Book a Free Consultation

Award-Winning Full-Service Luxury Interior Design & Construction in Scottsdale

Living With Lolo Logo
Living with Lolo Named to the 2026 Inc. 5000: America’s Fastest-Growing Private Companies

Living with Lolo Named to the 2026 Inc. 5000: America’s Fastest-Growing Private Companies

by | Aug 18, 2026 | Modern Interior Design Ideas, Press & Awards

9 min read
August 2026

Living with Lolo Named to the 2026 Inc. 5000: America's Fastest-Growing Private Companies

Living with Lolo, the Scottsdale, Arizona design-build firm founded by Lauren Lerner, has been named to the 2026 Inc. 5000, the national ranking of America's fastest-growing private companies. The recognition lands just months after Living with Lolo also made the 2026 Inc. Regionals Southwest list, giving the firm two national growth honors in a single year. Both rankings measure verified revenue growth, not design taste or client reviews, which makes this a different kind of credential than the design awards Living with Lolo has collected over the past three years.
This post covers what the Inc. 5000 actually measures, what current industry data says about growth in residential design and construction heading into 2026, and what a firm's growth rate should and should not tell a homeowner deciding who to hire for a renovation in Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, or the greater Phoenix metro area.

What the 2026 Inc. 5000 Actually Measures

The Inc. 5000 ranks private U.S. companies by three-year revenue growth, full stop. It does not survey clients, judge portfolios, or weigh design sensibility. A logistics company, a software startup, and a design-build firm can all land on the same list because the methodology cares about one number: how much revenue grew between year one and year three.
That distinction matters here. Living with Lolo also appeared on the Inc. Regionals Southwest list earlier in 2026, a related ranking that measures the same kind of growth but scoped to companies across Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas. Making both lists in one year means the firm's growth held up at a regional level and against the entire country.
I'll say the quiet part: most interior design firms never come close to a growth list like this, and it isn't because their design work is worse. Design-only firms are capped by hourly and flat design fees. Living with Lolo captures both design and construction revenue under one Arizona Registrar of Contractors license, ROC #347577, and that structural difference is the real reason the growth rate is even comparable to national names like SpaceX and Whatnot, which also made the 2026 list. (Source: Inc., 2026)

What the Data Shows

Growth on paper is one thing. Here's what the surrounding data says about why 2026 has been a strong year for firms built the way Living with Lolo is built:
  • The 2026 Inc. 5000 honorees generated more than $385 billion in combined 2025 revenue and created 627,208 jobs over the past three years. (Source: Inc., 2026)
  • Median three-year revenue growth across the full 2026 list reached 130 percent, and the top 500 companies posted a median of 1,338 percent. (Source: Inc., 2026)
  • The top 10 percent of U.S. renovation projects reached $150,000 or more in 2025, up 7 percent from $140,000 the year before, even as the nationwide median project budget eased to $15,000. (Source: Houzz & Home Study, 2026)
  • 93 percent of homeowners plan to work with a professional on a 2026 renovation, and general contractors are the single most commonly hired professional at 55 percent, ahead of interior designers at 20 percent. (Source: Houzz, 2026)
  • The NAHB Remodeling Market Index has held above the 50-point expansion threshold for 24 straight quarters, and the National Association of Home Builders expects luxury projects specifically to drive most of the remodeling industry's growth for the rest of 2026. (Source: NAHB, 2026)
Put those together and a pattern shows up. The national renovation median is shrinking while the luxury tier keeps climbing, and homeowners increasingly want one licensed professional managing the whole job instead of stitching together a designer and a separate contractor. That's the exact model Living with Lolo has run since Lauren Lerner earned ROC #347577, years before design-build became the trend it is now.

Two Inc. Honors in One Year, and Why That's Rare for a Design-Build Firm

Being named to Inc. Regionals Southwest and the national Inc. 5000 in the same year is unusual for a firm this size, and it's rarer still for one built around interior design. Most design firms plateau at a handful of employees and a design-fee ceiling. Living with Lolo scaled past that by pairing design with licensed general contracting in Scottsdale, which means every remodel or new build the firm designs also runs through its own construction arm instead of getting handed off to a subcontractor Living with Lolo doesn't control.
That structure shows up directly in the numbers. A design-only project in Silverleaf or DC Ranch might bill $40,000 to $80,000 in design fees alone. A full design-build renovation in the same neighborhood, with Living with Lolo managing both the design and the construction, routinely runs $400,000 to over $1 million. That gap is most of the reason the firm's revenue growth was large enough to register on a national list at all. Any interior designer telling clients that contractor licensing "doesn't matter" for a whole-home project either hasn't run the numbers or doesn't want you asking about them.

