The owners of this one-of-a-kind chateau in Prescott, AZ shared more about the design process with our team. We are excited to feature their experience and share more about what happens behind the scenes.

Can you share more about the inspiration behind your home?

Initially, my husband and I [wanted] to build an A-Framewood cabin on the lot. However, our daughter Francesca, who studied Fashion Design in Parsons, came back home from New York city due to COVID, and suggested we should build something elegant and upscale.

‍How did you decide on the interior design?

We envisioned this estate to follow the French chateau style as much as possible…It is not merely a home, but a place to enjoy and cherish...and rediscover the art of repose beneath the molding, column, and the curve. Most of the lighting and furniture were sourced from Europe originally via experienced antique dealers from both locally and out of state. We want to step beyond the modern designs and into a time capsule which offers a living piece of Gilded Age history - life was measured not in hours, but in moments of golden leisure.

"It is not merely a home, but a place to enjoy and cherish...and rediscover the art of repose beneath the molding, column, and the curve."

How did your family choose to build in Prescott?

Prescott is a place that no other place can compare: It has the mild four Mediterranean seasons which Phoenix cannot provide. Additionally, it has profound history, culture and art given the fact that it was once the capital of Arizona in the 19th century…Interestingly, we realized that over 20 years ago, our family had visited Camp Aloma a couple of times near Highland Pines during our church retreat. Building this house in the same area brought back many fond memories from those retreats.

Is there anything specific you would like us to include in the feature?

We carefully selected our interior furnishings to echo the architecture style and the time period. Almost each piece comes with its own story.  We cherish each piece and are very proud of our efforts and final accomplishments.  

We deeply appreciate Tom Terry and his team at Distinctive Homes (as well as our builder Nanke) to help us to go through this incredible journey from the blueprint to a final product we call home, a very special “museum” type estate and an enchanting retreat nestled among the pines.

"We cherish each piece and are very proud of our efforts and final accomplishments. We deeply appreciate Tom Terry and his team at Distinctive Homes"