Thanks to Brissette Architects, this 3,000-square-foot North Scottsdale home embodies every bit of luxury with much less hassle.
PHOTO BY BRADLEY WHEELER
“Ultimately, custom home design is all about realizing lifestyle spaces for our changing needs. When we get it right with regard to size, design, accessibility, amenities and quality, and we find a style that is all about our clients, we get success,” says Ron Brissette, founder and CEO of Brissette Architects (brissettearchitects.com). “This is true of any custom home design process, but is most distinctly challenged and manifested in a smaller, rightsized house.”
Landscape architect Michael Rockwell, president of Azul-Verde Design Group in Cave Creek, designed the outdoor landscape with cactuses and succulents that naturally blend with the grove of desert trees inherent to the home site at the Sincuidados community. PHOTO BY BRADLEY WHEELER
A couple of years ago, a couple came to Brissette Architects seeking to leave their 6,000-square-foot custom home for a smaller, low-maintenance home in the luxury, gated Sincuidados community in North Scottsdale. “Those who have been enjoying the rewards of living in a custom home may be prone to continue with that quality of life in something smaller. It is not unusual for an owner of a larger property to reenter the design/construction process in order to make this happen,” says Jeff Kamtz, owner and partner of Brissette Architects. “They wish to continue with a lifestyle in a custom space, having a more manageable footprint in the locale and on the site they want.”
Scottsdale’s Brissette Architects embraced decorative blockwork when possible and cross ventilation throughout the home’s design. The homeowner furnished the house with numerous original pieces of predominantly Santa Fe artists PHOTO BY BRADLEY WHEELER
For two years, the architects worked alongside builder Joe Costello, president of Stonecreek Building Co. (stonecreekbuilding.com), and interior designer Nancy Kitchell (kitchellbrusnighan.com) to design a stunning three-bedroom desert contemporary home that perfectly fit their needs. “We created a new concept that fit their redefined lifestyle needs, supported the type of entertaining they wanted to do and provided for the occasional overnight guests,” Brissette notes. “They wanted a space they felt great in yet afforded the freedom to lock the doors and go travel, which meant creating a space with just the right amount of ‘stuff’ and little maintenance.”
Flooring from Arizona Hardwood Floor Supply provides transitional contemporary flair from room to room PHOTO BY BRADLEY WHEELER
Crafting a comfortable and efficient house without waste was key, according to the architects. The open, flowing floor plan had to be an architecturally dynamic experience that kept views, orientation, privacy and indoor-outdoor living in mind. From a carefully placed low corner window in the master bedroom, one can even view a stunning grove of desert trees. However, the true inspiration for the home came from the continuity of interior and exterior motifing. The design truly flows from the exterior to the interior, as can be seen with the decorative masonry details. When guests enter the front courtyard, they are greeted by a masonry feature wall that transverses through the house, ending in the fireplace mass of the great room. This remarkable element was even submitted for the Arizona Masonry Awards.
Bathroom fixtures from Clyde Hardware of Phoenix were selected. PHOTO BY BRADLEY WHEELER
Brissette Architects welcomes clients with all types of dream homes, but notes that the challenge of making a downsized home just right is especially fulfilling. “These folks are savvy and experienced. They know what they want, where they want to be and the type of amenities that support their lifestyle,” says Kamtz. “They are ready to do it again and make it the best result yet.”
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