Desert Dwelling Design Week

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Real estate agent Erika O'Dowd has square feet and a nose for great property. She shares one of her favorite properties for sale.

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Where it is: In a small historic midtown neighborhood of Tucson called El Montevideo.

Listed by: Long Realty

The damage: $390,000

How many square feet? 2,500

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Erika O'Dowd

You’ll love it because: It reminds you of your staycation at Hacienda del Sol, or the time you crashed the pool at the Arizona Inn. Built in the same era (1935), and the same style as the Arizona Inn, Hacienda del Sol, the old El Conquistador hotel and the nearby Lodge on the Desert, this Pueblo Revival house also demonstrates the romantic details that attracted people in the rest of the world to Tucson in the 30’s and that they equated with that exotic land known as “the West”:  exposed wooden beams, whitewashed walls, wooden lintels, a parapet roof, extensive ramadas, encaustic tile in the foyer (and a foyer in the first place), and a farmhouse kitchen.

This home is one of the first built in El Montevideo, a neighborhood developed in the 1930's along with Colonia Solana and El Encanto, all surrounding the luxurious El Conquistador Hotel. At the time this house was built, it was on the eastern edge of town, and since the neighborhood was developed lot-by-lot, it was built in a largely rural setting.

Here comes the but: It’s listed as-is, and there is plenty to be done. Also, the floorplan reflects the era, so if you’re looking for a large master suite with a garden tub and a walk-in closet, you’re in the wrong house. The listing says that the main house has four bedrooms but bear in mind that two of those bedrooms are the maid’s quarters, so someone’s sleeping in the maid’s quarters off the kitchen.

* Erika O'Dowd is a real estate agent with Tierra Antigua Realty. Find out more about her here.

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Real estate agent Erika O'Dowd has square feet and a nose for great properties. She shares one of her favorite properties for sale. Photos by Liam Frederick.


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Where it is: Campbell and Skyline in Tucson's foothills area.

Listed by: Bright Properties

The damage: $219,000

How many square feet: 1488

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Erika O'Dowd

You’ll love it because: From the front door you know this is something special. This is a unique condominium community designed in the early 1960's by Mexico City architect Juan Worner Baz. John and Helen Murphey hired Baz to bring his unique combination of modern and Mexican colonial architecture to Tucson, to great acclaim. He also designed the Broadway Village annex (the building that now houses Cashew Cow and Sugar Sweet bakery) and St. Philip's Plaza. The wall of windows is of a modern vernacular, the exposed beams are Mexican colonial in influence, the angled interior walls create interesting interior spaces. The community pool area features bas-relief sculpture and a koi pond. On the less poetic side, this unit has two master suites and its foothills location and proximity to La Encantada would make it a terrific second home or vacation rental.

 

Here comes the but: Tucson has grown up around this community. This end unit features additional windows that other units don’t have and that allow even more light to the living room, but… they feature a view of the nearby commercial development. The front balcony has a beautiful view of the Catalinas… and some traffic noise from Skyline. Oh, and the HOA fee is $350 a month.

* Erika O'Dowd is a real estate agent with Tierra Antigua Realty. Find out more about her here.

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We're as nosy as the next person about the insides of people's homes. That's why we bring you a great property pick each issue. This month we visit the home of author Chris Gall, whose Dinotrux books will be turned into a Netflix series this year. Story and photos by Rachel Miller. 

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A one-of-a-kind 'flaming rocket' light sculpture hangs above the bar in Chris Gall's Joesler home.

I admit to a little apprehension in approaching the home of Chris and Ann Courtney Gall. After all, this is the house where Dinotrux came in to being, or rather DIIINNNNNOOOOTRUX (it must be said in your deepest, most resonating voice), a favorite children’s book in our home. Indeed, our copies are so well-thumbed I was embarrassed to bring them and request signatures.

Chris Gall, Dinotrux, home tour

Working vintage phones and radios add to the nostalgia

What kind of home environment nurtures the creation of such well-loved children’s books? Books that promise to explode onto the screen this year when an animated series based on the books comes to Netflix? Whimsy? A mess of dinosaurs and trucks? Art that reflects the bold, exaggerated images of the artist and author?

