Photo by Ethan Cooper Photography. Project by Shearon Design Collective.
Ithink we can all agree that Arizona’s desert terrain is gorgeous. The beautiful outdoor landscapes we see around town, however, don’t just exist that way; they are meticulously curated by artisans of the outdoors, landscape designers who understand how to maximize the desert’s potential to create truly magical plantscapes. The outdoors not only enhances the beauty of our state, but it also fosters connections within our community.
Jake Plocher | Desert Foothills Landscape
Desert Foothills Landscape has been contributing to the beauty of the community for more than 30 years. You may recognize their work when you drive into the entryways of some of the most high-end residential neighborhoods in the Valley, such as Estancia and Mirabel. Their stunning outdoor designs are quickly gaining recognition.
Photo by Brian Goddard.
Photo by Brian Goddard
“Our approach focuses on texture,” Jake Plocher, designer at Desert Foothills Landscape, says.“We really take an artistic view of the desert landscape and apply that to our projects. The desert palette provides opportunities for us to implement sustainable plant color and design with consistent color and texture.”
Along with outstanding landscape design, Desert Foothills Landscape focuses on maintenance and integrating additional services under one roof. “We own our own crane and trucking company so that we can provide services for our customers who live at higher elevations without them having to outsource third-party providers for these kinds of services,” Plocher says. They currently provide maintenance for more than 900 clients in Paradise Valley, Scottsdale, Cave Creek and Carefree.
Enriching the community is the heart of Desert Foothills Landscape. “We take a lot of pride in designing for the community,” Plocher says. “We donated the plant material and installation for the surrounding area of the Carefree Sundial, creating the famous 2-acre Carefree Desert Gardens. This is our way of giving back and showing gratitude to an exceptional community that helped us grow our business from its inception.”
Plocher describes the work environment within the company as a family unit, where every worker contributes equal value to the project at hand. This positive dynamic results in the beautiful outdoor sanctuaries we see and love around our cities.
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Photo courtesy of LuxView.
Photo Portrait photo by Jacob Cruz.
Karen and Abel Lopez | Envision Windows and Doors
Envision Windows and Doors is a family-owned and- operated company deeply rooted in faith. Founder Abel Lopez quit his job and established the business in 2023. “I wanted to earn more money to provide for my family,” he says. “I wanted a sales position at the company I was working at, and when I didn’t get that opportunity, my wife and I prayed on it and quit our jobs the next day and started Envision Windows and Doors. It was a leap of faith, but we had trust in God.”
With extensive industry knowledge from experience, Lopez had confidence in his endeavors.
“My journey started at the bottom,” he remarks. “I was prepping doors in the Valley with Sierra Pacific Windows, where I learned the basics of assembly and hardware. Then I started installing doors and learned that part of the process. After an injury, I worked in the office for about a year, where I really learned the ins and outs of the entire industry.”
Envision Windows and Doors currently partners with Luxe View Systems to bring premier windows and doors to residents in the Valley. He aims to make the process as easy as possible for his clients. “Customer satisfaction is always on our mind, whether it comes to the service side of things or the design side of things,” Lopez says. “They will receive the same level of service all the way down to the last screw, because I am a man of my faith and a man of my word.”
Envision Windows and Doors is committed to providing these services to your homes to provide seamless indoor/outdoor living.
Besides providing a good life for his family, Lopez says giving back to his community gives him purpose. “Now that I have established my business, my next thought is ‘How can I help people?’ So we started a ministry to help others start businesses. We help those who may be full of fear and don’t know what the next steps are. We try our best to guide these individuals and make them believe in themselves.”
Photo by Ethan Cooper Photography.
Phil Shearon | Shearon Design Collective
Phil Shearon founded the landscape design firm, Shearon Design Collective, seven years ago and has been providing stunning outdoor spaces for some of the most luxurious homes in the Valley.
With three generations of family ties in the Arizona home development industry, Shearon has taken note of the substantial growth of knowledge in landscape design. “Growing up in construction, there was a small, limited understanding of what plants you could use in the outdoors. Common plant availability was mostly regional native desert species, which really impacted the extent landscapes could be designed,” he explains. “Now, there is so much information readily available, and it has really expanded our capacity for a robust planting palette and further expands the designs we create today. Proper water management has also allowed us to tailor outdoor experiences for our clients.”
Photo by Ethan Cooper Photography.
