Su Casa Southwest Homes Summer 2011 Digital Edition

Southwestern homes

it’s

®

barbecue

time!

inspiration ideas resources

remodeling

in grand santa fe style

house

special

dinner with a legend

kitchens you’ll love serve it up with flair

$5.95 VOL. 17 NO. 3 SUMMER 2011 SUCASAMAGAZINE.COM

Photos by Kristine Massey

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southwestern

homes

56

30 house special

Restaurateur Tom White welcomes friends, family, and a team from Su Casa into his Nob Hill kitchen for a night of cooking and camaraderie.

By Alicia Kellogg

38

magic spot

44

move-in ready

Classic Santa Fe style—by the woman who helped define it—sets the tone in this casual but elegant remodeled home in the City Different foothills.

By Charles Poling

An Albuquerque couple settles comfortably into retirement in a spacious new Northwest Heights home that offers all the comforts and conveniences on their wish list.

By Ellen Mather

SUMMER SPECIAL

44 Kitchens Consequential Three cooking/eating/gathering spaces we love for their smart, contemporary interpretations of Southwestern style.

Su Casa (ISSN 1084-4562) is published four times a year (March, June, September, and December)

by Bella Media LLC, 215 W San Francisco, Suite 300, Santa Fe, NM 87501, for $9.95 for four issues or $15.95 for eight issues. Periodicals postage paid at Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Denver, Colorado.

POSTMASTER: Please send changes to Su Casa Magazine, 4100 Wolcott Ave. NE, Suite B, Albuquerque, NM 87109.

Top: Jack Parsons. Bottom: Julie Dean. Knob available at TJ Hardware.

38

in every issue 12 Inside Su Casa

14 Life+Style Southwest Remodeling tips from an Albuquerque pro. Plus: Eat fresh!

16 Finding Keepers

Whether you’re just moving in or simply ready for a change, new cabinet hardware adds personal (and affordable) kitchen flair.

By Julie Dean

20 Su Cocina

Fire up your grilling routine with the summer’s hottest barbecue tools. Plus: The sweet-n-spicy sauce recipe you’ll swear by.

By John Vollertsen

24 Design Studio

A Q&A with Santa Fe rug designer Robin Gray of Robin Gray Design.

By Alicia Kellogg

Santa Fe’s poet laureate pays homage to a New Mexico summer time tradition: hanging out under the portal.

By Joan Logghe

70 Su Libro

Let photo-filled books about buildings inspired by nature and the work of Albuquerque-based architect Antoine Predock expand your design horizons.

80 Dream On Cover:

30

Style is on the front burner in this Albuquerque kitchen designed by homeowner/interior designer Dee Anna Madura and built by Panorama Homes.

Photograph by Mark William Photography.

Visit SuCasaMagazine.com

Top: Julien McRoberts. Bottom: Amadeus Leitner.

28 The Good Life

44

Construction | Remodels | Purchase | Refinance

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Bruce Adams Creative Director

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Amy Hegarty Contributors Julie Dean, Devon Jackson, Joan Logghe,

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H o m e B u il d e rs As s oci ati on of C e n tr a l Ne w Me x i co B o a r d o f D i re ctors

President: Garret Price First Vice President: Mike Cecchini Second Vice President: Rob Hughes Immediate Past President: Otley Smith, CGP Associate Vice President: Stephanie Peterson Secretary/Treasurer: Jody Contreras Associate Member at Large: Ron Sisneros Custom Builders Council, Chair: Troy Howard Green Build Council, Chair: Robin Harder Home Builders Care, Chair: Bain Cochran Membership Committee, Chair: Diana Lucero Parade Committee, Chair: Jody Contreras Production Builders Council, Chair: David Newell Remodelers Council, Chair: Debra Speck H o m e B u il d e rs As s oci ati on of C e n tr a l N e w Me x i co Staf f

Executive Vice President: Jim Folkman Vice President of Operations: Lana Alderson Events Specialist: Kimberly Johnson Accounting Clerk: Linda Bronger

presidential award

Copyright Š 2011 by Bella Media LLC. Bella Media LLC 215 W San Francisco, Suite 300 Santa Fe, NM 87501 505-983-1444 sucasamagazine.com Please direct editorial queries to ddelling@sucasamagazine.com.

Su Casa’s cover and text are printed by American Web in Denver, Colorado, on SFI-certified paper. The papers used contain fiber from well-managed forests, meeting EPA guidelines that recommend a minimum 10% post-consumer recovered fiber for coated papers. Inks used contain a percentage of soy base. Our printer meets or exceeds all federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) standards and is a certified member of the Forest Stewardship Council.

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Inside Su Casa

Su Casa turns a page

F

Publisher

Tom White and Deanne Zirker’s remodeled Albuquerque kitchen is perfect for cooking and relaxing.

For the story, see page 30.

12

S U C A S A S U M M E R 2011

Julien McRoberts

Bruce Adams

MISSY WOLF

or the past 10 years, Charles Poling’s words have filled this space, introducing you to the many fascinating and inspiring stories you will find in Su Casa magazine. This issue represents Charles’s final Su Casa as editor. We are grateful to Charles for his unwavering dedication and skill in making Su Casa a popular and quality publication that readers adore. While I am sorry to see Charles move on, I’m also excited as we turn the page and present to you new and different voices.

As publisher of Su Casa magazine, I’m so proud of our talented editorial team. They will dazzle you, tempt you, and inspire you to create a beautiful home, one that celebrates the way you live—whether you have a large family or you’re enjoying your newfound empty nest, whether you throw lots of parties or treasure your solitude, or whether you’re a gourmet chef or more of a short-order cook. We will introduce you to the builders, designers, and craftspeople who can assist you in the creative and challenging process of building, remodeling, furnishing, and decorating a home. In addition, you’ll meet the amazing and dedicated homeowners who have committed themselves and their resources to these projects, people who now have the satisfaction of living in houses they have made into homes.

This issue is a perfect reflection of our mission. You will meet Tom White, co-owner of the Il Vicino restaurants, and see how he and his wife use their remodeled kitchen to entertain friends. You’ll also be welcomed into the new home of Ruth and Anthony Gutierrez, who happily show off the various ways their house fits the retirement chapter of their lives.

Both of these stories demonstrate the innovative ways in which local residents have created homes (one remodeled, one new) that meet their lifestyle needs. That’s what Su Casa is all about.

I have had the great joy of living here in New Mexico for more than 20 years, and I savor the pleasures my home brings me. As any homeowner will tell you, though, the house is never done—as our lifestyle changes, as we create enhancements to our existing residence, as we take the plunge and purchase and settle into a new home, we find new things to do. The goal of Su Casa is to present you with ideas and connect you with talented individuals who can help you realize your dream home. So dream big.

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Life +Style Southwest

kitchen magic

By Alicia Kellogg

local flavors Visit farmersmarketsnm.org to find the New Mexico farmers market in your area. Along with event information for local markets across the state, the site offers a general harvest guide and information about New Mexico community-supported agriculture (CSA).

Bamboo cabinets, glass tile, oak flooring, and energy-efficient appliances made this Sandia Heights kitchen, remodeled by Jade Enterprises, a success.

As head of the Remodelers Council for the Home Builders Association of Central New Mexico and co-owner of Albuquerque’s Jade Enterprises, Debra Speck has helped countless clients take their kitchens from faded to fabulous. Here, she shares kitchen remodeling tips and trends.

value-driven design Budget-conscious homeowners are opting for what Speck calls “pull and replace” kitchen remodels—those that involve updating cabinets, floors, countertops, plumbing fixtures, and appliances, but no wallmoves or additions. “The advantage is cost and preservation of natural resources,” she says. “The disadvantage is that you have limited options for improving the work triangle or increasing storage.” A smart way to add space?

Install cabinets that go all the way to the ceiling.

do your research Visit showrooms—there are plenty in Albuquerque and

what a cook wants “Granite and solid-surface tops remain popular because they’re beautiful, durable, and easy to clean,” Speck says. Other client favorites include temperature-controlled wine storage units, double-wastebasket slideouts for recyclables, and concealed electric strips with easy-to-reach power shut-offs (savvy options for energy conservation and safety). bigger can be better Consider doing everything at once, Speck recommends. A piecemeal approach (new cabinets this year, new appliances next) can cost more in the long run, especially if adding new elements to a kitchen involves tearing out (or accidentally damaging) things you installed previously.

if nothing else . . . Speck offers her number-one tip for an up-to-date kitchen: “Keep your appliances in good working order, and if they are old energy-guzzlers consider newer, energy-conscious models.”

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S U C A S A S U M M E R 2011

28%

of all 2010 U.S. remodeling projects included eco-friendly features that were requested by the homeowners source: Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University

Kirk Gittings (top left); Santa Fe Farmers Market Institute.

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V31

Finding Keepers

Story and photography by Julie Dean

major pull

2

Good design is all about the details—so choose cabinet hardware that makes a statement.

Right: Talavera, the Mexican version of Spain’s majolica pottery, is a longstanding tradition in the Southwest. These handpainted ceramic knobs and pulls are decorated with time-honored flora and fauna designs from Mexico.

3

4

1

(1–4) Small knobs start at $5 each; pulls are $13 each.

