Client Brief:
The homeowners described their existing 1970s house as “dark and cramped with low ceilings” and sought a complete renovation that would add space for their growing family while transforming the home into a brighter, more open space that embraced indoor-outdoor living. They wanted to reuse the original structure where possible but needed additional space and improved natural light.
Location:
The property is located in Paradise Valley, Arizona, where the original 1970s home offered limited views and a disconnected living experience from the outdoors. The redesign had to account for the desert climate, emphasizing shade, cross-ventilation, and creating a courtyard to connect the home to its surroundings in a timeless way suited to the Southwest.
Design Solution:
To address the homeowners' needs, we designed an addition that runs parallel to the existing house, separating the two with a linking element containing a new mudroom, powder room, and hallway. This strategy preserved the original structure while introducing a light-filled, cross-ventilated space for the addition. The separation also created an intimate courtyard between the old and new structures, offering a classic Southwestern way of living. The addition is bookended by a new guest suite and primary suite, both clad in white stucco. The central living space, supported by regularly spaced columns, is sheltered by a pavilion-like roof with large overhangs that provide shade for the expansive glass and outdoor patio during the hot summer months. Operable windows on both sides of the living area allow for breezes to flow through, further enhancing the comfort of the indoor and outdoor spaces. Inside, floor-to-ceiling glass in the new living room captures previously unseen views of the mountains to the north. Pocketing glass doors disappear behind the plastered fireplace, creating a seamless indoor-outdoor transition to the patio. Wood slats, introduced as a backlit lantern at the home’s entry, continue through the addition, cleverly concealing doors to the mudroom and powder room along the way. Tongue and groove wood applied to the ceilings adds warmth and organic texture to the interior spaces.
Result:
"Rove" transforms a once cramped, dark house into a bright, open home that celebrates the connection between indoor and outdoor living by bringing in mountain views, enhancing cross ventilation, and adding outdoor living space. By reconfiguring the original structure and introducing a light-filled addition, the home now accommodates the family’s needs while providing comfort and ease in the Arizona climate.
