Compass to Camelback

Modern Luxury Interiors, Spring/Summer 2018

Dramatically sited on an acre in Paradise Valley, this one-level custom looks south toward legendary Camelback Mountain, including its eternally devotional Praying Monk. The equally dramatic north entry is sited toward another landmark representational feature, Mummy Mountain. The four-bedroom, four-and-a-half bathroom Desert Contemporary celebrates the open, indoor-outdoor lifestyle this couple has enjoyed in Arizona since childhood, while still ensuring their privacy and delivering views, views and views. The couple climbed the landmark mountain as youngsters, and still do, and the husband is an avid mountain biker. Scottsdale architect Mark Candelaria, AIA, assured them that after the 1960s existing home was leveled, the obstructive foliage removed and a new well-sited home built with ample windows, they’d be looking real good in retirement. Scottsdale’s Claire Ownby and her adept team provided the crisp, elegant interior design.

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Flying High

Modern Luxury, March/April 2018

Celebrated Candelaria Design of Scottsdale provided the winglike design for this 15,353-squarefoot Mummy Mountain contemporary for a husband and wife; he’s a former airline CEO and aviation aficionado. “The owners knew what kind of style they wanted and came to us,” says Mark Candelaria, who assumed the project in 2007. “The entire design and build team was assembled early on, so it was a great collaboration with the owners, architect, interior designer and builder.” For the challenging hard-granite excavation and construction of this complicated home, the couple hired hillside builder, John Schultz, founder of Scottsdale-based Schultz Development. The well-known design firm of Wiseman and Gale, Scottsdale, provided the contemporary interiors. And Candelaria designed the bar to resemble a cockpit, which should get you flying.

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Living History

Luxury Living, Fall/Winter 2007

The Glacier Club is an exclusive home and golf community north of Durango, Colo. This custom there celebrates the area’s history and topography: mining, steam trains, cowboys, the Animas River rapids, pristine lakes, Rocky Mountain peaks, pine and fir, golden eagles and elk. This is the refuge you want to be New Year’s Eve, with food, fire and firewater and friends. You know, let it snow, let it snow . . . .

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Serene Sophistication

Modern Luxury Scottsdale, September 2017

The owners were formerly devotees of traditional design, but they asked Scottsdale interior designer Raegan Ford for a more transitional/modern interior for their new Mediterranean-style single-family home in Paradise Valley. The result is a custom one-story, 8,593 square feet under roof, with garages, covered porches and patios on two acres: classic, light, modern, sophisticated and fresh. The five-bedroom main house has an adjacent guest house and a four-car extended-length/height garage. Inside are subtle greys and whites on the walls and custom alder cabinetry, against which standout lighting, soft abstract artwork and color pops provide drama and pizazz.

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Door to Paradise

Modern Luxury Scottsdale, July/August 2017

Where’s the front door? Finding it is the first of many pleasures delivered by this Contemporary home at Mummy Mountain Norte in Paradise Valley. The 3,843-square-foot single-level includes three bedrooms and a one-bedroom casita. “When approaching the main entry, it feels connected to the home and integrated into the glazing system, not intended to stand out,” says Mike Wetzel, AIA, who designed the home with Vern Swaback, FAIA, co-founding partner of Swaback Partners, Scottsdale. The space the architects created is a dramatic dialogue of hillside and homesite. “There is a defined axial alignment that runs through the center of the pool, the center of the water feature and the center of multiple terraced stone-caged gabion retaining structures, all of which align to orient the homeowners and guests to a wonderful view of Mummy Mountain,” says Anthony J. Salcito Jr., president of the builder, Salcito Custom Homes LTD., Scottsdale.

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