Explore A Contemporary Arizona Home At One With The Landscape

When downsizing, some empty nesters gravitate toward a scaled-down version of their previous residence, keeping the same style. But in the case of James Magni and Jason Kalman’s clients, they opted to boldly move to a completely different look. After having raised their children in a spacious, traditional Mediterranean-style dwelling in Paradise Valley, the husband and wife were ready for a change. “They envisioned something much cleaner and more tidy-looking,” Magni says. “They wanted to deaccession their lives, if you will.” This approach came in the form of a newly built contemporary house whose architecture, and now furnishings, meld with the natural landscape.

Originally designed by architect Bing Hu for himself, the abode was conceived to savor the beauty of the desert, particularly Camelback Mountain, in an unobtrusive way. “My No. 1 goal was to blend the house with nature,” shares Hu, who carefully selected materials for the exterior that fit in with the surrounding environment. In addition to plenty of glass to maximize views, the dark tones of oxidized copper and basalt stone allow the structure to fade into the mountains, especially when seen from a distance. Working with designer David Michael Miller, who specified some of the interior finishes, and general contractor Brock Brunkhorst, Hu decided to sell the dwelling to the couple just prior to the construction’s completion.

With most of the house already built, Magni and Kalman set out to customize the interiors for their clients while also respecting the architecture and setting. “Camelback Mountain is very dominant, and the skin of the building is unique. The interiors are sandwiched into the middle, so we had to create transitions from outside to inside that were very natural and organic,” Magni explains. “It was important that we had a palette of rich, sensuous materials.” Adds Kalman, “Our clients did not want a cold, contemporary home. They wanted something that didn’t take itself too seriously.”

The designers eased their clients into a modern environment with transitional furnishings and soft, luxurious fabrics. In the open living room, a blue silk-velvet sofa, whose tufting is a nod to tradition, is joined by statement pieces like a bronze-and-charred-oak coffee table and a pair of brushed-metal foot stools covered in sheepskin. Taking their color cues from the grounds designed by Jeremy McVicars, the duo also looked to the environment when it came to furniture shape. “In nature, there are no right angles. We wanted sensual, rounder forms that blend with the landscape beyond,” Kalman says, calling out two different pairs of curvaceous chairs that further soften the room.

Given the home’s open floor plan that integrates both indoor and outdoor living spaces, the furnishings Magni and Kalman selected had to look attractive from every possible angle. In the dining area, a maple-and-bronze table and chairs that are fully wrapped in woven chenille anchor a space whose most high-profile piece is a glass-droplet chandelier. The sleek kitchen is no less arresting. Finished simply, yet beautifully, with Calacatta Lincoln marble and cabinetry made of walnut, aluminum and lacquer, the space needed little in the way of embellishment, other than a set of stainless-steel stools with woven seats and backs. Even the patio furniture draws attention from both indoors and out with its sleek, sculptural shapes.

The designers reserved the most sensorial furnishings for the couple’s second-floor bedroom suite. “At nighttime, it feels sexy. Everything is unassuming but very tactile and sensual,” observes Magni, who with Kalman designed the room’s centerpiece: a floating bed made of calfskin leather, walnut and bronze. In the bedroom and adjoining sitting room, cashmere and wool rugs, a ruched Ultrasuede chair and a sectional upholstered in gray chenille create a feast for the senses. The suite’s his-and-her bathrooms’ stone-clad walls and lacquered cabinetry foster a quiet luxury that does not overshadow the breathtaking outdoor views. Although the designers insist that one can never compete with nature, with this house they managed to create an interior landscape that is every bit as beautiful as the one outside.