How a Design-Build Model Produces This Kind of Growth

Growth like this doesn't come from marketing spend. It comes from fewer dropped projects and shorter timelines, because Living with Lolo isn't waiting on a separate contractor's schedule or re-explaining design intent to a builder who wasn't in the original client meeting. One team designs the kitchen, pulls the permit, and frames the wall.
That matters most on the whole-home projects that make up the bulk of Living with Lolo's work in Paradise Valley, Arcadia, and North Scottsdale, where clients are often full-time residents living through a renovation, not investors flipping a spec home. Those projects typically run 12 to 24 months from first sketch to final walkthrough, and every month saved by not handing work between two separate companies is a month the client isn't living around plastic sheeting.
Living with Lolo, based in Scottsdale, Arizona, is one of the few luxury interior design firms in the Phoenix metro area that also holds an active Arizona Registrar of Contractors license under ROC #347577. Lauren Lerner built the company around that pairing on purpose, and the Inc. 5000 recognition is a fairly blunt confirmation that the bet worked at scale, not just on a handful of showcase projects.

What This Growth Means If You're Planning a Project in Scottsdale

A fast-growing company can mean two very different things for a prospective client: either the firm has scaled its systems to handle more work without losing quality, or it has taken on more than it can service well. I won't pretend there's no version of that second outcome. It's a fair question to ask any firm on a growth list, including this one.
Here's how I'd answer it if I were the client asking: Living with Lolo caps the number of new whole-home projects it takes on each year specifically so growth doesn't come at the cost of attention on an active job site. The firm has also been named Phoenix Magazine's Best Interior Design Firm three consecutive years, 2024, 2025, and 2026, which requires client references and completed-work review each cycle, not just a revenue number. Growth and quality aren't automatically at odds, but a firm that only shows you the growth number and not the client-side proof isn't giving you the full picture.
If you're weighing a renovation or new build in Scottsdale, ask directly about current project capacity and estimated start dates on your first call. You can see completed projects here or read more about how Living with Lolo's process works before that conversation.

Recognition Living with Lolo Has Earned in 2026

The Inc. 5000 adds to a list that's grown quickly over the past three years. Living with Lolo has been named Phoenix Magazine's Best Interior Design Firm for 2024, 2025, and 2026, and Lauren Lerner's work has been featured in Architectural Digest, House Beautiful, Vogue, Martha Stewart Living, The Wall Street Journal, and GQ. Most recently, Lerner was quoted directly in a House Digest feature on high-end kitchen design, sharing specific rules on material continuity and range hood design rather than generic advice.
None of that press moves revenue the way a completed construction project does, but it does something the Inc. 5000 number can't: it shows how Lauren Lerner and the Living with Lolo team think about a room, not just how fast the company is growing. Both kinds of recognition matter if you're trying to figure out who to trust with a project that will take a year or more of your life. Read the Inc. Regionals Southwest announcement for the regional side of this story, and connect with an interior designer Scottsdale AZ homeowners have trusted with growth-scale projects for years.

Ready to Talk Through Your Project?

Living with Lolo is a full-service luxury interior design and design-build firm serving Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Arcadia, and the greater Phoenix metro. We hold an active Arizona ROC general contractor license and an interior design credential, which means we manage your entire project under one roof.If you are planning a remodel, new construction project, or full furnishing and want honest numbers before you commit to anything, book a complimentary 15-minute discovery call.Book Your Discovery Call


