| Scottsdale Arizona - "The Most Western | | | | There's a reason for the Charleston |
| Town", are we losing it or what? | | | | "Single Houses", the "Shingle Style" of |
| Is Scottsdale beginning to look a little | | | | our Eastern beaches, the "Prairie Homes |
| like Tuscany? If it were up to all the | | | | of Wisconsin, The New England homes with |
| architects and, designers in town, I | | | | "widow walks", the "shotgun" houses in |
| think the "look" would overtake the | | | | the Bayou, and all the other historical |
| whole desert. Every shop and designer | | | | home designs that were born from need |
| touts "Old World Elegance" with velvets, | | | | and suitability. |
| brocades, and beads. Venetian colors of | | | | The Spanish founded Arizona, so yes we |
| olive, burgundy, gold and black | | | | have had our "Spanish Hacienda" look, |
| proliferate interiors. We may love the | | | | but somehow it was never quite as |
| look in Tuscany, but in the desert? | | | | opulent as today's trends. |
| Finding velvets and brocades in | | | | The charm of Santa Fe is in it's |
| Scottsdale is just about like chintz and | | | | architecture, Charleston beckons with |
| floral fabrics - out of pocket. | | | | it's "Painted Row Houses", New York is |
| How many more rocks and turrets are we | | | | spectacular with steel and glass |
| going to see, before this "look" bites | | | | skyscrapers, Savannah offers elegant |
| the dust? Whatever happened to the | | | | 18th Century Georgian homes on it's |
| simplicity of the adobe? It suits our | | | | streets, in keeping with it's English |
| desert environment. It belongs in our | | | | heritage, and yes, Scottsdale had it's |
| Western atmosphere. Fortunately or | | | | Western simple charm. For great examples |
| unfortunately, we do not have ranks and | | | | of how we used to be, visit The |
| rows of cypress trees and gazing out the | | | | Camelback Inn, The Hermosa Inn, The |
| window at cactus and sand, kind of makes | | | | Royal Palms, and El Charro for peek back |
| the beads and tassels more than a little | | | | at the original "Scottsdale" look. |
| out of character. | | | | We always laughed at "English Tudor" |
| Having worked as a designer for many | | | | here in the desert as totally |
| years, I have always been a firm | | | | inappropriate, can the "Tuscany Villa" |
| believer in design to suit your | | | | be far behind? |
| locale...right along with Frank Lloyd | | | | I for one hope so! |
| Wright who chose Scottsdale as his home. | | | | Find all information for Scottsdale at |
| Taliesin does not contain velvets and | | | | Please fell free to use this info on any |
| brocades, but takes advantage of the | | | | website or blog, just be sure to keep my |
| desert vistas and local materials. | | | | contact information intact. |