Shearon focuses on creating personal outdoor escapes for his clients. “Our goal is to be a collaborative force with our clients and deliver work that our team personally crafted with each client, ultimately elevating their outdoor living experience,” he says. One way this is achieved is by seamlessly integrating indoor and outdoor spaces.
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For Shearon, hiring their firm at the beginning of any new home build or remodel is key.
“Being brought on at the beginning of a project is always the best way to start any new project because it allows us to work closely with the architect, interior designer and contractor to create the best spaces possible,” he says. “The goal when collaborating as a part of the design/build team from day one is to create a home that invites you beyond the back door by creating a seamless indoor/outdoor living experience.”
Beyond the glamour of having an opulent outdoor space, the actual value of having a beautiful backyard comes from the memories made there. “Our main goal is to create remarkable spaces that are memorable,” he remarks. “It’s about the experience your outdoor spaces create that really makes it home.”
Photo courtesy of Arista Stones.
Jo Walia | Arista Stones
Arista Stones is a family-owned and- operated business that started in 2001 when Harsh and Liliette Walia sought to provide people with premium stone products. Their dedication and passion persevered, with their daughters spearheading the family legacy of providing exquisite, globally sourced stone material to clients nationwide.
Arista Stones ensures premium quality marble, quartzite, travertine, and other stone products for their clients. “We take the time to go to every quarry and hand-select the stone, literally. We have touched every stone we purchase. We are also there at every step of the process to make sure the stones are fissure- and crack-free, and that they book match. It’s those extra steps we take for our clients to make the process easier,” Jo Walia, CMO of Arista Stones, says.
Photo courtesy of Arista Stones.
With deeply rooted family ties, Walia says community is crucial to the business. “Community means everything to us. We run our business like it’s our own little community within itself,” she notes. “We take care of our employees, who have been with us for at least five years, and we take care of the customers who walk through our doors. But we also take care of our community outwardly by running food drives during the holidays and donating to the fire and police departments that keep us safe.”
When it comes to outdoor spaces, beautiful stonework serves as a focal point, reminding us of the beauty of our planet. “Stone is nature’s artwork,” Walia says. “So when you implement it in your outdoor spaces, it’s not going to be something that people don’t take a second look at.”
Jo Walia and her sister, CEO Vidya Walia, work hard to enrich their community, whether by giving back or by providing exquisite stone products to some of the most beautiful homes and outdoor living spaces in the Valley.
Brown Jordan Outdoor Kitchens
I’m sure you’re familiar with the ICONIC outdoor furniture brand Brown Jordan, known for its modern, sleek designs. Did you know their sister brand also crafts high-end, clean outdoor kitchens? The premier brand, manufactured by Danver, has been ahead of the outdoor kitchen curve, producing beautiful designs for more than 20 years. They offer thousands of cabinet options with more than 50 color options and 8 door styles to choose from.
“It’s unbelievable the number of options there are to choose from,” Jeff Stone with Creative Living, says. “It’s as close as you can get to designing an interior kitchen outside.I think it’s really great that all of their years of conceptualizing and developing new ideas has given this brand such a timeless array of cabinet styles to choose from.”
Brown Jordan’s latest collection, CUBE, is a testament to the brand’s modern design style and marks the brand’s first collaboration with renowned global designer Luca Nichetto to create a new modular kitchen concept. Building on the success of Brown Jordan Outdoor Kitchens’ Elements line, CUBE introduces an architecturally inspired design that embraces its modularity as a “design language” by highlighting its modules through distinct shapes and contrasting colors. The result is a stunning and unexpected new line, flexible enough to provide solutions for small urban settings or to be expanded into more comprehensive outdoor entertaining spaces.
“In Arizona, especially the Scottsdale market, clients have been embracing all of the latest designs that really push the envelope as far as what’s possible for an outdoor kitchen,” Stone says. “That’s why Arizona clients have been gravitating towards the CUBE collection.”
Brown Jordan Outdoor Kitchens’ commitment to quality is unwavering, allowing you to elevate your outdoor space with a fabulous outdoor kitchen in as little as eight weeks. When asked what sets them apart from other outdoor competitors, Stone’s answer was direct: “Quality, no doubt,” Stone says. “The quality and innovative design of Brown Jordan Outdoor Kitchens make them stand out in this industry.”
Brown Jordan Outdoor Kitchens – Flagship Dealer
Arizona – Colorado – Wyoming
Creative Living – 8801 N Central Ave Phoenix
www.creativelivingaz.com
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