This 2,028-square-foot home in Scottsdale, AZ, emphasizes the modern in Mid-Century Modern. Designed by noted Arizona architects Arthur and Charles Schreiber in 1961, the home was fully remodeled in 2008.
The owners “really wanted to do something spectacular. Anything they wanted, they put right in,” said listing agent Jennifer Hibbard. The three-bedroom, three-bathroom home is listed for $ 629,000.
The kitchen has a built-in espresso maker, steamer, and warming drawer. All the appliances, including the fridge, wall oven, and wine fridge, are high-end, stainless-steel machines. The countertop is white quartz, and the floors are colored concrete.
The owners also wanted to go green. The kitchen cabinetry is made from sustainably sourced bamboo. Recycled glass was used for the bowl sinks in the master bath and a backsplash in the kitchen. Foam was used to insulate the exterior-facing walls and the roof. Solar panels on the roof take care of “over half” of the electricity bill, Hibbard said.
The kitchen and family room were remodeled to flow together, offering beautiful poolside and garden views.
The bathrooms are also modern marvels. The sinks and countertops in the guest suite (yes, there’s a full guest suite) and second bathroom are made from one piece of glass. Two of the showers are walk-ins with glass doors and framed with terrazzo tile. The shower heads are sleek, curved steel with a rainfall on top and body sprays down the side.
“You get more of a spa experience out of showering than you do with traditional showers,” Hibbard said.
The exterior of the home is also an experience in and of itself.
The owners sought award-winning landscape architect Steve Martino to remodel the grounds. Drought-resistant plants such as whale’s tongue agave, compass barrel cactus, and ocotillo add a Southwestern touch.
Out front, a salt-finished patio with inlaid glass marble is shaded by an overhang and trees. Custom-cut concrete slabs form a wall around the patio. Rectangular openings set in a domino pattern allow an outside view but are small enough to keep gatherings private.
Out back, there’s a pool and more desert landscaping. An 8-foot-high privacy wall—which is 2 feet higher than regulations allow and required special zoning permission—provides a rich red backdrop that shines when the lights flicker on at night. There’s also a vegetable garden, a small and immaculate patch of lawn, pine trees, and a pool fountain.
Hibbard said traditional tract-style and ranch-style homes in the area go for around $ 350,000 to $ 400,000, but noted that people would be willing to pay a premium for a Schreiber home. She estimates there are fewer than 20 of these Mid-Century Modern homes in the Village Groves neighborhood, so she expects this one to sell fast.
“People live in them a long time,” she said. “So many people are looking for Mid-Century properties and only so many that exist. It’s a rarity to begin with.”
The home is located just a couple of miles from downtown Scottsdale and about 10 miles from downtown Phoenix. It’s also five miles away from the Desert Botanical Garden, for which Martino designed the cactus and succulent galleries. The house was featured in Dwell Magazine and received the Scottsdale Environmental Design Award in 2010.