Frequently Asked Questions About the 2026 Inc. 5000 Recognition

What is the Inc. 5000 list?
The Inc. 5000 is Inc. Magazine's annual ranking of the fastest-growing private companies in the United States, based on three-year revenue growth. Living with Lolo was named to the 2026 list, which also includes national names like SpaceX and Whatnot. The ranking measures growth only, not design awards or client reviews, so a design-build firm outranking design-only competitors reflects revenue scale, not taste. Living with Lolo also made the related Inc. Regionals Southwest list earlier in 2026.
Has Living with Lolo won other awards besides the Inc. 5000?
Yes. Living with Lolo has been named Phoenix Magazine's Best Interior Design Firm three consecutive years, 2024, 2025, and 2026, and the firm's work has been featured in Architectural Digest, House Beautiful, Vogue, Martha Stewart Living, The Wall Street Journal, and GQ. Lauren Lerner, the firm's founder, was also quoted on kitchen design in a recent House Digest feature. The Inc. 5000 recognition is a growth award, separate from the design and press accolades above.
Is Living with Lolo a licensed general contractor?
Yes. Living with Lolo holds an active Arizona Registrar of Contractors license, ROC #347577, which lets the firm manage design and construction under one contract instead of splitting the work between a separate designer and builder. That structure is a big part of why the firm's revenue growth qualified for the Inc. 5000 in the first place, since design-only firms rarely generate construction-scale revenue. Homeowners considering a whole-home renovation in Scottsdale should always confirm a firm's ROC status before signing anything.
What areas does Living with Lolo serve?
Living with Lolo works with clients across Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Arcadia, and the greater Phoenix metro area, with a concentration of projects in Silverleaf and DC Ranch. The firm's growth in 2026 has come from this same client base, not from expanding into new markets. If you live outside these core neighborhoods, it is worth asking directly whether the firm is still taking new projects in your area.
Does being named to a fast-growth list mean Living with Lolo is too busy to take new clients?
Not necessarily, but it is a fair question to ask directly. Growth driven by design-build under one ROC-licensed contract usually means a firm can absorb more project volume without losing quality, since one team manages the whole timeline instead of handing it between separate companies. Living with Lolo still limits the number of new full-home projects it takes on each year to protect the level of attention every client gets. Ask about current availability and estimated start dates during your first discovery call.
Why does a design-build firm's growth matter to someone hiring an interior designer in Scottsdale?
Growth on a ranking like the Inc. 5000 is one of the few outside, verifiable signals that a firm is financially stable enough to see a large renovation through from the first sketch to the final walkthrough. A design-only firm's growth is capped by design fees alone, while a design-build firm like Living with Lolo also captures construction revenue, which is a more demanding standard to hit. For a client, that translates into fewer handoffs, one point of accountability, and a lower risk of a project stalling midway because a contractor and designer stopped communicating.
Lauren Lerner, principal interior designer at Living with Lolo

Lauren Lerner

Principal Designer, Living with Lolo

Lauren Lerner is a luxury interior designer based in Scottsdale, AZ and the founder of Living with Lolo. Her work has been featured in Architectural Digest, House Beautiful, Vogue, Martha Stewart Living, The Wall Street Journal, and GQ. She specializes in high-end residential design across Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Arcadia, and the greater Phoenix metro area.



Should You Buy a Fixer-Upper in Scottsdale? What to Know Before You Make an Offer

Should You Buy a Fixer-Upper in Scottsdale? What to Know Before You Make an Offer

by | Aug 17, 2026 | Interior Design Tips, Living Room Ideas, Modern Interior Design Ideas

10 min read August 2026
Before you make an offer on a fixer-upper in Scottsdale, get a real renovation cost estimate first, not a guess, because most buyers underestimate what an older home actually needs. A 20-minute conversation with a licensed designer and general contractor can tell you whether the numbers work before you are under contract, not after.
This matters because a fixer-upper in the right neighborhood can be one of the smartest purchases in Scottsdale, or one of the most expensive mistakes, depending entirely on whether the renovation math was done before or after closing. As a Scottsdale interior designer and licensed general contractor, Lauren Lerner fields this exact question on discovery calls on a regular basis, often from buyers who have not yet made an offer.

What Counts as a Fixer-Upper in Scottsdale and Paradise Valley

In Scottsdale and Paradise Valley, a fixer-upper rarely means a home in disrepair. More often, it means a well-built house from the 2000s or earlier with good bones and a dated finish package: heavy travertine, dark stained cabinetry, an arched niche nobody asks for anymore, and mechanical systems that are due for an update. These homes sit in some of the area's most established neighborhoods, including Silverleaf, DC Ranch, and older sections of Paradise Valley and Arcadia, precisely because the lots and locations were built out decades ago.
Because the location is often the best part of the deal, buyers can end up focused on the address and underestimate what it will take to bring the house itself current. Living with Lolo sees this pattern constantly: a homeowner falls in love with a lot in Silverleaf or a floor plan in Paradise Valley, then discovers mid-negotiation that the kitchen, bathrooms, and systems all need work at the same time.

Why Buyers Underestimate Renovation Costs

Renovation costs are consistently underestimated, and the data backs up what Living with Lolo sees on discovery calls. According to the 2026 Houzz & Home Study, nearly 2 in 5 homeowners, 37 percent, exceeded their planned renovation budget in 2025, while just 35 percent came in on target. (Source: 2026 U.S. Houzz & Home Study, Houzz)
That statistic reflects buyers who already own the home and are budgeting with full information. Someone evaluating a fixer-upper before closing has even less certainty, since a full scope has not been defined yet. This is exactly why a pre-purchase consult with a licensed general contractor in Scottsdale matters more before you buy than after: it replaces a guess with a number grounded in what the house actually needs.

What a Pre-Purchase Renovation Consult Actually Covers

A pre-purchase consult with Living with Lolo typically includes a walkthrough of the home, a conversation about your priorities, and a ballpark range for what the renovation will cost and how long it will take. Because Living with Lolo holds an active Arizona ROC general contractor license (#347577) in addition to interior design credentials, the same team that evaluates the home is the one that would eventually build the project, so the numbers come from real construction experience, not a rough guess.

