Residential Walk-Through

The Eighties, Updated

Phoenix, Arizona

David Michael Miller, ASID | David Michael Miller Associates | Scottsdale, Arizona

BY NORA BURBA TRULSSON

PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL TIMMERMAN

Art, a warm lamp and a sculptural plant greet visitors in the entry hall.

It was the quintessential 1980s Desert Southwest custom home — a rambling, contemporized Spanish Colonial/Mediterranean style with a split master floorplan that wrapped around a pool patio. For interior designer David Michael Miller, the challenge was to update and clean up the interior without denying its architecture.

"The house had to be what it is — basically Mediterranean," says Miller, known for his restrained, well-edited approach to interiors. "We wanted to achieve a contemporary look for the remodeled interior, but you can only push the contemporary vibe so far in this setting without the house looking schizophrenic."

The great room before remodeling.

The clients, a couple, purchased the Phoenix house in 1994, drawn by its setting at the edge of a desert preserve, plus the spacious, three-bedroom, 4,900-square-foot floorplan and the home's convenience to their respective workplaces. Even then, the home's 1987 architectural details and interior materials seemed a tad dated, but the homeowners lived there for several years pondering their options before contacting Miller to spearhead the renovation.

The updated great room features cantera stone flooring, a soda-blasted ceiling and a new glass entry door. Michael Berman chairs and a sectional upholstered in Bergamo fabric encircle a concrete and metal coffee table.

Miller toured the home and took inventory of what had to go. Quatrefoil windows, a Mexican fountain at the entry, whitewashed Saltillo tile flooring, pale oak cabinetry, brass trimmings and a front door with stained-glass sidelights received a thumbs-down. "The carpeting in the house was definitely leaning toward pink," recalls Miller. After careful consideration, both the homeowners and Miller realized that most of the interior materials had to be eliminated to achieve the desired clean-but-comfortable look.

From the entry hall, the great room's volume and angled ceiling line are revealed. Floor lamp is by Leavitt-Weaver.

The clients decamped to temporary quarters. Working with a team that included architect Steve Freeman, who helped with structural issues, window details and drawings, Miller stripped the home of its Eighties detailing. Outside, the entry fountain was reconfigured into a more subtle water feature, and cantera stone replaced the original paving material. Miller designed a new entry door with slumped-glass inserts and a long bronze pull to set the tone for the home's new look. Windows were replaced, and window openings cleaned up.

The kitchen before remodeling.

Inside, Miller eliminated vaguely Southwestern niches and soffits, creating instead an area of bold shelving for the home's central great room. A Jack-and-Jill bathroom connecting two smaller bedrooms was sealed off, creating a guest suite and a separate home office. The kitchen was slightly reconfigured to accommodate a larger island and a new bank of cabinetry. New lighting and linear HVAC returns added an edgier look to the interior. Even the original skylights were softened with the addition of cruciform plaster overlays. "The old skylights were just big and awkward," says Miller. "We made them less noticeable by blending them into the ceiling."

The kitchen was renovated with new American walnut cabinetry, stainless-steel appliances and an enlarged island.

New satin-lacquered cabinets in a taupe hue and contemporary plumbing fixtures updated the bathrooms. In the kitchen, American walnut cabinetry and honed black granite countertops freshened the space, which overlooks the desert preserve. Miller used the same honed granite as a fireplace surround for the great room, while the master bedroom's original conical fireplace was squared off and cleaned up.

A niche in the master bedroom overlooks the desert preserve. Chair and ottoman are A. Rudin.

As a finishing touch, the cantera stone flooring was repeated indoors in the home's public spaces, while American walnut was used in the bedrooms. Walls were painted soft shades of taupe and beige.

Miller refrained from over-furnishing the remodeled home, suggesting instead furnishings with simple lines; deeper tones of crimson, taupe and black; and bold scale to balance the home's open spaces and high ceilings. In the great room, a sectional done with Bergamo fabric and vintage-inspired armchairs by Michael Berman angle around the clients' existing concrete and steel coffee table. In the dining room, Berman Rosetti chairs in Holly Hunt leather surround the circular dining table. For the master bedroom, Miller suggested a sleek bed and high night tables from Holly Hunt, plus a cozy armchair and ottoman from A. Rudin next to the fireplace.

Sophisticated cabinetry, lighting and fixtures mark the remodeled master bath.

The designer hung the clients' existing artwork and suggested new contemporary works by regional and local artists. Accessories were chosen for their bold forms and interesting textures.

Completed last year, the remodeled home now lives up to its present-day potential. "This house had its own architectural language that we couldn't deny," says Miller. "I think we respected that."

Holly Hunt night tables flank the bed in the master suite. Artwork is by Arizona artist Mayme Kratz.

Interior design: David Michael Miller Associates, 7034 E. First Ave., Scottsdale, AZ 85251; (480) 425-7545.

Architecture: Steve Freeman, Mesa, Arizona; (480) 833-2560.

Cabinetry: Cabinets By Design, 6027 N. 7th St., Phoenix, AZ 85014; (602) 265-6044 or www.cabinetsbydesignaz.com.

Beds, night tables, drapery fabric, leather on dining chairs and office lamp: Holly Hunt, www.hollyhunt.com.

Dining and game table chairs: Berman Rosetti, through John Brooks, Inc., 2712 N. 68th St., Scottsdale, AZ 85257, (480) 675-8828 and 601 S. Broadway, Suite L, Denver, CO 80209, (303) 698-9797; www.johnbrooksinc.com or www.bermanrosetti.com.

Kitchen barstools and master suite armchair/ottoman: A. Rudin, www.arudin.com.

Entry door hardware: Rocky Mountain Hardware, www.rockymountainhardware.com.