Left: Bring color and light into your kitchen with these handmade glass and ceramic knobs.

Millefiori—which means “a thousand flowers” in Italy, where the term originates—is an ancient glassmaking technique that results in patterns that look like stunning blossoms floating through a sea of tinted glass. On the fleurette knobs, a hand-painted flower pattern encircles a colored or clear glass handle, adding a touch of sparkle to your cabinets.

6 7

5

8 16

5) Millefiori glass knob in ice, $21; 6) fleurette glass knob in blue, $24, and 7) clear, $26; 8) ceramic ginger beak knob, $18.

Right: Distinctive hardware gives your cabinetry a personal touch, whether it’s beautiful French porcelain, etched copper with a botanical theme, or a traditional Southwestern-style forged pull.

10 11

12

9

(9) Russet-finish swing pull, $59; (10) New York porcelain knob, $10; (11) swirl drawer pull, $9; (12) porcelain and metal knob, $35; (13) castbronze round knob, $39; (14) etched knob in antique copper, $24.

13

14 13

Left: In a range of prices and styles, this selection of kitchen hardware includes designs and materials—like natural stones and bamboo—from around the globe.

16

(15) Hand-painted knob, $11; (16) round knob in red apple, $10; (17) pull in blue, $11; (18) stone knob in natural, $22; (19) pull with an old-iron finish, $18.

#

where to buy

17

15, 16, 17, 18, 19 The Accessory Annex 1512 Pacheco Street, Suite C104, Santa Fe, NM, 505-983-3007, santafebydesign.com

15

18

9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 Allbright & Lockwood 621 Old Santa Fe Trail #5, Santa Fe, NM, 505-986-1715 1, 2, 3, 4 Casa Talavera 621 Rio Grande Boulevard NW, Albuquerque, NM, 505-243-2413 or 866-464-2413, casatalavera.com

# 19

5, 6, 7, 8 Dimestore Cowboys Albuquerque, NM, by appointment only, 505-244-1493, dimestorecowboys.com 10, 13 TJ Hardware 3111 Amherst Drive NE, Albuquerque, NM, 505-881-4325 or 800-462-4266, tjhardware.com

Su Cocina

get grillin’ Fire up your summer cooking routine with expert tools of the trade.

Vollertsen shows off his sweet-and-smoky creations.

By John Vollertsen

A

fter a long, laborious winter, what a pleasure it is to get outdoors again and extend your kitchen work space to the portal and back terrace. In sunny New Mexico, we start hitting the barbecue in late March and continue until the first snow flies in October or November. There are myriad grills to choose from, with heat sources including wood, charcoal, and gas. The new kid on the block is the TEC Infrared Grill, which uses gas to fire up a radiant glass panel, creating powerful reflective heat. Regardless from whence your cooking clout comes, there are some nifty grill gadgets out there that will assist you in your barbecue bravado.

Here are just a few I have grown to love. In fact, I wouldn’t think to grill without having these items close at hand.

Rather than fiddle with a too-short meat thermometer to check the doneness of what’s sizzling on the grill, reach for this appropriately lengthy fork/thermometer combo to determine the exact temperature of your chops, chicken, and steaks. The gadget allows you to set which type of animal protein you are cooking to make sure you achieve the appropriate Fahrenheit or Celsius reading for rare, medium rare, etc.

The digital instant-read feature lets you measure temps (and step back from the heat) faster.

Jaccard Meat Tenderizer $40

This handy little tool turns whatever you are grilling into a sponge by puncturing it with a multitude of tiny holes using razor-sharp stainless-steel blades. The 45 mini-blades are specially angled so the punctures drink up any yummy marinade or sauce that the meat bastes in before hitting the grill. As a result, your steak (or pork, lamb, or chicken) is more tender and it cooks as much as one-third faster. This gizmo is easy to clean and dishwasher safe, to boot.

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S U C A S A S U M M E R 2011

Chef Johnny Vee’s Top Five Grilling Tips 1. Grilling is all about hot and fast—so make sure the grill is sizzling before you add the food. Rule of thumb: It’s hot enough when you can’t hold your open hand three inches from the grate for more than three seconds.

2. Season items before grilling. Salt, pepper, and spice rubs will bounce off if you try to add them once the surface of the food is seared—and under-seasoning is the bane of a chef’s existence.

3. Don’t overcook! Food continues to cook once it is removed from the heat, so slide it off the grill just before it reaches the desired temperature and doneness.

4. When grilling chicken pieces on the bone, gently poach them in chicken stock for 10 minutes before grilling. (It’s no fun finding undercooked chicken hiding beneath the barbecue sauce.)

5. To prevent food from sticking, brush oil on the food or oil the grill itself. But resist the temptation to move an item you are grilling until it has seared enough to no longer stick. All proteins will stick initially, even on oiled surfaces.

Photo by Douglas Merriam

Taylor Five-Star Digital Fork Thermometer $17

woo d s d es i gn

bui lders

•

Consistently the best.

Santa Fe’s leading award-winning design builder

awards 2011

Excellence in Remodeling Best Whole House Remodel for Construction Best Outdoor Living for Construction and Design

Santa Fe Area Homebuilders Association Remodelers Council

2010

Grand Hacienda Best Craftsmanship Best Design Best Kitchen and Best Outdoor Living

Hacienda Parade of Homes 2010

2009

Best Floor Plan and Best Kitchen

Hacienda Parade of Homes 2009

Heritage Preservation Award

Excellence in Remodeling Grand Award

Santa Fe Area Homebuilders Association Remodelers Council

Santa Fe Area Homebuilders Association Remodelers Council

2008

Excellence in Remodeling Best Whole House Remodel

Excellence in Remodeling Best Whole House Remodel

Honorable Mention Best Integration in a Historic Neighborhood

Hacienda Parade of Homes 2008 Best Craftsmanship, Detailing and Finishing

Hacienda Parade of Homes 2008 Award of Excellence

DESIGN • BUILDERS

Hacienda Parade of Homes 2007

Peoples Choice Best use of Surface, Materials and Finishes Excellence in Remodeling Honorable Mention Kitchen

Santa Fe Historic Design Review Board and Archaeological Review Committee

Historic Santa Fe Association

W O O DS

2007

Peoples Choice

Santa Fe Area Homebuilders Association Remodelers Council

Home of the Year Merit Award

Santa Fean Magazine

2006

Best Planning/ Circulation/Livability

Hacienda Parade of Homes 2006

302 Catron Street, Santa Fe, NM 87501 • 505.988.2413 • woodsbuilders.com

Santa Fe Area Homebuilders Association Remodelers Council Home of the Year

Santa Fean Magazine

2005

Best Remodel

Hacienda Parade of Homes 2005

2004

Grand Hacienda and Peoples Choice

Hacienda Parade of Homes 2004

Outset BBQ Grill Wok $24

Cut up your veggies, toss them in olive oil, add salt and pepper, and plop them into this nonstick basket, then set it over the flame for a quick, smoky side dish or tasty fajitas. It’s great for shrimp, scallops, and other small items, too—they stay out of the fire and cook nicely in this deep and sturdy beholed pan.

Edge Leather Oven Glove $30

Save your knuckles from the flames with this thick but flexible oven and grill glove. It’s strong enough to protect your hands while still allowing you to get a good grip—and keep that juicy side of ribs from hitting the dirt.

LamsonSharp Rosewood BBQ Knife $12

Want to cut up those ribs while they’re still on the grill? This 22-inch high-carbon stainless-steel saber will do the trick. Or maybe that little nub of charred steak is just begging to be sampled. Go ahead—you’re the grill-meister!

Now that you have the best tools for your trade, try this zippy barbecue sauce, which is fired up with the smoky heat of chipotle chiles and sweetened with caramelized onions. This sauce is great on ribs, chicken, and pork, and a light brushing on salmon as it sears on the grill will take it from just fish to delish.

caramelized onion chipotle barbecue sauce makes approximately 3 cups

Place onions in a heavy dry skillet and sauté over medium heat until they begin to brown. Lower the heat and add balsamic vinegar and 2 teaspoons of brown sugar, stirring until the onions are well coated. Allow to simmer for 10 minutes and remove from heat.

In a medium saucepan, whisk together remaining ingredients and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes or until the sauce thickens.

Fine-chop the caramelized onions and stir into barbecue sauce. Allow to cool.

Marinate meat in the sauce 1 hour before grilling and continually baste while grilling. *Available in the Mexican food aisle in most grocery stores, chipotles are smoked dried jalapeños. When the chipotles are canned, tomato sauce and spices are added to soften them. Include the chipotles’ rich sauce when you add them to the mixture.

22

S U C A S A S U M M E R 2011

Photos by Douglas Merriam

1 large yellow onion, sliced thin 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar ¼ cup + 2 teaspoons brown sugar 1½ cups ketchup ¼ cup olive oil ¼ cup cider vinegar 2 teaspoons lemon juice ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce 2 teaspoons dry mustard 1 teaspoon kosher salt ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper 3 chipotles in adobo* (or to taste), chopped ½ cup water

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Design Studio

Edited by Alicia Kellogg

beauty underfoot Architect and fiber artist Robin Gray brings a unique perspective to designing great spaces from the ground up.

