Predecessor to the Madera floor plan, the Paloma was actually ahead of its time given the floor plan’s guest room bedroom with an ensuite bath. Both floor plans offer what the majority of single-story SaddleBrooke plans lack—a powder room. However, like younger sister Madera, Paloma’s flow is hampered by a tight laundry room and partitioned living spaces with the kitchen’s dropped ceiling and suspended cabinetry lending a closed-in feeling.
Although the listing boasted a “completely updated” property with “endless upgrades,” Pam and Darrell Jackson were more impressed with the property’s outdoor living, the solar heated PebbleTec pool and the verdant golf course and stunning panoramic sunset views, than the truncated flow and still-dated finishes within the 1992-built home. The prior owner had already made some strides with the interior, denuding the home of dated wallpaper, covering the pickled oak cabinets with a white coat of paint, removing the head-knocking, view-blocking cabinets suspended above the cooktop island and plumbing gas to the stove, but its new owners longed for a more open, contemporary space.
Working with general contractors, Pam and Darrell Jackson had the home’s public spaces largely gutted from floor to ceiling, and focused on contemporary flow, finishes and functionality with personalized flair, including a “Pet Station” in the former laundry room for the couple’s four-paw family members.
From the street, the façade of the home was dramatically altered. Desiring the classic, and currently trending, white house/black trim look, Pam struck a balance with as close a contrast possible within ALC guidelines to punch up the exterior from its former state of beige. The cage-like front security door with a requisite roadrunner was removed, and the standard width door with twin side lights was replaced by a wider contemporary door with three rectangular lights, eliminating one of the flanking sidelights. Completing the outdoor makeover, a large concrete paver floating front walkway was installed, replacing brick pavers, and sleek contemporary lighting fixtures were added, including garage sconces and an entryway chandelier.
Inside, the most striking change is the removal of the wall designed by the builder to define formal and family living spaces. At foot is the new installation of wall-to-wall light grey and beige wood-look luxury vinyl plank (LVP) floor and above the change is evident with the squaring of the formerly arched hall entryways and the removal of the kitchen’s dropped ceiling to match the underlying vault of the room.
The newly formed great room is punctuated by a striking new fireplace bump-out wall with a raised firebox clad with contemporary 3Dm white resin paneling. The focal point white fireplace wall balances the nearby sleek white minimalist kitchen with light gray cabinetry and quiet white Cambria quartz counters. Demolishing the drop ceiling of the kitchen allowed room for the kitchen to grow upward and outwards. New European-style frameless flat-front cabinetry with 42-inch tall uppers were installed with an oversized satin nickel bar pulls uniformly adorning both cabinets and drawers. An additional end upper cabinet sparkles with glass fronts and lighting setting off the owner’s glassware collection and breaking the monotony of solid cabinetry. With streamlined surfaces, the Jackson’s kitchen is sleek and uncluttered with a few accessories and a swirl integrated LED light pendant adding artistic flair.
Open to the new living space, the completely remodeled kitchen expanded the room’s footprint; borrowing space from the great room with a substantially wider cooktop and seating peninsula, and from the former laundry room (now pet area) allowing the new stainless steel refrigerator to slide into space formerly occupied by the dryer, and wall ovens to move into the same custom cabinetry unit. On the wall where the ovens once resided, new cabinetry was added for practical floor-to-ceiling pantry storage. Storage was further grown by walling off the breakfast nook to allow room for cabinetry and a countertop coffee bar with sink. The washer and dryer were moved to the opposite side and walled off from the garage entryway to reside in the new office converted from the former breakfast nook.
Around the corner from the kitchen, the bar area and powder room underwent significant makeovers. The existing bar cabinetry was replaced with the same cabinetry as the kitchen, with two single glass-front lighted upper cabinets added to flank the walls of the bar’s alcove. Topped with the same muted quartz as the kitchen, the bar sparkles with a backsplash of opal glass mosaic that reaches to the ceiling. The powder room is a dramatic space with a sumptuous black and gold graphic floral print wallpaper and a stunning black with gold veining quartz floating countertop and a gold rectangular glass vessel sink and spiral integrated LED wall sconces.
The homeowners’ bath was also remodeled with the tub and shower demoed to make way for a spacious new curbless, doorless walk-in shower where the bathtub once stood, and a new reach-in closet where the old shower was removed. Cabinetry was replaced with clean-lined Euro cabinetry topped with a gorgeous quartz with pops of aqua that are reflected in the chevron-tiled stripe of aqua hued glass tile that beautifully accents the shower wall.
Like so many SaddleBrooke homebuyers, the Jacksons found a lot and a view that appealed to them, then turned the dated house on the property into their personal vision of “home”—a stylish, chic abode with lots of open, light and bright living space and a bonus office. Transforming the home’s public rooms to open concept living resulted in a much better flow for indoor/outdoor entertaining and improved natural light and views from within. Repurposing the kitchen nook provided the homeowners a second private den/office space that, increasingly, Boomer and Gen X homebuyers desire as we either extend our careers, working from home or take on hobbies that require dedicated space.
Rather than seeing an end in sight to the open concept floor plan, it seems that experts believe that we will continue to see the creation of spaces that work in tandem with the open concept, giving homeowners more options. Pam and Darrell Jackson’s beautifully remodeled contemporary home proves that both can be achieved.
Longtime Tucson bar sold, to be redeveloped
