oh, if these walls could talk, the stories they would tell they would tell stories of a wealthy eccentric produce farmer w/exquisite taste who traveled the world with top designers to source the finest materials & finishes and hand select the most beautiful antique pieces of furniture to complement and complete this magnificent work of art, ′′villa de la dolce vita′′. it is a home from a bygone era where quality, craftsmanship & refined elegance were paramount & its design & architecture, timeless. it has hosted countless social events w/old hollywood celebrities, politicians & socialites from around the globe & it was nothing out of the ordinary to come home and find john wayne sitting at the dining room table. five generations of this deeply rooted arizona family have called villa de la dolce vita home since the 1940′s and although formal & extravagant by its design and sheer size, it still retains that unique sense of casual elegance and exudes class, charm & good energy from the moment you enter the 200+ year old iron entry gates from italy. originally, this home started out its life on "banker′s hill" in the late 1800′s and was a bit more modest one could say. as the family expanded operations in nogales, the decision was made to remodel & add "a little square footage". world renowned san francisco based architects, charles porter & bob steinwedell were commissioned for the job and worked alongside "the best decorator in the united states" according to time magazine, michael taylor, known for creating "the california look" & who had the incredible vision for the project & delivered a true masterpiece that still to this day is unrivaled. even though there was no budget put on the project, michael taylor far exceeded it & it was worth every dime. there simply is no other home in arizona or perhaps the entire us that can rival the design or sense of scale of this magnificent european inspired estate- one that rivals the finest mansions in beverly hills or estates in montecito. once inside the lush and beautiful courtyard, you will feel the mystical atmosphere greet you & think you have just arrived in the south of france or a small village in italy. ancient tile mosaics dating back to the begin ning of christianity adorn patio walls and ancient baptismal tubs accentuate the gardens- irreplaceable and priceless treasures found on one of many shopping trips to europe with michael taylor. the grand entry foyer leads to the library, one of taylor′s finest rooms, plastered in light terra cotta walls accentuated by antique oak parquet floors from versailles and a hand-carved amethyst marble louis xv fireplace mantel. the living room filled with exquisite antiques from around the globe has several seating areas to choose from depending upon the size of the crowd being hosted & features polished concrete floors, exposed rustic beams, an exquisite fireplace & two beautiful antique french chandeliers. from there you enter the stately dining room w/6 sets of french doors opening onto two private terraces, a stone fireplace from italy dating back to the 4th century ad, a 17th century english oak dining table and chairs for 24 of your closest friends and favorite family & an antique chandelier from france. after dinner work your way to the most extravagant pool pavilion with an absolutely stunning italian marble floor, a large fireplace accentuated above by a priceless antique venetian mirror & exquisite chandelier from paris centered in the room. custom moroccan shutters over three sets of 10′ french doors lead out to the sparkling pool and grotto. lush european gardens w/stone walkways lead to a bamboo zin & yoga garden w/a soothing fountain and serves as a backdrop to a magnificent tennis complex, nestled into the hillside just below the house. some of hollywood′s biggest names have played tennis at dolce vita over the years and it hosted the annual pulitzer tennis tournament for many years.