A

How did you get started designing rugs?

After traveling through Turkey and staying in Iran in my teens, I fell in love with the textiles, rugs, and people of these areas and decided that I wanted to create my own designs and have them produced by traditional artisans. I am also a weaver and have been a fiber artist since my early 20s. Fiber design and its construction is very architectural, so I think I was naturally drawn to it. I have also always been interested in functional art—something that is beautiful and unique but has a purpose beyond simple aesthetics.

How does a rug influence a room’s overall design?

A quality, hand-crafted carpet is a critical first step in amplifying a room’s spirit and function. Too many people select a rug as an afterthought and end up choosing it to match a color in a sofa or a pillow or something else innocuous. The rug can be the starting place for the process of design and selected on the basis of how the client would like the room to look or feel.

Whether the rug is understated and simply ties everything else together or is a bold statement and focal point, it is the right place to start and build the rest of the room around.

Courtesy Robin Gray Design

Robin Gray rug—whether it’s custom-designed or selected from her extensive, always growing collection—can make a room. The Santa Fe– based fiber artist and architect, who founded her handmade rug company, Robin Gray Design, in 2004, specializes in Tibetanknotted, hand-tufted, and kilim flat-weave rugs in contemporary colors and designs (airy abstracts, graceful florals, graphic tribal-inspired patterns). They’re carpets with a conscience too: Gray works with partner weavers in northern Indian and Nepal to produce environmentally friendly, child-labor-free carpets. Hand-crafted in wool, silk, and other natural fibers, Robin’s pieces are available in more than 100 designs and standard hues with virtually endless custom design and color possibilities. Last summer Robin Gray Design joined three other Santa Fe designers to form Four, a decorative design collaborative.

Robin Gray Design rugs, from left: Chelsea, in Flame, from the Urban collection; Zig, in Dark Night, from the Nuevo II collection; and Chapan, in Rouge, from the Ikat collection. All designs are available in other colors.

24

S U C A S A S U M M E R 2011

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Courtesy Robin Gray Design

Gray’s Doble rug, in Parchment, from the Nuevo collection, grounds the room with flair. Interior

by Jennifer Ashton of Samuel Design Group.

How does your work as an architect, fiber artist, quilter, and weaver influence your designs?

There’s a certain underlying structure in all of the above that I think ties it all together. Whether you are designing a house or a quilt or a rug, there are certain constraints dictated by each medium. My architecture tends to be fairly simple and clean without a lot of embellishment, and most of my rug designs reflect this same attitude.

How would you describe your architectural work?

I worked for a larger firm for around 10 years then decided to go out on my own [as Robin Gray Architect] about 11 or 12 years ago. I’ve 26

S U C A S A S U M M E R 2011

done everything from very traditional Santa Fe style to contemporary.

Whatever I do, I like to keep it simple and clean. Unlike many architects, I also include some interior design—i.e., all finishes attached to the house and conceptual landscape design—as part of my services, which I think are imperative to the integrity of the final project.

When you are designing a space, do you ever have a rug design in the back of your mind for the finished room?

Rugs are always in the back of my mind! I don’t like to push my rugs onto my architectural clients, but I am certainly open and ready to provide something for them, if they are interested. I need to know continued on page 66

The Good Life

By Joan Logghe

Room with a View Life under a portal is a good life indeed

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S U C A S A S U M M E R 2011

dows by mid-morning. This works if you have an adobe, which I don’t exactly. It was the advent of air conditioning and its accomplice, television, that drove folks off the porch and inside—away from music being made, neighbors being watched, and conversation that continues long after the last mosquito buzzes and the stars make us itchy for more space and bigger thoughts.

In New Mexico, we don’t just have porches, we have portales. That is a Spanish

Chris Corrie

I

know summer is here when I wipe off the blue and white tile of the table, shake out the cushions, and dine alfresco. Our house becomes bigger and more gracious. Our friends linger longer, and the sunset faces us. It’s time for dinner on the porch—a rarity in March, an occasional treat in April, and de rigueur in May. I don’t know why I am getting so Romance language here. Maybe because once we hit the porch, a more European pace and flavor naturally occurs.

We become porch-o-philes, enjoying our rural version of café life.

He naps, I grill, or I read and he mows, for paired with a small patch of illicit lawn, we have our small slice of paradise here in La Puebla, New Mexico. After the attempt to be cozy all winter, the expansive welcome of summer treats us well. Neighbors drop over and our grown kids and families visit more. And in the afternoon light that drives artists wild, we feel rich in beauty and embrace our porch life.

We often explain that Southwest houses don’t need air conditioning; you just open up an adobe home at night and close win-

word for porch, portico, or piazza, not the portal to another dimension, as in Star Trek. But, the portal does usher us to the outer space of fresh-aired summer and a spacey mind-set to counter busy days. Our porch is 10 feet deep, and my husband, who designed and built our house, strongly believes one should go wider. Maybe even 14 feet would be best to allow for a table and chairs. Our porch came after the main rectangle of the house and greenhouse, and it increased the livability of our life by about double.

Made of bricks from Colorado Springs and beams from the lumberyard down the road, with a tin roof for rain appreciation and shade (courtesy of the sun’s absence), our porch saves us. Viva el portal! Our porch is famous, at least to us, and everyone says, “This is a great porch.”

What makes it so awesome? It’s on the north side of the house, right outside the kitchen, and so we prepare food and eat just beyond the screen door (don’t let it continued on page 68 “In New Mexico, we don’t just have porches, we have portales”—like these contemporary and rustic versions (below and left).

house special

Friends, family, and a vibrant meal prepared in a freshly remodeled kitchen are the recipe for a great evening at the Albuquerque home of Il Vicino’s Tom White.

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By Alicia Kellogg Photography by Julien McRoberts

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t’s dinnertime at the home of Tom White, professional chef and co-owner of Il Vicino restaurants.

Tom is in the kitchen, deftly moving between the six-burner Wolf range and the wood-topped prep area, where chopped thyme waits for tonight’s bruschetta appetizer. A bowlful of corn kernels and a ripe red pepper stand by for the fresh vegetable succotash that will accompany a generous fillet of salmon. With his materials close at hand, space to spread out, and a high-performance stove ready to bring the heat, Tom is in his element. “I’ve tried to set up the kitchen how I like to work in a restaurant,” he explains.

Here his menu often favors rustic, down-to-earth Italian, his favorite cuisine. “It’s in my DNA at this point,” notes this founding owner of Scalo Northern Italian Grill and current co-owner of Two Fools Tavern and the new Il Vicino Brewing Company & Canteen in Albuquerque.

After work on any given evening, you’re likely to find Tom in his home kitchen, preparing one of his family’s regular pasta nights or homemade rotisserie chicken with a green salad, another of their go-to meals. “It’s always kind of on the fly,” he says. “But we cook here almost every night.”

Tom, his wife, Deanne Zirker, and their seven-year-old son, Connor, actually manage to share two meals together on most days, with Deanne preparing breakfast and Tom doing dinner. The key to making it possible, given their variety of busy schedules, is preparation. Tom recommends keeping a lot of quality ingredients on hand, which at his place means organic extra–virgin olive oil, delicious balsamic and sherry vinegars, a nice selection of pastas, good meat rubs, and fresh vegetables. More unusual gourmet supplies—such as truffle paste—find their way into this chef ’s kitchen too. Even so, Tom describes his home cooking as fairly basic. “What I’ve learned to appreciate is how to do good food simply,” he says. As the week winds down and gives way to a more relaxed pace, Tom takes the opportunity to “turn up the volume” and make something a bit more elaborate.

Like tonight, when he and Deanne are hosting dinner for friends who live nearby: Jason and Lauren Greene, owners of The Grove Cafe & Market in Albuquerque’s East Downtown neighborhood, and their daughter, Avery.

These neighbors know food. Jason, who’s executive chef at The Grove, brought over the kale salad with toasted almonds, apples, and aged cheddar that sits on the bar—a

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dish inspired by a salad served at Northern Spy Food Co., in New York’s East Village. Jason joins Tom in the kitchen as Lauren and Deanne take a frontrow seat behind the raised countertop overlooking the stove and prep area.

Dinner parties are a regular occurrence for this group, and a shared appreciation for great food takes center stage. For birthdays, the couples cook for one another instead of exchanging gifts. They’ve even taken “food trips” together. “When we go, we hit multiple restaurants,” Tom says—“multiple” being something of an understatement by most standards. When Tom and Jason were in New York about a year and a half ago, they checked out 16 restaurants in one day. “It’s not every-

A professional chef, Tom cooks dinner for his family most evenings. He and Deanne recently completed the second kitchen remodel in their home of 18 years.

Jason made the kale salad with apples, toasted almonds, and aged cheddar. This page: Tom and Deanne’s most recent remodel updated their KraftMaid cabinets from Davis Kitchens with new hardware and frosted glass and incorporated a GE Monogram microwave and Thermador convection oven and warming drawer from Builders Source. A sculptural olive oil container rests in front of the kitchen’s Erin Adams backsplash tile. The area that now houses the generous wine refrigerator used to lead to a less functional downstairs space.

