Evoking European elegance, an expansive Scottsdale residence was created with family in mind.

Grand but comfortable. Able to host myriad guests yet also accommodate intimate personal time. “The idea was to create a very livable family space,” says interior designer Rebecca Salcito of the North Scottsdale residence of Don and Kim Gray. 

On first glance when descending the driveway to a broad auto court, the home’s varying roof heights hint at a design that takes a home of considerable size—roughly 13,000 square feet—and divides it into distinctive, comfortable spaces.

“We laid the house out in a classic Mediterranean symmetrical orientation,” explains builder Anthony Salcito. “It’s all arranged around the idea of a formal garden, though the feel isn’t overly formal. The Grays spend so much time in Europe and enjoy being in the countryside year after year. This home looks like it was pulled right out of that region.”

An entry portico leads to a pair of glass doors that afford the first glimpse through the house of spectacular Valley views, prefaced by a narrow runnel water feature that draws the eye across the back of the richly landscaped property, beyond the mountains to the vast Arizona sky.

 “There are some pretty amazing views all the way around,” says architect Scott Carson. “It’s a relatively flat lot, but we used different levels of the yard to create the feel of a European hillside village, with unique, very intimate outdoor spaces. There are hidden, narrow staircases and courtyards with water elements. It feels like you’re in an old-world estate.”

The garden details on this massive property were deftly orchestrated by landscape designer Jeff Berghoff. “We worked with the grades to create steps and terraces to achieve different vignettes,” he says. “Taking the flow of the home into consideration helps create a vision for the garden that emphasizes the inherent beauty of each component, producing a harmonious relationship between architecture and landscape.”

Inside, the rural Mediterranean design has the contemporary advantage of ample windows that naturally illuminate the living spaces and keep the large rooms from feeling cavernous. Muted tones of silver and creamy gray are underscored with deep browns and accented with gold accents that seem to echo the light flowing into each room.

“A home is so personal and should reflect the client’s taste and style,” says Rebecca Salcito. “I took my cues from a visit to the Gray’s home in Canada and then translated that to the setting and lifestyle of Arizona.”

The formal living and dining room—with coffered ceilings that soar to nearly 17 feet high—is the “black tie” area of the home. Guests can mix and mingle inside or step through the long wall of retractable glass doors at the rear of the room to the formal outdoor living room where upholstered furnishings are clustered in conversation-friendly groupings. Even the cityscape in the distance seems dressed up for the party as Camelback Mountain glows in the waning light of day and urban lights begin to sparkle. Steps away, the scene is set for outdoor dining in a mini-courtyard peppered with twinkling bistro lights and a collection of potted plants and featuring access to the bar and kitchen.

“My intent for all the homes I design is to make the rooms feel intimate with lots of natural light.”

—Scott Carson, architect

“The living room and bar are in their own zones,” says Anthony Salcito, “but there’s an overlap between the bar, kitchen and family room. All are connected by opening up doors so that you can circulate inside and out. The Grays can entertain casually with a family group or host a massive party.”

The family-friendly great room encompasses the kitchen, an informal dining area, the family room and a casual outdoor entertaining space. The high ceilings and large footprint of the area could easily overwhelm, but windows on three sides of the room and a cozy fireplace warm it up.

“My intent for all the homes I design is to make the rooms feel intimate with lots of natural light,” says Carson. “In every space, the windows open up to the views and let indoors and out work together. The great room opens to its own patio and the yard beyond, and it all becomes one big room.”

The multilevel kitchen island looks out onto the dining and family room area so whoever is prepping a meal can interact with others in the room. A casual buffet can be arranged on the countertops or the area can be used for increased seating when extended family comes to town.

“When it’s just the family, the Grays wanted an intimate home feel,” Carson explains. “We created spaces that allowed for that. In this house, I’ve taken the basic elements of a traditional lifestyle and then modernized them.”

