The Cinder Box - Micro Dwell

  

 This winter Candelaria Design Project Manager Damon Wake teamed up with friend and fellow architect Hunter Floyd to design and build a miniature dwelling unit for an exhibition at the Shemer Art Center in Arcadia http://www.shemerartcenter.org 

Appropriately named, The Cinder Box, the tiny structure has been on display for the MicroDwell 2014 exhibit (http://www.microdwelling.net/) since the middle of February.  This Sunday was the last day of the show but the Cinder Box will still be on display for another month as it is currently for sale (http://www.cinderboxdwelling.com/).

         

Last year Fire Captain and custom steel Fabricator Patrick McCue started the first MicroDwell Exhibit at the Shemer.  With his experience in steel work at his company RocketFAB (http://www.rocketfab.com/), Pat was inspired to build a small house to sit inside one of his warehouse spaces.  He convinced a few more builders to make structures to display at the show and thus MicroDwell was born.  The Shemer Art Center and Museum, located on Arcadia (50^th St.) and Camelback Road, has a large orchard space that was perfect for the display of small scale structures.  This year’s exhibit featured 13 structures nestled between orange trees.  All of the units vary in size, program, and construction.

 After last year’s show, Hunter and Damon were inspired to design and build their own tiny structure.  While Damon has been working on houses of many scales with Candelaria Design for more than two years, Hunter has been at Corgan working on the commercial side of architecture, primarily on schools and airports.  The summer collaboration resulted in the design of the Cinder Box.

   Once the design was complete, they put together marketing material to raise money for the materials.  After setting up a Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/cinderboxmicrodwelling) they started a crowd funding campaign.  Their campaign on the site Crowd Hoster (https://open.crowdtilt.com/) raised about $5,800.  Combined with their own funds they embarked on the construction the day after Thanksgiving.  Working nights, weekends, and Holidays, they completed the structure after several long nights and workdays for the show which opened on February 15.

While Damon and Hunter have been drawing up plans for years neither had any construction experience.  Damon worked as a shop technician at Cornell University in the Colleges of Architecture and the Sculpture department several years ago so his skills were rusty. The building process was slow going at first as they figured out, often the hard way, how to put a home together, but the experience proved invaluable.

The plans were simple.  Just some dimensioned framing plans and some elevations.   Much of the design and detailing happened in the field.  As all contractors know, many important decisions are made in the field as the structure starts to take shape.  This was no different.  As the framing went up Hunter and Damon made tweaks to the design, taking advantage of the opportunities they saw inherit in the structure.

           

The design concept was inspired by the dichotomy of desert ecologies.  The exteriors of rough surfaces like cactus and succulents contrast with the fleshy interior that hold the moisture necessary for desert life.  The simple form is clad in a burnt wood that contrasts with the birch plywood interior.  The wood burning technique called “shou-sugi-ban” was borrowed from an ancient Japanese method of burning cypress.  It protects the wood from pests and rot while making it fire resistant.  The plywood’s natural grain is exposed by sealing it with a clear coat of water based polyurethane.  The contrast allows the interior to glow like jewel box while the outside deals with the harsh desert sun.

            The overall structure is 200 square feet.  Not being plumbed gives the structure the flexibility to be dropped on most properties in the Valley without a building permit.  The front entry is set back to create a porch with doors and windows on the north and east sides.  This helps keep the space cool during the day as no direct sun hits the glass after the early morning.  The main living space is big enough for a couch or a fold out bed.  At the back wall is a desk alcove, a closet, and deep set steel shelves that double as a ladder to the loft bed above.  The whole unit is wired with LED lights at the desk and in the wall niches behind the couch.  It also has wiring for Internet and Cable TV.  They also pre-wired for a future mini-split AC system.

 

The structure consists of 2x10 studs which allowed for R30 insulation.  The over structured frame was also necessary to keep the unit rigid during transport.  It was primarily built in a lot in downtown Phoenix before a crane picked it up and placed it on a double-drop low boy trailer.  Then the crane picked it up again and dropped it at its current home on the Shemer’s back yard.  Sitting on 10” concrete blocks allows it to stay portable and move as the future owner sees fit.

Decorative niches with cove lights change color and provide an opportunity for storage or art.  The hot rolled steel plates with water jet hand holes were kept raw to expose the natural “mill scale” finish that the steel comes with out of the steel mill.  Pipe fittings also serve as a hand rail and guard rail at the loft.

Brandon Boetto of SlabHaus(http://slabhaus.com/) teamed up with Hunter and Damon to make a custom piece of concrete furniture just for the dwelling.  They took the burnt wood theme and created a board formed light weight concrete slab for a coffee table.  Brandon floated a piece of glass over the table and set it on top of four inset hair pin legs.  The table was raffled off in an Instagram competition.

The Cinder Box is perfect for any use from a cabin up north to a back yard studio or guest bedroom.  It can fit a TV in front of the couch and be Man Cave or just a get-away space for the kids.  The space is flexible enough to fit the needs of any future owner.  The design is flexible enough to be customized to meet an owner’s needs.  The structure is for sale so Hunter and Damon are still talking to any potential buyers (http://tinyhouselistings.com/cinder-box-dwelling/).

So far the reception has been better than expected.  Articles on the show and specifically on the Cinder box have appeared in the New Times (http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/jackalope/2014/02/microdwell_2014_at_the_shemer.php) , the Arizona Republic, NPR (KJZZ)( http://kjzz.org/content/19779/microdwell-celebrates-diminutive-digs) , Houzz.com (http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/24234311) , Fox 10 News (http://www.myfoxphoenix.com/story/24795943/2014/02/22/microdwell-exhibit-demonstrates-minimalist-living-at-phoenix-exhibit) , tinyhouseswoon.com (http://tinyhouseswoon.com/cinder-box/) , and more.  Hunter and Damon are also due to appear on the cover of the magazine LocalReVibe this next month.  Channel 11 local Phoenix news is also due to have a piece on the show coming up.

Now that the show is ending, they are both ready for some long needed rest.  As this second quarter of 2014 starts to heat up both Candelaria Design and Corgan have had the good fortune of getting busier in this improving economy.  Damon and Hunter are excited to focus on their respective roles as Project Managers while they bring their newly added building experiences back to the office! So you see, we don’t just design mega-mansions – even in Arcadia!

Honoring and Remembering George Christensen & Bruce Kimball

In the last month many of us in the design community both celebrated and honored the lives of two architects who not only changed the Arizona landscape with their wonderful designs and collaborations but inspired and mentored many of us. Last month we lost one of the best free hand designer and sketcher in Bruce Kimball and this last week we celebrated what would have been the 85^th birthday of the late George Christensen.

