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'Back East' style suited to the desert

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    When their architect suggested designing their home to face thestreet, John and Nora Arant expressed skepticism.

    The orientation was the opposite of what they had envisioned. Andalthough that setting would capture fantastic views of mountainsand sunsets, the lack of privacy concerned them.

    Architect Erik Peterson came up with a solution: He leveled offpart of the hilly lot and nestled the home into the site, creatinga buffer from the asphalt.

    "The lot was like a knoll," says Peterson, whose company isPeterson Architecture & Associates in Scottsdale.

    The need for privacy satisfied, the Arants, who moved to the Valleyafter having lived in Connecticut and Massachusetts, had a few morerequests. They preferred traditional floor plans, a la "back East"style: A collection of rooms and formal living and dining areas.They each wanted a home office.

    Although they planned to buy new furniture and artwork, the couple,who worked with Scottsdale interior designer Susie Hersker ofDesign Directives, wanted to incorporate a few pieces they alreadyowned - their dining table, a few antiques and a collection ofOriental rugs.

    "It was important to us to have the rooms designed so the rugswould fit," John says. "We don't like gigantic rooms; that's partof the East in us."

    The north Scottsdale home takes everything into account.

    Desert contemporary in style with traditional and Asian overtones,the home capitalizes on the location. Every room has a view. Shapedlike an expanded C, the house features an expansive foyer flankedby two wings of small rooms: family spaces and the master bedroomalong one side, guest bedrooms and home offices along the other.

    Clerestory windows, along with picture windows, add natural light,which helps capture the openness typical of Valley homes. Extensiveroof overhangs provide protection from the Western sun.

    Color, shapes and exquisite materials and finishes serve asunifying themes inside and out. Copper and stone accents - usedsparingly but dramatically - lend a rich, textural feel. Redaccessories and Asian accents join contemporary and traditionalfurnishings (some new, others antiques) in each room.

    Mahogany, cedar and reddish-brown woods contrast with off-whitetravertine flooring and concrete details. Green, copper, gold andterra cotta repeat the colors of the desert. Pots of plants andcactuses lend an organic touch.

    The foyer is the center of the home, which was built byScottsdale's Platinum Homes. A gathering space with a formal livingroom on one side and formal dining on the other, the foyer has anindoor-outdoor feel that is enhanced by butt-glazed and picturewindows.

    It's the most dramatic space of the house, spotlighting on acedar-lined ceiling that appears to float. The ceiling, whichresembles a pyramid, extends over the back patio, drawing the eyeto the pool, spa and views. The square spa is set diagonally,giving it a diamond shape that mirrors the lines of the ceiling.The pool wraps around the spa and carries out the angular themewith its geometric design.

    Metal columns, done in a Frank Lloyd Wright look, support roofoverhangs and offer a pleasing change from the expected stone-clador stucco columns of most Valley homes. Thin and decorative, theydon't block views.

    The living room is highlighted by a triangular-shaped fireplace,which is clad in copper and framed in stacked stone.

    The small but inviting room, with its four facing chairs in darkblue upholstery and colorful cushions, is the perfect spot forconversation. An Oriental rug captures the blues, reds and coppersin the room.

    The dining area, another room graced with an Oriental rug, is ashowpiece with its mixture of textures, colors and styles.

    The wet bar, outfitted with a wine refrigerator and glass-frontedcabinets filled with crystal, offers convenient refreshments whenthe couple are relaxing or entertaining in the formal rooms ornearby kitchen and family room.

    The latter two rooms, which are combined into one large area, haveconvenience and style at the forefront. The 11-foot breakfast bar,which curves in a bow shape, serves as the centerpiece for thekitchen.

    "Everyone hangs out there," John says.

    The kitchen contains all the essentials and more: a six-burner,commercial-style stainless-steel range, two dishwashers, wall oven,pantry with extra refrigerator, microwave/convection oven and potfiller. The granite on the countertops and backsplash matches thegreen of the cactus and the reddish tan of the landscape.

    The family room is warm and inviting with a small chenillesectional and copper-fronted fireplace with a floating concretehearth. Two stools with bamboo bases are covered in tan leather andadd a relaxed feel.

    A floor-to-ceiling fireplace, similar to the others with stoneaccents and floating hearth and mantel, serves as the centerpieceof the master bedroom. Asian influences abound in the lamps,artwork and TV armoire.

    A short hallway leads from the bedroom to the expansive mastercloset and bathroom. A combination of stones and materials -granite countertops in copper and cranberry tones, glass and slatebacksplashes, travertine wall tile - delight the senses.

    A wraparound back patio, outdoor kitchen and two outside diningareas make the home an ideal place to entertain or relax,accomplishing inside and out the Arants' vision for their Arizonahome.