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February
1999
Lone
Mountain Invites Luxurious Living |
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Lone Mountain
has become a warm and inviting place for on of the newest
luxury homes to settle into the side of the cactus-speckled
desert mountain terrain.
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High-end comfort
abounds with nearly every amenity imaginable, but the true
luxury is reflected in the spirit from which the owners added
distinctive touches to their home. From antique columns they
incorporated into the home to searching for original time-worn
doors, the welcoming entrance caps a European inspired design
with a Southwestern influence. This Arizona adobe home speaks
style and individuality.
For the new owners,
the more than 7,000 sq. ft. home marks nearly five years
of planning, with 16 months of that being construction by
master builder Centurian Development designed by Lash McDaniels.
Centurian Development owner Jeff Head says building this
particular home in the side of the mountain was very challenging
with serious hard-dig conditions for the entire foundation,
which took nearly six months just to complete.
The additional
challenge of an equinox window required precision work to
line up the house for solar exposure to make sure that in
the month of September, the desert sun shines through a six-inch
window and casts light on a specific spot on a most-carefully
placed boulder within the home. |
"We had
a lot of angles to work with, and it was exciting to see that
concept work in September," says Head, who says attention
to detail, client service and value engineering are the hallmark
of his seven year old company.
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The owners worked
with Est, Est, Inc. for the interior specifications, which
included not only colorization, materials and furnishings,
but also included space work from the onset of the design,
making sure the room sizes and shapes create a home that
reflects the lives of the new owners. Incredible attention
to detail creates a feeling in the room that the elements
work together harmoniously without screaming, "we planned
it this way," though only intense planning can achieve
that end, Tony Sutton of Est, Est.
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Curvilinear walls,
specialty niches, customized stairs, highlighted vigas, hand-formed
plaster, and unique lighting specified by Est, Est, Inc. added
elegant ambiance to the home and a framing challenge that Head
says was much worth the effort. A massive boulder in the bathroom
creates a custom look that is individual to the client.
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"We worked
with this home from the embryo stage, tuning into the channel
that the client is on. We look at what their lives are like.
When you do that, as a designer, you can be inspired by the
client to discover options you'd never consider, and represent
to the client approaches they never thought possible," says
Sutton, who emphasizes that the design must be fueled by
the heart and soul of the client.
"I'm proud
of how well all the elements came together, and I'm really
pleased how well this home blends into the mountain. From
five miles away it's hard to see, and that's how mountainside
building looks when it's well done," says Head, who
builds five to six homes a year and specializes in a hands-on
approach, working with clients every step of the way to make
sure their needs are met.
"We enjoy
working with clients, especially these clients, throughout
the design and building process to make sure the project
comes in on schedule and within budget," Head says.
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