Serenity Now in Scottsdale

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Serenity Now AZ

Organic materials and the muted tones of a globally influenced art collection connect a Scottsdale house to the quiet of its desert setting.

Transitional Scottsdale Home with Asian Influences and Stone

For a couple in Scottsdale’s DC Ranch community, interior designers David P. Turner and John G. Martin worked with architect Bob Bacon to create a modern house that communes with its surroundings. Locally quarried stone makes up the exterior walls and carries on to the interiors. The Asian-inspired light fixtures were a collaboration between the husband and Turner Martin Design.

Distinctive Steel Staircase with Wooden Accessories

Bacon’s distinctive steel staircase creates an airy and open circulation space. The black-bamboo-steel- and-resin light fixture was conceived by Turner Martin Design and fabricated by artisans in Bali. The carved- wood bowl was purchased at Jofa African Imports.

Gray and Stone Master Bedroom Sitting Area

With its organic art, textured materials and a neutral palette punctuated by black tones, the master bedroom sitting area showcases Tuner Martin Design’s rigorously edited style. The designers installed LED light panels behind a painting on vinyl by Erik Gonzales—one of a pair in the space—for a warm glow at night. The light fixture was made in Bali by Made Wijaya.

Black and White Oil Painting on Display in the Living Room

A bold black-and-white oil painting by Loren Yagoda, from Costello-Childs Contemporary Fine Art, adds drama to the living area. The gray textured sofa was custom-designed by Turner Martin Design and fabricated by Grenard’s Upholstery.

Great Room with Contemporary Gray, Wood and Stone Decorations

The significant great room, which is the heart of the home, encompasses living, dining and kitchen areas; the open plan encourages flow when the owners entertain. Tiered cocktail tables, available through Turner Martin Design, appear to float atop a graphic rug, also by the designers.

Dining Room Sculptural Wall

Turner and Martin created the dining area’s sculptural wall art by framing a teak tree root found in Bali. The bamboo-and-black-mitsumata-branch light fixture from Costello-Childs Contemporary Fine Art was made by Martin, and the mahogany table by Taracea is from Loggia Showroom in San Francisco.

Absent Cabinetry in the Kitchen for Visual Connection

Avoiding cabinetry over the countertops gives the kitchen a greater visual connection to the rest of the great room. The bleached-oak-and-black-satin- metal barstools, with and without backs, are from Skram Furniture Company in Burlington, North Carolina; the granite for the countertops is from Arizona Tile.

Museum-Like Hallway

Past the kitchen, steps ascend to a powder room and a study. At the end of the hall, beyond a door adorned with African masks, is the theater room. The natural black slate flooring is from Villagio Tile & Stone.

Arizona Outdoor Terrace with Fireplace and Seating Area

The home’s spectacular desert and mountain views can be enjoyed from an ample, protected upper terrace, which includes a dining area and a fireplace- centered seating area. Accessible from the main house as well as the two guest casitas, it allows residents and guests to gather for wine or dinner. The furnishings are by Teak Warehouse.

Master Bedroom that Exudes Comfort

The master bedroom exudes comfort with a steel bed by Room & Board featuring a headboard custom-upholstered with Kravet patent leather and bedding from Bungalow AZ. The console is from Eclectic Home, and the metal-and-linen table lamps are by Sonneman – A Way of Light.

Rich Brown Palette in the Master Bathroom

A rich brown palette prevails in the his-and-hers master bath, which is organized around Finely Designed custom bamboo cabinetry. The sinks are Kohler, and the faucets are Danze. The framed mirrors were conceived by Turner Martin Design and fabricated by Finely Designed.

The story behind a couple’s striking house in the DC Ranch community of Scottsdale began while they were searching for a place to remodel. “We stumbled upon a casita at the Boulders Resort and said, ‘Wow, look at this,’ ” the husband relates. “The interiors were contemporary but had a timeless yet androgynous feel. We wanted something of a similar style.” 

