2021 Design Excellence Awards

The design intent here was a warm, inviting space for agents and their clients with 21 private offices and a reception area. The challenge was the narrow footprint I had to work with, so I positioned the offices on the perimeter of the space and used pocket doors with glass panes for better light emission. Flush recessed linear LED light channels that run from the ceiling down the walls at each office door keep the surface planes smooth and create the illusion of wider hallways and higher ceilings. The red carpet tiles boast the company color and delineate each office's entry. The LED light starburst pattern over the seating area fabricates the sense of a much larger space.

The design vision was classic and masculine with a nod to airplane engineering and construction. We painted the doors and trim espresso brown and installed a custom walnut wet bar with Watermark plumbing fixtures. The conference table has rivets in the base as a nod to airplane construction. Phillip Jeffries Rivet wallpaper in camel adds texture and dimension to the walls. We installed new LED ceiling grids as well as linear HVAC grills. The end result is a sophisticated CEO suite.

A large scale undulating light fixture guides your eye to the book matched marble wall and reception desk. Classic mid-century style furniture anchors the central light fixture.

The main lobby has the vibe of a grand living room, taking inspiration from mid-century modern furniture and motifs. Colorful accents and geometric lighting assist bringing this industrial space to the 21st century.

Main Lobby Lounge - Inviting seating arrangements with large expansive windows giving natural light.

Dining room: The dining room is just another continuation of a large open space. Using decorative panels and flooring transitions creates an elegant dining space

Lobby Lounge and Receptionist - Area with inviting library walls and comfortable lounge spaces.

The custom mural installation achieved the design goal to feature local artists. I highlighted the diverse cannabis culture in the photos displaying plants, real patients of the dispensary partaking in the products, and the finished products of flower, resin, and edibles. I installed a linear LED lighting track around the room to highlight the art while not interfering with the 45 security cameras. Every inch of the building, including the parking lot and two side streets, is video recorded and saved to provide protection to the staff, customers, and delivery personnel. The heavy surveillance also protects the owners from any inventory or cash receivable issues.

Passerby's are intrigued with the swanky vibe of this Photography Studio. Plush velvets in brilliant colors contrasts the stained concrete floors. A sparkling chandelier reflecting in the mirror illuminate the Space in the twilight hours. The Photographers Lighting Balloon is functional for Photo Shoots in the Studio and well as a whimsical accessory.

Resident Club Room with Media and Games

A warm fire and new seating area in the entry of the club room draws guests into the space from the moment they walk in the building's front door.

The custom mural installation achieved the design goal to feature local artists. I highlighted the diverse cannabis culture in the photos displaying plants, real patients of the dispensary partaking in the products, and the finished products of flower, resin, and edibles. I installed a linear LED lighting track around the room to highlight the art while not interfering with the 45 security cameras. Every inch of the building, including the parking lot and two side streets, is video recorded and saved to provide protection to the staff, customers, and delivery personnel. The heavy surveillance also protects the owners from any inventory or cash receivable issues.

Top shelf speakeasy- bar view

Lobby Lounge for Prospective Residents

Resident Lounge with TV and Games

View of the fretwork panel to the great-room from the rustic guest suite. The finish selected for this side, facing the guest suite, is an iron paint treated with an oxidizing agent to encourage the iron to rust.

Echoing the wrought iron window grates of Spain, the Andalusian fretwork design creates the perfect old world ambiance for this quiet retreat.

The first of 3 rugs for the space which tie in the industry and passion of the company.

View from living room, and eyes drawn to window seat. Best view of art display cases. Partial view of dining area, and added access to the kitchen.

A long view of the decorative fretwork in the passthrough between the great-room and the guest suite. The airy design in the panel creates a subtle separation between spaces without feeling heavy or obtrusive.

LED illumination

Large format limestone porcelain

This design is called Adobe with a soumak weave background and high pile design giving the look of a hand made wall.

black and white marble porcelain

Two of our custom dragon scales rugs pulling the room together in color and design. Defining each space with specific colors but a continuous design.

The hide designs can take any shape and and be cut to fit any area. This design has uneven sides and is made to look like a tile mosaic.

Exposed steel beams form a dramatic ceiling over the great room, where the owners eschewed sofas in favor of more comfortable club chairs. Glittering chandeliers hover above.

The living room in this guest suite was designed with a wet bar, fireplace, lounge seating and dining table, along with a hidden television to comfortably accommodate the owners' guests. It provides their guests with a comfortable space where they can have their morning cup of coffee, as well as relaxing before retiring for the evening.

The master suite's color palette includes soothing oceanic shades, defined by a layered blue wall and an art glass entry door.

Looking toward the corner of what used to be a separate dining room, which is now the end of an open kitchen/great room.