There are no dinosaurs or old '50s trucks littering the Tucson home of Chris and Ann Courtney Gall, but there is whimsy. Toy Story's Buzz Lightyear soars through the studio and office alongside meticulously assembled model airplanes - both indicators of Chris’s interest in restoration and mechanical tinkering. There are working vintage radios and a World War II submarine phone, along with the ham radio.  And there is plenty of stunning art, including Chris’s own work.

The artwork is reminiscent of '40s and '50s graphics: rich and striking in color and line, particularly appropriate for a house of this era. This is Americana, but not kitsch and not frilly. This is bold and beautiful. Think vintage Park Service posters, but with a Norman Rockwell twist.

About the home: Built in 1951, the original Josias Joesler home is in Tucson's Catalina Foothills Estates within 15 minutes of downtown. Atop a small hill with stunning mountain views, Chris and Ann have gracefully doubled the square footage over the past 24 years to 3,800 square feet. While the size of the house has doubled, the characteristic Joesler design features have been painstakingly maintained: the high ceilings, large picture windows, and use of porches.

Home Tour of Chris and Ann Gall's home

Chris at work in his studio

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The master bedroom addition.

Describe your style:“There is a word…it’s not craftsman like, but…it’s Frank Lloyd Wright in home décor palate in places. We used to say everything was harvest colors…there’s a nostalgic quality to our home.”

Your fave thing about your home: “The mountain and city views, and the acreage (4 acres) around the house, as well as the building materials. We like the red brick.”

Biggest splurge: “The stained glass front door by local artist Jon Goldbaum. I took a classic Frank Lloyd Wright design and changed it up, switching the colors, and Jon Goldbaum created it for us."

Best bargain: "The casement windows that we found at Gerson’s for my studio."

My DIY Moment: "Building all the window frames in the new master addition."

Favorite resources: "Restoration Hardware, local art fairs and [southern Arizona village] Tubac."

Tucson treasures: "The one of a kind flaming rocket light sculpture over the bar we bought here in town, and the mesquite and antler coffee table at a local art show. We also have a few paintings by Phoenix artist Ed Mell."

Take-away lesson:  Take time to do it right. Sometimes doing it right means doing it yourself. Unable to find used casement windows the right size, Chris used his welding skills to make the windows for the master addition. Added bonus: these casement windows are double-glazed.

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Are you digging these digs?

Get the look locally:

Take to local art fairs and search for locally sourced furniture for a feel that reflects the environment. Hang your own Chris Gall Giclee print from ArtsEye Gallery on Grant Road, or frame art in the form of books, bought from Kid's Center or Yikes Toy Store. Check out Etsy store Hot Cool Vintage for sweet kitchen artifacts that fit the era of your home.

Or try these we found online (contains Amazon Affiliates):

From left to right: Steppe Bed , $1,399 from Crate & Barrel; America the Beautiful $6.91 on Amazon; Safavieh Lamps $175.69 on Amazon 

* Look out for an animated series of Dinotrux, about the time when hybrid dinosaur-construction characters rules the earth, this Spring from Netflix. More here. 

Loving our Square Feet column? Take a look at our previous columns here.

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We're as nosy as the next person about the insides of people's homes. That's why we bring you a great property pick each issue. This month we get in seasonal spirit with a home full of vintage treasures and faraway finds.  Story and photos by Rachel Miller. 

 

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This 1930's home is "like a soup", full of gifts, family treasures, and vintage and faraway finds.

Who needs softly falling snowflakes, toboggans and chestnuts roasting on the open fire to capture that cozy, intimate Yule time feeling? We found our own kind of 'hygge' amid the palm trees, pines and saguaros in the Catalina Vista neighborhood in central Tucson. The 1930's home of Wendy and Ash Scheder Black bubbles with laughter and festivities. This is a home to sink down on the sofa in, wine glass in hand and enjoy the company of good friends surrounded by stories of lives richly led.

On a Tucson evening in the winter, the cup of mulled wine in front of the mesquite fire is just as welcome as the ability of the children to run rampant in the back yard, albeit bundled in jackets. This is a home created for living in, emphasized by the choices of furniture pieces that reflect their seven year old son Julian's interest in mid century and vintage technology - including items he has helped choose and restore to working order. Was that an early computer we saw in back half dismantled?