The first step in that direction was connecting with David P. Turner and John G. Martin, who created the interiors of that casita. “The owners were enamored with the design but not the location,” Martin says of the house, and as the prospect of remodeling drew bleaker due to lack of available structures with the right bones and palette, the concept of going ground-up became more appealing. “They knew we could do what they wanted anywhere and started looking for a lot.” 

In time, builder Tom Archer, whose home projects the owners had also seen and liked, was brought on board. He in turn recommended Bob Bacon, the very architect who designed the Boulders Resort casitas. “As we created a team, things began to fall into place,” says Martin. “We could all see where the design was to go.” 

Up against the McDowell Mountains in the high desert, the chosen lot boasted city views and natural solitude, and the importance of connecting with and respecting the surroundings was duly noted in Bacon’s architectural plans. “I’ve always held that deserts are visually fragile environments and that their natural beauty is valuable,” the architect says. “It was important that the home respond appropriately.” 

To that end, Bacon designed the structure with a stone spine wall that runs parallel to the terrain. On two sides, the stone element extends past the house into the desert to reinforce the integration of the house with its site. A combination of organic materials and industrial elements— locally harvested cobblestone laid in a random rubble pattern, oxidized steel, glass, concrete, and highly textured and variegated terra-cotta tile—reflect indigenous building techniques. Broad overhangs reduce glare and provide protection from direct sun and heat, while a series of patios are visually connected and open to each other. 

Inside, Turner and Martin created beautifully composed neutral spaces and accentuated the entire interior with “conversation pieces,” including the dramatic, internationally influenced artwork they curated from Costello-Childs Contemporary Fine Art, some of which Martin created himself. “The first impression is masculine-looking, but then it takes on more feminine, softer lines,” Martin explains. “The play of hard and soft edges against one another and the defining of smaller spaces with large elements and artwork gives an unexpected look and feel.” 

For furnishings, Turner and Martin borrowed from designs the owners had initially been drawn to, but they incorporated “a unique stamp” at every turn. In the great room, which they consider the driving force of the home, they custom-designed sectional sofas and upholstered them with cotton and ax fabric to match the coloration of the stone walls. In the kitchen, they paired a Cambrian black satin granite-topped counter with bamboo cabinetry that has an ebonized finish. In the master bedroom, Turner and Martin custom-upholstered the headboard in a linear- patterned black patent leather and floated it on a custom cotton-sisal-and-jute rug. 

Throughout the home, and in the two semi-attached guest casitas, a sense of cohesiveness and richness was achieved with the addition of carefully selected and placed accessories and organic accent pieces. Often, specific design elements were meticulously detailed in partnership with the owner and Archer. The husband, an engineer, “was so bright and knowledgeable, and he wanted things done in a certain manner,” says Archer. “It was a challenge to make sure that when we did something, from tile to light fixtures to floor layouts to the welding of the exposed steel, the details were worked out way ahead of time. It was like an amazing arts-and-crafts project.” Acknowledges the husband: “It can be cumbersome to have so much participation from the homeowner, but Tom and John were willing to work with me in that regard, and it worked out well.” 

Furthering the connection of the home with its surroundings were the efforts of landscape designer Donna Winters, who spent a great deal of time up front becoming familiar with the plans. “When we live with spaces, we really are able to speak to what’s unique about home and how it blends into the bigger picture of things,” she explains. In response to the magnitude of the house, Winters specified sizable, indigenous accent material, such as cacti and box ironwoods, for the exterior and subsidized them with area planters. “It’s like living art,” she says. 

Reflecting on the project, Martin notes, “It’s such a dramatic house, and the main thing is it’s an homage to the relationship with the client, designer, architect and contractor. It’s a reflection of everyone’s palette.” Adds the husband: “When you walk into a room, your blood pressure drops automatically. It’s very soothing and relaxing.” 

Linda Hayes