Walnut paneled wall with hidden doors.

The priority in the kitchen was high-end Italian Bertazzoni appliances, a Brizo luxe gold faucet, and a marble mosaic backsplash. However, there were tight budget constraints for the overall project. We used ready-made cabinets instead of custom and remnant slabs on the perimeter cabinet run to meet the client's vision. The marble backsplash, while stunning, was a closeout from Flor & Decor. The client also requested an elegant but not stuffy aesthetic, so we used charcoal finishes mixed with Dolomite marble and brass hardware. The custom hood was painted BM Chantilly Lace to match the walls in the home and features antiqued brass bandings and polished brass rivets to add a touch of sparkle and wink at the brass inserts in the marble mosaic backsplash. We enlarged the kitchen significantly, opening it up to the dining area and bar. I chose to keep a portion of the original den wall as an art installation area and create separation from the living room seating area.

This spectacular fireplace wall elevation is a focal point. The custom V shape window bisects the fireplace which appears to hold the sides together. The floor to ceiling window invites a view of the desert outside during the day and stars at night. The custom metal work is backlit and attaches the fireplace to the wood columns with bookshelves.

Custom light fixtures adorn the dining area and kitchen bar, while custom art flanks the spectacular fireplace. Leather seating and hard surfaces maintain an easy to clean environment, important to the client.

Clean, crisp lines and high contrast in the kitchen crafts a modern space tied to the surrounding mountain area. The high contrast and various lighting sources also provide functional use for the client, who has a visual impairment. Blue accents bring vibrancy and interest into the otherwise neutral space.

GREAT ROOM: balancing the cool tones of the existing quartzite floors with the warm tones of the stacked stone columns, walnuts, and leather....a reflection of the Arizona desert. The remodeled sunken bar is in the rear of this shot.

It is all about the view! Interior colors are subtle but powerful, custom chairs swivel, sectional sofas envelop, and curvaceous furniture seduces.

Interior merges with exterior landscape.

Interest is created with various textures in the furnishings, while keeping a neutral color palette. Beams were added in the ceiling to add warmth to the space and tie in with surrounding materials.

Exposed steel beams form a dramatic ceiling over the great room, where the owners eschewed sofas in favor of more comfortable club chairs. Glittering chandeliers hover above.

The challenges in this double-height room were its scale, along with the grid pattern millwork on the fireplace wall, because the features are so dominant. We met this need with grand scaled shagreen cabinets flanking the fireplace, filled with family photos and objet d'art to soften the masculine feel. The repetition of the wood trim, cabinets, picture frames, and paned glass includes the TV as part of the overall story so that it's not the focal point of the room; instead, your eye is drawn to the contents of the cabinets. The sculptural feeling of the plants on the hearth and the simplicity of the navy and white artwork give visual weight to balance the large 10' pocketing doors. The SW Stardew blue on the walls highlights the millwork above the fireplace and visually connects to the wool and silk area rug that reflects the light as you walk through, ultimately connecting the design intent throughout the space. The furniture selected was functional and substantial, ultimately repeating the rectilinear feel of the dramatic fireplace wall—custom pillows in shades of blues and neutrals blending the palette and filling the ample seating.

This stylish model home is a perfect blend of classic farmhouse architecture, with the more minimal contemporary black and white themed design. Warm woods and black accents keep the space from feeling stark.

Great Room Fireplace Wall. Fireplace clad in White Fantasy Quartzite with metal strips. The shelving unit is in relief from the wall and back-lit. The walls behind the shelving units are clad in a textured granite slab.

A blank condo wall is delineated with a limestone fireplace, display and bar to add architecture to a generic space.

There is a serenity to the feeling of this living room and it's elegant curves and radiuses. The cloud like furniture, light fixture and mirrors enhance the architecture. The wood floors add warmth to the peaceful white. The perfect room to add a piano for acoustics.

The pocket door handles, the cabinet hardware, and the chandelier offer an elegant gold accent to the room.

Modern Library

Custom Built-in Bunk beds. Wallcovering on back wall, custom bedding, en-suite bathroom in distance

This kitchen is beautifully lit from floor to ceiling, that's because good lighting was one of the main goals for this kitchen renovation. A tremendous about of thought and effort went into the lighting design. To keep it interesting several forms of lighting were layered in. Recessed linear channels and recessed cans precisely spaced provided the general light. Under cabinet lighting was perfect for tasks at the sink. The cubbies, toe kick and decorative pendants lights above the island added the right amount of accent lighting. The linear recessed light tracks above the island proved to be challenging due to the precision needed with the installation. The channels had to be perfectly straight and the drywall around the edges of the channels be flawlessly applied. If the channels were off by even a ¼” or the drywall was wavy the whole look would be ruined.