I met both of these two amazing mentors in 1979 while attending ASU. George was one of my professors and Bruce taught sketching and rendering. I was fortunate enough to get my first job in an architect’s office in 1982 when I started as a draftsman for Christensen, Roberts and Jones and ended up becoming George’s partner, along with Brian Cassidy and Kym Billington in 1987.  This partnership lasted until 1999 when George retired and I went on to open Candelaria Design. 

During all of this time we were always collaborating with the talents and friendship of  Bruce Kimball who did a lot of our quick conceptual sketches and renderings from George’s amazing ideas and concepts. All I can say – and anyone who knew these two – was that we worked hard and we played hard! We would crank all day on a design charette and then as we approached the finish line George would crack a bottle of Dewar’s and pour everyone a Dewar’s with a splash and off we went solving the world’s problems!

I learned so much from these two – of course the most important lesson – working hard and playing hard. Skills from design and sketching to just how to work with and collaborate with clients and bring their wishes to reality. These two were not only masters in the design and presentation process with their loose and quick means of communicating an idea including sketching upside down so the sketch was to the client, but they were masters in just how to deal with clients and people – always friendly, always positive and always creative. Finally, they were always giving back to the profession through teaching at ASU, to George and his involvement with the AIA , to their yearly San Francisco – ASU spring break trip! So many firms have sprung from architects who either worked for or learned from these two.

Bruce’s memorial service last month was very nice and it was so good to see friends and colleagues I had not seen in 30 years. His wife Patti is an angel and the whole thing brought back so many great memories.  Following the ceremony many of us chatted about getting together to celebrate George’s 85^th birthday which we then did this past Wednesday at George’s old neighborhood pub, Feeney’s. We had a great turnout from partners from the late 70’s all the way to his final group from 2000 on. George passed away ten years ago and its hard to believe it has already been that long. It was great to share a Dewar’s with a splash and a cigar with so many from those great days.

So much of this profession is about sharing your talent and teaching others – mentoring. Its passing on the knowledge and wisdom while having fun doing it. That was the mastery of these two – Christensen and Kimball. Cheers to you both!

Before & After - Remodeling!!!

I love how we always get pigeon-holed into the Mega-Mansion world. Yes we do our fair share of Mega-Mansions and we love them! However, most people find it surprising that probably a good 40% of our work are remodels, renovations, and additions….and we love them!

Candelaria Design Formal Mediterranean Estate in Paradise Valley ~ Desert Star Construction ~ Crestwood Homes

Before - Clearwater Estates

Most architects once they break into the Mega-Mansion marketplace turn their noses to the remodel and addition market. Not us – I have been doing remodels and additions for over thirty years.

I have many reasons for this. First, I love the challenge of a remodel or an addition. They are like a big puzzle waiting to be solved. How do you take something that might be well done and add or modify it, or how do you take something that is horrible and make it all better? People expect perfection when you design and build from scratch but with a remodel it usually is more of a feeling or need for help or for any level of improvement.

After - Clearwater Estates

Concept Sketch

The market is huge and with the plethora of bad homes that were hastily designed and constructed during the last boom cycle, the inventory of potential remodels is enormous. Land is getting harder and harder to find and lots with great views even tougher. I am always amazed at how many absolutely horrible homes are parked on amazing lots.

Before - Clearwater Estates

I know that one of the best ways to evaluate a remodel or potential remodel is before you purchase it! This can’t always be done, but if you are in that position it is best to have an architect and builder on board as part of your team to assess the property in terms of your needs and wishes. Set up an adequate due diligence period with the seller and get to work. If you already own the property and have been living there for

awhile then that can be an advantage too in that you know the property and what its downfalls are but you may not see all the advantages – the "can't see the trees in the forest" phenomenon. Get your builder and architect out there and do the same thing – some brainstorming!

After - Clearwater Estates

I then like to quickly sketch some thoughts on an as-built set of plans. First a little bit about as-builts. I don’t care what set of plans you may or may not have, they will be wrong and not accurate. We always take some time to go through and verify the as-builts as best we can. These are our XRays and if they are not right it is difficult to diagnose the patient correctly.

We like to do our own as-builts of both the plans and exterior elevations so that we actually see every corner of the house inside and out. It gets the house in our heads.

Many times, depending on what we are doing we like to get a survey showing all property lines, setbacks, and easements. I cannot tell you how many existing homes are over setbacks or even over property lines! We always want a copy of the CC&R’s to make sure we understand the deed restrictions of the properties. Most properties don’t allow chickens or small farm animals, amongst other things that you will likely find most interesting and many times politically incorrect! We always get down to the local jurisdiction and/or HOA and see what they have up their sleeves.

Many projects require design review of some sort so you want to have a good face to face with them as they can make your life miserable if you ignore their wishes.

Kitchen - Before

Ok with that done, our process then starts with sitting down with the homeowner and having a brainstorming “what if” session.

This is fun and creative. Instead of me sitting down with their wish list and coming up with something I think is unique and special, I like to do this process with the homeowner. I like to extract their ideas and make them creative and beautiful. They know their house and they know what they like! Once we have some ideas on paper we clean them up and break them down into almost a shopping list of areas or phases that the builder can then prepare an initial budget range for each item or area. From there we can dial in the scope a bit more and then further develop the design knowing where the budget it. So many architects and designers lose this aspect and carry the client to far down the design path without getting a handle on the budget. It is difficult to budget remodels and additions because they are usually so piecemeal. Having a great team with a lot of past historical data on hand really makes a difference.

The last thing you want to do is go all the way down the design path and then put the project out to bid!!! That is the absolute worst way to do a project of this nature. It all becomes about price and opens the client up to a plethora of unexpected surprises and stress.

Kitchen - After

As the design develops the budget and pricing follows along. We love the team approach! It has proven over and over to be the most successful way to execute a remodel and addition.

No project is too big or too small. We are doing everything form whole house remodel/makeovers to just picking new paint colors and tweaking a few materials and the landscaping on the exterior. I am always amazed at how sometimes just a few modifications, well done and well thought out can make an enormous difference to the aesthetic

feel and value of a property and how using someone unskilled can completely ruin the value of a property.

Concept Sketch and Project Under Construction with Schultz Development

Before - AZ Biltmore Patio Home

The other big question that pops up during major remodels and renovations is should we just take the whole thing down. I personally hate to see and generate unnecessary waste so I am always inclined to try and save and work with what’s

there but there is a point where it just does not make sense and scraping is the right answer. Again, having the architect and builder on board right out of the gate can really help a homeowner make the proper assessment as early as possible so that fees and costs are kept to a minimum.

The problem many times with homeowners is they start the project with a limited scope and vision but then during the process, especially during construction, get carried away and start the “while we are at it” drill and next thing you know they are remodeling or modifying the whole house. That gets expensive and that’s usually when I hear “we should have taken the whole thing down!” Take your time folks! Don’t rush the design and budgeting process. Think through the design – live with the ideas for a while before you rush into demolishing!

