Grand Entrance

The entrance to this 7,112-square-foot residence in Scottsdale, Ariz., celebrates the arrival of friends and family in a style that reflects the homeowners' passion for entertaining.

A winding path of Oklahoma flagstone and concrete paver steps skirts a custom-designed water feature, creating a distinctive approach to the desert retreat. The walkway culminates in a courtyard that offers access to the home's handcrafted mesquite front doors or to an attached, private guesthouse with a bedroom, full bath and living area. "This is truly an inviting home," custom builder Tom Fisher says.

The home's formal entry foyer features a 22-foot ceiling. The materials and finishes in this space, which opens directly into the central great room, reflect the Spanish and Mexican influences that Fisher's clients wanted to incorporate into their primary residence.

"The foyer provides a dramatic sense of arrival by presenting the main core elements of the living space as well as the great views offered by the site," Fisher says. "From this spot, you can look directly out and see Pinnacle Peak."

The foyer's floor and ceiling feature hand-waxed Saltillo tiles imported from Mexico. Heavy wood trim, including rough-sawn fir beams and custom mesquite sash, and a Venetian plaster finish on the walls lend the space old-world elegance.

The two-story home also includes a secluded master suite, two offices, a game room and an elevator.

While the home appears to blend seamlessly into the rugged topography of its 1-acre site, the hillside location presented a significant construction challenge. "This was actually a very difficult lot to work with," Fisher says. "Not only does it have a cross slope of 12 to 15 degrees, but it literally was all rock. We had to do a lot of careful blasting to integrate the building envelope into the site." A belt of open space was maintained around the home to protect the native vegetation.

Located in an exclusive golf course community, the home was completed in September 2002.

Style of home | Coastal Spanish
Location | Scottsdale, Ariz.
Total square footage | 7,112
Hard costs | $295 per square foot (excluding land)
Builder | Fisher Custom Homes LLC, Scottsdale
Architect | AKA Architecture LLC, Scottsdale
Landscape architect | Sonoran Desert Designs, Cave Creek, Ariz.
Custom-built primary residence

Major Products Used | Exterior siding: natural stone veneer | Exterior lighting: Focus Industries | HVAC: Carrier | Front doors: custom mesquite | Home controls and automation: Lutron | Housewrap: DuPont Tyvek | Insulation: Dow | Locksets: Baldwin, Schlage | Paints and stains: Dunn-Edwards | Roofing: US Tile | Security system: Digital Security Controls | Windows: Pella

Photography by Image Photography