IMG_9706 About the home: The 1930's three bedroom home is in the Historic Catalina Vista neighborhood. Surrounded by pines as well as cacti, the neighborhood was developed over about four decades and the mix of architectural designs is reflected in this lesser known gem of a neighborhood.

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Their son's love of vintage electronics led them to buy this working wireless.

Describe your style: Ash: "We've pieced together the nice things that have been produced in the last 100 years or so that are not mass produced. We've never ever wanted to say 'Let's have a colonial theme'. We're not consciously doing [a style], we're saying 'That' s really pretty because it's rare.'"

Wendy: "Our style is like a soup. It's filled with gifts and love and experiences and travel. We find beautiful pieces and blend them together. A big part of it is inspiration from our son Julian [7]. He has a fascination for vintage technology and it inspires us to buy pieces when we see them. That led us to buy the radio and get the record player rolling again.

"When it comes to Christmas, it's like sensory explosion time. I'm not so much into the commercialism of it but I like the home experience, the smells and lights. This house is very conducive to it, with the curved walls and low ceilings. So we just max it up.

"My parents used to collect miniature houses. The had hundreds of those that they put up every Christmas. When they died I kept less than ten, just for nostalgia. I brought them out after Julian was born and he loves them."

Your fave thing about your home: Ash: “Its location. It's central, close to the University, where I work. We have massively big pine trees."

Wendy: "The curved ceilings."

IMG_9684 Biggest splurge: "Our custom-made furniture, done by our friend Ian McDaniel [a carpenter and furniture maker, also the guitarist in The Pork Torta]. He custom designed our bed, he built Julian's bed, he designed a walnut frame for a Cambodian temple rubbing we have, and he made a walnut stand for some antique Javanese puppets a friend brought us from Indonesia."

Best bargain: "The $130 we spent on records a couple of days ago at The Girls' Estate Sale store. It was from the estate of a  Tucson conductor and we got 130 records, from classical to musical ethnography to a record of sound effects of London from the mid 1950s."

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Antique Javanese puppets stand by the piano.

My DIY Moment: "We don't do DIY because we suck at it. We're not handy. Ash can fix anything related to technology but when it comes to household repairs we look outward."

Favorite resources: “The Girls' Estate Sale store. We go there every weekend. They take the previous week's items and discount them so it's like a game. Julian adores it. He finds treasures. Plus they have home made cookies and sweets."

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Wendy bought this dried wreath at Michael's and wrapped it with fairy lights.

Tucson treasures: "Ian McDaniel, who makes our custom furniture (520-488-8597), and my friend Sarah's father Bill. He is a collector of mid century modern furniture and decor, much of it from the White Elephant in Green Valley, and he passes on treasures to us."

Take-away lesson: "We find things we love and if it doesn't match with anything else in the house we get it!" says Ash. This might seem like the antithesis of an interior decorating approach, but curating a collection of items that have meaning to you can fill your home with more warmth than those that match.

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Are you digging these digs?

Get the look locally:

And try these lookalikes we found (contains Amazon Affiliates):

From left to right: Crosley Turntable , $100  from Amazon; Lexington Queen Love Seat $829.99 from Temple Slug on Amazon;  Pine Cone Garland, $16.99 on Amazon  

* 3 Story Magazine is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com

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We're as nosy as the next person about the insides of people's homes. That's why we bring you a great property pick each issue. This month we visit with Paula and Clif Taylor.  Story and photos by Rachel Miller. 

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One step inside Paula and Clif Taylor’s Tucson home and it is clear this is a place where people gather to laugh, to hatch grand plans, and to realize dreams.  It is at once comfortable and dynamic - not an easy pairing to achieve.

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Mannequins provide a fashionable feature

A mix of emerging local and international artists’ work adorn the walls; mannequins stand ready to act as backdrop to a reading or performance; and the flow of the home and of the fixtures and furniture invites relaxation. Paula, a fashion events producer, educator, stylist and author - also one of the directors of Tucson Fashion Week -  has, along with artist husband Clif, created an environment ready to coax the shyest poet into reciting their latest work, or to host a boisterous family gathering.