Also – work with your team during the design phase to get all of your selections, materials, and goodies selected. These will make up 50% of your budget and if done ahead of starting construction it will save you time, money and aggrevation!

After - AZ Biltmore Patio home ~ Schultz Development 

Ok – I will leave it there for now. Definitely more to come on this subject. I will be posting several Before and Afters in the months ahead and relay some of the lessons and cool ideas learned in each project! The important thing is to put a great team together, set your budget and expectations early and clearly and work WITH your team to create beauty and value! And remember to have FUN!

Team Photo - House under construction in Desert Mountain ~ Signature Homes ~ Earth & Images Interiors

Super Bowl Sunday - Standing Rib Roast with Porcini Mushroom Sauce

Roast 2 in the oven is a Standing Rib Roast with a delicious porcini mushroom sauce. Yes we had to go with two roasts. This is before I knew the Broncos would be the third roast of the day! Wasn't sure if my guests like beef or pork, so we are covered.

1 standing rib roast with 4 - 5 ribs.
6-1/2 tsp dried crushed rosemary
Kosher Salt
Coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 cup olive oil and then 2 tbsp olive oil
1-1/2 oz dried porcini mushrooms
4 tbsp unsalted butter at room temperature
10 oz sliced white mushrooms
4 medium garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp flour - gluten free
1-1/2 cups reduced sodium beef broth
3/4 cup dry red wine
2 bunches fresh rosemary for the garnish

Place the roast, fat-side up, in a heavy shallow roasting pan. In a small bowl, mix together 4 tsp of the rosemary, 1 tbsp of the kosher salt, and 2 tsp pepper.  Stir in the 1/2 cup of olive oil. Brush the roast on all sides and bottom with this mixture. Make sure roast is at room temperature when you add to the oven.

Put the dried mushrooms in a medium bowl and cover with 2 cups of boiling water and let them steep for 20 min. Strain the mushrooms and like a sponge push out the liquid through a strainer. Collect the juice/liquid in a bowl and save the mushrooms. Then coarsely chop the porcini mushrooms and chop the garlic.



Heat 2 tbsp of butter and the remaining 2 tbsp of olive oil in a large, heavy cast iron pan over medium heat. Add the sliced white mushrooms and cook stirring until browned for 5 to 6 minutes. Add the garlic and chopped porcini mushrooms and cook stirring for another minute or two. Season with 1/2 tsp kosher salt and several grinds of black pepper.







Combine the remaining 2 tbsp butter, remaining 2-1/2 tsp rosemary and flour in a small bowl and mash with a fork to make a paste.


Arrange the rack at lower position and preheat the oven to 350º. Roast until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat registers 125º - 130º F - about 2 hours and 30 minutes.

Transfer the roast to a serving platter and cover loosely with foil. Let rest 35 to 40 minutes while you prepare the sauce. Skim and discard any fat from the pan juices. Set the roasting pan over two burners over medium heat. Add the reserved porcini socking liquid, the north, and the wine. Bring to a boil whisking constantly to scrape up any brown bits on the bottom and sides of the pan into the liquids, for about 2-3 minutes. Add the mushroom mixture and cook for 1 minute more. Whisk in the butter and flour mixture, a tablespoon at a time, and continue to whisk until the sauce thickens, for about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.


To serve, garnish the roast on the platter with several sprigs of fresh rosemary. Slice the roast and pour the mushroom sauce on the meat or serve in a gravy boat.

Enjoy - we will!

Super Bowl Sunday - Gorgonzola Stuffed Herb Crusted Pork Loin

Ok - getting ready for some Bronco action. Let's get our two roasts ready and prepped before everyone gets here.

Roast 1 - Gorgonzola Stuffed Herb and red Chile Crusted Pork Loin

Large Pork Loin - Minimum 2-1/2 lb boneless pork loin.
4 tbsp dried herbs de Provence
2 tbsp to fast of crushed red chile pepper flakes
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
1-1/2 cup of gluten free bread crumbs
1 cup of gorgonzola blue cheese - crumbled
3 tbsp plus 1 cup of chicken broth
4-5 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
3 slightly under-ripe Bosc Pears, un-peeled, quartered and and cored.
2 tbsp unsalted butter
Fresh rosemary and thyme sprigs for garnish


Using a long knife core out both ends of the pork loin and create a pocket. Turn the knife to make a nice core.

Mix together the herbs de Provence, salt and pepper and crushed red pepper flakes. Split the mixture in half in two separate bowls. Add the breadcrumbs to one of the two bowls and add the cheese, mix this all together. Add 3 - 4 tbsp of the chicken broth to get a nice moist mixture.

Then take the herb, cheese and crumb mixture and start stuffing the roast core with the mixture. Use the end of a wooden spoon to get the mixture deep into the roast. Work from both ends. Once stuffed, pat the roast dry and rub the other bowl of seasonings all over the roast.

Arrange the rack in the oven at the center position and pre-heat the oven to 400º F.

In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 tbsp of olive oil and 2 tbsp of balsamic vinegar, then add the pears and toss to coat.

In a large, roasting pan/tray, add the remaining 2 tbsp of oil, or enough to lightly cover the bottom, and set the pan over 1 to 2 burners on medium heat. When the oil is hot, brown the loin on all sides, for 6-8 minutes. Place the pan in the oven and roast the pork for 10 minutes and then scatter the pear quarters skin side up all around the loin. Roast now for another 10 minutes, and then turn the meat and pears. Continue roasting until the thermometer registers 150º F when inserted into the thickest part of the loin and the pears are tender and golden for 20 to 25 minutes longer.




Remove the meat and pears to a cutting board; cover loosely with foil and let rest for 15 minutes. Remove and discard any loose stuffing from the pan. Skim off and discard any fat in the pan.

Place the roasting pan over high heat and add the remaining 1 cup of broth and remaining 1 tbsp of vinegar. Reduce the liquids by a third while scraping the bits off the bottom of the pan into the sauce. Swirl in the butter and season with additional salt if needed.




To serve, slice the roast 1/4" thick. place the slices on a serving platter and garnish with the pears and fresh herbs. Drizzle the meat and pears with the pan sauce!

This roast was so flavorful and juicy! The best - you will enjoy this and easy to make.

Super Bowl Sunday Tiramisu

Let's get the dessert started so it can chill and set up while we watch the big game.

Here are the ingredients:

Zabaglione

1/8" cup of heavy cream

1/4" cup of semisweet chocolate chips

4 large egg yolks

1/3 cup of sugar

1/3 cup of Marsala wine or Vin Santo

Pinch of salt

I start by warming up 1/8" cup of heavy cream in a sauce pan just so its warmed over medium heat. Remove from the heat and add the chocolate chips and stir until smooth. Keep warm.