What Lauren Lerner Looks For on a Walkthrough

On a typical walkthrough, Lauren Lerner looks at the kitchen and bathroom layouts, the condition of major systems, whether any walls are load-bearing, and whether the home's existing footprint supports what the buyer actually wants to do with the space. She also flags anything likely to require a permit, since permit timelines directly affect the overall renovation schedule.

What You Walk Away With

Buyers leave a pre-purchase consult with a realistic cost range, an honest read on timeline, and a clear sense of whether the home is a smart renovation candidate or a project that will cost more than it returns. Because this happens before an offer is finalized, it gives buyers real leverage in negotiations and removes the guesswork that leads to the 37 percent budget overrun figure cited above. If you are currently evaluating a fixer-upper, reach out through the contact page to set up a walkthrough before you submit an offer.

Real Renovation Cost Ranges to Understand Before You Offer

While every fixer-upper is different, having a general sense of scale helps before you make an offer. A luxury kitchen remodel in Scottsdale runs $75,000 to $250,000 or more, depending on layout changes, cabinetry, and finishes. Bathroom, whole-home, and structural work each carry their own ranges, which is exactly why a scope-specific walkthrough matters more than a general rule of thumb.
Because Living with Lolo manages both the design and the construction under one contract, the estimate you receive on a pre-purchase consult reflects real subcontractor pricing and material costs in the Scottsdale market, not a national average that undershoots what a luxury renovation actually requires locally. The full range of design and construction services covers everything from a single room refresh to a full fixer-upper renovation, so the estimate scales to what your specific project actually needs.

What the Data Shows About Renovation and Resale Value

National research helps put a fixer-upper purchase in context. Americans spent an estimated $603 billion on home remodeling projects in 2024, according to the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University, and kitchen upgrades ranked among the highest-satisfaction projects homeowners completed, per the National Association of Realtors and National Association of the Remodeling Industry's 2025 Remodeling Impact Report. (Source: 2025 Remodeling Impact Report, NAR/NARI)
That national data is a useful baseline, but it consistently understates what a Scottsdale luxury renovation actually costs. Custom cabinetry, imported stone, and specialty finishes common in Silverleaf, DC Ranch, and Paradise Valley homes push real project costs well above national medians, which is precisely why a fixer-upper evaluation needs to be scoped locally rather than estimated from a national average.

Should You Over-Improve for the Neighborhood

Not every renovation should be scaled to the same level, and this is one of the most important conversations to have before you buy. A fixer-upper in a neighborhood with a lower value ceiling may not support a full-custom renovation budget at resale, while a home in Silverleaf or DC Ranch can often absorb significantly more investment. Living with Lolo talks through this honestly with every fixer-upper client, before the purchase, not after the renovation is finished.

Why Hire a Design-Build Firm Before You Buy, Not Just Before You Renovate

Most homeowners think to call a designer or contractor after closing, once the renovation is already underway. However, involving a licensed design-build firm before you buy changes the entire equation, since it means the same team that gives you the estimate is the team that will be accountable for hitting it.
As an interior designer Scottsdale AZ buyers rely on before they sign anything, Living with Lolo starts every fixer-upper consult with real numbers instead of a guess, because Lauren Lerner has seen too many buyers get the address right and the renovation number wrong. Living with Lolo has been named Phoenix Magazine Best Interior Design three consecutive years, 2024, 2025, and 2026, in part because of this straightforward, numbers-first approach to a project before a single wall comes down.

What Happens After You Decide to Move Forward

Once you close on a fixer-upper, the process moves into full design and construction. Living with Lolo manages that entire process, from initial design through permitting and final walkthrough, as both your interior designer and your licensed general contractor. Understanding what to expect during a whole-home remodel in advance makes the transition from closing to construction far less stressful.
Clients across Paradise Valley, Silverleaf and DC Ranch, Arcadia, and greater Scottsdale work with Living with Lolo specifically because the same firm that evaluated the fixer-upper before purchase is the one accountable for the finished result. That continuity, from the first walkthrough to the final punch list, is the difference between an educated guess and a real plan. You can see examples of completed fixer-upper transformations in the portfolio.

Ready to Talk Through Your Fixer-Upper?

