From Desert to Dream Home: Unleashing Creativity in Arizona Home Design

The desert is a unique place with a landscape unlike any other. You can see how the desert has affected everything around it, including the homes built here. We’re looking at how you can incorporate the natural design of the desert into your living space. 

Indoor Outdoor Flow – With beautiful sunny weather year-round, maximizing comfortable living space indoors and outdoors is a priority. Shea Homes prides itself on incorporating welcoming patios in all our homes, encouraging our residents to enjoy this gorgeous weather and spend as much time outdoors as they desire. Many desert homes are equipped with large sliding glass doors that seamlessly bridge the gap between indoors and outdoors. Our homes at The Reserves at Storyrock have floor-to-ceiling glass doors to blur the lines of separation between inside and outside. 

Gardening – Lawn care can be a challenge in the desert. By styling your yard with native plants, you can elevate the look of your home, without breaking the bank on a water bill. It is a common misconception that the desert is bare. But in reality, there are many varieties of trees, bushes, and blooming flowers you can include in your yard!

Blending in with the Landscape – Homes in Arizona tend to keep a neutral look to them. This is intentional, as to not distract from the beautiful mountains and desert, many homes follow a terracotta color palette. Our homes at Shea take inspiration from the hacienda-style home, with an elevated and modern twist. While the external paints of the homes remain neutral, the insides are predominantly white and black, to achieve that sleek and elevated look.

Keeping Homes Cool - Using certain materials and design choices, help to regulate the temperature of a home during the summer months. Concrete, stone, and tiles are a great resource in the desert and a staple item in Arizona homes. These cool surfaces are refreshing when trying to beat the heat. Building homes with thick walls will also reduce the amount of heat that can enter your home. These extra layers of insulation go a long way in keeping your home cool. 

Traditional Styles - Traditionally, homes in the desert were built in either the adobe, Spanish colonial, or hacienda (Mexican ranch) style. These are the beautiful iconic homes we typically think about when we think of a desert home. They are excellent in keeping heat out during the summer, some of these architectural elements are still used and are a source of inspiration for new builds today!