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Clockwise from top left: The bar provides a comfortable place for Deanne, Connor, Lauren, and Avery to watch the chefs at work. Desserts from The Grove await the meal. Through the arched doorway, the new kitchen space incorporates KitchenAid refrigerators, a Sub-Zero wine refrigerator, and a spacious pantry. A high-performance six-burner Wolf gas stove was a key feature for Tom. Koda-Bear relaxes. The evening’s appetizer. Opposite: Tom at work. Connor awaits dinner. Improving the kitchen over time has allowed Tom and Deanne to learn how their family lives and to shape the space accordingly.

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one’s favorite idea of a vacation,” Tom concedes, but he seems to thoroughly enjoy the inspiration. Tom says they’d like to hit San Francisco together next—it was his home turf when he attended the California Culinary Academy.

Tom starts in on the bruschetta, using olive oil to toast slices of a rustic Italian loaf from Fano Bread, a local bakery.

He rubs ripe tomato onto the golden-brown slices and tops them with burrata cheese, roasted yellow tomato, and thyme.

Tom has an extensive collection of cookbooks—around 800 in all—and spends a lot of time flipping through them for ideas like this one. Original menus are a hallmark of this group’s meals together. “We always do different food,” notes Lauren from her seat at the counter, as Tom finishes assembling the dish and places the white oval serving platter on the bar.

This kitchen wasn’t always such a perfect setting for friends and family. It was “prehistoric,” Tom says, when he and Deanne bought their Nob Hill–area home 18 years ago. The room was tiny and the sink, cabinets, and stove—circa 1940s and broken, complete with forgotten features like built-in salt and pepper shakers—were the home’s originals.

“This was a pretty rough house when we moved in,” Tom acknowledges, “but it had good bones, and it’s definitely in an area of town we enjoy.” Tom and Deanne have touched virtually every surface in the house over the years, adding an addition, updating rooms throughout, and remodeling the

Opposite page: The bar area provides plenty of seating out of the way but in clear view of the action. Tom designed the range hood, which was custom manufactured by American Quality Concepts. The remodeled kitchen features Caeserstone countertops from United Stoneworks, while a portion of wooden counter near the stove offers ample space for chopping.

Architect: Hive Architects Remodeling Contractor: Swain & Son

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kitchen—twice. Every year for their anniversary, they do a remodeling project, Deanne explains. The latest kitchen remodel, which brings a new look and more space and functionality, celebrates their 20th.

For the project, completed last September, they enlisted the help of Denver-based architect Dean Ricci, of Hive Architects, and Albuquerque contractor Doug Swain, of Swain & Son. A major component of the job was expanding the kitchen into an adjoining space, which included a staircase that led downstairs to a storage area and a washer and dryer. They raised the floor and moved the staircase, creating a new room within the kitchen for a pantry, additional counter space, a wine refrigerator, and two stainless-steel refrigerators.

These new refrigerators allow Tom to organize the kitchen more like he would in a restaurant, with everyday items in one refrigerator and larger ingredients in the other.

This was not the first time Tom and Deanne gave the kitchen more space. During their continued on page 59 SUCASAMAGAZINE.COM

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Iconic builder and Santa Fe style maven Sharon Woods remakes her foothills hacienda to merge indoors and outdoors—and mix traditional with casual elegance.

magic spot

The original walls remain, but almost everything else in Sharon’s remodeled hacienda is new or repurposed. The front gates come from an old New Mexico ranch; the front doors are refurbished antiques. Opposite page, clockwise from top right: Once an untouched canvas (read: dirt), Sharon’s backyard is now a high-desert oasis, with a rock waterfall designed by David Howard of Chamisa Landscaping. Sharon used beams removed from the living room to build the pergola on the flagstone patio.

Flowers brighten the fireplace in the kitchen hearth room.

By Charles C. Poling

P

Photography by Jack Parsons

eople naturally want to see the home of a highprofile designer/builder. That’s doubly true when it belongs to Sharon Woods, not just one of Santa Fe’s preeminent builders but, as coauthor of the seminal book Santa Fe Style and the subsequent Santa Fe Houses, a style maven in her own right who’s helped maintain the standard for residential architecture in the City Different.

In her 30-plus years building and remodeling here, Sharon has built about 200 houses (50 alone in Las Campanas—more than anyone else, she says). She’s remodeled 50 more, and she’s lived in a dozen of those remodels. Her latest residence, perched in the hills overlooking Santa Fe and much of central New Mexico, continues that tradition.

Sharon moved in to this sprawling but not grandiose 4,000-square-foot hacienda two years ago. It’s a masterwork of 21st-century Santa Fe style, replete with kiva fireplaces, scintillant plaster walls, vigas worthy of Atlas holding up the ceilings, carved and antique wood doors, soaring white-framed windows and patio doors, and an outdoor space for every season and time of day.

Beyond the tastefully evocative architecture, Sharon has appointed her home with the bounty of a few decades’ worth of collecting, everything from Mexican folk art to fine art paintings, antique furnishings to Oriental rugs. If

word word word word word word word word word word SUCASAMAGAZINE.COM word word word word word word word word word word 39 word word word word word word word word word word

Woods, who literally wrote the book on Santa Fe style, has helped maintain the standard for residential architecture in the city.

word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word

Left: Each piece in this collection of colorful tin art by Bruce Sprinkle represents a person or animal companion that is dear to Sharon’s heart. Right: To open up the living room, Sharon raised the 9-foot ceilings to 12½ feet, removed a wall, and added traditional vigas. Beeswax adds luster to the custom-colored diamond-plaster walls.

Sharon and coauthor Christine Mather (a longtime Su Casa columnist) were to do another book on Santa Fe style, this house would deserve a lengthy spread.

Petite, energetic, and astute, Sharon spent the day with photographer Jack Parsons and me as we worked through the house taking pictures. An old friend of Sharon’s, Jack photographed much of Santa Fe Style and all of Santa Fe Houses; they’ve known each other since 40

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the Reagan administration. On the Su Casa photo shoot, we three collaborated on photo composition, took turns moving around furniture for the shots, and sampled a variety of tasty snacks. Along the way, we joked, kidded, and discussed the current state of Santa Fe style, the value of historic architecture, Sharon’s reasoning for picking this house to remodel, and how an art major from Syracuse University became one of New Mexico’s leading builders.

first a little background

Sharon moved to Santa Fe in 1972, fresh from college at Syracuse University, where she’d majored in art—but never quite found her medium. At first she taught art in the schools here. One of her students was Roxanne Swentzell, the Santa Clara Pueblo artist and sculptor. Soon, however, Sharon and her then-husband Robert Woods found themselves building a house. “We bought a one-acre lot for $2,500 in La Cieneguilla, built a house, sold it, and made $25,000,” she recalls with a laugh. “I thought to myself, if I could do that once a year for the rest of my life, I’d be set.” Indeed.

In 1978, Sharon and Robert founded Robert Woods Construction. When they split up, she kept the business and renamed it Woods Design Builders.

A big historic restoration project downtown—it was the oldest intact Territorial-style home in Santa Fe, she says—took Sharon deep into historic preservation. The project took her into the roots of the city’s unique style, which fuses ancient Pueblo forms and materials with Spanish architecture (and its Moorish influences), later Anglo embellishments, and recent building techniques. “That started me in a new direction,” she recalls.

What was once a dark, box-like office is now a sunny dining room, lit up with a wall of windows and Sharon’s personal decorating touches, like an iron chandelier she found at El Paso Imports.

Below: The bathroom gets its charming vintage look from an antique-style porcelain tub (from Santa Fe by Design) and hand-painted Tabarka floor and wall tiles (from Statements in Tile/Lighting/ Kitchens/Flooring).

building and books

A 1980s remodel for museum curator Christine Mather went so well—the women had so much fun working together and shared an interest in Santa Fe style—that Christine asked Sharon to collaborate with her on a book project. They pulled together market research, developed a proposal, assembled a slide show, and started pitching the project in New York City.

“No one would see us,” Sharon says. “I remember the two of us crammed into a phone booth in the pouring rain, trying to get in with a publisher.” Finally, an editor at Rizzoli who’d been attracted to the proposal while at a smaller firm brought the book into this prestigious publishing house in 1984. Working first with photographer Robert Reck, then Jack Parsons, they created the definitive Santa Fe style at the peak of national interest in Santa Fe, during the 1980s. The book went on to sell more than 150,000 copies and is said to be the best-selling coffee-table book ever. Covering everything from the architecture of homes to the art inside to the cow skulls on the wall, it’s a veritable cookbook for creating a Santa Fe–style home.

why this house?

Sharon’s “before” pictures of her home provoke the question, why did you abandon your cute, immaculately renovated downtown home and take up an undistinguished “funky, choppedup ’80s house” for your personal residence? Sharon answers with a cascade of reasons. First, she needed more space, as her three grown children—Shane, 32; Rob, 29; and Amber, 25— were back on the scene again, in a good way. In fact, after living out of state for a while, her two boys returned to Santa Fe a few years ago and now help Sharon run Woods Design Build41

“It’s an architecture that’s grown out of the land. Even big houses are tucked in and seem to emerge from the earth. People are intrigued.”