Then in a metal bowl add the sugar, egg yolks, pinch of salt, and Marsala wine and whisk them together. While doing this I get a large pot with about 2" of water heating up. Get this hot but not boiling - just steaming nicely. Place the metal bowl over the pot and keep whisking the mixture. Use a candy thermometer and keep whisking until the mixture is thick like a custard and the temp of the custard is around 160º to 165º. Don't let the eggs scramble! Whisk away. When you hit 160º take the metal bowl off the heat and whisk a bit more so the custard is nice and thick like a soupy pudding.

Fold in the chocolate chip mixture so they are all combined and chill the metal bowl in the fridge.

This is a great dessert on its own with fruit in a dessert cup!

Tiramisu

1- 8 ounce tub of Marscapone Cheese

3/4 cup of heavy cream

2/3 cup of sugar

2 cups of coffee or espresso

32 Savolardi ladyfinger cookies.

Unsweetened Cocoa powder sifted over the top.

Take the heavy cream and 1/3 cup of sugar and whip this into stiff peaks.  Then stir in the Marscapone Cheese and mix. If you have an electric mixer that is the way to go for perfect consistency. Then add the Zabaglione and mix that in. Get it all smooth and incorporated.

Line a 9-1/2" x 5" x 2-1/4" meatloaf pan with saran wrap. Then take the coffee and dissolve 1/3 cup of sugar and combine. Dip one cookie at a time very quickly so they do not get too soggy and line the bottom of the pan with the sugar side down. Line the entire bottom with the dipped cookies and then spread half of the Zabaglione mixture over the top with a spatula. Then add another layer of dipped cookies. Add the final half of the Zabaglione mixture and then a final layer of dipped cookies.

Wrap with saran wrap and let the whole thing sit in the fridge for about 6 hours to set up.  When ready to serve, unwrap the top, flip the pan over on a decorative plate and unwrap the saran wrap from the bottom (now the top). Sift some unsweetened cocoa over the top, slice and serve.

Super Bowl Sunday - Go Broncos!

                  
Ok - right out of the gate I am a huge Denver Bronco fan! Yes that is my John Elway signed Denver Bronco helmet that will be adorning my coffee table during today's game. I grew up in Denver and my Dad was an original Denver Bronco season ticket holder. Trust me he still doesn't miss a game; it is just now he enjoys them from his home with a glass of wine and Mom's amazing cooking….smart man!

Speaking of cooking, we are going to do some today! I have a few friends coming over, including several Durango High School classmates: including one I had not seen since my senior year in 1978! So that will be fun! We also will have star ASU lineman and former Detroit Lion, Juan Roque, in the house so we are getting up early and getting started.

I thought today's blog would be an ongoing blog today where I add the recipe with pics of each dish we prepare - many of which my Facebook friends have been clamoring for! I am going to update the blog during the day as we prepare the dishes and our guests arrive! Today's menu:

Porchini Mushroom Crusted Standing Rib Roast
Herb Crusted and Blue Cheese Stuffed Pork Tenderloin
Balsamic Roasted Veggies
Tiramisu

and of course champagne and a MonteCristo cigar to celebrate the Broncos victory!

So let's get started! First we need to get the tiramisu made so it can set up all day and be ready when we begin the celebration. Here we go!

30 Year Anniversary of Enchantment Resort in Sedona, AZ

Historic North Central Restoration - Nance Construction, Berghoff Design, Vallone Design

I cannot believe this month is already half over. This is going to be another busy year. You can feel it in the air and the way this month has started. Wow – what a start. I hope you all saw our intro Episode 1 of Architainment at http://www.thedesignnetwork.com/viewVideo.php?video_id=477

We have received over 77,000 views so far! Episode 2 - Designing Fantasies - will launch on The Design Network at www.thedesignnetwork.com on Tuesday, February 4th! Stay tuned for an amazing Architainment launch party at two $9 million Candelaria Design ~ MRA Custom Homes estates in Paradise Valley featured in Episode 1. See our Candelaria Design Events tab for details.

First and foremost we are excited to be retained to design the residential portion of the new Mountain Shadows Resort in Paradise Valley. What an opportunity to bring our thirty plus year history of designing residences in Paradise Valley to such a marquis property.

Enchantment Resort - Sedona

And so that’s the perfect segue to looking back at an Arizona classic I was fortunate to be a part of and that’s the Enchantment Resort in Sedona, Arizona http://enchantmentresort.com. It was 30 years ago when we started our initial design work for this truly spectacular place while I was a Project Manager with Christensen-Miller & Associates. The resort sits on 80 acres in the gorgeous Boynton Canyon which is the birthplace of the ancient ancestors of the Yavapai Tribe whereupon they emanated from the earth.  When you visit this canyon you feel the energy or the “vortex” of the canyon.

I was fortunate to be assigned this project by my mentor and amazing architect, the late George W. Christensen. I was 23 years old – hard to imagine! I remember my first visit there and was in awe of the challenge of first having to rezone this property for the use as a resort. It involved gaining the acceptance of the Yavapai Tribe, Sierra Club, the National Forest, and the public in general. After a year of designs, sketches, hearings, meetings, etc., we were ready go.

Left to right - John Gardiner, Merv Griffin, George Christensen and Mark Candelaria

Our client was the late John Gardiner of the famed John Gardnier’s Tennis Ranch in Paradise Valley and his team, primarily my good friend and fellow Charro Grande, Clayton McKnight! Add the construction team of the Phil W. Morris Company and their Project Manager, Larry Peery. Larry, Clayton and I are all still great friends some 30 years later – but this is where that friendship started.

Enchantment Resort Clubhouse

Croquet Lawn at the Enchantment Clubhouse

The project involved remodeling and adding to an existing fired adobe house and turning that into the Clubhouse. The guest house would become the Spa. Then we would add some 50 casitas which we walked every spot and determined exactly where we would nestle them in and save trees going as far as to have them grow right through the decks. We master planned and designed some 30 patio homes and then laid out all of the single family lots of which we were fortunate to design several custom homes including a fun Pueblo style casa for the Hall of Fame quarterback, Y.A. Tittle.

Enchantment Casita Exterior

So many people contributed to the beauty of Enchantment. From Clayton McKnight’s wife and John Gardiner’s daughter, Tricia McKnight, who did all of the interiors, Dan Richardson from Security Savings who spearheaded the project, and many of my teammates at Christensen-Miller, especially Craig Stoffel who built an amazing model of the whole canyon!

Enchantment Casita Interior

Enchantment Clubhouse Pool Terrace

Some 30 years later, the Enchantment Resort is still one of my crowning achievements and is one of my favorite places to go, escape and look back at some amazing times and memories. I encourage you to take someone special and go enjoy a romantic escape.

