WINNERS: DREWETT WORKS, OWNBY DESIGN

A talented architect and interior designer sculpted the perfect perch for a couple of art lovers.

A band of steel travels from the kitchen backsplash onto the ceiling and over to the great room’s TV cabinet. The paintings are by Chris Ofili (left) and Christopher Wool (right).

C.P. Drewett of Drewett Works Architecture and Claire Ownby of Ownby Design knew they would have to deliver master-level surroundings for a retired couple planning to merge two pre-construction units at Optima Kierland. While the homeowners spent time in Arizona seasonally, they wanted to be surrounded by a significant cache of their museumworthy art collection all around their three-bedroom, three-and-a-half bathroom condo on the eleventh floor. “Minimal and modern were the keywords for this project,” Drewett recalls.

Adjacent to the kitchen, a custom walnut table by Peter Thomas Designs anchors the dining area, where an acrylic light fixture by Jorge Pardo illuminates. The painting is by George Condo.

Though he and Ownby only had 2,400 square feet of “canvas” available, it was enough to house more than three dozen extraordinary works, hide lots of cool tech and provide awe-inspiring views. While Drewett worked within the limitations of structural columns and predesignated plumbing lines to create a floor plan with ample wall space, Ownby and project designer Kris Harline compiled a list of finishes to compliment the surrounding mountain vistas, including Cebu aqua tile and cool white paint with slight gray undertones from Dunn-Edwards.

A custom-lit cabinet detailed with steel serves as a showpiece separating the great room from the office. The colorful map is by Alighiero Boetti.

“We wanted to make sure that, in addition to all of their personal art, the Arizona scenery also stayed as a framed element to their interior aesthetic,” Ownby explains. “We did this by encompassing a minimal modern aesthetic that embraced natural materials and a monochromatic organic color palette. We wanted to embrace all of their unique pieces and purposely display them in a way that not only complimented the interiors but paid homage to the modern architecture of the space as well.”

With golf course views visible from 11 stories up, the guest bedroom is a canvas for art, with pieces by Louise Bourgeois (left) and Man Ray (right).

As all the artworks—including paintings by George Condo and Alice Neel and a Jeff Koons sculpture in an art niche—required special lighting, Drewett and Ownby worked with Robert Singer & Associates to ensure fixtures were stealthily integrated within drywall soffits. Ownby also worked with engineers to install a concealed television lift in the living room.

An artfully lit niche in the bathroom holds a porcelain “Balloon Dog” sculpture by Jeff Koons. The lighting design is by Robert Singer.

But some of the condo’s best features were proudly exhibited, like a black steel “ribbon” that forms a backsplash in the kitchen and travels along the ceiling past sleek Bulthaup cabinetry and low-profile quartz countertops and into the living room. She also worked with Linear Fine Woodworking to create a custom illuminated cabinet detailed with steel—a showpiece element on its own.

An open floor plan allows the great room and kitchen to meld into a single space where the views can be celebrated from various sitting areas.

From the spacious entryway to the modest powder room, it is fair to say Ownby and Drewett composed a true masterpiece.

The art-filled gallery leading to the guest bedroom showcases a small portion of the homeowners’ contemporary art collection. The two images on the back wall are by Robert Mapplethorpe.

DESIGN DETAILS

TYPE
Condominium

LOCATION
Scottsdale

ARCHITECTURE
Drewett Works
drewettworks.com

INTERIOR DESIGN
Ownby Design
ownbydesign.com

LIGHTING
Robert Singer & Associates
rsa-light.com

Architect C.P. Drewett carved out display areas for art wherever possible, including the home office, where a bookcase sculpture by Nick Cave is illuminated from behind.

RESOURCES

ARIZONA TILE
Tile throughout
arizonatile.com

BULTHAUP
Cabinetry, countertops and millwork
bulthaup.com

DAVID E. ADLER FINE RUGS
Rugs
davideadler.com

FLEXFORM
Dining chairs
flexform.it

MCGUIRE
Swivel counter stools
mcguirefurniture.com

MINOTTI
Sofa, swivel chair, coffee table
minotti.com

PACIFIC SHADES
Curtains and blinds
pacificshadescustom.com

PETER THOMAS DESIGNS
Dining table and primary bedroom nightstands
peterthomasdesigns.com