Lauren Lerner and the Living with Lolo team work with clients across Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Arcadia, and the greater Phoenix metro area. Book a Discovery Call

Frequently Asked Questions About Buying a Fixer-Upper in Scottsdale

Should I get a renovation estimate before buying a fixer-upper in Scottsdale?
Yes, getting a renovation estimate before you make an offer is one of the most valuable steps in buying a fixer-upper in Scottsdale. A 20-minute walkthrough with a licensed designer and general contractor can tell you whether the numbers work before you are under contract, which gives you real negotiating leverage and avoids surprises after closing. Living with Lolo offers this as part of a standard discovery call.
How much do homeowners typically underestimate renovation costs?
According to the 2026 U.S. Houzz and Home Study, 37 percent of homeowners exceeded their planned renovation budget in 2025, while only 35 percent came in on target. Buyers evaluating a fixer-upper before purchase face even more uncertainty, since a full renovation scope has not yet been defined, which is exactly why a pre-purchase consult with a licensed general contractor matters.
What should I ask a designer or contractor before making an offer on an older home?
Ask for a walkthrough that covers kitchen and bathroom condition, the state of major systems, whether any walls are load-bearing, and what will likely require a permit. A licensed design-build firm can give you a realistic cost range and timeline based on construction experience rather than a general estimate.
Does Living with Lolo work with clients before they buy a house?
Yes, Living with Lolo regularly meets with prospective buyers before they finalize an offer on a fixer-upper. Because Living with Lolo holds an active Arizona ROC general contractor license, the same team that evaluates the home during this consult is the team that would manage the eventual renovation.
Is Living with Lolo a licensed general contractor?
Yes. Living with Lolo holds Arizona ROC license #347577, which means Lauren Lerner and her team manage both the design and construction of a renovation under one contract. That single point of accountability is one of the biggest protections a fixer-upper buyer can have.
What areas does Living with Lolo serve?
Living with Lolo serves Scottsdale, including Silverleaf and DC Ranch, along with Paradise Valley, Arcadia, and the greater Phoenix metro area. The firm also takes on select projects in Park City, Utah.
Lauren Lerner, principal interior designer at Living with Lolo

Lauren Lerner

Principal Designer, Living with Lolo

Lauren Lerner is a luxury interior designer based in Scottsdale, AZ and the founder of Living with Lolo. Her work has been featured in Architectural Digest, House Beautiful, Vogue, Martha Stewart Living, The Wall Street Journal, and GQ. She specializes in high-end residential design across Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Arcadia, and the greater Phoenix metro area.

How to De-Tuscanize Your Scottsdale Home: Real Before and After Transformations

How to De-Tuscanize Your Scottsdale Home: Real Before and After Transformations

by | Aug 17, 2026 | Modern Interior Design Ideas, Paradise Valley Interior Design, Scottsdale Interior Design Projects

How to De-Tuscanize Your Scottsdale Home: Real Before and After Transformations

by Lauren Lerner
August 17, 2026
10 min read
To de-Tuscanize a Scottsdale or Paradise Valley home means stripping out the dark wood cabinetry, wrought iron accents, and heavy stone finishes of the early-2000s Tuscan building boom and replacing them with lighter stone, simplified millwork, and a warmer, more current palette, all while keeping the architecture's bones intact.
The right approach depends on how much of the original structure you want to preserve, whether you are renovating room by room or all at once, and how quickly you want to see results.
This guide walks through what de-Tuscanizing actually involves, the five design moves that make the biggest difference, and three real before-and-after transformations Living with Lolo has completed on Tuscan-era homes in Scottsdale. Each project includes real scope and real cost ranges, not stock inspiration images.

What Does It Mean to De-Tuscanize a Home?

"De-Tuscanizing" describes the process of updating a home built in the heavy, ornate Tuscan or Mediterranean Revival style that dominated new construction in Arizona through most of the 2000s. That style leaned on dark stained wood cabinetry, wrought iron light fixtures, travertine or saltillo tile, arched doorways, and warm gold-and-burgundy color palettes. It was the look luxury buyers wanted at the time, and in the right hands it still has real architectural value. Two decades later, those same finishes read as dated rather than timeless.
Living with Lolo, an interior designer Scottsdale AZ homeowners turn to for exactly this kind of project, sees this request constantly across Scottsdale and Paradise Valley. Clients love their home's bones, the layout, the views, the lot, but the finishes no longer match how they actually want to live. De-Tuscanizing is not about erasing the architecture. It is about editing it.

Why So Many Scottsdale and Paradise Valley Homes Started Out Tuscan

Most of the homes Living with Lolo de-Tuscanizes today were built between 2000 and 2008, when Tuscan and Mediterranean Revival architecture dominated new luxury construction in Arizona. Builders in Silverleaf, DC Ranch, Paradise Valley, and across North Scottsdale leaned into the style because it photographed well, sold well, and suited the desert light. Terracotta roof tiles, hand-troweled stucco, wrought iron, and travertine were the finishes buyers wanted at the time.
Nearly two decades later, those same homes are some of the most valuable real estate in the Valley, and also some of the most dated. The architecture, the arches, the volume, the courtyards, the mountain views, still holds up. The finishes inside frequently do not. That gap is exactly why de-Tuscanizing has become one of the most requested renovation projects Living with Lolo's general contracting team sees in Scottsdale right now.
Homeowners in these neighborhoods are rarely renovating because something is broken. They are renovating because a home that once felt current now reads as a time capsule, and living with that mismatch every day is its own kind of cost.

