I hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend and enjoying the fantastic weather! Thanks for all the views of our premiere Episode 1 of Season 2 of SKETCH this week on www.thedesignnetwork.com/series/sketch/  and thanks to all of you who came to our SKETCH Premiere Happy Hour! This Thursday on May 26th the Design Network will release Episode 2 Chateau de Scottsdale which will feature our French Chateau design in Arcadia and the story of its creation and execution.

So today we will be busy, blogging this morning, then drawing, then it’s off to the market as Isabel and I along with Damon Wake from our office and Kim Schroeder from Isabel’s studio will be assisting us as we make paella for 20 as we christen a beautiful Transitional Style collaboration of Candelaria Design and Earth and Images. We are so excited about this evening and this project because of the special clients and family that this is the home for – Matt and Jennifer Gage!

The design of this home started with Matt and Jennifer coming in to see me and discuss their project. Their lot was pie shaped, a wedge, but was the first lot and home you would see as you came into Arcadia Silverleaf. They wanted a family home and so we placed the master wing on one side of the wedge and the children’s rooms, Kitchen, and family spaces on the other side of the wedge with a courtyard between that then transitions to the pool once you pass a portal and then after the cabana you finish with a small playyard – all on axis through the center of the wedge!

The design basically allowed us to create a village wrapped around the center courtyard all on axis with the Entry. The Entry brings you in and takes your right back out into the courtyard. The stair tower takes you up and crosses the axis to the Office and Exercise Room on the second level.

Inspired by this initial design, Isabel working with Jennifer, took the Spanish Colonial exterior and brought in a modern, Transitional style interior that gives the home a crisp freshness combined with sophistication. I love it and it totally captures the vibe and feel of the client and their family. It is a family home for sure but yet allows Matt and Jennifer to entertain in style. What fun Isabel and I had working together on this home including a drywall picnic we shared when the two of us took a Saturday and laid out all of the wall paneling.

Of course the design of this home is just part of this story…. Our friendship that has come from this project is the real story. Matt and Jennifer are amazing people and inspire Isabel and I every day! Last year we were blessed to work with Jennifer on her personal project and charity, Gigi’s Playhouse http://www.candelariadesign.com/blog-content/2014/12/gigis-playhouse-coming-to-scottsdale-in.html?rq=gigi.

While during the course of the same year Matt and Jennifer joined us on our Candelaria Design Tour Italy where our friendship just furthered. We have so much fun with these two and of course as always, life is busy and there is never enough time between family and work to spend as much time with these two as we would like to.

Tonight however, Isabel and I will have a chance to say thank you for the this wonderful project, but more importantly for the creation of our new friendship, as we prepare paella for their friends and family along with the editors of LUXE Magazine and Scottsdale Modern Luxury Magazine who will be joining us for the evening! Follow the evening on Instagram and Facebook. We will have the SKETCH film crew on board as this entire story will be featured in Season 3!  I LOVE designing homes and living well!