Client Brief:
After years of travel, the clients returned to Sedona, seeking stillness rather than movement. The red‑rock terrain offered a rare blend of drama and quiet. They wanted a home that would function as their home base, reflect their values of simplicity and creativity, and make everyday life feel grounded and true.
Location:
The 1.2‑acre site lies within the Seven Canyons community in Sedona. Panoramic red‑rock views dominate the surroundings. The steep slope, a tight building envelope, HOA height limits, and mature junipers offered both constraints and character. As a Wildland‑Urban‑Interface property, meeting fire safety standards was essential.
Design Solution:
We worked with the land rather than against it. Instead of stepping the house down the slope, we elevated the rear to preserve slope and sightlines. This eliminated freestanding fences, created a secure zone for a small dog, and supported a negative‑edge pool that reflects sky and red rock.
The home follows an H‑shaped plan with wings radiating from a central great room: primary suite, guest wing, office, and garage. One courtyard frames sunset over the mesas; the other captures first light across the rocks. Full‑height glass along the southeast elevation disappears through pocketing doors, blending inside with out.
Material choices were intentional: limestone and deep‑tone integrally colored stucco. The stucco recedes and recedes further into shadow. The limestone tells the geology of Sedona, shifting tone with changing light. In a setting of bold red and green, this quiet palette amplifies the land.
Result:
Seven Canyons is shaped by the terrain and light of Sedona. It adapts the land’s slope, frames light, and holds space quietly. The house doesn’t compete. It clarifies. It gives the clients exactly what they sought: a place where they can stop moving and start being.
