Stately and spacious design
by RaeAnne Marsh

From its vantage point in the upper reaches of Tramonto, this Spanish Colonial home grants sweeping vistas of Phoenix–and also enjoys a good view out toward Wickenburg and the mountains surrounding Lake Pleasant.

The immediate scenery is arresting as well. The home is oriented on its lot to face the hill that shares the cul‑de‑sac, and a front courtyard affords a comfortable spot from which to take in the natural vegetation and rock formations. A pair of canopied windows facing the courtyard lends a friendly ambience without revealing that they look out from a single‑car garage. (A second courtyard lies between this single‑car garage in front and the two‑car garage on the rear wing of the house.)

An elegant view greets you inside. The foyer is defined by the doorways that open on three sides, all finished in a stately shape that implies corbels supporting the corners. To the left is an alcove housing the coat closet and the door to the single‑car garage. To the right lies a hickory wood‑floored room suitable for an office or library.

From the foyer, the tile floor leads straight ahead, bowing outward as it passes the living room (to the right) and dining room (to the left, with a grand view of the second, secluded courtyard), and ends at the spacious family room. The bowed shape–mirrored in the coffered ceiling–subtly invites guests to enter these formal entertainment areas.

Just before the family room, the hallway turns left to the kitchen. Conveniently situated at this corner is the powder room, with wainscoting in a smaller version of the floor tile and bordered by a broad chair rail outlined in a rope‑twist of tile. Opposite the powder room runs the stairway to the second floor. But it’s the feature adjacent to the stairs that captures the eye: a low alcove furnished in wine cabinets that ends at a small door (almost an Alice in Wonderland scene) to a room as suitable for a small playroom as for storage.

A bank of windows lines the rear wall of the nearly 500‑square‑foot family room, and facing it is another imposing feature: a stone fireplace that reaches to the ceiling. In the side wall, niche space is reserved for a large‑screen TV where it can be easily seen from the secondary dining room and the kitchen beyond.

While many homes feature their eating areas in the kitchen, this home’s design formalizes it into its own distinct space. Separated from the kitchen work area by a tall ledge (too high for a breakfast bar but suitable to serve from when entertaining), this dining area opens to the family room through windows in the dividing wall. A sliding glass door accesses the covered patio and backyard, with an unusual, free‑standing fireplace and ample room for a swimming pool on what is now a large expanse of grass lawn (current homeowner is offering a credit toward the cost of building a swimming pool). A large butler’s pantry connects this informal dining room to the formal one.

As a work area, the kitchen forms a spacious “U” and is encircled by cabinets and countertop aplenty. A large island is set in the middle with an accompanying five‑burner gas cooktop.

A double side‑by‑side Sub‑Zero refrigerator/ freezer blends with the maple cabinetry surrounding it.

And there is another eating area in the kitchen. Between the island and the sliding doors to the more secluded courtyard is space for a small table. Sandwiched between additional cabinets, this space looks out on the courtyard and its fireplace. Another door from the kitchen leads to the two‑car garage.

Bedrooms are all found upstairs. A noteworthy feature where the stairway takes a 180‑degree turn is a bay window, with a cushioned bench built into the space below a tall window. At the top landing, a large bonus room opens to the right. Nearly 500 square feet, like the family room below it, the bonus room features blackout shades operated by remote control. The shades, plus the surround‑sound wiring, offer the possibility of use as a home theater.