Bing Hu Architect, H&S International

Truly a privilege to work on a home designed by Bing Hu. He was a student of Frank Lloyd Wright and is a world renowned Architect. I saw the plans before the clients bought the plans and property that the house was designed to go on, in Desert Mountain. I was pretty concerned that I had to tell Bing Hu that his plans needed major changes. But at our first meeting he was gracious and he listened when I said, “Bet you’ve never carried a case of Coke from your car to the kitchen.” Changes were made and I had the opportunity to work on one of the projects that I am most proud of, with many thanks to the wonderful clients that I worked with for giving me the freedom to unleash my design creativity.

Kierland Highrise Condo

A huge high rise condo was chopped up into small spaces and the kitchen was cramped and dark. The first thing the clients said to me was they both love to cook. I asked the superintendent who was showing us around the place, which walls were bearing…he smiled and said,”Edie, it’s all concrete and steel.” I was practically dancing with joy, it’s all not bearing, I can tear out all the walls! He laughed and said well there is a few vents and plumbing we have to consider. I was ready to grab a hammer! A bar in the dining room is now a secondary work station in the kitchen and still functions beautifully as wet bar, liquor cabinet, and wine cooler. The fourth bedroom is now part of the living space and the whole space is open with golf course views.

A Troon Contemporary

The client on this project was so great to work with, he came to the table with an amazing collection of art glass and a love of Texas Longhorn’s orange, hence the orange pool table felt. I didn’t even know pool table felt came in orange!

The house is beautifully situated on Troon Mountain with fabulous views. I was able to incorporate several of his existing pieces with new ones. I first sorted out older pieces that were not working, then by adding finishing touches like new bedding and art, and of course another TV for watching football, made it truly home.

Wooded Acreage in Ohio

Nestled in the trees on wooded acreage, this home had excellent “bones”, but after several decades it needed an update.  We shipped Durango Limestone and Travertine up from the quarry in Mexico to re-do all the flooring and showers. The teenage daughter got the loft as her private suite, but my favorite is the new western bar and theater carved out of an un-used part of the lower level.  Done in Ohio State’s red and gray, the bar is complete with tractor and saddle bar stools and an embossed tin ceiling.

Eagle Feather

The old world European look of this home is timeless and perfectly suited for the Southwest. Furniture and accessories were carefully selected to be elegant, but inviting, sophisticated, yet comfortable. With the use of some antiques, the furnishings look like they have been in the family for generations. Even the piano came from a previous estate, and is a necessity for the homeowners’ talented daughter. The former  high maintenance lawn was transformed to an artificial turf putting green which is perfect in this golf community that includes seven golf courses.  A detached casita is perfect for hosting guests.

Victorian Aspen

Built in 1826 by a well-to-do miner, now it’s right at the base of the main ski lift in Aspen, Colorado and is absolutely incredible. Around 8000 square feet and I re-did every inch. The challenge was to take it back to its Victorian splendor with all the modern convenience of steam showers and new kitchen. Several of the guys I sent there sent me back pictures of snow that they had seen for the first time! Each room, named for one of the ski runs, had all the flavor of its name. For instance “Magnifico” was grand and Stein Erickson, Norwegian in flavor. It was truly a joy to return her to her Victorian splendor inside and out.

Greyhawk Transformation

I love this story…my clients bought this house, sight unseen, on my recommendation! The realtor hated it. The wife had met me briefly at a property I had just finished, “Mohawk”, and they called an asked if I would look at a property nearby. One look and I was envisioning walls gone, new flooring, and totally new baths. The realtor insisted they wanted two baths and a powder and this house had three baths. I said, “If that’s what they truly want, I’ll wall up one shower!”

    Puerto Vallarta

    Suenos del Mar, Dreams of the Sea, is well named. It is perched high above the beach on a steep mountainside, overlooking the ocean. A waterfall flows through the Dining Room and one Guest Suite is reached by a walkway under the pool. Beds are draped with netting from the ceiling that puddles on the floor, so that the walls of glass can be left open at night. Yards and yards of fabric came down in suitcases and my carry-on was full of brushes and paints. It’s always fun to travel to a project with swim suits, sunglasses, and finish each day with a margarita by the pool watching the sun go down!

    Sunset Canyon at Desert Mountain

    “A River Runs Through It” as the home sits atop a ridge with a hot tub outside the Master Bedroom that overflows into a stream which meanders down the side of the house, dumps into the negative edge pool, then trickles down to the Guest Suite hot tub. New construction and clients that were open to new ideas, let me be very creative. The all onyx bath is back-lit. I designed patterns to be cut into the slate flooring and uniquely tiled baths are throughout. However, absolutely unbelievable views from all the rooms and patios were going to be ruined by putting up the required fencing for the pool. I arranged a meeting with the City of Scottsdale Building Inspector with the intent of convincing him that because of the way the house would sit on the mountain side, that no one of any age could possibly scale up the steep cliff without being part billy goat, and there would be fencing at the driveway level. He could definitely see my point when he came on the building site and told me about an obscure building code that would apply to just this setting, a cactus barrier. So by planting across the back some very sticky, nasty, but short cactus the amazing views were saved!