A striking Scottsdale home by Tate Studio Architects, Build, Inc. Design + Build and High Desert Designs blends modernist design with the Arizona landscape, featuring clean lines, expansive views of Pinnacle Peak and seamless indoor-outdoor living.
The team used materials including travertine, cast-in-place concrete, basalt, metal and glass for this Paradise Valley home.
This breathtaking Scottsdale home, designed by Tate Studio Architects in collaboration with High Desert Designs and Build Inc., is a testament to the seamless integration of architecture and nature. Situated on a 1-acre lot with expansive views, the home represents a dream years in the making for its Midwest-based owners. They envisioned it as both a peaceful vacation retreat and a future full-time residence.
“The vision for the home was heavily influenced by the site’s unique characteristics,” shares architect Mark A. Tate, AIA.
“The vision for the home was heavily influenced by the site’s unique characteristics,” explains Mark A. Tate, AIA, founder and principal of Tate Studio Architects. “The lot is linear in shape and has impeccable views of Pinnacle Peak Mountain and the Scottsdale city lights.” It was important for the homeowners to have a clear separation between the primary and guest suites and a strong connection between the indoor living space and the patio.
Executive Design crafted custom-stained rift-sawn white oak cabinetry in the kitchen, which features SubZero, Wolf and Miele appliances and counter seating by Thomas Hayes.
The exterior of the home takes its cues from the desert environment. “We wanted Pinnacle Peak to be the first sight upon entering and for it to remain the focal point as they move throughout the home,” Tate explains. This desire to blend with the landscape is evident in the home’s materials: travertine, cast-in-place concrete, precision masonry, basalt, metal and glass. These materials reflect the desert’s textures and tones and create a tactile experience that’s both serene and elegant. “The home has a number of picture windows that we wanted to frame some ‘living art’ within the landscape,” shares Chad Norris of High Desert Design. “While some windows have long views in the background and the landscape is just an accent, others needed to have the view created.”
Upon arrival, visitors are greeted by a dramatic entryway featuring a pivoting glass door, travertine flooring and a monolithic concrete wall. “The mix of materials has a calming effect,” notes Tate, explaining how the combination of elements creates a peaceful atmosphere inside the home. Light floods the space through clerestory windows, further enhancing the sense of connection with the outdoors.
Floor-to-ceiling windows wrap the corner of the multipurpose workspace, allowing the natural light to pour in.
In the great room, guests are immediately drawn to a framed view of Pinnacle Peak through the room’s floor-to-ceiling windows. The room’s centerpiece is a striking modern fireplace crafted from custom wood-stained panels, snap-tie concrete, a stainless steel mantel, a polished integral-colored concrete hearth and exposed metal flues. This focal point grounds the space, but the design team ensured the views remain the star of the show. “Corner pocket stacked sliding glass doors running the length of the room provide unfettered access to the pool patio while ensuring no one is deprived of the views,” Tate shares.
The kitchen, with its sleek oak cabinetry and black basalt backsplash, continues the home’s theme of minimalism and texture. Adjacent to the kitchen is the dining area, designed to be simple yet inviting. “Since this space is situated directly in front of the home’s entry, [the team] kept it minimal with the furnishings,” Tate explains, pointing out that the light fixture serves as the main statement piece, while custom reeded paneling and walnut cabinetry add warmth.
Composed of custom wood-stained panels, snap-tie concrete, a stainless-steel mantel, a polished integral-colored concrete hearth and exposed metal flues, the fireplace is the focal point of the great room.
One of the more secluded spaces in the home is the primary bedroom, which opens to a private outdoor shower and desert garden through sliding glass doors. Featuring a modern fireplace with a white stone hearth and black basalt stone accent tiles, and a sofa from RH, the room is a peaceful retreat for the homeowners. The primary bathroom continues the trend of bringing the outdoors in, with clerestory windows allowing natural light to pour in and a full-length picture window framing a free-standing bathtub.
Brown Jordan chaise lounges provide intimate seating alongside the zero- and negative-edge infinity pool and spa.
In addition to the primary living areas, the home features several other key spaces. In the multipurpose workspace, floor-to-ceiling windows wrap around the corner of the room, allowing natural light to flood the space and offering views of the surrounding desert. “The desert landscaping evokes the feeling of being immersed in the surroundings while still enjoying the comforts of the indoors,” says Tate.
The outdoor living spaces are no less impressive. The covered patio, anchored by a black basalt wall, includes a lounge area and an elongated fire feature that illuminates a towering saguaro cactus. A pair of chaise lounges from Brown Jordan sit beside the zero- and negative-edge infinity pool and spa. Specimen cacti and other native plants were strategically placed to complement the home’s architecture.
A black basalt wall anchors the covered patio and separates the lounge space from the outdoor dining area.
The project wasn’t without its challenges. Due to height restrictions in the area near Pinnacle Peak, the team had to adapt to satisfy the homeowners’ initial desire for a second story. “The homeowners desired a clear separation between their primary and guest suites. For this reason, they preferred to have a second story,” Tate explains. But, due to the limitations, a split-level floor plan was devised, resulting in a creative solution that allowed for separation and a clever use of space. “This creative solution not only fulfilled the homeowner’s wishes but also resulted in a more efficient floor plan,” he adds.
As with any custom home, the design process required close collaboration. The homeowners actively participated in every decision, which the team appreciated. “Our greatest highlight was getting to know the owners during the design process and having conversations about life, art, architecture and everything in between,” Tate shares.
“The home has a number of picture windows that frame some ‘living art’ within the landscape,” says Norris.
Another highlight for the team was the great room. “It’s not only the focal point of the design, but it also represents our guiding design principle—to live in the view,” Tate explains. The room’s expansive windows and corner pocket doors blur the lines between indoor and outdoor living, allowing the homeowners to experience the beauty of the desert from every angle.
The project, which took over a year to complete, honors modernist design and the Arizona landscape. “The home is certainly the tribute to modernism that the owners intended it to be,” Tate reflects. “The more time you spend there, the more at peace you feel.”
In the primary bathroom, clerestory windows let light filter in while a full-length picture window serves as the backdrop to a free-standing bathtub by Kohler.
Design Details
Type
Single-family home
Architect
Mark A. Tate, AIA
Tate Studio Architects
Builder
Rich Fairbourn
Build, Inc. Design + Build
Landscape Designer/Installer
Chad Norris
High Desert Designs
Furnishings
Debbie Cahill Turner Design
RESOURCES
Arcadia Custom
Windows throughout
Bright
Living room custom chaise, swivel chairs and stools
Brizo
Faucets throughout
Brown Jordan
Outdoor furniture
CB2
Living room coffee and side tables; multipurpose workspace
desk chair
Executive Design
Millwork throughout
Kohler
Sinks and tubs throughout
Stickbulb
Kitchen pendant
Thomas Hayes
Kitchen counter stools and chairs