—Sharon Woods

Clockwise from top left: The hearts-and-vines motif on this custom-made screen from Man of Steel lends a touch of whimsy to a traditional kiva. Sharon’s collection of lively folk art includes these papier-mâché chickens, which she found while visiting San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, and a rooster pitcher from Italy, here used as a vase. An outdoor fireplace, colorfully xeriscaped gardens, and lovely views of Santa Fe and the Jemez Mountains make this spacious portal the place to relax on a warm summer evening.

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ers, Shane as project manager and Rob as accountant. Grandchildren have arrived, with more to come. “I needed a gathering place,” Sharon says.

The house also won big points for location. Just minutes from downtown, it nestles among the piñons on two-and-a-half acres bounded by public land just below Moon Mountain. She hikes out there almost daily.

Sharon was glad the house was free of “a lot of Santa Fe gunk,” like, say, curving walls. “I like a place that’s plain and rectangular. Then I can just clean it out. I knew what I could do here. And it was oriented right”—with fantastic views and nice southern exposure.

what’s in a remodel?

Sharon stuck with the outline of the original frame walls, bumped out a little nook for a computer workspace in the master suite, left the bedrooms in place, totally redesigned the kitchen and bathrooms, lifted ceilings, knocked down walls, and blew out the space in the great-room-kitchen-entry-dining area. She also moved the garage and turned the old one into a zaguán-style entry that flows in an uninterrupted sight line from the front gate, across the courtyard, through the front door and foyer, out double doors to the back patio, and into a bedroom.

In the process, Sharon reused much of the original material, added insulation, put in solar hot water, and installed Energy Star appliances and furnace. She also brought in way more light by adding windows—glass everywhere—and glassy doors. Some walls are dominated by white-framed, multipaned windows and doors topped by operable transoms, which drink up the view and sunlight. When the doors are open, the foothill breezes wash through the living space. The burbling rock-waterfall fountain on the back patio dampens any distant unfelicitous sounds. You’re getting a little sleepy . . .

That fountain is just one piece of the extensive landscaping here. Sharon also extended the west-side yard, where she took down a nasty wall. She added three portales

for shade and built lovely patios. The enclosed front courtyard on the south side is beautifully landscaped with tall aspens, twining wisteria, and a variety of droughttolerant plants.

“It’s just as important to create outdoor rooms and spaces, and to connect them to the indoor spaces, as it is to remodel the inside,” Sharon says.

She developed her outdoor spaces to have a distinct foreground, middle ground, and deep background. These function both as inhabitable areas and as compositional elements, creating transitions from the home to the distant vistas, which encompass a broad arc from the Ortiz and Sandia Mountains across the Rio Grande Valley to the Jemez Mountains.

even classics evolve

“It’s changed a lot,” Sharon says of Santa Fe style. “It used to be that the majority wanted traditional architecture: lower, heavier, with smaller windows, cozier. As people have spent more and more money on lots, though, they got more interested continued on page 63

Remodeling Contractor: Woods Design Builders SUCASAMAGAZINE.COM

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move-in ready

An empty-nester couple finds serenity, natural beauty, and the perfect setting in which to enjoy family and life’s simple pleasures.

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By Ellen Mather Photography by Amadeus Leitner Designers: Scott Patrick Schiabor and Charles Young Builder: Scott Patrick Homes

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ew Mexico native Ruth Gutierrez grew up in Albuquerque’s North Valley in a house with nine brothers and sisters. A former advertising executive with Clear Channel Communications, Ruth retired last October and is happily adjusting to a more relaxed pace of life and her new home in the El Bosque development at Andalucia de la Luz. Ruth and her husband, Anthony, president of Enterprise Electrical Services, along with Ruth’s 87-year-old mother, Lillian, moved into the home in late December 2009.

“I’ve been working since I was 17 years old, so this has been a big change for me,” Ruth says. “It took a good two months for me to wind down, just to relax a little bit. But now, I get up every morning and love to watch the sunrise from my windows. It’s so beautiful.”

Bordered by the Rio Grande bosque to the east, the La Luz open space to the north, and the San Antonio arroyo to the south, El Bosque has 54 homesites, thoughtfully laid out to take advantage of view corridors, an extensive trail network, and the ever-changing palette of the bosque. A wrought-iron entry gate and small ramada park welcome visitors to the community.

Scott Patrick Schiabor, owner of Scott Patrick Homes, designed the development to emulate the Andalucia region of Spain, which is home to the Sierra Nevada mountain range, green hills, and enormous nature preserves. Plans for other homes in the community range from approximately 2,300 square feet to 5,600 square feet and can be customized to meet the budgets, style preferences, and needs of a diverse group of buyers. All homes in the development bear Scott Patrick Homes’ green seal and include standard features such as high-efficiency double pane low-E windows and Energy Star hot water heaters, lighting, and appliances. Computer-generated analysis is used to help achieve maximum-efficiency heating and cooling, precision duct and system sizing, and load calculations. Homeowners may choose from a variety of low-VOC (volatile organic compounds) paints, stains, and carpeting.

convenience, convenience

Ruth and Anthony’s first introduction to their future home was on a Saturday morning television show featuring the 3,600-square-foot model home in El Bosque at Andalucia de la Luz. Ruth was drawn to the Tuscanstyle entryway, with its unique tile pattern, faux-finished walls, crystal and bronze chandelier, 15-foot ceilings, and arched entry to the living room. The house’s custom Opposite page: The welcoming exterior of Ruth and Anthony Gutierrez’s home in the El Bosque development at Andalucia de la Luz leads to a Tuscan-style entryway with 15-foot ceilings.

This page: The family’s spacious kitchen includes bird’s-eye maple cabinets, green granite countertops, a tumbled-stone backsplash, and cooking-friendly features like a stainless-steel Danze pot-filler faucet.

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The open plan for the dining room and great room is enhanced by curvilinear walls featuring nearly floor-to-ceiling windows by Pella, which offer an infusion of natural light as well as stunning views of the Sandia Mountains.

interior details also appealed to Ruth, and she liked the simple exterior, with its stone accents and low-maintenance landscaping.

Still, she and Anthony weren’t quite ready to buy. Over the next year, she visited the house several times, along with a variety of other homes throughout the city. Her requirements were firm: a junior master suite for her mother, a beautiful kitchen, a built-in outdoor barbecue, four bedrooms—including one to be used as an office—and “lots of bathrooms.”

The Gutierrezes spend as much time outside as possible, so it was important to them that the backyard be protected from the western sun. Location was also key. Lillian is very independent and Ruth wanted to make sure her church, bank, and favorite grocery store in the North Valley were within easy driving distance.

Ruth and Anthony briefly considered building a home but found the idea too overwhelming. “It’s embarrassing, but I’m not very good at decorating, and that’s one of the reasons we didn’t build. Even though we’ve been married for 31 years, our marriage couldn’t have survived building a house,” Ruth says with a laugh.

Because she doesn’t like to decorate, purchasing a completely furnished model home was appealing, so they made an offer. From there, everything fell into place. “It was the easiest move ever. We just brought our dishes and our toothbrushes!” Ruth says.

all in the family Lillian enjoys cooking and prepares most of the family’s meals, so Ruth turned the kitchen over to her mother. Green gran46

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ite countertops, intricately carved grape motifs on the maple cabinets and a tumbled-stone backsplash with decorative tile accents give the kitchen a truly Tuscan feel and create the ideal room for entertaining and large family gatherings. Custom detailed wood treatment surrounds the kitchen vent hood, and the grape theme carries through to the carved corbels on the kitchen island and refreshment center.

The nearby den features a curvilinear wall with expansive mountain views and a fireplace with granite accents and stone molding. A wall of windows also spans the dining room and great room, washing the room in natural light. Inlaid travertine and tumbled marble accents surround a second fireplace, which is flanked by windows.

Ruth comes from a family of 10 children, which has grown to include more than 20 grandchildren, plus Ruth and Anthony’s own son, Chris. Count Anthony’s six brothers and sisters too, and you have the makings for some large and festive gatherings. For their families, Ruth and Anthony’s home is the place to be for Christmas, Easter, and other get-togethers.

“We probably had 60 or 65 people in the house at Christmas and it was comfortable, even though everybody gathers in the kitchen,” Ruth says. “That to me is what it’s all about, just getting together and everybody enjoying each other’s company.”

Ruth also finds living with her mother a blessing. The home’s junior master suite is located near the front of the house and has built-in glass shelving where Lillian displays family photos

In the master bedroom, a tray ceiling, recessed lights by Creative Lighting, and a fireplace with faux-finished accent walls create a warm and relaxing environment. Sliding doors lead to the meticulously landscaped backyard, which includes a patio (below) and lots of space for entertaining.

and memorabilia. The room lends privacy but also a feeling of connectedness to the rest of the house.

Just off the entry, a powder room includes a built-in banco and an imported onyx countertop, with cabinetry lighting that illuminates the translucent beauty of the celery-green stone from underneath.

spacious yet cozy Two of Ruth’s favorite spaces are the master bedroom and the meticulously landscaped backyard. Drop-down ceilings and recessed lighting in the master suite create an intimate space, while skylights let in natural light and complement the radiant floor heat and central heating.

