A modern farmhouse: easy porch-and-patio living for a new community near Phoenix

Sunset, Oct, 2004 by Ann Bertelsen, Peter O. Whiteley

Our Southwest Idea House makes the most of desert living, nestled at the foot of the White Tank Mountains in Verrado, a new community 25 miles west of Phoenix. Inspired by early Southwestern farms and ranches, we chose to create a modern farmhouse, with updates like board-and-batten composite siding and an open-air recreation room.

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Designed by Scottsdale, Arizona, architect Dale Gardon and built by Salcito Custom Homes, the house encourages interaction with neighbors through a spacious L-shaped front porch shown on page 109. "I didn't want the house to turn its back to the street or look like the typical Phoenix house with three garages and two windows at the front," says Gardon.

We worked with Scottsdale-based interior design firm Tamm Jasper Interiors to bring the rooms to life. The design team developed a comfortable blend of rich colors and textures--terra-cotta reds and vibrant blues, greens, and yellows inspired by the ever-changing colors of the surrounding mountains. The goal was to seamlessly blend old and new looks. "Although we used beadboard and rustic accents, most of the furniture has a clean, updated style," says designer K.T. Tamm.

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Landscape architect Steven Rogers of Sonoran Desert Designs turned the garden into a series of outdoor rooms with great views, including a poolside conversation platform. For source information, see the resources list on page 127.

Hearth patio

The area rug in the rear outdoor living room is actually brick inlay. Farm touches like the Dutch door in the kitchen make this a cozy space.

Furniture: Pottery Barn

Grill: Weber Grills

Kitchen

Stainless steel appliances have a simple, contemporary look; pullout condiment drawers and recycle bins add efficiency. The fireplace is the focal point.

Appliances: KitchenAid

Cabinets: KraftMaid Cabinetry

Windows, patio doors: Pella Corporation

Paint palette

The Idea House colors are from Kelly-Moore Paints' new palette, "The West in Color," 60 shades produced in consultation with Sunset. Visit www.sunset.com/palette to see all the colors. The magazine printing process affects color reproduction, so allow for paint variation.

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Stair landing

The rich red (Leaf Rust) and yellow (Full Sun) bring desert hues indoors to call attention to the window seat, bookshelves, and display niches bordering the stair hall.

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Gathering room

With its Venetian-plastered yellow walls (Full Sun), the gathering room, designed for everyday use, replaces a formal living room. The floating mantel is visually tied to the beams. Desert plants, like this barrel cactus, provide some of the color inspiration.

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Poolside platform

The soothing sight and sound of spilling water make the rear of the home--facing the White Tank Mountains--feel like an oasis. A built-in brick firepit tops the sitting area.

Floor plan

The house opens up to the rear garden under protecting overhangs and balconies. Sheltered areas for outdoor living include the recreation room and the patio off the family room. Upstairs, the master suite opens to a wide shaded terrace.

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To order the floor plan (SSIH-2004-SW), visit www.sunset.com or call 888/277-5588.

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Tub alcove

The master suite is designed as a spa. In the bathroom, a modern pedestal tub is tucked into its own intimate, subway tile-faced alcove (far left). An inset shade offers privacy without blocking light. The tub's symmetrical design puts the valve, downspout, and soap shelf in the middle.

Tub, fixtures: Clyde Hardware

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Master bedroom

The soft green of the walls echoes the color of saguaros. The antique pewter bed with box-stitched velvet and matelasse linens in lemon grass and ivory shades add to the modern farmhouse feel.

Furniture, bedding: Pottery Barn

Vanity

The bathroom has two undermounted sinks with a central, glass-fronted storage cabinet between them. Shelves at both ends offer display space and additional storage. Glass mosaic tile accents in muted desert colors enhance the vanity back-splash, shower walls, and tub alcove.

Bunk room

Bunk beds in this colorful boy's room fit beside a built-in window seat with storage bins and overhead lighting. The vivid blue walls, bisected by a bright green stripe, feature two hues (Washed Indigo and Harbor Blue) to create the appearance of wainscoting.

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Laundry/craft room

With its built-in cabinets and extensive countertops, this is not your typical laundry room. While there is plenty of space for the state-of-the-art washer and dryer, it's also a place where family members can work on craft projects. A deep sink makes floral arranging and potting projects a cinch to clean up.