Dwell - Rio Secco Dream House

Dwell

Rio Secco Dream House

Luxurious and functional living

Story by Nikki Villoria

Sitting atop the Rio Secco Golf Course and overlooking the Las Vegas Strip, this nearly 8,000 square-foot brick house is a diversion from the typical stucco-coated Las Vegas home design.

Pass beyond the circle drive, the four-car garage and the brick exterior and the details of design begin to emerge. Passing from the brick and stone porte-cochere through an iron entry gate, over a flowing stream that runs from a large side waterfall and under the front porch walkup, and stepping through the oversized cherry wood front door, you are greeted by a spacious grand entry and introduced to the homes’ majestic design details.

“The entry was really fun. I stumbled across a fellow who came from Scotland and he was taught how to do a plaster and painting technique that makes it look like metal,” says homeowner Janet Zobrist. “It’s a Celtic design and the colors were trial and error, made by him adding a different color as I watched. I’d say if I liked it or what other shades I wanted. It’s a one of a kind and definitely unique ceiling. Along with the entryway, we continued his work throughout the house in parts along the trim and in the theater. Our theater looks like it has copper tiles along the ceiling but it’s all done with just his ability to do this plaster and paint technique.

With four full bedrooms, seven bathrooms, a living room, family room and two dining rooms, the home also includes a plethora of entertainment options including a full 11-seat movie theater room with wet bar, an upstairs library, built-in barbeque, a surround sound system throughout the house, and a solar and gas heated infinity pool, hot tub and kiddie pool all overlooking the golf course and The Strip.

For the at-home chef, the full chef’s kitchen, walk-in pantry and butler’s pantry are a foodie’s dream. With four ovens, a six-burner gas stove, two sinks, three dishwashers, warming drawers, two refrigerators and freezers, a breakfast bar, a breakfast nook and an abundance of storage, this kitchen would pique the interest of even the most culinary challenged individual.

With enough space to spare and an interior design that includes a plethora of wood accents and quality stone surfaces, the home embodies a traditional design overall, with a multitude of customizations in which no expense was spared to produce an elegant interior. “The fixtures are high quality and genuine alabaster and the floorings and countertops are limestone and granite,” says Zobrist.

Also found throughout the home is a rich cherry wood accent, used in each room as the interior framing, stairwell, railings, cabinets, baseboards and front door.

Including a personal touch into the home’s design, the entry includes a large sunburst designed transom, an element used in each of the previous homes. As grandiose as the house is, functionality and practicality were very much part of the thought process during the design process, and useful implementation takes much of the ‘work’ out of housework.

From having two laundry rooms conveniently located off the kitchen and master bedroom, multiple refrigerators located around the house including in the master bedroom, theater room and breakfast nook, and a built in drinking fountain by the pool, every need was thought of when building the house.

“The thing I love is I have a pass-through from the laundry room to the master bedroom so I don’t ever have to lift a laundry basket, it just rolls right through to the washing machine,” says Zobrist. “Also the entry fixture is automatic and comes down all the way to the floor so you can clean it easily.”

Built in 2000, this multi-year project was completed in May of 2003 and since then has been the home to Phil and Janet Zobrist. This $2.5 million home is the fifth home the couple has designed and built from the ground up, designed with the desert temperatures in mind.

“The home is built of a standard stick frame, fully wrapped, sheeted and then covered with the four-inch brick with a dead airspace between the two solids,” says Phil Zobrist. “For the size of the house it’s not very expensive to heat and it’s easy to cool. It’s very energy efficient.”

Working with local architect Kevin Thistle and incorporating traditional styles, personal touches and lots of design thought, the home has turned out to be an extravagant yet functional masterpiece.