The Five Moves That Actually De-Tuscanize a Home

De-Tuscanizing a home comes down to five repeatable moves. You do not need to do all five at once, but doing them out of order usually produces a room that looks half-finished. Skipping straight to paint and furniture without touching stone, millwork, or lighting is the most common mistake homeowners make when they try to update a Tuscan-era home on their own.

Lighter Stone and Countertops

Heavy granite and dark travertine are the single most dating material in a Tuscan-era home. Replacing them with lighter quartzite, honed marble, or a warm porcelain that mimics natural stone does more to modernize a kitchen or bathroom than almost any other single change. This is usually the first move Living with Lolo makes on a Scottsdale kitchen remodel with Tuscan origins.

Simplified Millwork and Arches

Ornate raised-panel cabinetry, heavy crown molding, and rounded archways are hallmark Tuscan details. Squaring off an archway, replacing raised-panel doors with a cleaner slab or shaker profile, and removing oversized crown molding immediately reads as current. This does not require moving walls. It requires editing the details attached to them.

Updated Flooring

Saltillo tile, heavily patterned travertine, and dark wood-look tile are common in Tuscan-era Scottsdale homes. Wide-plank engineered oak, honed large-format stone, or a quieter neutral tile replaces the visual noise with something that reads calm and current. It is one of the changes clients notice fastest when they walk back into a finished space.

New Hardware and Fixtures

Scrolled wrought iron hardware, oil-rubbed bronze fixtures, and ornate cabinet pulls are inexpensive to replace and disproportionately impactful. Swapping these out for clean-lined brass, matte black, or brushed nickel hardware is one of the highest-return, lowest-cost moves in any de-Tuscanizing project.

Layered Modern Lighting

A single ornate chandelier and can lights on one switch are a Tuscan-era default. Layered lighting, ambient, task, and accent, on separate dimmable circuits changes how a room feels day to night. It is one of the most requested upgrades Living with Lolo's design team builds into these projects.

Real Transformation: Hidden Hills, Scottsdale

The Hidden Hills project started as a dated Mediterranean home in Scottsdale with dark stained cabinetry, an arched tile backsplash niche, and travertine flooring throughout the kitchen and living areas. Living with Lolo's scope covered the kitchen, dining room, foyer, living room, and two bathrooms.

BeforeBefore de-Tuscanize Scottsdale home kitchen remodel, Hidden Hills project, Living with Lolo.

BeforeBefore de-Tuscanize Scottsdale home living room remodel, Hidden Hills project, Living with Lolo.

AfterAfter de-Tuscanize Scottsdale home living room remodel, Hidden Hills project, Living with Lolo.

The team replaced the heavy dark cabinetry with light oak, softened the arched detailing, and introduced tonal textures and fluted accents throughout. The result is a serene, soft-modern space that keeps the home's original volume and natural light while removing every trace of the Tuscan-era palette. It is one of the clearest before-and-after examples of what de-Tuscanizing looks like in a real, lived-in Scottsdale home.

Real Transformation: Wabi Sabi Abode, North Scottsdale

The Wabi Sabi Abode began as a 2000s builder-grade Mediterranean home in a gated North Scottsdale neighborhood, with heavy Mediterranean detailing throughout the kitchen, living room, and primary bath. Lauren Lerner and designer Sara Morgan led a full remodel that stripped back the bulky cabinetry and dark finishes and replaced them with warm wood tones, a custom plaster hood, integrated shelving, and matte porcelain countertops that mimic natural stone.

BeforeBefore de-Tuscanize Scottsdale home remodel, Wabi Sabi Abode project, Living with Lolo.

AfterAfter de-Tuscanize Scottsdale home kitchen remodel, Wabi Sabi Abode project, Living with Lolo.

The project also introduced natural mineral limewash walls and handmade zellige tile, textures that read as intentional and organic rather than simply modern for modern's sake. At 3,500 square feet, the design phase took six weeks and construction took four months, a timeline consistent with what Living with Lolo typically quotes for a full home de-Tuscanizing remodel of this scope.

Real Transformation: Lolo Prestige Property, Scottsdale

The Lolo Prestige Property started as a Spanish and Tuscan-influenced Scottsdale home with saltillo tile flooring, knotty alder doors and cabinetry, arched openings, and glass block detailing, finishes that place it squarely in the same 2000s builder-grade category as the other two projects in this guide. Living with Lolo's scope covered fourteen spaces across the home, from the kitchen and primary suite to a full upstairs loft bar and pool table room.