This Catalina Foothills home has white and light pink walls in the living and dining room that dazzle. If those walls weren’t so thick you’d imagine the Pacific beyond the French doors. But there is a distinct Mediterranean feel. You might just open those doors and look out on cliffs and sea. Instead, beyond those doors it’s a cool pool and stunning mountain views.

About the home: The house was the first in the neighborhood. Deeded in 1967, it sits on the edge of 40 acres that belongs to a neighbor. SqFtPaulaTaylor3

Describe your style: "Our style started out as more mid-century, but we have personally evolved. We see our home as a place to curate art, whether it is a piece that Clif builds, or a piece we find, or a major designer piece. Era is not as important as placement and feel. How it works within the construct of the house and it’s environment. We have pieces from the 50’s and the 80’s. It still works if it’s in the right place."

Clif: “I like the old art nouveau, disco deco, Peter Max posters. "Paula: “If it was just me it would be just one Barcelona chair in the room, but the two of us, we’re combining our two styles. Clif is a collector, I’m very much about clean lines. We collaborate.”

Your fave thing about your home: Paula: “All the memories we have in this house. We’ve lived here for 11 years. We love the wall space to curate art pieces for fun parties we have. We love having our friends and families over. The living room is my favorite room in the house. This is the one room that is done and finished. ” sqftpaulataylor10

Biggest splurge: "The restaurant-sized kitchen faucet. I’d just redone the kitchen. It’s ridiculously priced, but we love it."

Best bargain: "The two chandeliers in the kitchen and the living room were great bargains.  We kept going back to Palm Springs and they weren’t selling and finally we got them and packed them back to Tucson."

My DIY Moment: "We did the tile panel in the kitchen together. That was fun."

Favorite Resources: Paula: “My husband. We love to go hunting in salvage yards, and thrift shops, mostly out-of-town. I’ll find an idea that I like and I’ll ask Clif to make it. Ten times out of ten he can create it and he’ll make it better." Hamilton photos and Letterman meet Mannequin

Tucson treasures: "Friends who are artists have given us art as gifts: Olivier Mosset, Erik Kroll, Scott Benzell, Steve Parrino. Many thrift stores in Tucson have funky items we have fallen in love with too."

Take-away lesson: Be brave. Your tastes don't need to be static. Evolve and be courageous enough to experiment with feel and placement without being rigid to an era. The 1980’s chandelier in the foyer with its tinted glass is something many of us might walk away from if we saw it uninstalled outside this environment, but in Paula and Clif's entrance-way it is nothing short of magnificent.

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Are you digging these digs?

Get the look locally:

  • At the heart of Paula and Clif's home is a passion for art. Whether they are major or minor players, these artists' work is  sometimes personal, often provocative, and not always displayed how you would imagine. (Check out the slideshow image of Clif with model Kate Moss in a dune buggy, unframed.) Find what you love at galleries, in thrift stores (the David Hamilton photos from the 1980s were a find). Check out local up-and-coming artists. Find something that captures your heart and invest in the art.
  • Gerson's Building Materials is a favorite for Clif and Paula. Follow their lead and use salvaged pieces to create pieces. The narrow bar that Clif created makes use of reclaimed materials.
  • Copenhagen carries chairs that are reminiscent of the Barcelona chairs Paula has here.

And try these lookalikes we found (contains Amazon Affiliates):

From left to right: Barcelona Style Modern Pavilion Chair, $628 from Leisure Mod on Amazon; Modway Criss Cross Oval Glass Top Coffee Table, $176.99 from Hayneedle.com; Female half torso Mannequin, $18 from Amazon  

* 3 Story Magazine is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com

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We're as nosy as the next person about the insides of people's homes. That's why we bring you a hot property pick each issue. This month:  designers Mary Ann Hesseldenz and Scott Baker share their mid-century Tucson home. (Q: Do interior designers live the way they design for others? A: In this case, yes). Story by Rachel Miller. Photos by Rachel Miller and provided by Mary Ann Hesseldenz

MaryAnnScottFoyer   Dining room table by Baker + Hesseldenz, decoration skulls & orchid It was love at first sight. While visiting from New York, Mary Ann Hesseldenz drove past the Hidden Valley home and fell in love. Problem was, the house wasn’t even on the market. That didn’t stop Mary Ann from sharing her affection for the house with her real estate agent.

