How a Young Family in Arizona Built Their Dream Home From the Ground Up

Nikhita Mahtani
·3 min read

Derek and Venea Meyer used desert-inspired design elements and indoor/outdoor architectural details to envelop the energy-efficient space.

The one element the couple wanted to emulate from their time living in California was the ability to add in more opportunities for indoor/outdoor living.
The one element the couple wanted to emulate from their time living in California was the ability to add in more opportunities for indoor/outdoor living.

For Derek and Venea Meyer, building a new house was never part of the plan.

The young couple, who was looking to move back home to Arizona after a 10-year stint in Manhattan Beach, had been searching and searching to buy a turnkey home, but quickly realized any property they vaguely liked would require massive renovations. However, a random marketing email from Zillow about a plot of land changed everything: "They had an aerial view of the lot, and you could see the sunrise, the mountains," says Venea. "So I had this crazy idea: What if we build?"

Nestled at the heart of Ahwatukee Foothills, a small community on the southernmost part of Phoenix, Arizona, they started constructing a 3,000-square-foot home with sustainability at its core. If they had to build, they decided they were going to do it with as much care as possible. "Our builder, Andrew Tuttle at Beckett Construction, was instrumental in bringing forward those sustainable features, as well as the building science and high performance of a home," says Derek.

The 3,000-square foot home is nestled at the heart of Ahwatukee Foothills and is surrounded by drought-tolerant landscaping. Venea is a photographer and designed the pool house to also operate as her at home studio.
The 3,000-square foot home is nestled at the heart of Ahwatukee Foothills and is surrounded by drought-tolerant landscaping. Venea is a photographer and designed the pool house to also operate as her at home studio.

The couple opted for wool interior insulation and ZIP System R-sheathing for exterior insulation, which are more sustainable and reduce the amount of lumber and chemicals used to keep the home protected from the Arizona heat. Other simple external shifts involved the use of drought-resistant plants in the landscaping to save water, as well as a built-in, self-cleaning system in the pool that uses jets of water to push dirt and contaminants toward a vacuum that sucks the debris up.

There are 12 arches in total throughout the home, playing up the desert modernism vibes.
There are 12 arches in total throughout the home, playing up the desert modernism vibes.

"For us, sustainability means maximizing comfort and longevity of a home, while minimizing the impact and use of earth resources and footprint," says Derek of their three-year build process.

That eco-conscious mindset continues throughout the five-bedroom, four-bathroom home, which the Meyers designed with the help of Joel Contreras and Amy Williams at Joel Contreras Design. In addition to features like a heat pump water heater and energy recovery ventilator (ERV), using sustainable and organic materials was paramount to that ethos, especially in the bedroom, and the natural colors within bring about a subdued, calm feel.

In order to achieve ample daylighting, artful windows were imperative—but all that light can also come with lots of heat. Thick glass and overhanging arches were key to the design scheme so that the home was insulated from the harsh Arizona climate. The main living area also features a 20-foot tongue-and-groove ceiling that extends to both patios.
In order to achieve ample daylighting, artful windows were imperative—but all that light can also come with lots of heat. Thick glass and overhanging arches were key to the design scheme so that the home was insulated from the harsh Arizona climate. The main living area also features a 20-foot tongue-and-groove ceiling that extends to both patios.

See the full story on Dwell.com: How a Young Family in Arizona Built Their Dream Home From the Ground Up
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