Doors from the master bedroom, family room, and study all lead to outdoor living spaces with expansive views to the north and east. Two fountains add ambience to the typical desert sounds, creating an oasis for relaxation.

Ruth also enjoys spending time in the study, where Anthony’s gun cabinet displays his passion for hunting. A variety of mounts and Ruth’s recent 109-pound sailfish hang on the walls in the finished three-car garage. Epoxy floors, along with skylights and southern exposure, keep the room at an ambient temperature year-round. Ruth and Anthony plan to use some of the space for a home gym in the future.

The couple travels often, usually to waterfront destinations where they can enjoy the sun, the beach, and deep-sea fishing.

But they enjoy returning home just as much.

“People tell us all the time that our house feels big but cozy,” Ruth says. “I think it’s a combination of the mixed flooring— carpet, tile, and rugs—along with a lot of wood in the house.

The curved ceiling work also makes it feel warm. We just love to come home here.”

Scott Patrick Schiabor and Scott Patrick Homes can be reached at 505-828-9900 or scottpatrickhomes.com.

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Knowledge Teamwork Reliability We welcome you to contact one of us today for all of your Real Estate needs.

Missy Ashcraft (505) 362-6823 missyashcraft@comcast.net

Barbie Brennan (505) 228-2876 justbarbie@comcast.net

Jo Cook (505) 379-6099 jo@jocook.net

Deanna Dopslaf (505) 750-8138 deanna@redtruckrealtor.com

Elizabeth Estrada (505) 615-9515 selectABQhomes@gmail.com

Janie Gilmore-Daniels (505) 259-0502 janiegil@aol.com

Lynn Johnson (505) 350-5966 lynnjohnson.com

Amanda McFadden Annie O'Connell (505) 352-4827 (505) 263-4141 amanda.mcfadden123@gmail.com annie@annieoconnell.com

Veronica Gonzales (505) 440-8956 abqdreamhomes.com

Connie Johnson (505) 948-0001 conniejohnsonnm.com

Gary R. Peterson, CRS (505) 280-1952 grpete@nobhillhomesabq.com

Eve Price (505) 321-4004 eveprice@swcp.com

Sandi Reeder (505) 269-9498 sandireeder.com

Keller Williams Realty Eastside

Keller Williams Realty North Valley

Keller Williams Realty Westside

9201 Montgomery Blvd NE Suite 101 Albuquerque, NM 87111 505-271-8200

901 Rio Grande Blvd NW Suite C-172 Albuquerque, NM 87104 505-271-8200

6240 Riverside Plaza NW, Suite 100 Albuquerque, NM 87120 505-897-1100

Mark William Photography

Kitchens Consequential

By Dianna Delling

T

he kitchens on the following pages are all quite contemporary. Yet each says Southwest, too, whether through traditional vigas, locally inspired color schemes, or windows that make the most of our famously abundant sunshine and seem-to-go-on-forever views. They’re spaces that work for today’s busy households, where kitchens are as much for conversation, entertaining, and family time as they are for cooking. And they’re proof that of-the-moment design and the Northern New Mexico aesthetic are a match made in high-desert heaven.

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Builder: Panorama Homes 50

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Designer: Dee Anna Madura, Dee’s Designs

This page and opposite: Mark William Photography

Caesarstone counters in a honed finish “look like concrete, but more pristine,” says designer Dee Anna Madura. Stainless-steel toe kicks are smart but subtle details, while the custom “dual exhaust” fan system above the stove adds a bolder dose of shine.

warm and sleek Interior designer Dee Anna Madura designed her Sandia Park home to take advantage of the incredible views, and her kitchen is a case in point. Huge anodized-bronze commercial windows fill the space with light and let Dee watch wildlife (she once spotted a bobcat) or admire the distant lights of Santa Fe while washing dishes or working at the Jenn-Air cooktop.

Industrial touches—like the custom “dual exhaust” range fans and the corrugated metal door that covers the pantry—reflect Dee’s newfound passion for streamlined style. “I used to like Old World, but when it came time to build, I went with contemporary!” she says, still sounding surprised, although not the least bit sorry. “We did try to use colors that would feel like New Mexico.” The kitchen’s alder cabinets, custom-designed and built by Marc Sowers of Craig Sowers Cabinets (he’s now with Hanks House), are stained a warm orange-brown and the Caesarstone countertops, in a shade the company calls Lagos Blue, are actually a soft earth tone.

Simple, linear lighting shines over the dining room table (in rift-cut white oak, with a matching bench) from Rancho Viejo Custom Woods.

Above: Mocha-hued paint sets off the wet bar; an oversized chalkboard wall-mounted near the pantry is both fun and functional.

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lighter and brighter The Saltillo tile, dark vigas, and latillas in this home just south of Santa Fe were spot-on stylish in the 1980s. Today? Not so much.

Ready for some big changes, the homeowners worked with Ralph F. Larranaga III of Rahli Interiors and Jeanné Sei of Kitchens

by Jeanné, to give the space a new look and feel. They kept some Southwestern touches—the vigas remain, for example, with a lighter stain that adds visual height to the rooms. But clean lines, softer colors, and warm-toned bamboo flooring give it a more spacious, contemporary feel. “The old kitchen was blocky and choppy,”

Solid-maple cabinets with a natural finish (from Wood-Mode Brookhaven) have pinpoint glass doors; a generously sized island—topped with Jerusalem Gold Caesarstone, like the other counters—is perfect for conversation with the cook or casual dining. The appliances, including an island-mounted microwave/ convection oven, are from Wolf.

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says Larranaga. “We opened it up and brought it into the 21st century.” The homeowners felt strongly about keeping the arched stained-glass window, a feature that had attracted them to the home originally, and Larranaga was accommodating. “With the paint colors and everything else, it works well,” he says.

Project Management/Interior Design: Rahli Interiors LLC Kitchen Design: Kitchens by Jeanné

Converting the pantry into a multifunctional buffet area added cabinet storage (and a wine chiller) without encroaching on the dining room space or interrupting the room’s clean lines.

This page and opposite: Julien McRoberts Photography

The remodeling project took 12 weeks from start (the planning stage) to finish.

Here, workers rip out the old countertops, midway through the process of gutting the kitchen and dining room areas.

An artfully angled island is the focal point in this eco-friendly kitchen— part of a Build Green New Mexico gold-certified home by Hartenberger Construction in Rio Rancho’s Mariposa development. Topped with flecked green granite and built to incorporate an ebony-veneer pantry, it provides extra space for storage and food prep, as well as for hanging out. “We wanted to create a living space for spending time with family, not just for cooking,” says Jon Hartenberger, who teamed up with architect Kent Beierle of Environmental Dynamics Inc. and interior designer Jan Bernson to design the space.

The rich green of the granite is echoed in the counters, while creamy travertine tile flooring also adds warmth to balance the cool stainlesssteel appliances and the crisp lines of the formaldehyde-free cherry veneer cabinets by Hanks House.

Hartenberger selected the Sub-Zero refrigerator, Wolf cooktop, and Designer/Builder: Hartenberger Construction Inc. Architect: Kent Beierle, Environmental Dynamics Inc. Kitchen Design: Jan Bernson Interior Design 54

S U C A S A S U M M E R 2011

This page and opposite: Patrick Coulie Photography

clean and green

Asko dishwasher as much for their impressive Energy Star ratings as for their style. “The refrigerator costs just $87 per year to operate,” he notes. “With this kitchen, we were fully committed to low energy-consumption.”

Above: Convenient under-island storage cabinets are pretty and practical, but the ebony-veneer mini-pantry is the real statement-maker, whether viewed from the kitchen or from the loft/master bedroom area above.

Opposite page, Top: The dynamic kitchen, as viewed from the loft overlook. Above the sink, a corner window takes advantage of expansive views of the Sandias and the Manzano Mountains. Opposite page, Bottom: Halogen lighting from Artemide highlights the shape of the island and, with its slight red-purple tint, both illuminates and warms up the space.

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A wet bar flanks double ovens, one of which is a microwave/convection model, from Wolf. A glasstile backsplash adds color and texture, while, above it, cabinetry fronted with copper-and-stainless-steel wire mesh attractively hides the room’s heating and cooling ductwork.

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continued from page 37

first kitchen remodel, 15 years ago, they removed a restrictive original wall, opening the room to the rest of the house, and added the countertop bar and seating area.

“Everyone wants to watch him cook,” says Deanne, who works in the natural products industry as owner of Healthy Focus and sales manager for Weleda, a natural body-care company. Before the first remodel, the room was too cramped to comfortably accommodate spectators.

The kitchen now flows as an integrated part of the home, with a style that is warm, modern, and inviting. The Erin Adams glass backsplash tile is Deanne’s favorite feature. KraftMaid cabinets from Davis Kitchens came onto the scene during the first remodel; they were updated this time around with contemporary hardware and frosted glass in place of the former clear panes. The previous granite countertops were replaced with new CaesarStone ones from United Stoneworks, and a section of wooden countertop now creates a chopping prep station near the stove. “I think a kitchen still needs to look like a home,” Tom says. A room filled with stainless steel can quickly make a home kitchen look like a restaurant—like the office, in Tom’s case.