BeforeBefore de-Tuscanize Scottsdale home kitchen remodel, Lolo Prestige Property, Living with Lolo.

BeforeBefore de-Tuscanize Scottsdale home bathroom remodel, Lolo Prestige Property, Living with Lolo.

AfterAfter de-Tuscanize Scottsdale home kitchen remodel, Lolo Prestige Property, Living with Lolo.

The design direction shifted the home toward a Sophisticated Contemporary style with a masculine edge, deep wood tones, luxe stone accents, and a restrained palette that reads confident rather than ornate. It is the largest of the three projects in this guide and shows what de-Tuscanizing looks like at full-home scale rather than room by room.
Across all three projects, the same pattern holds. The architecture, the volume, the arches, the courtyards, was never the problem. The finishes were. Once those finishes are replaced with the right materials and the right hand, a Scottsdale home built in 2005 can look and feel like it was designed this year.

What the Data Shows About Renovating a Dated Home

Americans spent an estimated $603 billion on home remodeling projects in 2024, and kitchen upgrades remain one of the highest-demand and highest-satisfaction projects homeowners undertake, according to the National Association of Realtors and National Association of the Remodeling Industry's 2025 Remodeling Impact Report. (Source: NAR, 2025) Kitchen upgrades specifically saw a 48% increase in demand among remodeling professionals over the past two years, the highest of any project category tracked in the report.
That tracks with what Living with Lolo sees on the ground in Scottsdale. Nearly every de-Tuscanizing project starts in the kitchen, because that is where the dark cabinetry, heavy stone, and dated hardware are most concentrated and most used daily.
Nationally, the median renovation spend held at $20,000 in 2025, but the top 10% of renovation budgets rose to $150,000, up 7% from $140,000 the year before, according to the 2026 U.S. Houzz & Home Study. (Source: Houzz, 2026) That same study found that traditional style and wood-tone cabinetry are gaining ground over the stark white, ultra-modern kitchens that were popular a few years ago, a shift that supports the way Living with Lolo approaches de-Tuscanizing: the goal is warmth and craftsmanship without the dated Tuscan-specific details, not a cold, generic modern reset.
National medians almost always understate what a luxury Scottsdale renovation actually costs, and that gap is itself useful information. A homeowner budgeting off a national $20,000 median for a de-Tuscanizing project in Silverleaf or Paradise Valley will be underprepared by a significant margin.

How Much Does It Cost to De-Tuscanize a Home in Scottsdale?

A kitchen and primary living area de-Tuscanizing project in Scottsdale typically costs $75,000 to $250,000 or more, depending on the extent of structural changes, cabinetry, and stone selections. A full home de-Tuscanizing remodel, covering the kitchen, living areas, primary suite, and secondary bathrooms, typically runs $400,000 to $800,000 or more, in line with the scope of the Wabi Sabi Abode and Lolo Prestige Property projects described above.
$75,000 to $150,000: Kitchen-Focused Refresh. New countertops, refinished or replaced cabinetry, updated hardware and lighting, and flooring in the kitchen and adjacent living space. This is the fastest way to remove the most dated Tuscan-era finishes without touching the rest of the home.
$150,000 to $400,000: Multi-Room Remodel. Kitchen, primary bathroom, and one or two additional living spaces, with some structural or layout changes such as opening an archway or relocating a fireplace.
$400,000 to $800,000+: Full Home Remodel. Every room touched, full furnishings, and often structural changes to ceilings, walls, or outdoor living spaces, the scope of the Wabi Sabi Abode and Lolo Prestige Property transformations.
Living with Lolo manages design, construction, and furnishings under one Arizona ROC-licensed general contracting team (ROC #347577), which keeps a de-Tuscanizing project on one timeline and one point of accountability instead of splitting the work between a separate designer and contractor.
Lauren Lerner, founder of Living with Lolo, led the design work on all three transformations in this guide personally, alongside her team across Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, and Arcadia. Living with Lolo has been named Phoenix Magazine Best Interior Design three consecutive years, 2024, 2025, and 2026, and Lauren Lerner's work has appeared in Architectural Digest, The Wall Street Journal, and Luxe Interiors + Design.

Ready to Talk Through De-Tuscanizing Your Home?