Enchantment Resort Aerial - Boynton Canyon - Sedona

Architainment - Premier Launch this Wednesday

We finally made it! Our first Episode of Architainment launches this Wednesday, January 15th, on The Design Network!

First - Where do you find it? Ok our show and The Design Network is NOT on TV! So don't go channel surfing trying to find it - you won't. And it's not on a Pay-Per-View! This is a family show!!! You will find it on the internet just like YouTube and NetFlix. Go to The Design Network at www.thedesignnetwork.com  and you will find it there - but not until Wednesday. The nice thing is once launched it is always there and you can watch it any time and as many times as you like!

Second - What is the show about? Architainment is a show about taking the bones of a building and creating  fabulous architecture  and then blending it with entertainment and a way of life….most often a lavish life where dream homes become real.  The Candelaria Design team will unveil some amazing spaces with the intention of creating a lifestyle to be expressed on that stage…that home setting.  So Architainment follows my team and I as we take on the challenges, drama and rich rewards of designing these fantastic spaces where people live, entertain, escape and gather to celebrate and live everyday life the luxury way…. globe trotting the world  to find the inspiration for a room, a getaway,  a party place, oasis, haven or escape…or to create unusual getaways, interesting fantasies or private places.

Episode 1 focuses on  introducing me and my blend of home design and lifestyle with an intention of infusing the Southern European way of life into these creations - from Spain to Italy. The first show also showcases some of our fabulous homes both from the ground to magical aerial footage of several of our homes.  Episode 1 shares my passion for the Italian culture, way of life, and elements of architecture that influence our projects in America and promote entertaining and living richly in the luxurious spaces we create.  Architainment is architecture, design and entertainment all rolled into one piece that creates the cornerstone for good luxury living.  That is Architainment.

Here is a sneak peek!

https://www.dropbox.com/s/tvsd24k6cy01ry7/INTRO%20PROMO.mov

Architainment is the perfect cocktail mix of beautiful construction and design that provides the backdrop to entertain and live large, (and sometimes small),….really well.  Architainment will provide viewers a sneak peek into a whole new world of high end design -  and the people who populate it.  

Third -  How many Episodes are we doing? We will be doing five (5) episodes in our first season and then hopefully five more in our second season of course if we are well received. Therefore….




Give us Views!!!! www.thedesignnetwork.com 

We appreciate all of your views of our show. We will be featuring many of our projects from Arizona and around the country. We will be featuring our Candelaria Tour Italy trips, many of our cooking extravaganzas, our clients, builders, vendors and my wonderful cast of characters - the Candelaria Design team! Each episode we will be sending an email blast listing all of the builders, realtors, designers and vendors featured in each respective episode. Our clients' privacy is always of utmost importance and we so appreciate their graciousness in allowing us to film and document these wonderful creations of so many of us.

I hope you enjoy the show and use it to show off our work and your work! Share the link and post them on your pages with descriptions of your work. That is the beauty of the internet! You will love the footage! It is fun and I hope it inspires and entertains.

Finally I want to thank several people who were instrumental in making this happen. I like to thank Meara Perrin who as our Marketing Director got the ball rolling with The Design Network this summer. I especially want to thank my team for all the time we invested in this project. Of course thanks goes to our clients who opened up their homes to our cameras. I want to offer thanks to founder and CEO, Jason Harris and The Design Network www.thedesignnetwork.com for their time and investment in Architainment. Last but not least, I want to thank my director, producer and writer, the fabulous Heidi Foglesong! She is flat out amazing and this lady gets the job done. What a talent and what a just flat out cool person to hang out with and collaborate with.


Ok so here we go! Let's have some fun and give us lot's of views and shares this week!!! 

2013 It's a Wrap - Year in Review

Let's make a toast to 2013 and welcome in 2014.

I love the quiet of the end of the year. Our clients are all away and spending time with their families and so are my employees. Our offices are closed between Christmas and New Years to let everyone catch up and enjoy some down time. I love the time to reflect, recharge and set goals for the new year.

 

The Candelaria Design Team

2013 was a busy year for Candelaria Design. I look forward to all that lies ahead in 2014. I have such a great crew who make ALL of this possible. We are working on so many amazing projects both here locally and throughout the western United States and for some very interesting and famous people! I love that aspect of this profession.

I’m excited for the new year! My team is in the process of setting new goals for the year and I just love seeing them dream and challenge themselves. It inspires me.  I think so many people go to work to do their job. We are so fortunate to create every day… and look at what we get to create!!! We are so fortunate.

So here is a recap of Candelaria Design’s 2013 and then we will look ahead.

January 2013

We saw the construction of the beautiful Spanish Colonial residence in Arcadia Silverleaf being built by Fratantoni Luxury Estates take shape from concept to reality.

We welcomed Rob Banach to our Candelaria Design team!

Our friends the Baskins with Isabel in Atlanta

Isabel and I traveled to Atlanta to the Market and to visit friends and start on a new apartment rehab project outside of Atlanta.

Atlanta, GA Skyline

We completed the design for a new home that broke ground in Desert Mountain with builder Jim Manship and designer Paul DenBoer.

The Candelaria Design Team with our friends at St. Mary's Food Bank

We had our day at the St. Mary’s Food Bank where we bagged several thousand meals for the hungry.

We started work on a beautiful historic renovation in the Encanto district with GM Hunt Builders.

February 2013

I rode in the Parada del Sol in Scottsdale with my fellow Scottsdale Charros.

We collaborated with Telluride Natural Stone, Hinkley’s Lighting, and Creative Metals to create the new Charro Lodge Façade at Scottsdale Stadium for the Scottsdale Charros. http://www.springtraining.com

We then enjoyed some spring training baseball with the Candelaria Design Team!

MC, Rob Banach, Jeff Kramer and Peter Ekama

We completed and photographed a beautiful contemporary southwest residence renovation with Angelica Henry Interiors and J Andrew Development in Carefree that later in the year received several ASID awards.

March 2013

We had several fun Meet and Greets throughout the year at Isabel’s Earth and Images.

We saw the completion of an amazing Candelaria Design contemporary home in Paradise Valley built by Desert Star Construction with interiors by MMB Studios.

We made homemade pasta at a client’s new home and broke in their kitchen!

Construction started on a Santa Barbara style renovation in Paradise Valley with Schultz Development and Ownby Design.

We welcomed Meredith Thomson to our Candelaria Design Team!

Meredith Thompson

April 2013

Santa Fe, NM

Denver, CO

Austin, TX

Tiffany and Karin Candelaria

Isabel and I moved my oldest daughter, Tiffany, to Denver with a stop in Santa Fe and then a quick jaunt down to Austin, TX.

Denver, CO

Austin, TX

Chicago, IL

Isabel and I then went to Chicago and Madison, WI for the SubZero demonstration of all their new products.