After training at the California Culinary Academy, in the 1980s Tom was involved with starting a handful of restaurants in New Mexico, including Scalo in Albuquerque and Pranzo in Santa Fe. (Both have since been sold to new owners.) Next, Tom and a group of business partners created Il Vicino, an Italian eatery specializing in wood-oven pizza. Since opening its original Nob Hill location in Albuquerque in 1992, the restaurant has grown to nine locations (including one in Santa Fe) across several states. Tom and other partners started the Irish pub Two Fools Tavern in Nob Hill in 2006, and this spring Tom added another establishment to his resume with Il Vicino Brewing Company & Canteen, in northeast Albuquerque. With an urban-industrial aesthetic—bare Edison bulbs hang over the bar and wide garage doors open to a patio—the Canteen offers an artisanal menu of appetizers and sandwiches to

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“This was a pretty rough house when we moved in, but it had good bones, and it’s definitely in an area of town we enjoy.” —Tom White

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complement its selection of beer.

Although he spends long hours in his restaurants, Tom doesn’t spend as much time cooking in them as he used to, so time in his home kitchen is a treat. He’s obviously enjoying himself tonight, as he opens a steamer to release a delicate mist of steam and reveal rolls of salmon prepared with preserved lemon peel, Italian parsley, olive oil, and roasted garlic. Jason sautés corn for the asparagus and roasted red pepper succotash, which Tom tops off with a dab of cream.

Just as the remodeled kitchen was designed for serious cooking, the nearby dining room was made for savoring a delicious meal. Deanne chose the rich persimmon shade on the walls, a color that coordinates with the new tile in the kitchen and “makes you want to eat,” she says. Sitting around the understated dining table, decorated with plates of salmon, succotash, and Jason’s kale salad, the group enjoys dinner over glasses of rosé. Dogs Koda-Bear and Lucky lounge at Deanne and Connor’s feet. After the main course, the friends and family round out the meal with an assortment of French macaroons and cupcakes from The Grove.

As twilight begins to fall outside the rosyhued dining space, Connor takes a soccer ball out back to play with Lucky. Deanne watches through the windowed dining room wall—one of the first improvements they made to the house, she recalls. Meanwhile, beyond the glass door, outside the house this couple has developed into the home they imagined it could be, lies their next project. A new outdoor kitchen will incorporate covered seating, a fireplace, and a wood-burning pizza oven, a fitting feature for the chef behind Il Vicino. “This house has evolved over 18 years,” Deanne observes. “This house is ours.”

continued from page 43

in views, and the architecture adapted.”

That means lots of windows, higher ceilings, slicker materials, and innovative wall systems, like insulated concrete forms. Still, the traditional elements—wood and plaster, thick walls, vigas, and the like—remain integral to the look. “It’s also greener,” Woods adds, as a philosophy of sustainability has been embedded in the city’s industry-leading building code.

“There’s more depth and breadth to the style than some perceive,” Sharon says.

“Many think only of the classic little Pueblo house with a kiva fireplace. But look at Territorial style, Northern New Mexico, Betty Stewart [an architect known for steeply pitched roofs and ceilings with hewn vigas filled between with plaster], all with more European proportions. And now there are more contemporary-style homes that still use indigenous materials along with modern glass and mass.”

Yet the classic style remains a touchstone.

“It’s an architecture that’s grown out of the land. Even big houses are tucked in and seem to emerge from the earth. People are intrigued. People who come to Santa Fe are attracted to and stimulated by this architecture. It’s sensual and warm—that’s what they say about this house. They like it. They like the comfort level.”

Sharon chairs the city’s Historic Design Review Board, which regulates all new construction and significant remodels inside Santa Fe’s five historic districts. The look and feel of these areas is “a vital part of living in Santa Fe and bringing people here.”

She’s justifiably proud of her work with this group, including a five-year stint in the 1990s. The board’s legacy goes beyond styles to capture the deeper meaning of historic preservation, with all the cultural richness it embodies.

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personal style

A Woods home has a distinct feeling, easy to perceive but difficult to summarize. It’s light, airy, casually elegant, even soothing. And it could be nowhere else but in Santa Fe. “I don’t like trendy houses,” Sharon says.

“They become dated. This house will remain classic.” It’s the proportions, the relationship SUCASAMAGAZINE.COM

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Backyard bliss at the Woods home.

of height and width to volume, the sizing of the windows, the fit of the furniture, the choice of art, the variations of design among the six fireplaces.

“I’m big on symmetry,” she says, and she tends toward calm palettes, from beige, like this house, to a rosier set of hues.

Her colors carry through all the elements, from walls and floors to countertops and furnishings.

And then there’s the magic spot.

“My houses are always one room deep, so you can always see out, get natural light, and relate to the outdoor spaces,” Woods explains. “You can always find a magic spot, where you can stand and see out in every direction.”

Sharon Woods can be reached at 505-988-2413 or through her website, woodsbuilders.com.

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continued from page 26 something about their furnishings before I can imagine a rug in a space, and I often work with their interior designer to come up with a direction.

What’s the process like when you work with a client?

Typically we work with clients and their interior designer to choose one of my existing designs and then pick colors that work with or will be the basis for their color scheme. Sometimes I will alter a design, and on occasion I will work with a client to create a unique design, usually for a hotel that might have a certain theme.

What inspires you?

Everything, from old textiles to old rusted metal to the back of a bus.

How do you approach color selection?

Certain designs come to me wanting certain colorways, but usually I end up playing with variations until I find ones that look or feel right. On the website and in my binder, I try to do the designs in a variation of colors so it will be easier for people to visualize the possibilities. Fashion and interior trends also influence me, though, as I said, I play with combinations and let each design and the color relationships guide the choices I make.

You work with an organization called GoodWeave. What do they do?

GoodWeave is an organization that works to end child labor in the carpet industry and to offer educational opportunities to children in South Asia. Since GoodWeave was established, the number of illegal child laborers has dropped from around 1 million to less than 250,000. A percentage of all of the money I spend on rugs goes to GoodWeave to help in this effort.

How long have you lived in Santa Fe? This summer it will be 21 years! Wow, that is the longest I have lived anywhere.

Hieroglyph rug, in Slate, from Robin Gray Design’s 2011 collection.

environment, the mountains, the vegetation, the light. I find inspiration in my travels, as well, but creatively, there is always a lot going on in Santa Fe.

You’re part of the design collaborative Four, which opened last August. How did that get started?

We got together last spring with the common goal of wanting a space to showcase each of our businesses and products and to be in a collaborative environment.

Was it challenging to bring several design disciplines—rugs, furniture, jewelry, and interior design—into one showroom?

It seems to be an ongoing challenge, but in a good way. It’s part of the creative process, which we all enjoy.

Does Four have any special plans for this summer?

We would like to periodically feature other local artists’ and artisans’ work and collaborate with other businesses in Pacheco Park on dates for openings and events. We are very committed to creating and being part of a new Design District of Santa Fe and raising people’s awareness of Pacheco Park and all the design businesses there.

What’s kept you here?

What’s not to love about Santa Fe? It is a small but sophisticated city with much going on in the arts and design. Now I have many friends here. Honestly, I can’t think of anywhere better to live. It’s home.

Any final piece of advice for someone choosing a rug for their home?

Don’t be afraid to be a little adventurous, whether it is in the design or with color.

And start with the rug first!

Is it an inspiring place to work?

Santa Fe is definitely inspiring—the general

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continued from page 29

slam!). We have cloth napkins and a little drink of something, and soon we’re congratulating ourselves on staying home. We often say, “You can’t get a meal like this in a restaurant” over grilled asparagus, garden fare, and a breeze in the cottonwood.

We’ve had fights on the porch, entertained friends, and hosted family dinners.

My most name-droppable memory was feeding a simple summer lunch of tuna salad and greens to Frances Mayes (author of the book Under the Tuscan Sun) and Ed Mayes, née Kleinschmidt.

This was pre-Tuscany, when Frances was writing a great college text for teaching poetry—one I still use—and head of the creative writing department at San Francisco State. Frances was scouting for that other house, the summer cottage.

She considered Santa Fe, and I met her through poetry. I guess we’re happy she chose Tuscany and got such accolades for her writing, but at the time I was trying to make our locale enticing. I filled the hummingbird feeders to up the ambience, cut garden flowers, and tried to be the perfect host.

As we dined and talked, the hummers swooped and dive-bombed over our heads in what I thought was an example of charming summer porch life. I didn’t know that Frances has a fear if not dread of birds, but got the picture as she ducked at each whoosh. (Maybe you recall the scene in the movie Under the Tuscan Sun where our heroine has an eerie visit from an owl.) I moved the feeders but kept the story of my faux pas. For most of us, a porch is a perfect place to watch the hummers and all the other birds we have attracted.

Both of our rental houses were conceived and partly designed on the porch.

Maybe the most valuable moment of our long porch life was when Builder Dave from Chimayó told us we should hire him to build a rental, as he had done on his own land. It would give us retirement income, he said. A few libations helped us

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become more visionary, and soon we were sketching on a napkin what would become rental house Number One. Some ten years later, our arms again willingly twisted, we agreed to build rental house Number Two. Both adobes are so lovely they are easy to rent., and they have portales much larger than ours—on the north and east on Number One. On Number Two, which we call the Garden House, the portal wraps south and west, with a solar room for heat gain. We weren’t sure how this orientation would work, but there are Jemez views, fireworks on July Fourth, and somehow the sun’s angle works and there is sufficient shade.

