Detail-Oriented Designers Make a Difference

How do you incorporate a client’s love of southern coastal style into a desert getaway? Christina Forrest of 21 Interiors Design found herself asking just that question when designing this vacation home in a golf course community just north of Scottsdale, AZ. Her solution was to create the look of an elevated, elegant cottage on an expansive scale, incorporating the earthy tones of the desert landscape instead of coastal-style ocean blues. Balancing broad expanses of natural wood with plenty of warm white and strategic brass accents adds lightness and an almost nautical flair.

Because the home is a hub for entertaining—a gathering place for visiting family and local friends, alike—Forrest also took care to consider both elegance and practicality in her design. In the kitchen, she planned two islands, a feature her clients are asking for more often these days. “I’d say nearly 50 percent go with a double island,” she says. “Everyone loves to gather around an island, but to eat at a regular one you end up sitting in a line like you’re at a bar, and it can be hard to chat. With a second dining island, you can sit around it like a table and interact more easily.”

To differentiate the two islands, which are both topped with Cambria’s Ironsbridge, she trimmed the underside of the prep island with the same rift-cut white oak found on the perimeter cabinets and floor and gave the dining island a bold, modern look with an angled quartz fabricated leg. The waterfall edges on each end of both islands are more than just beautiful—they’re a safety precaution for visiting kids and grandkids. “Fewer sharp corners,” explains Forrest. The choice of wood instead of painted cabinets follows the same logic: “It holds up better over time and you don’t have to baby it like you do a painted finish.”

Black and gold accents appear in the kitchen in the light fixtures, cabinet hardware, bar stools, and plumbing fixtures and make an even stronger splash in the pantry. Gold-toned open shelving stands out against the black geometric backsplash tiles to dramatic effect. “It makes a big impact when you get a peek of the pantry from the dining room,” says the designer. Cambria’s Ironsbridge also tops the pantry counters and the powder room vanity. “We used it everywhere throughout the house. The warm undertone and soft veining are extremely versatile. It helped us create a coherent look, and the homeowners love that they never have to worry about it.”