Chicago, IL

Subzero Headquarters

Tim Mathewson and Julia Baker

My PM, Tim Mathewson, attended the Julia Baker television show premiere party at the Julia Baker Confection store we designed at the Biltmore Fashion Park. The store would later win a ASID award for the work of designer, Claire Ownby.

Construction completed on this Candelaria Design, 23,000 sf formal mediterranean estate at Silverleaf constructed by Schultz Development, Interiors by Treken Interiors and Landscape by Berghoff Design Group. The home comes complete with a Cat Moat around the back yard.

PM Braden Santarcangelo and I started work on a contemporary design in Paradise Valley.

May 2013

Jeremy McVicars, Luke Wilson, Vivian Ayala,  Jeff Berghoff, and MC

The Candelaria Design team started preliminary concept sketches along with Berghoff Design for a 50,000 sf home in Silverleaf to be constructed by Vista General.

One of my clients purchased this Candelaria Design home in Arcadia and we went to work adding new touches along with Schultz Development.

Isabel and I prepared a paella dinner for the winner of the Arizona Residential Architects silent Holiday auction at the private residence of noted Interior Designer. Anita Lang and  12 of her guests on the terrace of the Camelback Optima.

June 2013

I then was cook for the Scottsdale Charro Pre-ride for a weekend in June. Of course I whipped up paella for the boys out in the boonies.

I then traveled to Coeur d’Alene to visit a couple of our newly completed projects there and check in on friends and contact and put the eye on some new projects.

Isabel and I then went to Dallas to start our new Bentwood Kitchens Candelaria Collection cabinet line with our good friend Colin Snider and Randy Pittard of Bentwood Luxury Kitchens.

http://www.bentwoodkitchens.com/flash/

July 2013

We then headed to Colorado to photograph this Candelaria Design home on the west fork of the Dolores River in southwest Colorado and enjoyed some time in Telluride.

Started conceptual sketches for a new home on the Paradise Valley Country Club with Schultz Development, Berghoff Design Group and Vallone Interiors while demo got underway.

Enjoyed seeing my clients move into their new Silverleaf Rural Mediterranean home built by Salcito Custom Homes.

Started conceptual sketches for a new home in Paradise Valley.

Started conceptual sketches for a new contemporary design in Arrowhead Ranch being built by Sage Luxury Homes.

Prepared another paella dinner for 16 at Goodall Custom Cabinetry and Millwork at the Scottsdale Design Center.

Gave a tour of a half dozen of my homes to The Design Network and started the launch of my own show, Architainment, premiering in January 2014! Stay tuned for details!!! www.thedesignnetwork.com

August 2013

Saw construction start on the 86 new cabins at the Rim Club  in Payson designed by Candelaria Design being built by MB Fine Homes with Interiors by Earth and Images.

I then went to New York City with Isabel to the Market and to visit with a number of interior designers and architects. 

Saw the completion of the MRA Custom Home Estates in Paradise Valley and started design work on an $18 million 17,000 sf estate for them followed by a spectacular open house in October.

Started filming for Architainment.www.thedesignnetwork.com

September 2013

 

We then took off on our 10^th Anniversary Candelaria Design Tour Italy culminating with Isabel's and my wedding at the Villa d'Este on Lake Como.

October 2013

Went to Highpoint, NC with Isabel to check ou the Market and participate in the filming for the Hot List for The Design Network.
http://www.thedesignnetwork.com/viewVideo.php?video_id=445

Started research and programming for the new Bat Cave for Wayne Industries….more details to follow!

The Candelaria Design Team

Saw the completion of this contemporary renovation at the Sanctuary in Paradise Valley by MAK Construction.

Started conceptual sketches for a new contemporary home on the north face of Camelback Mountain in Paradise Valley.

November 2013

Braden Santarcangelo, MC and Anthony Salcito

Enjoyed a hosted open house by my client of their newly completed Candelaria Design Rural Mediterranean Estate in Silverleaf built by Salcito Custom Homes with interiors by David Micheal Miller and Lighting by Walter Spitz of Creative Designs in Lighting.

Anthony Salcito & Walter Spitz

Toured and filmed the completion of this Contemporary Santa Barbara Style estate in Paradise Valley built by Schultz Development, interiors by David Michael Miller Interiors, Landscape by Berghoff Design Group and Lighting by Wlater Spitz of CDL.

December 2013

             

Visited our Rural Mediterranean Estate on an 80 acre lettuce farm in Yuma, Arizona to prepare studies and sketches for the new Guest House.  This 8,000 sf house comes complete with custom designed mouse houses.

We completed design for a new home in Desert Mountain for a wonderful couple whose dream it has been for some time to build this amazing home. They have selected my good friends and builders Dominick Abatemarco and his nephew, Chris Watts to build the home. We look forward to an emotional groundbreaking party on site in January. 

So that’s the year! As you can see we stayed busy and this doesn’t even include my personal life….. yes I do have one! See you all in 2014…let’s make it a great one. I'm planning a very productive  year with two tours to Italy planned, over 50 projects underway, three daughters and time with my angel on earth, Isabel….it will be a busy one. I wish all of you a joyous, creative, and happy New Year and I hope I get to either design something or cook something for each and every one of you in 2014!

Christmas in Santa Fe 2013 - Breakfast Picks

Well as you all know, I love food! And what better places to get some amazing food than Santa Fe, New Mexico. Here is a quick list of some Breakfast stops on your next trip there. Tomorrow we will do  my lunch recommendations and then dinner.

BREAKFAST:

Cafe Pasqual's

We had a wonderful breakfast here, but be prepared to wait. This is a small place, it only seats 50, and there was a line every day!  Right across from the Saint Francis Hotel, Pasqual's is definitely authentic New Mexican cuisine. The historic pueblo-style adobe has a lovely Santa Fe style dining room lined with hand-painted Mexican tiles and murals by the renowned Mexican painter Leovigido Martinez. I went with the Huevos Rancheros and was not disappointed. Also - try the Mexican Hot Chocolate - that was a good warmer upper on a cold Christmas Eve. http://pasquals.com

They have several great cookbooks and here is the link to them so you can order them right here on line.
http://pasquals.com/Online_Store/Pasqual_s_CookBooks_Others/index.html






The Plaza Cafe 

See the blog from Christmas Day for a quick review of the Plaza Cafe. Again, I ordered the menudo and was not disappointed. This tasted just like Grandma Rose's menudo. See our recipe for this authentic holiday traditional New Mexican soup on the Christmas Day blog. http://santafeplazacafe.com

Tia Sophia's

This was probably my favorite breakfast. Again, another small place….everything in Santa Fe is small… so be prepared to stand in line. This is definitely a local spot which is always a good sign. I had the Atrisco Chile stew with an egg on top and a side of potatoes and of course a tortilla. Absolutely, perfect - warm, hearty and very tasty. Again, this is a dish Granda Rose would have given a thumbs up. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpGHB31ZG-U

Christmas in Santa Fe 2013 - Carne Adovada Recipe

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas! I know Isabel and I sure have had a great time in Santa Fe, Taos and Albuquerque. As you can tell, besides the architecture, which we will also touch on in an upcoming blog, I LOVE the food of this area. So much of it consists of dishes I enjoyed as a young boy in Durango. Here is one of my favorites:

Carne Adovada

Carne adovada is pork stew in a sauce of ground dried chiles. This is one of my favorite dishes whether in Phoenix or New Mexico. I love it at breakfast with a couple of over easy fried eggs placed right on top.  Of course you need to accompany this dish with some home made flour tortillas. My Mom makes the best and I will try and get that recipe for you all soon.

