Living the canyon life

Architect: Soloway DesignsI

Interior design: Lori Carroll & Associates

From the designers: 

Nestled into canyon walls, this expansive, yet non-intrusive, desert modern home hugs nature. It successfully captures the client’s vision of a home that is at one with the outdoors. 

Rugged desert textures and colours are captured on exterior surfaces. Natural stone tile is applied to walkways and combined with sand-finished stucco for the walls. 

Metal-clad fascia, roof support structures and fireplace flues are finished with earth-tone powder-coat or acid washes.

Southern exposure dictates extensive use of overhangs, segmented and cantilevered to enhance appearance and protect against harsh desert conditions. 

These structures, as well as interior ceilings, rise from front to back, expanding the vistas. Cantilevers, supported by thin “chopstick” columns, allow unobstructed views while significantly reducing sun loading.

An expansive great room glass walls bring in natural light, while clearstory windows combine with suspended ceiling elements to make the stained, tongue-in-groove panelled ceiling appear to be floating.

The wood ceiling panels extend to the cantilevered patio roof, seamlessly enhancing the outdoor-indoor feeling. 

A floor-to-ceiling glass entry wall surrounding an outdoor planter contains specimen desert flora to share from the inside. 

Central to the great room is a linear fireplace with its unique twin outdoor flues that also serve as a support structure for the roof. A gourmet kitchen is an open continuation of the free-flowing living and entertaining space.

The patio extends to the edge of the boulder strewn canyon walls, so that pool, fire pit and spa appear to be natural extensions of the landscape. 

Enhancing the close-in desert feeling, natural areas have been provided for three existing mature Saguaros. 

Stepping stones in the solar-heated pool provide a means to cross from the main patio to a suspended guest patio. 

The guest wing includes curved floating stairs to the observation deck with 360 views of the canyon and a world-class golf course.

Story by: David Renwick