Portraits of family, friends and international adventures line the walls of the home’s more casual spaces, including a hallway that leads to the home theater and poker room. Heavy curtains at the rear of the theater can be drawn for complete darkness—ideal for family movie night—or left open when having friends over to play poker or watch a ballgame. “The curtains make the room a really flexible space,” Carson notes.

The theater is just one of several rooms designed with the youngest family members in mind. “Don and Kim wanted their kids close to everything but to have their own space,” the architect adds. Just up a staircase off the kitchen are the children’s bedrooms—located in a separate wing from the master suite. Each opens up to its own furnished balcony. The kids also have their own library study area and a TV room with access to an interior courtyard.

Not to be outdone, the parents have their own wing that encompasses their personal style and passion for athletic pursuits.
“The Grays are serious family people, and they’re über athletic,” says Rebecca Salcito. “They love hiking and cycling, and those activities are a big part of their lives here in Arizona and wherever they travel. The decor, scale and amenities of the master wing really reflect who they are.”

From the freestanding, French-style copper bathtub in the master bathroom to the private interior courtyard with spa and cold plunge, the suite is the perfect place to relax and rejuvenate after a long day on the trails. “You can soak in the tub for a half hour and the temperature doesn’t diminish a single degree, while the spa and cold plunge help reduce muscle inflammation,” the interior designer explains.

It makes sense that the couple’s private quarters would be a restorative space with windows that look out upon the natural landscape. But it’s also relatively compact. “The Grays didn’t want the master bedroom to be large and cavernous,” notes Carson. “They wanted intimate and cozy. Most of my clients say, ‘Bigger! Bigger!’ They kept having us scale it back. Even the master bath isn’t huge.”

Don and Kim each have their own office in the suite, and Kim’s has a special addition for two important family members: the dogs. Custom doors lead to a fenced-in play area and small dog pool. “Kim can leave the doors open when the weather is nice, and the dogs can run around or go in the pool and then come back inside to hang out with her,” notes Rebecca Salcito.

Guest accommodations and outdoor spaces also strike the perfect balance between being elegant yet comfortable spaces and environments of refuge from the modern world. A private guest apartment, complete with a beautifully appointed bedroom and bath and private balcony, features high ceilings and European white oak flooring for a look that’s light and airy.

“Originally, the accommodations were a barn set at the lowest grade of the property, but that was a bit too isolated,” says Carson. “We moved it up to where it is now and gave it access to an underground garage. Guests can use it without going into the main house. It feels very private and has a beautiful view all its own.”

Throughout the property, Berghoff created multiple environments that range from restful to dramatic, altering the plantings to reflect the formality of the setting. A lush lawn, which could be the setting for the ultimate garden party, runs the length of the sparkling pool, where a stone cabana, outfitted with a TV, fireplace and comfortable sofas, is available for après swim lounging.

At the outer reaches of the lower yard, down a flight of stone steps, is a hidden olive grove with both a sheltered sitting area with fireplace and a gravel-covered, open-air patio lined with olive trees that’s the perfect setting for a leisurely dinner beneath the stars.

A short walk away along a tree-lined path is the home’s showpiece: a three-story, tile-roofed stone observation tower that imparts a bit of whimsy while recalling old Mediterranean villas. It provides the perfect spot to enjoy an unparalleled view of the surrounding mountains and allows for a bit of surveillance of the 17th green at Silverleaf Golf Club.

“The tower became a really fun element that the entire family actually uses and enjoys,” says Carson. “There are gun slots cut into the walls and a little trap door to a loft where Don and Kim can have a glass of wine and take in the scenery. The structure also serves a functional purpose as a circulation point from the main lawn to the olive garden or down to a lower-level garage and workshop.”

For all their home’s grandeur of scale, the Grays have truly created the village they envisioned. The dwelling can host a gala that’s the event of the year, but thoughtful planning also makes space for casual family dinners on the patio, game nights, a teen movie marathon, a private dinner party in the olive grove or curling up with a good book in the fairytale tower. It’s a big home built for the small moments that matter.

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