When seasoned world traveler Roland Cochrun began imagining where he and his wife, Lauren Sorensen, wanted to settle down, he had a checklist: year-round sunshine, low humidity, golf and hiking trails that were reachable on foot, no car required. Also—and perhaps most importantly—a truly jaw-dropping view. Boulder, Colorado, came close, but the winters could be harsh. The other option that ticked every box? Sedona, Arizona, with its high-desert climate, world-class golf courses, cinematic red rock formations and seemingly endless miles of trails. As a bonus, the lot that the couple ultimately found looks onto protected national wilderness, ensuring no future development will interrupt the serenity. “It’s dead quiet here,” Cochrun says. “You can hear a pin drop.”
For Britany Simon, founder and principal designer of Scottsdale-based Britany Simon Design House, that silence—and the power of the landscape—set the tone for everything that followed. “Our biggest concern was creating bold, memorable moments without overpowering the location,” she explains. “When the setting is that dramatic, you don’t need to compete with it.”
Home Details
Architecture:
Cavin Costello, The Ranch Mine
Interior Design:
Britany Simon, Britany Simon Design House
Home Builder:
Joel A. DeTar, DeTar Construction, Inc.
Working alongside Phoenix-based architect Cavin Costello of The Ranch Mine, Simon was involved from the beginning of this new build, which took about two years to finish. The clients were clear in their mandate: Every single room needed a view, from the primary bedroom to the office to the outdoor kitchen. With so many spaces anchored to one face of red rock, the 4,094-square-foot plan took form in a very specific way. “When the landscape is this raw and powerful, our instinct is to get out of the way,” Costello says. “We wanted to frame it and shape Roland and Lauren’s everyday life within it.”
Inside, there was more negotiation and nuance. Roland gravitated toward modern, architectural statements, strong lines and weighty finishes, while Lauren wanted warmth, softness and comfort. “Roland really steered the architectural finishes and those bold, impactful elements. Lauren guided the furnishings. She didn’t want it to feel stiff or overly modern,” Costello says.
The result is a layered collaboration. Floor-to-ceiling stone wraps the main living areas, establishing what Simon calls a “monolithic feel.” Above, a custom slatted ceiling integrates lighting and subtly echoes linear details throughout the home, such as the fluted finish on the kitchen island and narrow vertical tiles in a bathroom. The architecture provides structure and edge, while the furnishings temper it through selections like barrel-backed dining chairs and ottomans adorned in a cheeky fringe. “Those were all moments where we layered in softness and a more feminine feel,” Simon says. Texture became the bridge between the homeowners’ two points of view.
In the great room, a custom U-shaped sectional anchors the seating area, facing walls of glass that pocket fully open to the landscape beyond. “For seven months out of the year, we’re essentially living outdoors,” Cochrun says. Rather than crowd the home’s interior spaces with copious amounts of artwork, Simon edited carefully. “There isn’t a lot of traditional wall space,” she explains, noting the extensive use of glass. Instead, the stunning panorama serves as a kind of living art. “We wanted serenity and clean lines and to let the indoor–outdoor connection feel seamless,” Simon says.
Throughout the home, the emphasis remained on a sense of cohesion and serenity. “In a world focused on accumulating material things, I think the deepest luxury is the nature around us and the people at our side,” Costello reflects. Hewing to that philosophy, the resulting dwelling shows deep respect for the landscape. One case in point: During construction, the team carefully built around an ancient juniper tree in order to avoid uprooting something that had been part of the land for over 300 years. “The house is so connected to nature,” Simon says. “When everything opens up, it’s like you are totally alone, at peace, and at one with the landscape.”