Just a few weeks later Mary Ann, now back in NYC, got word that the house was for sale. Without ever stepping foot inside, she bought the 1961 home. The gamble paid off for her and future husband Scott Baker; the views from inside the home are exquisite and the house had barely changed since it was built.

Over the past 13 years Scott and Mary Ann have maintained and refined the original mid-century elements and have created new elements that work in concert with the original. They insist they are not purists when it comes to the home's era. They simply wanted a renovation that was the ultimate place to relax and to entertain, but somewhere that still celebrated its history.

Who they are: Mary Ann Hesseldenz and Scott Baker run Baker + Hesseldenz, a Tucson interior design firm. They’ve lived in their Hidden Valley home for approximately 13 years. Mary Ann Hesseldenz at home

About the home: Built in 1961 by Wes Miller (father of John Wesley Miller) as the model home for Tucson's Hidden Valley neighborhood, this 2300 square feet home is in a prime location to appreciate views of Sabino Canyon.

Describe your style: “Eclectic/curated. While the foundation of our style for this house is mid-century because of the architecture, we have many treasures that are from varying eras and styles.”

Your fave thing about your home: “We love the layout and the view. It’s great for entertaining!”

Biggest splurge: “Hands down, our art collection.”

Best bargain: "We have so many wonderful bargain finds. I guess it would be our sheaths of wheat coffee table - Gold Leaf Italian mid-century.”

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Best bargain: the mid-century wheat sheaf coffee table.

My DIY moment: “We built a cabana that cantilevers over our pool for us to get married in. Scott worked every weekend for a year and it rained on our wedding day. But it turned out beautiful and it is one of our favorite places to hang out.”

Favorite resources: "Estate sales, antique stores (Adobe House, Lionsgate, etc..), auctions."

Tucson treasures: "See above!"

Take-away lesson:  Curate. You don't have to have everything on display at all times. Mary Ann and Scott both love to collect, but don't have everything out at any one time. They curate their art throughout the year. This approach allows you to enjoy each piece and avoid cluttering items that might distract from one another. It also means you can regularly switch up your surroundings.

* Mary Ann and Scott will be hosting this year's Tucson Modernism Week Cocktail Party at their home on Friday October 10th, 7pm. More details and tickets at tucsonmod.com/schedule

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Are you digging these digs?

Get the look locally

  • So many of the pieces of furniture that sparkle in this home are custom designed by Mary Ann and Scott, meaning that the ultimate place to tap into these sleek designs is at Baker + Hesseldenz.
  • If custom furniture isn't in your budget, check out Copenhagen for new pieces or Adobe House for original era pieces with simple, sculptural elements and modern sensibilities. Add a little bit of funk and fanciful elements - animal skulls, lamps and ornaments - at estate sales and antique stores.
  • Top this off by including choice pieces that may have an emotional history. Scott and Mary Ann have done this by including furniture made by Scott’s grandfather, and his father’s doctor bag.

And try these lookalikes we found  (contains Amazon Affiliate links):

From left to right: Italian Gilt Metal Wheat Sheaf Table, $875 from Chairish; White Flokati Area Rug 8x10, $489.28 from Amazon; George Nelson Classic Wooden Sunburst Clock, $134.94 from Amazon; Hans J Wegner Style Wingback Chair, $815 from RetroFurnish 3 Story Magazine is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com

 

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We're as nosy as the next person about the insides of people's homes. That's why we bring you a hot property pick each issue. This month:  the owners of a restored firehouse share their favorite resources and finds. Story and photos by Rachel Miller.

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Urban hot? It doesn’t get much hotter than living in a restored firehouse. When Sally and Tim moved into the old North Side Firehouse ten years ago they undertook the monumental task of shedding the dropped and popcorn ceiling, reclaiming the original porches and balconies, and returning the building to its Starkweather beauty.

