41247 N 95th St Unit 261 Scottsdale, AZ 85262

Saguaro Forest 261 is an architecturally significant 10,237 s.f., exceptionally private custom-designed home with, among other features described below and in supporting documents, five bedrooms and a luxurious library/office. It is on a 1.54-acre homesite next to the fifteenth fairway of Chiricahua, one of Desert Mountain's seven courses, in semi-mountainous High Sonoran Desert terrain in far north Scottsdale. It is an extraordinarily quiet and peaceful setting, far from any noisy roads. Think ''resort escape'', or ''multiple family compound''! Taxes are low, too, at only $18,639 for 2021. The home is shaped like a horseshoe, open to the northeast, where the best views are, of nearby large granite boulders, beautiful desert vegetation, and the Continental Mountains about a mile and a half away, notably the landmark "Apache Peak". This open end is also where, at a carefully designed "arrival point", visitors get their first, real "look" at the home after experiencing an impressive "arrival sequence" (described below). The east side of the horseshoe is about half as long as the west side and has two levels. The formal entrance to the home, a classy foyer, is on the lower level, and what is essentially an in-house, two-room casita with a covered outdoor patio/view deck with fireplace, is on the upper level above the foyer, accessible from the arrival point via an outside staircase. (More on this "casita" later).

The home was completed in 2013 after being bought in 2012 by an East Coast couple as an incomplete speculative home. They completed it well, using materials and finishes far superior to what would have been in the home otherwise. The large (2,800 square feet), limestone tile decked pool patio in the middle of the horseshoe is the home's centerpiece and features a completely re-built, 34' long, SICIS tile pool and spa (illuminated, with spillovers) in the shape of an arrowhead, designed by noted designer David Tisherman (whose work has been featured on the covers of Architectural Digest and the Robb Report). This area is more of a "Pool and Party Plaza" than a mere "pool patio". It is a remarkable space and serves as a dramatic internal visual focus point from the main public rooms.

In addition to being the "star of the show", the Pool and Party Plaza is ultra-private. There is approximately an acre of open desert between the home and the nearest neighbor to the north, and there can be virtually no eye contact between someone at that home and someone in the Pool and Party Plaza due to the skillful placement of a tall, round, gated entry rotunda that serves as the home's "outside" front door. Split-second glimpses of golf carts can be seen on a cart path to the east of the home, but due to vegetation and the way the east side of the home was designed golfers in these carts can only see a small part of the northern part of the Plaza. And, taking that quick glance will put them at risk of driving off the path into some rough desert.

In addition to the home's distinctive shape and the Pool and Party Plaza, other "architecturally significant" highlights include: a "transitional" mix of traditional building materials on the exterior of the home (natural stone, tile, and stucco) unexpectedly paired with a very light and bright, "contemporary" interior; beamed ceilings; rich-looking stone and wood interior finishes; many windows, adding to the interior's light and bright nature and making some awesome views very easy to enjoy; the home being artfully spread out over four main levels, creating wonderful interior sight lines and making for great views from the upper level windows (an elevator just inside the home on the garage level makes hauling groceries upstairs a breeze). The home's expansive interior walls, daytime interior light levels, dedicated lighted art shelving, and art lighting, makes it perfect for the display of important art.

The special "arrival sequence" starts with a visitor driving down a curving, descending, 57-yard-long, paver stone covered driveway, flanked by huge granite boulders, three Giant Saguaros, to a large auto courtyard, approximately 1,930 square feet in size. To the right of this courtyard are three separate wooden garage doors, which provide access to a garage with room to park four cars due to one of the bays being roughly 40' long. The home from this vantage point is two stories tall and makes an impressive first impression. To the left of the auto courtyard is the rotunda, double-gated and remote controlled for security. It is seven steps above the auto courtyard and makes for a very dramatic entry statement, with a tile roof and double iron gates.