You will want to use a fatty, tough cut like a butt/shoulder for this stew, since the meat will become more tender as it cooks long and slow.

Prep Time: 1 hour  Cook Time: 2 hours 

Total Time: 3 hours

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:

- 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil

- 3 lbs. pork butt or pork shoulder well-trimmed of fat and cut into 1-inch pieces

- 2 onions, chopped

- 6 cloves garlic, chopped

- 2 tsp. dried Mexican Oregano

- 1 tsp. cinnamon

- 1 tsp. Kosher salt

- 1 Tbsp. flour or masa harisa – or use gluten free flour.

- 1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper

- 1 cup (8 oz.) ground dried New Mexican red chile powder

- 6 cups chicken broth

Preparation:

1.         Preheat oven to 350°F.

2.         Heat a large pot over medium heat. Once the pot is hot, add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the pork pieces to brown them. Add only enough pork so the pieces are in a single layer and don't touch each other; you will likely need to do this in batches. The pork should sizzle the second it touches the pot; if it doesn't, remove it and wait for the pot to heat up. Cook the pork, undisturbed, until each piece is well-browned on one side, about 3 minutes. Turn and brown on all sides. Transfer the pork to a large bowl or plate and repeat with remaining batches as needed.

3.        When all the pork is browned and set aside, add the onions, garlic, oregano and salt to the pot. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are soft, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle the onions with masa or flour and pepper and cook, stirring, until the raw flavor of the masa or flour cooks off (if you use flour it will smell a bit like pie crust), about 3 minutes.

4.        Add the ground chile and stir to combine. Add 4 cups of broth and bring to a boil.

5.        In a blender, whirl the chile mixture until smooth. Add the cinnamon to this mixture. You may want to do this in batches, depending on the size of your blender. Be sure to hold a kitchen towels over the top to protect yourself (and your walls) from any potential splatters. Return the chile mixture to the pot. Add another 1 cup of broth and the browned pork. Bring everything to a boil, cover, transfer to the oven, and bake for 1 hour.

6.        Take the pot out of the oven and stir the stew after the first hour. Add an additional 1 cup of broth to the pot if the stew seems dry. Re-cover the pot and return it to the oven to bake until the pork falls apart when you try to cut it with a fork and the sauce is thick, about 1 more hour. Serve the chile hot with fresh flour tortillas.

Merry Christmas Menudo Recipe 2013

Merry Christmas to you all from Santa Fe, New Mexico! Isabel and I are here enjoying the Holidays with Isabel’s family.

Not many know but Isabel is from Española, New Mexico which is about 40 miles north of Santa Fe. Add to that, the Candelaria family first settled New Mexico in the 1690’s. In fact, a major road in Albuquerque bears the Candelaria name.

So – Isabel and I love coming here for the culture and most of all, the food. We love New Mexican cuisine. Our favorite place to dine in Phoenix is Richardson’s or Dick’s Hideaway where we can get our authentic New Mexican cuisine fix.

This week I will share some of our Santa Fe finds from this trip. First and foremost we have to start with food and what could be better on Christmas Day but one of my family’s traditional dishes, menudo! This trip I had a fabulous bowl of menudo at The Plaza Café

http://santafeplazacafe.com

right on the Plaza in Santa Fe. Not a fancy place, but I have to say their menudo was as close to my late Grandma Rose’s menudo as I have found.

So what is menudo???? How about a soup whose main ingredient is beef stomach lining!

Ok I know that sounds totally disgusting but I have to tell you this soup is delicious. Ok – if the stomach lining beef tripe is freaking you out we have a more mainstream way to enjoy this soup – pasole – substitute diced pork or diced chicken and you can join in on this traditional New Mexico Christmas dish. Menudo is also a well known cure for the hangover!!!

So here we go:

Menudo

.

3 gallons water, divided

.

2 1/2 pounds beef tripe, cut into 1-inch pieces

.

6 cloves garlic, finely chopped

.

1 large white onion, finely chopped

.

1 1/2 tablespoons salt

.

1 tablespoon ground black pepper

.

1 1/2 tablespoons dried oregano

.

2 tablespoons ground red pepper

-

6 cups canned white or yellow hominy, drained

Red Chile Sauce

¾ cup of red chile powder – choose your heat

¼ cup of crushed red chile flakes

2-1/2 cups of warm chicken broth

1 tsp of cinnamon

2 cloves of garlic

1 tsp of salt

1/2 tsp of dried oregano

Some like cumin in their sauce, I do not.

Garnish

1/2 red onion, chopped

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 cup of shredded cabbage or radishes

2 limes or lemons wedged

.

In a large pot, bring 1 gallon water to a boil. Place the tripe in the pot, reduce heat, and simmer 2 hours. Periodically skim off fat with a spoon. Drain water, reduce heat, and pour in a fresh gallon of water. Continue to simmer tripe for 2 hours; drain.

.

Pour remaining 1 gallon water into the pot with tripe, and bring to a boil. Stir in garlic and 1 white onion. Season with salt, pepper, oregano, and red pepper. Reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour.

.

In a blender or food processor, blend some powdered New Mexican red chile powder and some crushed red pepper flaxes with hot chicken broth, a couple cloves of garlic, salt, cinnamon, and dried oregano until very finely blended into a nice thick sauce. Mix into the pot, and continue cooking 2 hours over low heat.

Mix the hominy into the pot. Continue cooking 1 hour. Serve with red onion, cilantro, shredded cabbage or diced radishes and a lime or lemon.  Enjoy.

Again for Pasole - and this is Isabel's recipe! - substitute the diced pork or chicken and you can go with green chile or the red. 

Candelaria Design Christmas 2013

Merry Christmas to you all! Whether Christian, Jew, Muslim, Hindu or whatever….Merry Christmas. The Candelaria Design crew wish all of you a wonderful Holiday season!