The chef/hosts prepare food between the 2 islands, while guests can choose a counter stool on the outside of either island.

Emphasizing the height of the room with the custom diamond hood on top of the Quartzite slab ties in the stainless-steel elements and the island countertop to create artwork that does not require a frame.

The wide view of the bathroom sink area, with its floating vanity and custom mirrors. New window on the right now offers views of the desert canyon and pool area.

This makeup vanity has an adjustable chair for ergonomic comfort. The floating cabinet acts as a bench to sit on and swing your legs into the tub safely. Towels and a drawer are part of the cabinet bench. The beautiful custom art wall adds sensual appeal. The hanging decorative light fixture creates a nice aesthetic.

The solid travertine tub creates a spectacular focal point within the space.

The wall-to-wall custom vanity features upper storage that is aesthetically pleasing and functional. The mirrors are inlaid within the millwork and the wall sconces are applied directly to the millwork, creating a beautifully executed casework piece.

A stunning antique set of doors, finished in a distressed blue tone for a pop of color, was mounted on sliding barndoor hardware to set the stage for a show-stopping master bath.

After - A larger make-up vanity was designed.

Lobby Lounge and Receptionist - Area with inviting library walls and comfortable lounge spaces.

Main Lobby Lounge - Inviting seating arrangements with large expansive windows giving natural light.

After - Custom designed, white gloss, 36-inch tall floating vanity and quartzite top, accented with a stunning mirror and beautiful light fixture. A wall-mounted magnifying mirror saves counter space.

The client likes free standing tubs but was concerned about entry and exit. the custom floating cabinet serves as a floating bench to safely swing your legs in and out. Towels are conveniently stored in the drawer and on the shelf. The client was happy with the safer use opportunity without a grab bar or space eating fully built in tub deck.

The pergola was an integral part of the space to create the cohesion of the interior and exterior space.

Beneath the expanse of the desert sky, a sunken lounge with a firepit and a glass wall affords the homeowners and their guests an eye-level view of swimmers in the zero-edge pool.

TV mounted in the interior patio corner provides viewing throughout the backyard.

An addition of a new large window above the kitchen sink allows: natural light to stream in, reflect off of the white quartz countertops, and enhance the modern porcelain tiled floor.

White shaker cabinets provide a clean canvas for the more important visual elements while the natural wood tone island and sink base add texture and warmth.

Natural light from the backyard bay window highlights: the organic travertine tile, high gloss quartzite countertops, contrasting cabinetry, new structural beams and light fixtures. The chandelier over the island was chosen to ground the space and provide an additional visual element to the vaulted ceilings.

The newly open television wall was clad with an elegant textured limestone. The bright colored limestone immediately brought life back into room. The television was mounted to look as if it were floating and integrating cove lighting around the frame of the opening highlights the stone. Additionally, the cove lighting is breathtaking as the sun sets and night takes over. The new built in cabinetry unit had a custom stain to complement the clients metal wrapped fireplace. Included in the wall remodel was squaring off and raising the archway on the right, this assisted in drawing the eye up and taking advantage of the 16 foot ceiling height. The entire house was repainted in Rice Bowl by Dunn Edward and the viga beams were painted a deep brown almost black to provide contrast to the new paint color and add a pop of detail to the ceiling.

The client requested a very simple and streamlined design for the counter stools, with the foot rests on the front only. She wanted them to have a streamlined look from the back, with no extra details to annoy her as she walks by.

This photograph, more than any other, reveals the powerful simplicity of this table. Its structural clarity is honestly and boldly declared. And yet, it will surprise you as you explore it from different angles.

This custom chaise lounge was designed specifically to fit into the corner. It is narrower on the right side to keep the walkway open but still has enough room for two people to share the chaise comfortably. This is the perfect spot to read a book, look out at the view or take a quick nap.

This creative fireplace wall offers intrigue as a focal point, with multiple details of attraction. The added V shape window is the center feature of the wall, with a great desert view. the fireplace defies logic, floating across the window connecting the two sides. The custom ironwork connects the fireplace to the wood column book cases.

Designer shoe collection is displayed luxuriously on illuminated glass shelves in the master closet.

The ceiling design itself was laid out with the lightning bolt pattern, to give it interest and accentuate the volume of the space.

Final piece Installed with the Rustic Tin Finish facing the Western inspired Den. Beyond the custom piece, you see the Contemporary Great Room.

Layers of texture are created through the 3D wood tile on the central pop-out, the grasscloth wallcovering and soft finishes.

Each three-dimensional stainless steel piece is individually created by hand-applying a fire flame directly onto the polished metal. The design team used a life-size template to get the right drift before placing the metal spheres on the far wall.

The beautiful, hand knotted New Zealand wool rug adds a soft texture to the wood floors.