FirehouseStyle The fire station, designed by Arizona Inn architect Merritt Starkweather, has been through a number of renditions since it was first built as a one-story firehouse on the north side of Tucson in 1917.  A second story and fireman’s pole was added to the fire station in 1930, and it has had multiple reincarnations before becoming a home.  What Sally and Tim have created, from inside to out, is respectful of the history, aesthetics and function of the building and still, undeniably, a beautiful home.

FirehousePickAx Who they are: Sally and Tim have lived in their West University home for 10 years.

About the home: Built in 1917 as a one-story fire station. In 1930 a second story was added to accommodate living quarters. Originally called the North Side Fire Station as it built to serve the north side of town, it stretches to around 1900 square feet. Firehouseladies

Describe your style: "Hodge-podge! Basically we use what is available - items that make us happy. We draw upon items mostly from our pasts combined and created by friends."

Your fave thing about your home: "That it’s a fire station. We love the main living space being on a second floor and can’t believe the views - perfect for watching rainstorms. We love the large lot and the artwork by friends we love or people we’ve met. The fire station is a great place for parties. The apparatus bay (where the fire engine use to be housed) is a wonderful place to watch movies or soccer as a group or for a dance party."

firehousecarsofa Biggest splurge: An apparatus bay door that was put in as part of the restoration of the front. That area had been closed in.

Best bargain: "Using what was left in the building: the counter as headboard, filing cabinets as storage and side tables, and that the radiators actually work!"

My DIY moment: "When we removed the dropped ceilings and room dividers and we were thrilled, but scared, about the amount of work. But the best DIY moment was restoring the front of the building back to the original."

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Favorite resources: Barnett and Shore demolition and salvage yard (since closed) for old fixtures, doors, sinks, building materials, as well as thrift stores or yard sales.

Our Tucson treasures: Artist Beata Wehr, Pat and Sue Day,  Eriks Rudans, Geno Foushee, Mel Dominguez, Ruben Moreno, Josie Rincon, Ruthe Foushee & Nina Foushee, Jim Rusk, Amy Rusk.

 

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Get the look locally: Tim and Sally's home furnishings are almost entirely vintage or reclaimed. Take a page from their book and check out salvage yards like Gersons when looking for inspired alternative materials to use around the house. Craigslist is a great source for the trunks, church pews and cinema seating that Sally and Tim use in the apparatus bay for communal seating. The furniture stores of The Lost Barrio might be hiding the perfect alder or willow chair.

And try these lookalikes we found:

From left to right: Leather & Rosewood chair, $1,900 from 1stdibs; Jesup Stool, $450 from AllModern; Tee's Lounge Ladies, No Fighting in the Bathroom Print, $25 from Kennedy Printing; Polished Stainless Steel Lavatory Sink from Decolav,  $151.68; Black and White Merola Tile Metro Octagon, $7.09 per square foot from Home Depot.

 

 

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We're as nosy as the next person about the insides of people's homes. That's why we bring you a hot property pick each issue. This month: a mid-century lover in Tucson shares her favorite resources and finds. Story and photos by Rachel Miller.

 

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Step inside Jennifer and Raul's 1955 midtown home and you might just expect a gimlet to appear in your hand. It's all there: the mid-century cool lines of Lane and Paul McCobb, as well as era and contemporary pieces by George Nelson. And then you catch the modern additions: the band posters, the family-created art pieces, the splash of color provided by a modern sofa and retro cushions, all keeping this home in the here and now.

Mid-century furniture is Raul's passion. He can often be found on the weekend scouring estate sales or Tucson's antique stores in hopes of scoring the perfect piece to fit in their home.

jenniferraul11 Who they are: Jennifer has lived in her midtown Tucson home since 2010. She shares it with husband Raul.

About the home: Built in 1955, 2,000 square feet

Describe your style: Mid-century modern, which is perfect for this house since it was built in that era. We try to break it up with some contemporary bits, so it doesn't end up looking too dated.

Your fave thing about your home? For me, it's definitely the backyard. I also love the open space and light of the kitchen and living room. For Raul, it's the exposed brick and vaulted wood ceiling in the living room and bedrooms.

Biggest splurge? The dual AC/heating unit in the office, which was a necessity since it had no heating and cooling.

Best Bargain: A side table by [mid-century designer] Paul McCobb, worth a lot more than the whopping $8 Raul paid for it at an estate sale.