Walking up the steps to the rotunda, a visitor will start to notice the lovely physical textures of the home, a combination of painted stucco, rich-looking stone, traditional barrel vault tile, and landscaping, lots of landscaping! When they get inside the rotunda, with its brick flooring and custom light fixture, they will start to sense that they are entering an unusually beautiful home! After passing through the rotunda, they will walk about seventy-five feet, climbing a few steps on the way, to reach the "arrival point", just a few steps below and to the left of the proper entrance into the Pool and Party Plaza and a place from which they can start to get a feel for the scope of the Plaza and the home. This arrival point is graced by a long, low, stone clad planter filled with mature vegetation and an impressive piece of sculptural art. From this vantage point, they will now realize the depth, breadth, texture, privacy, and overall scale of the Plaza, the home, and where the actual front door is, a few yards away to the left.

Front Door and Foyer - It is a light-transmitting, wood and glass double-door affair that lets in maximum light. The foyer has tall ceilings, an elegant travertine floor with marble insets, a big crystal chandelier, and curves around a gallery with tall windows that afford great views of the Pool and Party Plaza. It has a long wall perfectly suited for the hanging of large art.

Casita Instead of heading for the front door from the Arrival Point, a visitor can ascend stairs to the left which lead to a covered, upstairs balcony patio with a fireplace and seating area, essentially the "front porch" for an in-house, second story, two-room casita, with access from the other side of the casita down into the living room via some impressive stairs. This patio has spectacular views of the golf course to the east, the mountains to the north, and the Pool and Party Plaza below and to the west. The casita patio is pre-wired for media and would be one of about seven places around the home one would consider settling down with a cup of coffee or a glass of wine for a few moments. The first room inside the casita from the patio is a combination living room, media room, game room with wet bar, and kitchenette. It enjoys wonderful views through large picture windows due to its elevated vantage point. Down a short hall is a powder room and a spacious, ensuite guest room. On the other side of the hall is a cedar lined closet for out of season clothing storage. This closet could be converted to a second elevator.

Master Suite This large bedroom is both a "retreat" from the rest of the world, and a "treat" for the eyes, with hardwood floors; a high, beamed ceiling, a private patio, and a honey onyx accented raised hearth fireplace. The master bath is appropriately large, but proportionally so, and shows off a honey onyx accented lighted feature wall, laundry facilities, and a single large closet with gorgeous, dark-stained hardwood cabinetry, a large center island, and mirrored glass fronted cabinet doors, all of which combine to create a space truly deserving to be called a "Dressing Room".

Kitchen Beamed ceiling; a mostly Thermador lineup of appliances, including a six-burner gas range top with griddle; a large center island with seating for four; two wall ovens; two dishwashers, and a warming drawer; has a Wolf microwave and Sub-Zero side-by-side refrigerator/freezer (Model 642); two sinks; large walk-in pantry (fitted out for a second refrigerator/freezer, a more convenient location than the garage); nearby is an undercounter refrigerator/icemaker, in granite slab-topped "pony wall" separating the kitchen from the family room; plenty of room for at least a six-top family dining table under a contemporary chandelier; immediate and easy access to the outdoor living room and the Pool and Party Plaza.

Family Room Fully visible from the kitchen, thanks to a wide opening above a low, stone-topped storage cabinet. Travertine tile floors; great views to the north through some windows and of the Pool and Party Plaza in the other direction; fireplace on a raised, marble-covered hearth, such hearth extends five or six feet to the north to provide a great visual "foundation" for the room.

The various levels, intricate design details, and open interior architecture make for interesting internal sight lines, and all the windows, many on both sides of a room, help bring the beautiful outdoor setting and views "indoors". Of course, these multiple levels require some steps and stairs between them, but they are beautifully constructed and finished and are exciting visual elements in and of themselves.

For additional details on the home, please see the separate Summary of Architectural Highlights in the Documents section, and enjoy the collection of wonderful professional photography on the home. For additional information on the Saguaro Forest and Desert Mountain, please see a document of that name in the Documents section.

Regarding membership in the Desert Mountain Club, a wait list may apply for all Membership categories. A thirty-day Membership application review and approval is required. Contact the Club prior to writing a property purchase contract.