Hottest Architectural Styles in Paradise Valley

 

The natural beauty on display in Paradise Valley, AZ, is hard to beat anywhere else in the Southwest, or indeed the entire country. As Arizona’s wealthiest municipality, the homes you’ll encounter in Paradise Valley may not be as stunning as the mountains, but they certainly put up a good fight. What’s more, Paradise Valley has a huge variety of homes.

Whether you’re shopping at one of the area’s diverse boutiques, dining on fine Southwestern fare, or enjoying one of the dozens of golf courses nearby, there are many reasons to own a house here. That’s why we’ve compiled this list of the hottest Paradise Valley architecture trends you’ll find in the city today.

The Southwestern architectural style that most people from around the country would associate with Arizona is that of the Pueblo Revival. Taking its cue from the historical buildings constructed by the Pueblo tribe and their neighbors from the 8th century CE, these kinds of homes certainly pass the test of time.

The color of the broad plain stucco walls on Pueblo Revival homes are often in muted tones, coral, or burnt umber. Wooden accents and roof joists are common, especially as accent pieces that pierce the side of the stucco. Xeriscaped front lawns and rock and water features often surround these luxury residences and can come in single or two-story variations. The strong pattern of large square windows and doorways also combine to make this Paradise Valley architecture distinct.

The Spanish's early colonization of Arizona and Paradise Valley lives on today in the style of many residents’ homes. The Spanish Mission, which used to be reserved solely for municipal buildings and churches, is now fully integrated into the design of houses of all price ranges.

They can be modest, with clay-tiled roofs that are noticeably less steep than modern homes. Or they can be dramatic and extraordinary with broad arched walkways, fine ironwork encircling covered patios and balconies, and open sun rooms in the center of the home. Popular from the 1890s all the way to the 1950s, this style was considered passé until its revival in the 2000s. Now it is perhaps the most common architectural style in the older established neighborhoods in Paradise Valley.

As a favorite architectural style in almost all corners of the U.S., the ranch style is not distinctive to Paradise Valley. Nevertheless, a good proportion of the most distinguished luxury homes in the city were built in this style. The ranch home (or “rancher”) emerged in the 1920s as people started experimenting with living in smaller abodes that used split levels. This gave ranch-style homes more space for grand gardens and backyards that were perfect for raising a family.

Today's ranchers have certainly evolved, with many high-end houses featuring sunken living rooms, wide-open kitchens, entertaining areas, and various roofs with differing pitches that create an interesting profile on the home. Many homes under new construction are ranch-style, and their most distinctive feature is the split-level design.

Another European-inspired architectural style we see all over Paradise Valley is the Mediterranean Revival house. These properties are purpose-made to suit families living in the extreme heat of the Southwest. Indeed, the earliest examples of this style sprung up in the country's hottest areas because they were so effective at regulating heat and sunlight.

The large south-facing windows encourage natural light to filter in all day while the broad roof (with overhanging eaves) deflects heat from the higher stories. Once the definitive style of California and Florida, the Mediterranean Revival has taken off in popularity in recent years.

Some of the most fashionable districts of Paradise Valley are where you’ll find the uber-efficient and 21st-century designs of the contemporary luxury home. These properties, often designed by the nation’s leading architects and design firms, are among the most coveted in the city. They come with bold architectural features like severe right angles to the facade, geometrical windows and dormers, and a spare landscape.

Clean lines and streamlined walls make the interior of these houses usually quite open and bare. Some people consider this design, which started in the ‘30s under Frank Lloyd Wright and other architects, a natural offshoot of the ranch style and bungalow in that they tend to be smaller than traditional estates and remain grounded rather than reaching up higher into the air.

Our last Paradise Valley architectural style is the bungalow, one of the oldest types of home still existing in the U.S. These homes are generally on the small side and richly detailed. However, several large-scale bungalow-style homes for sale in Paradise Valley still maintain the design of a bungalow while dramatically increasing the square footage you can work with.

Cottage-like in appearance and somewhat modestly situated on the land, the bungalow has been adopted by today's luxury real estate designers and transformed into a modern shape. An open floor plan, oversized windows, a beachside view, and a large plot for gardening and landscaping are usually part of the package when you buy a bungalow.

With that, we’ve concluded our guide to Paradise Valley architecture styles and designs that you’ll likely see all over the city in 2023. We hope these tips will make it easier for you and your family to pick out the types of luxury houses that most appeal to you.

If you want to learn more about buying and selling real estate in Arizona, reach out today! Contact Mikhail Quijada for more information.


_{*Header photo 6121 E Orchid Ln | Represented both Seller & Buyer | $6,000,000}