Photography by Steve Gunther Once an old grocery store, this renovated building in central Phoenix is now the living quarters of interior designer Georgia Bates. Her vision was to create an industrial look that mixes Contemporary pieces with antiques. “It reminds me a lot of a city loft,” she says. Softened by plantings and white-cushioned furnishings, the steel-covered patio divides her home from her office, which is located in a renovated house across from the sitting area. On the wall is an old sign depicting a cowboy on a horse that Bates found in Mexico.

A dilapidated lot is transformed into a secluded inner-city retreat

When interior designer Georgia Bates makes up her mind to do something, she’s not one to hold back. That certainly was the case in 2006, when she fell in love with and bought a lot in central Phoenix with a ramshackle 1920s grocery store and run-down bungalow.

The place had most recently been owned by a junk dealer and was in complete disarray. “It was bad,” says landscape architect Steve Martino, who renovated the grounds. “The property was in dire condition.”

But Bates had a vision. She would renovate the two buildings, build a wall around the lot, and create an urban compound that consisted of a loft-like living space inside the grocery story and her office in the bungalow. The landscape would tie everything together.

As is almost always the case in an extensive remodel, it took longer than planned and cost more than anticipated. But the transformation was so dramatic and turned out so well, that Bates, who admits it was probably one of the most challenging projects she has ever worked on, says she wouldn’t change a thing.

“I realize that it would have been much easier and cheaper to build from the ground up rather than restore the buildings, but they have such a historical significance within the community and I wanted to preserve that,” she explains.

Phoenix artist Bruce Fortner designed this patio light from etched plexiglass and hot-rolled steel that has weathered to a brownish orange. Steve Martino chose the terra-cotta wall color because of the way the plants stand out against it, he says.

The renovation of the home and garden took two years, and in the end Bates got exactly what she was looking for: a compound reminiscent of those she had seen during trips to Mexico. “From the outside it is very nondescript, very understated. No one knows what’s inside,” she relates. “But when people come through the gate, they are completely wowed by what they see.”

What they see is a Contemporary setting in which the indoors and outdoors merge. Floor-to-ceiling windows and doors on both buildings open to the outside, creating a sense of continuity. Garden walls with cut-out windows, concrete spheres dotting the granite-covered yard, and a generous use of raw materials enhance the industrial vibe that Bates desired.
 
Martino helped shape the entire outdoor setting, from choosing the terra-cotta color of the house and making the connection between the two structures, to changing the entry to the bungalow and creating usable outdoor space. “A lot of what I did was to take stuff away rather than add to it,” he remarks.
 

Artist Bruce Fortner fashioned this simple garden fountain from a rusted-metal plate and spout. Surrounded by desert flora, its concrete basin is home to goldfish and lily pads. The water feature was added to block out street noise, and the wall hides fountain equipment. Fortner also designed the rusted-metal sconces.

Maintaining his signature style, Martino kept the plant palette simple, using mostly prickly pear, chuparosa, yucca, agaves, palo verdes and mesquites. “I have known of Steve’s work for years, and I wanted to collaborate with someone who had the same aesthetic as I did,” notes Bates. “The landscape is vital, because the property has such an indoor/outdoor feel.”

“It’s a no-nonsense landscape that can take care of itself,” adds Martino. “These plants speak to the area and are evocative of the desert. Rather than denying the desert, this home celebrates it. It’s a way to bring the desert back into the city.”


TIP
Be creative and resourceful by utilizing what is already on the property, suggests landscape architect Steve Martino. For example, use walls and windows to edit out bad views and open up good ones; or take cuttings from plants to create new ones.