outdoor Refuge In Paradise Valley

When a family of six relocated to the Scottsdale area for work, they were quickly drawn to Paradise Valley for its canopy of mature trees, hushed streets and architecturally distinctive homes perched on generous parcels of land. And they discovered a surprisingly ideal scenario: a modern estate already designed by architect Mark Candelaria that maximized indoor-outdoor living, which they purchased before general contractor Erik Tinker began construction so that it could still be tailored to their lifestyle. “I loved that the project was just starting,” the homeowner says. “I was able to jump in and tweak the floor plan in order to best suit our family.” Working with interior designer Elizabeth Hamill, the clients then explored finishes and layered in accents that imbue the space with a highly customized aesthetic.

To blur the boundaries between inside and out, Candelaria envisioned an H-shaped layout that organizes public spaces on one end and private spaces on the other, capturing four separate courtyards. “We really try to make use of that Arizona climate and wanted to connect as many rooms to the outside landscape as possible,” Candelaria reflects. He focused on precise alignments to augment the flow: The interior great room fully opens to its exterior counterpart, which also aligns with the guesthouse’s great room, while the indoor kitchen directly mirrors an open-air cooking space just beyond the glass. “People always tell me, ‘I don’t know what it is, but your houses always feel so comfortable,’ ” Candelaria says. “It’s all of these mathematical alignments that put your subconscious at ease.”

Playing into that sense of serenity, the home’s material palette leans soft and textural, featuring stucco, limestone with a light mortar wash, steel-framed openings and warm woods. Hamill carried that sentiment indoors using natural materials selected for their ability to withstand frequent use and age beautifully over time, such as the living room’s performance fabric-clad sofas and leather-upholstered ottomans. “Function was huge,” Hamill reflects. “With every choice, we asked ourselves: How is it going to live? How is it going to last?” In the kitchen, she opted for marble countertops that will show their years artfully. “The homeowner fell in love with the romance of the material,” she says. “They use marble a ton in Europe, and if you think about a European bakery, the patina is part of its charm and story.”

The kitchen blends these time-honored cues, such as the classic European range, with modern touches, like the sculptural hood. For the ceiling—which he refers to as the “heaven of architecture”—Candelaria devised a grid of darkly stained beams that strike a balance between transitional farmhouse warmth and contemporary crispness. They frame the white oak floors below, which were treated with European oil to allow for reconditioning over the years.

In contrast to the openness of the gathering spaces, the primary suite remains intentionally cozy. “I don’t like making bedrooms too big,” Candelaria says. “I want them to feel intimate.” Building on that atmosphere, Hamill layered the room in supple fabrics, including a warm linen wallcovering that softens the architecture. These rich neutrals again allow the connection to the outdoors to take center stage, with the bathroom opening to a private courtyard featuring an alfresco shower and pergola.

Outside, activity areas unfold organically across the acre-plus property, from a bocce court, sport court and pool to tucked-away terraces where adults and kids can spread out—or come together. One of Hamill’s favorite moments pairs European-inspired stone and plantings by landscape designer Harrison Hoffman with a strikingly modern couple’s daybed. “It encapsulates everything we tried to do, balancing fresh, contemporary family relaxation with authentic European artisanship,” she observes.

For the owners, the result is a deeply personal refuge. “I wanted this house to feel special and extraordinary but also cozy and familiar,” the wife says. With materials chosen to improve as they age and a layout designed to evolve with the family’s rhythm, the home is exactly that: an enduring foundation for the life they’re building.