My DIY moment: Taking out some of the dated pieces of hardware, like inside shutters that blocked the light coming in from the outside. Also, replacing the pendant lamps over the dining room table. We have yet to undertake any big projects, but have many in mind!

 

Favorite resources: Estate sales and garage sales. Most of our furniture, except couches and beds, is second hand. Raul collects and refurbishes mid-century pieces as a hobby. We love IKEA and Target for the other bits. And we are fans of M S Upholstery at 316 E. 1st Street, Tucson (Tel: 520 624 6753).

My Tucson treasures: The estate sale companies in town, Pop-Cycle, and Copper Country Antiques and Collectibles Mall.

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Are you digging these digs?

Here's how to get the same look:

From left to right: George Nelson cigar hanging lamp,$269 from amazon.com; Gossip Armchair, $546.98 from allmodern.com; Eames chair and ottoman, $4,559 from Copenhagen Imports; Herman Miller Eames chair, $419 from allmodern.com; 'Always Arizona' poster, $30 (unframed) from Draplin Design Co.

 

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Michelle Hotchkiss, real estate agent and mid-century fiend, has square feet and a nose for great property. Each issue she brings us her pick of Tucson properties for sale. Photos by Casey Sapio

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Where it is: Ice House Lofts just east of downtown Tucson.

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Michelle Hotchkiss. Photo by Casey Sapio

Listed by: RE/MAX Catalina Foothills 

The damage: $260,000

How many square feet? 1350

icehouse6 You'll love it because: It's a fab living option if you want urban, which downtown Tucson is very much becoming. And if you ever dreamed of living in a chic and private, low-maintenance, full-amenities complex close to downtown, this is your first and best option.

When I was  a kid I always dreamed of being among artists and the cosmopolitan by moving to New York City and living in a big, spacious, industrial loft converted to my avant-garde, minimal living space.  But then I got there, and those places were drafty, cold, dirty, and expensive. Or in a bad part of Brooklyn.  Or you had to share it with seven other starving artists.

This is not that kind of loft. These are not incomplete, live/work artist-style lofts. This conversion is a well-planned, rare sighting in Tucson.

icehouse4 Here comes the but: While it's "lofty" and spacious for a one bedroom, it's best suited for a bachelor pad. There's not much privacy, except for in the gorgeous custom master bathroom, designed by Tucson-based Baker + Hesseldenz.
* For more on Michelle, read her Atomic Tucson Facebook page or contact Michelle Hotchkiss, a RE/MAX Catalina Foothills Realty agent, here.

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Square Feet

Michelle Hotchkiss, real estate agent and mid-century fiend, has square feet and a nose for great property. Each issue she brings us her pick of Tucson properties for sale. 

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Michelle Hotchkiss. Photo by Casey Sapio

Where it is: Indian Ridge subdivision, east side of Tucson.

Listed by: Tierra Antigua

The damage: $427,500

How many square feet? 4320 sq ft combined; 3491 for main house, 829 for guest house

You'll love it because: First of all I love the Lusk-built subdivision of Indian Ridge, so you get me there.  This 1959 vintage home rambles on almost half an acre and my favorite thing about it is the detached guest house. It was built in 1963 and designed by the firm of Cain, Nelson and Ware (six of Nelson’s commercial buildings were included in the Modern Architecture Preservation Project’s MODERN 50 project, which identified “50 exceptionally significant examples of mid-century Modern architecture in Tucson".) Cain, Nelson and Ware are more known for their 'brutalist' style, but the guest house (interior pictured below) is anything but. It's a sweet one-bedroom place all on it's own, so you are really getting two houses for one here.

Here comes the but: While on a huge lot, the house should have been situated further to one side of the lot. As it stands now the house opens up towards its backyard, which is very small, and up against the neighbors' fence.  Also while there is community pool residents can join, this house is a great big family home, and could use a pool.  It could also stand to have the kitchen re-configured so that you don't have to walk across the dining room to get to the refrigerator!
For more on Michelle, read her Atomic Tucson Facebook page or contact Michelle Hotchkiss, a RE/MAX Catalina Foothills Realty agent, here.

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