My husband pointed out that we mostly think of shade as flat and two dimensional, but as you move into the porch’s shadow, it creates a third dimension of space. And relishing that shade we spend almost every night of summer in porch life. Sometimes alone—sometimes just the two of us in distracted conversation or, I confess, even reading while dining, in the ways of the bookish and long married. Sometimes a grown child or all 10 of us, my entire immediate family, fills the porch with summer sounds. My eldest finds our porch peaceful and luxurious, and fra-

The portal ushers us to the outer space of fresh-aired summer and a spacey mind-set to counter busy days. grant when the honeysuckle’s in bloom.

Countless visitors who’ve shared our porch include neighbors who are Dutch, Swiss, and French, our British renter, and a Russian film crew.

In winter the porch houses firewood, birdseed, and a wild husky named Cielo Mellow. In summer the dog is cruising, and there’s a garden bench, gloves, and pruning shears. Some years a hammock hangs between the beams, and always the parties we throw are casual and sprawl off the porch onto our little lawn. During mid-life, when things got a little dicey, we called those troubled times Days of Our Porch. But thanks to both a sense of humor and the depths of conversations in the dark, we navigated those tumultuous years. Our porch is the best place on earth after a horse ride or stroll, and my husband swears that sleeping out there is the best place for dreams.

About once a year we consider enclosing the west end of the porch. It would be such an inexpensive way to expand our guest bedroom, make a full bath. We often talk about how to herd up and corral all the shelves of books into a library. But as we walk out and stand there, the reality of our view to the west of Española Valley and the Jemez Mountains causes us to sigh, mosey back to sit down, and just congratulate ourselves with being content.

Many a chip has met its salsa on our porch. I’ve roasted a chile or two on the grill, written a poem, and done a fish taco proud. When a truck pulls up for a visit from a friend, or to borrow a post-hole digger, we’re usually out back, hanging and chilling on the portal. I can hear the screen door between the kitchen and out back slam, and I’m glad I’m deeply at home.

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A new paradigm has taken root in the world of home construction and design in recent years. Straying from the familiar model that focused on quantity rather than quality, today homeowners have a strong interest in creating what could be called “natural homes”— homes that are built with a conscience; that take advantage of natural materials; and that are made with efficiency, flexibility, and adaptability in mind.

“Somewhere around the second half of the twentieth century we

lost our way when it came to home architecture,” writes Dominic Bradbury in New Natural Home: Designs for Sustainable Living. “In the rush to build volume houses and housing, architects and developers often created buildings that were desperately inadequate and poorly conceived and constructed.” Bradbury, a journalist who contributes frequently to Dwell, among other architecture and design publications, laments that these houses have been little more than “disposable structures,” houses that lack longevity

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and that wound up leading to a waste of energy and resources throughout their construction and use.

In contrast, the new natural home “offers a better way of living in every sense,” Bradbury writes. Given the viability and versatility of these homes, he continues, we need to stop thinking of them as part of an “alternative” lifestyle, and instead understand that they are integral to what he calls a “better, nicer, happier” experience.

London-based designer Christoph Behling, one of the numerous designers and architects quoted in the book, says, “We need to give consumers something where they can see that the future is not going to be hell or all about living in recycled clay houses.” Indeed, Behling’s work is a good example of Bradbury’s point about the holistic nature of natural homes: Not only is Behling a pioneer in solar-powered architecture, he also creates products for luxury brands including Tag Heuer, Dior, and Versace.

Aided by nearly 400 images (340 of them in color) by British architectural photographer Richard Powers, Bradbury walks readers through the admittedly complex but ultimately rewarding process of designing and building a natural home—a home that is sustainable and conscientiously constructed but also attractive, welcoming, and customized to the homeowners’ tastes and needs. Bradbury gives 25 examples of such homes found in destinations from California to New Zealand, including the Rauch House in Austria, the Utzon Cabin in Denmark, the Maison Ollioules in France, and the Wave House in Australia. While none are in New Mexico, each offers inspiration and ideas that homeowners and builders can put to good use in any location.

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Landscape, Eva Hagberg approaches the “green” home from another perspective. She writes that the preponderance of our virtual, and arguably superficial, modern-day communications (Twitter, Facebook, texting, and the like) has led to “the loss of a physical sense of grounding, the dissolution of a tangible relationship to the physical environment that surrounds us.” One of the results of this disconnect, she notes, has been the birth of a new architectural trend.

Thanks to technology and information overload, people have been seeking comfort in homes that interact with nature by inviting it in.

The 25 homes featured in Nature Framed are not particularly sustainable or environmentally minded; instead, they demonstrate the complex relationship humans have with nature—―how we love it yet fear it, and how we respect it while also seeking, to some degree, to control it. “Framing” nature, Hagberg explains, is not about representing nature in its purest form, but rather creating “pockets of architectural design that bring us closer to an idea and interpretation of nature.”

The homes showcased here operate “as a threshold through which to see nature”; their relationship to nature is a controlled one, she adds, and they demonstrate the homeowners’ desire for “a connection between the interior and the exterior.”

The architectural marvels Hagberg spotlights include a house in Taghkanic, New York, that offers thrilling views of the Hudson Valley from its perch atop a cliff; the Chameleon House in Lake Michigan Shores, Michigan, whose tower-like structure allows for an appreciation of the sprawling landscape that surrounds it; the Desert Nomad House in Tucson, Arizona, which comprises three Cor-Ten steel boxes that sit above the landscape, for endless and solitary vistas across the desert; and the Hurricane Lake House in Haliburton, Ontario, which consists of two buildings connected by a crossing bridge that

provides wonderful views of the nearby forest and lake.

Architect Brigitte Shim comments on Hurricane Lake House, and her words embody the aesthetic Hagberg is celebrating throughout this book.

“As you cross the bridge, you become aware of the different landscapes . . .

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Antoine Predock may be New Mexico’s most unknown renowned architect.

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community and George Pearl Hall at the University of New Mexico to the Spencer Theater for the Performing Arts in Ruidoso.

Despite all that, the name “Predock” doesn’t tend to trill off the lips of even the most informed New Mexico homeowner. While Roadcut, by University of New Mexico architecture and art history professor Christopher Curtis Mead, might not change that fact, it’s a good, if academic, introduction to the man Mead equates with 20th-century architecture’s Olympians—Frank Lloyd Wright, Le Corbusier, Frank Gehry among them.

Predock is not a native New Mexican. He was born (in 1936) and raised in Missouri, then ventured west for college at the University of New Mexico, where he intended to study engineering. He switched majors after one drafting class and next switched schools, transferring to New York’s Columbia University for his B.A. in

Courtesy the Monticelli Press

Tom Kundig’s Chicken Point Cabin in Idaho, from Nature Framed.

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architecture. He then spent time in Europe, came back to the States (where he apprenticed for I. M. Pei in New York), and in 1965 returned to Albuquerque, where he’s been living and working ever since. Predock’s perspective, writes Mead, quoting Predock himself, has been directly shaped by his life in New Mexico: “Here, protected by distance from the distracting theoretical noise of Back East, he can focus on the essentials of ‘wind direction, the movement of the sun and the iconic landscapes (mountains) in a built architecture’ . . . ” Roadcut focuses on 10 of Predock’s creations—from the La Luz community on the western edge of Albuquerque (designed and built in the late 1960s and early 1970s) to the National Palace Museum in Taiwan. (Ground was broken on the project in 2005, but it remains unfinished due to subsequent changes in the Taiwanese political landscape.) Each project gets its own chapter, in which Mead explains the factors—including, always, the surrounding landscape—that influenced Predock’s design. They’re projects, Mead explains, that “document the remarkable consistency with which [Predock] has held to his conception of architecture as a form of landscape grounded in his experience of living in New Mexico.”

Mead’s lofty writing style can be hard to follow. But architecture fans will appreciate his inclusion of original design sketches, as well as the action shots of the Architect as Rebel. (Of the handful of photos of Predock, two show him tearing down New Mexico asphalt on a motorcycle—and in one of them he’s commanding not just any motorcycle, but a Vincent Black Shadow). For the less architecturally sophisticated among us, Roadcut is a decent primer on who Predock is and what he’s about. And it’s certainly chockfull of wonderful pictures, sketches, and models, all valuable and informative in their own right.—Devon Jackson

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Dream On

Stone Age A geode-like backsplash literally lights up this au courant kitchen from the designers and craftspeople at Albuquerque’s Hanks House. It’s custom-made from concetto, a Caesarstone surface manufactured using individually cut semi-precious stones (in this case, gray agate). The nine-foot-long translucent backsplash is actually a countertop that’s been set vertically and dramatically backlit with fluorescent lights (you can also opt for energy-saving LEDs). An island in white Carrara marble grounds this ethereal kitchen in a way that’s both fashion-forward and functional. —Devon Jackson 80

S U C A S A S U M M E R 2011