By Erin Kain By Erin Kain | December 4, 2023 | Home & Real Estate, Feature,
These three movers and shakers are setting a high bar in the Scottsdale design scene.
This Jon Bernhard-designed home exudes his biophilic style.
David Michael Miller, Jon Bernhard and Anthony Salcito are absolute experts in home design. The interior designer, architect and custom home creator have been making waves in Scottsdale and beyond for quite some time. From simple suburban backgrounds to growing up in the family business, these gents were practically destined to become the talented tastemakers they are today. Here, we chat with the trio about their aesthetic, inspiration, notable projects and much more.
DAVID MICHAEL MILLER
Founder and Principal, David Michael Miller Associates
davidmichaelmiller.com
“I grew up in the Chicago suburbs and studied interior design in the city. My tastes and sensibilities for interiors formed there, which tended toward clean lines, simplicity and a preference for using natural materials,” says David Michael Miller, founder and principal of his eponymous interior design firm in Old Town Scottsdale. “Also, in my youth, I had visited a number of Frank Lloyd Wright-designed buildings and had read several of his books. Wright’s designs and writings I found intuitive and inspiring.”
Miller looked to the surrounding environs when designing this living room.
Miller has run DMMA since 1989, collaborating on luxurious residential projects—think rural French cottages, English countryside estates, beachfront residences on the Pacific, contemporary desert dwellings and more—imbuing an edited design aesthetic that avoids extreme trends.
Bold artworks don the hallway.
“I had a strong interest in architecture and thought that I saw a way of creating interiors that naturally related to the buildings in which they exist,” the tastemaker explains. “The projects that stand out the most are those where tastes align, budgets behave and where the collaboration of supportive clients and other creative professionals delivers a truly remarkable home.” The result: interiors that are restrained, understated and stylistically enduring.
The home has no shortage of chic entertaining spaces.
As for what’s next? Miller notes, “We are very fortunate to be involved in some very special projects currently under construction or on the drawing boards. There are more opportunities to join in with talented architects, landscape designers and builders and to explore more arenas of style and design ahead.”
JON BERNHARD
Senior Partner, SWABACK Architects + Planners
swaback.com
“At a young age, I was often recognized for my design creativity and received passive encouragement from educators, friends and family over the years,” SWABACK senior partner Jon Bernhard recalls. “When I reached the age where it became necessary to focus on a career, these subtle nudges of encouragement ultimately directed me to architectural studies.”
An outdoor oasis at Bernhard’s Ligonhouse project
Bernhard’s 30-plus-year career spans countless luxury and award-winning projects, from Hangar One, International Dark Sky Discover Center and various residential estates, including multiple homes in the sprawling Sonoran Desert. When it comes to design inspiration, Bernhard looks to nature. “Respect for the environment has a significant influence in shaping my designs,” he explains. “Embracing sunlight, shade, breezes, views and outdoor living routinely results in striking designs and comfortable spaces.”
The desert-inspired exterior at the Sedona Moongate project
Other muses include Spanish architect and engineer Santiago Calatrava and Frank Lloyd Wright. Bernhard notes, “Calatrava has the unique ability to design outstanding, creative, unique structures that test the laws of physics while understanding the limits of construction materials integrated into these designs.”
No detail was spared in this luxurious pool area.
As for Wright, SWABACK recently closed down its office so the entire staff could travel to Wisconsin, where they visited several of his projects, the Milwaukee Art Museum (designed by Calatrava) and multiple SWABACK projects, further reinforcing the design ethos of the 45-year-old firm.
A stunning stairwell at Eagle’s Nest
Says Bernhard, “I look forward to continuing to expand on these architectural experiences as they make for better design and quality of life.”
ANTHONY SALCITO
President, Salcito Custom Homes
salcito.com
Of his early experience with the family business, Anthony Salcito says, “My father started dropping me off on construction sites when I was in my early teens. At the time, I had no idea what that hard work could’ve possibly been preparing me for in the future. Fast forward 40 years…” Now, Salcito is the president of the multigenerational company, overseeing the impressive builds of myriad custom luxury homes.
Salcito Custom Homes expertly crafted this massive manse in the hills.
His aesthetic? “Timeless, elegant and precise,” he says. “I have always admired architecture from the Renaissance. However, I have an appreciation for the precise, crisp details executed in some of our more modern construction projects.”
Each home is customized with the homeowner’s unique style and needs in mind.
Speaking of projects— three in particular stand out to Salcito. The first is a 12,000-square-foot Mediterranean-style manse built on a hillside lot in the Summit at Silverleaf that required approximately 10,000 square yards of hard rock evacuation to complete. Next is an 8,000-square-foot cul-de-sac property with an old-world design aesthetic and sweeping views of the McDowell Mountains. Last but not least—a 6,500-square-foot modern-inspired home sitting above the 15th hole at Silverleaf Country Club.
Salcito’s outdoor spaces feel sumptuous and bright.
As for what’s next? “Providing the highest level of service in design-build and concierge care for high-end luxury custom homes is exactly what I intend to continue to do for a long time to come.”
Photography by: KUDA PHOTOGRAPHY; BRAD REED; WERNER SEGARRA; WERNER SEGARRA; WERNER SEGARRA; DINO TONN PHOTOGRAPHY; COURTESY OF JON BERNHARD; DINO TONN PHOTOGRAPHY; DINO TONN PHOTOGRAPHY; KUDA PHOTOGRAPHY; COURTESY OF ANTHONY SALCITO; COURTESY OF ANTHONY SALCITO; WERNER SEGARRA; COURTESY OF ANTHONY SALCITO