Just a few tidbits to post this week as we prepare for the final weeks of 2013! First – thanks to ALL of my wonderful staff. What a great year and what wonderful creations we have underway, both under construction and on the boards. If I stop to check we probably have over 80 projects going in some manner. Projects here in Phoenix, Michigan, Nevada, Colorado, Texas, California, and New Mexico. What fun and what little sleep I get!

Of course I need to thank all of our wonderful clients who make all of this happen. We are working with so many absolutely fantastic people who dream as big as we do and then make it happen. You all inspire me and I love the energy and beauty we create together. 

Next, I really want to thank all the builders and designers we are so fortunate to work for. I wish I had a project for every builder and designer I knew – trust me I really try to share and spread my work around. I know we appreciate ALL of the referrals and I hope we do our best to make you proud you did refer us.

Next, the vendors and subs! You are all great and I have developed so many fun friendships with many of you. I think Phoenix is blessed with some amazing craftspeople. In the 30 years plus I have been practicing, the level of work and creativity just keeps growing and growing all serving to make Phoenix a more beautiful city filled with art and architecture. Just wait what is in store in the years ahead. You all inspire me.

Next, the realtors! Love you all and thanks for letting us help you and for your referrals. It’s so appreciated. From empty lots to selling a completed or resold Candelaria Design home and referring the new buyer to us – we cannot tell you what it means to us. I love the Candelaria clients that have bought and sold each others Candelaria homes….that is so cool.

Next, my family! You put up with my meetings, drawing all hours of the day and mostly night, phone calls and texts from clients at 2 am, parties, trips, and the understanding of my love for what I do. I want you to know I appreciate it and I hope you all know I love you all and always want to do more to give back to you.

 Finally, to my sweet Isabel. Isabel and I got married in September on the final day of our Candelaria Design Tour Italy trip. What a day that was. I love this lady and what she has done for me and making my life that much more beautiful. Beauty just flows from her and it’s so nice to be in the aura of that energy and creativity. We are working on a couple fun projects together so get ready for some unveilings in 2014!

Thank you for all the wonderful cigars, wines, gift certificates, popcorn tins and brownies!!! We will be doing the day at St. Mary’s Food Bank right after the first of the year as our way of saying thank you. You are all welcome to join us. We will be setting the date soon so just email us your interest in participating and we will feed thousands in one afternoon!

So – Merry Christmas to you all!  I wish everyone a joyous holiday.

Stay tuned this week as we will post from Santa Fe, New Mexico and share some recipes and photos from this amazing place. We will also recap 2013 and get ready for 2014. 

 

Jeff Kramer Farewell

It comes with mixed blessings the announcement of my long time associate, friend, and amazing architect Jeff Kramer, who has announced that he’ll be taking some sabbatical  time from Candelaria Design and the architectural profession to spend time with his family and then will move on to follow some new pursuits and interests. After nearly 15 years with Candelaria Design and almost 30 years in the architectural profession it will be interesting to see where life takes him!

Jeff Kramer, Nancy Singer & John Schultz

Any of you who have had the privilege and honor of working with him or have had him as your Project Architect can understand my mixed blessings. On the one hand, I am so happy for him to have the opportunity to take the time to walk away and spend time with his family, reassess his goals and dreams, and venture onto a new path in life. On the other hand he will be a tremendous loss to Candelaria Design and our profession.  I will miss him and all the challenging projects that we conquered, the laughs we have shared, and all of the many amazing good times we shared together.

Jeff was one of my first employees when I started Candelaria Design coming on virtually from the beginning. I received a call one day from Interior Designer, Sandra Evans, with whom I had just finished a project. She wanted to know if I was looking for anyone and that she had an associate from Knoell & Quidort Architects who was looking for a new direction. I said sure have him call me, which he did, we spoke and met and I was struck by his mild manner, his thoroughness in thought, and of course his portfolio of work. We struck a deal and he was on board.

Barnhart Residence - Silverleaf - Nance Construction

One of the first projects we worked on was the Barnhart Residence in Silverleaf. This was the first house ever constructed there. We were the guinea pigs for the whole process and Jeff guided us through with his thoroughness and steady push forward and our first project together was on its way. Still one of my favorites, the Barnhart Residence has been used for Silverleaf ads and promotional material for years.  If any of you know Jeff, he is a tall guy! I remember when Mrs. Barnhart, upon meeting Jeff for the first time, expressed a reluctance to want to work with him. I assured her that by the end of the job you would want no one else. Of course now, Mrs. Barnhart has virtually adopted Jeff into their family! And that’s how every project went down!

Team Schochor

What I love about Jeff is his integrity, his steady pace, his incredible attention to detail, his friendliness and kindness, and his uncanny ability to truly under-promise and over deliver. He is the best! His drawings are the best in town and his mentoring to all of us will be missed. Always one of the first to arrive and one of the last to leave, Jeff’s work ethic and dependability is unmatched. He always knew how to cool my jets when I would get a hot idea! He would raise those eyebrows and give me some words that would slow me down! But I have to say, I know Jeff enjoyed the ride we took together. It wasn’t always smooth but it has definitely been an adventure!

El Chorro Design & Construction Team - Desert Star Construction

O'Rahilly Residence - Silverleaf - Schultz Development

Peery Residence - Paradise Valley - Western Plains

Singer Residence - Paradise Valley - Schultz Development

We have worked on some amazing projects together. Probably, most notable is the El Chorro Restaurant and Bar. Jeff guided this through all the approval processes and through a tight construction schedule. Its already a true Arizona classic. Other great projects include the Hanley Residence in Paradise Valley which received a Gold Nugget Award from the Pacific Coast Builders Council for the best home in the country over 6500 sf. We worked together on the Peery Residence in Paradise Valley, for my good friend, Larry Peery. We just completed the Singer Residence in Paradise Valley which will definitely be one of our premiere projects. We worked with Schultz Development on several spec homes and customs in Silverleaf and we are just completing Construction Documents for a gorgeous home on the Paradise Valley Country Club and a home in Montecito, California just outside of Santa Barbara. Jeff's body of work at Candelaria Design adorns all of our books, ads and walls! But most importantly, Jeff's wit, charm, and kindness adorns all of our hearts. 

Team Hanley

Mark Candelaria, Jeff Kramer and Jerry Meek

Jeff will wind his last two projects up over the next few months and then will step out and onto a new path in life. What an absolute pleasure and blessing it has been to share a good portion of my professional life with a man who inspires me to not only be a better architect each day, but a better man. Jeff has a wonderful family, his wife Carmelle is a gem, and two amazing children, Jason who is attending ASU and his daughter, Rachel, who was just awarded a full scholarship for volleyball at the University of Florida.  Who would not want Jeff Kramer to be their father or husband - he is the best. I am happy to call him a damn good friend! I have no doubts he will continue to inspire excellence in whatever path he chooses and the doors at Candelaria Design will always be open to him!

Carmelle and Jeffrey Kramer