I always loved Oak Creek Canyon in Sedona, Arizona. It's so green and there's plenty of water, via two creeks. I located a small lot on top of a mountain in Oak Creek Canyon. The lot was only 3,200 square feet and even worse, it was sloping. I loved the challenge of such a site and the views were extremely dramatic in all directions taking in the red rock mountains of Sedona.

I bought the lot and built nearly the entire property as the setbacks were only five feet, eight feet and twelve feet. A tremendous amount of grading and dirt removal was needed to create a flat site. I managed to fit a 3,500 square foot, three story classic modern home on the land. Fortunately, later I was able to acquire three more adjoining lots.

In keeping with my preferences for sites that afford dramatic views and because the views are so much better when you're up higher, I chose to place the living room, dining room, and kitchen, which open onto a large deck, on the second level.

The master bedroom is placed on the third level and opens onto a deck as well. Two master baths and a good sized studio are also on the third level. The first level houses a large exercise room, two bedroom suites and a hobby/laundry room. There are many radii that the house is based on, some originating well off the property, portions of them showing up here and there.

The formal entry to the house is via a seven foot diameter spiral staircase that first lands on the second story deck and climbs three stories in all. The staircase becomes smaller as it goes up and intersects with the third story deck and then accesses an 800 square foot roof deck.

This is a very dramatic element both from an exterior view and even more so as you're climbing it. The views are just so extraordinary from that staircase! As with all of my projects, it's always my goal to create a big emotional WOW as the first impression of a property.

I was working on a fairly small budget and since I love classic modern design, I chose the style both to suit my budget and my taste. The key to the house is its integration from the exterior of the structure to the interior of the structure.

In viewing the photographs, you can see how only glass interrupts the thick wall treatments both exterior and interior. The ceilings and the exterior soffits are at the same elevation and create continuity from inside to outside, again separated only by glass. In the public room areas, the floors are interrupted only by glass, as they extend outward to the exterior living area.

The living room, dining room and kitchen are all open to one another and share 35 linear feet of radius glass that is 10 feet high. The ceilings on that level are 10 feet high as well. It's really like living outside, only warm in the winter and cool in summer.

The house is a passive solar design with the southern and eastern exposures; the tile floors radiate the captured heat throughout the evening hours. All of the interior finishes were chosen from non-toxic and sustainable products.

I had a lot of fun designing the stained glass, intricate mosaic tile patterns, radius fireplaces, interesting shapes for the main interior staircases, and exterior gate designs. Since it was my own home, I became very experimental with the design!