In Lindzey Lawler’s book, every room should tell a story and be layered with pieces that reflect the owner’s personality. “My passion is evoking emotions in a home,” says the former fashion merchandiser-turned interior designer. “Just because something is a trend doesn’t mean you should follow it. The things you surround yourself with should be loved and have a history.”
Lawler’s own Scottsdale home, which she shares with her husband, retired MLB pitcher Marc Rzepczynski, speaks volumes about her design philosophy. The circa 1978 home, a blend of Territorial Revival and Spanish Colonial architectural styles, serves as a backdrop for Lawlor’s curated collection of everything from high-end designer furnishings to vintage treasures, thrift-store finds and eclectic art.
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But before the couple could even think about the furnishings, the abode needed to be brought up to modern-day living standards. Working with NC Construction in Peoria, several updates were made. The front yard had to be dug up to replace the original septic tank, while the kitchen and bathrooms were gently updated. Old sliding glass panels and the front entry door were replaced with bronze-framed glass doors. The sunken bar, which Lawler describes as “a cross between a Lone Star steakhouse and the Buffalo Chip Saloon,” was stripped of its blood-red walls and swinging saloon doors and fitted with new cabinetry and countertops.
What the renovation didn’t strip was the home’s original Southwestern charm. “We didn’t want to lose the character and soul of this house,” says Lawler, whose business is called Curated Design. “This was one of the first homes built in this golf course community. It called to me the moment I first set foot in it. Even though we own the home, I feel like we’re just stewards, taking care of it for the next generation.”
Indeed, the 5,300-square-foot block home is a solid testament to the enduring quality of thoughtful design. Though its origins are a bit murky, the residence has the hallmarks of work by the late Phoenix architect George Christensen, vaulted, beamed ceilings in the living room, arched windows, sunken bars, stained-glass details and Mexican tile for floors and trim. “We didn’t change the footprint of the house and kept so much of the original,” Lawler points out. Even the old adobe pavers in the back yard are part of the home’s history.”
Once the construction dust settled, Lawler furnished the rooms, delving into the storage facilities she’d packed with items collected as she and her husband moved around following his career with teams such as the Cleveland Indians, Oakland Athletics and Seattle Mariners. “I love the mix of high and low,” the interior designer says, “and the mix of thrifted things with anything that has a history or is weird or funny.”
“My passion is evoking emotions in a home” -Lawler
Indeed, at the entry, weathered Turkish pots are planted with desert-friendly greens, while just inside, a dark credenza is stocked with art books, a black-and-white photograph, and a lamp with a brass shade. The entry’s stained-glass cupola was fitted with a blown-glass chandelier that reflects the colored glass. In the living room, a midcentury-style sofa is joined by an Indonesian wood bench, a thrift-store chair and a knobby-wood Noir credenza, all illuminated by a new Nglala Trading chandelier. The leather-draped light fixture, says Lawler, seemed like the right fit against the room’s dark beams, whitewashed plank ceiling cladding and adobe brick-framed arched windows. A hallway between the guest bedrooms became a skylit gallery for art and books, guarded by a ceramic leopard and giraffe. “Why wouldn’t you want a 1960s ceramic giraffe from a vintage store?” Lawler asks, laughing. “My husband and I are big animal lovers, so our rule is ‘no animal left behind.’”
In the primary bedroom, a carved-wood Noir poster bed takes center stage, while a pair of bouclé armchairs creates a cozy seating area in a space that was originally designed as a home office. A vast walk-in shower and deep soaking tub anchor the primary bath, but it is in the walk-in closet where Lawler’s fashion merchandising background is evident. Illuminated cabinets and racks display her collection of shoes and bags, paired with why-not-in-the-closet accessories such as favorite art books and ceramic figurines.
The powder room, though, is Lawler’s favorite. Set just off the entry foyer, the deep green walls and trough sink underscore a collection of antique religious art and Orthodox icons. To the left of the sink, an old silver holy water font now holds tiny pieces of folded paper, printed with fortunes. “Powder rooms should be fun and different from the rest of the house,” she says.
Now settled in, Lawler has dubbed the home Casa de Tesoros, or house of treasures, and speaks of it as “she.” “This house definitely has feminine energy,” she says. “It’s also a love letter to Arizona style, which is something we’re losing with newer homes. I embrace the old.”
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