This home was our first project, started in the fall of 1995. The home was also one of the first homes built in the Blenman subdivision. The original adobe structure was in a severe state of deterioration when the project was started, with the walls and roof literally falling down. The original house was a small 1 bedroom, 1 bath, 600 square foot structure with beautiful “monkey blood” colored and polished concrete floors. This photo shows a front view of the completed project.

Arizona Room
Additional square footage had been added over the years in a very unmethodical and patchwork fashion. After stabilizing the original structure we went to work on the additions; a dining room, Arizona Room and Master bedroom. This photo shows the completed Arizona Room with the exposed spiral ductwork and beautiful tile work. As the property was being completed, many guests commented on how much this area brought out and displayed the character of the home. Note the two entrances into the Arizona Room from the main house; these originally were the back windows of the house. Note also the thickness of the adobe walls.

Master Bedroom
The French style doors at the east end of the Arizona Room lead into the Master bedroom. Structurally unsound, the entire room, walls and vaulted ceiling had to be meticulously re-engineered and constructed. The finished room, although small by most standards, came out wonderfully. Two closets, a laundry room and a bathroom fit nicely and comfortably into the area. Note the separate entrance and exposed beam at the peak of the vaulted ceiling. White washed and pickled wood and trim accents are a common theme throughout the home.

Master Bathroom
Again, small by most standards, the Master bathroom finished out very nicely for a home that was originally 600 square feet. The tile pattern and colors are traditional in 1930’s era homes in Tucson and are not as “shocking” as they may appear in the photos. As the bathroom neared completion, the combination of the checkerboard pattern along with the sea foam and white colors turned out as beautiful and stunning as the rest of the house. A modest pedestal sink and a full glass door completed the bathroom.

Kitchen
The kitchen was large by comparison to the rest of the rooms in the original structure. Even so, it was in terrible condition and everything was refinished. The original back doorway was removed and an entrance into the new dining room was created. All of the cabinets and countertops were refinished including an original style “mud in” sink, although we opted for a more modern two-basin sink with a disposal instead of the original single basin model. The two-tone checkerboard style was again used with navy blue and white for the colors. The window and hardware over the sink was completely restored, as was the vintage O'Keefe & Merritt stove.

Original Bathroom
The original bathroom was beautiful to begin with and it was our intention to restore it rather than rebuild it. This was accomplished to a great degree with many hours of painstaking work. A master tile craftsman who had a great appreciation for the original work and design completed restoration of the original tile in the bathtub and shower, as well as the floor. The original pedestal sink and toilet were not so salvageable and both had to be replaced. The original window over the tub and its hardware were restored to their original condition.

Living Room
As previously mentioned, the “monkey blood” colored and polished concrete floors were beautiful but were only able to be saved in the living room. Contrasting with the pure white adobe walls, they stood out and created the character for the rest of the house to follow. They were also just the right compliment to both the fireplace and open, vaulted ceilings in the room. All of the ceiling planks were replaced as the originals were completely rotted out along with a few of the 4x4 rafters. After a white wash and pickling, the ceiling was as much a focal point as it was when the house was built.