Lauren Lerner and the Living with Lolo team work with clients across Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Arcadia, and the greater Phoenix metro area.
Book a Discovery Call

Frequently Asked Questions About De-Tuscanizing a Home in Scottsdale

What does it mean to de-Tuscanize a house?
De-Tuscanizing a house means removing the dark wood cabinetry, wrought iron accents, heavy travertine, and ornate arches typical of 2000s Mediterranean and Tuscan-style homes and replacing them with lighter stone, simplified millwork, and a warmer neutral palette. Living with Lolo has completed this exact transformation on multiple Scottsdale and Paradise Valley homes, keeping the architecture's bones while updating every surface.
Why are so many homes in Scottsdale and Paradise Valley built in the Tuscan style?
Most Tuscan-style homes in Scottsdale and Paradise Valley were built between 2000 and 2008, when builders across Arizona leaned heavily into Mediterranean and Tuscan Revival architecture. Nearly two decades later, those same homes read as dated rather than timeless, which is why de-Tuscanizing has become one of the most requested renovation projects Living with Lolo sees in Scottsdale today.
How much does it cost to de-Tuscanize a home in Scottsdale?
Updating a dated Tuscan home in Scottsdale typically costs $75,000 to $250,000 for a kitchen and primary living area refresh, and $400,000 to $800,000 or more for a full home remodel, depending on scope. Living with Lolo manages design, construction, and furnishings under one Arizona ROC-licensed contract (#347577), which keeps a project like this on one timeline instead of two.
Do I have to gut the whole house to de-Tuscanize it?
No, a full gut renovation is not required to de-Tuscanize a home. Many of the most effective changes, lighter countertops, updated cabinet hardware, refinished or replaced flooring, and simplified millwork, can be done room by room. Living with Lolo typically recommends starting with the kitchen and primary living areas, since those spaces carry the most Tuscan-era detailing and the most daily use.
How long does it take to de-Tuscanize a home?
A single-room de-Tuscanizing update, such as a kitchen, typically takes 4 to 6 months from design through construction. A full home remodel, like the Wabi Sabi Abode project in North Scottsdale, generally takes about 4 months of construction after a multi-week design phase. Living with Lolo manages both design and construction in-house, which keeps these timelines predictable.
Is Living with Lolo licensed to handle both the design and construction?
Yes, Living with Lolo is a licensed Arizona General Contractor, ROC #347577, in addition to being a full-service interior design firm. Lauren Lerner and her team manage design, construction, and furnishings under one contract for Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, and Arcadia projects, which is why homeowners de-Tuscanizing a home often choose Living with Lolo over hiring a designer and a separate contractor.
Lauren Lerner, principal interior designer at Living with Lolo

Lauren Lerner

Principal Designer, Living with Lolo

Lauren Lerner is a luxury interior designer based in Scottsdale, AZ and the founder of Living with Lolo. Her work has been featured in Architectural Digest, House Beautiful, Vogue, Martha Stewart Living, The Wall Street Journal, and GQ. She specializes in high-end residential design across Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Arcadia, and the greater Phoenix metro area.

Two High-End Kitchen Design Rules from Lauren Lerner, As Featured in House Digest

Two High-End Kitchen Design Rules from Lauren Lerner, As Featured in House Digest

by | Aug 15, 2026 | Interior Design Tips, Press & Awards, Residential Interior Design

10 min readAugust 2026
A high-end kitchen design in Scottsdale comes down to two decisions more than any other: pick one material and let it repeat through the space, or decide on purpose whether the range hood disappears or becomes the room's focal point. Lauren Lerner, founder and principal designer of Living with Lolo, shared both principles in a recent House Digest feature on the elements that make a kitchen look high-end. The tips matter because they solve a specific problem, since plenty of Scottsdale kitchens have expensive materials that still look disconnected because nobody made a decision about how those materials talk to each other.
Below is how Lauren applies both rules on real Scottsdale kitchen projects, plus what the wider design research says about why they work. If you are planning a Scottsdale kitchen remodel of your own, these two decisions are worth making early, before a single cabinet or countertop is ordered.

What the Research Shows About High-End Kitchen Design

Living with Lolo's approach to these two rules lines up with what the broader design industry is tracking in 2026:
  • The 2026 U.S. Houzz Kitchen Trends Study found that full-height, slab-style backsplashes are becoming one of the most requested features in kitchen renovations, with homeowners increasingly treating the counter and backsplash as one continuous surface instead of two separate materials.
  • The same Houzz 2026 report points to quartzite and marble with soft, organic veining as the leading stone choices for this continuous look, replacing the mixed-material kitchens that were common a few years ago.
  • Houzz's 2026 appliance trend data shows range hoods remain one of the most common large kitchen appliances, installed in 60 percent of kitchen renovations, and names the "Invisible Kitchen," hoods concealed into cabinetry or a downdraft system, as the defining move of this year's Quiet Luxury trend.
  • The National Association of Realtors and NARI's Remodeling Impact Report gives kitchen upgrades a perfect Joy Score of 10 out of 10, with 64 percent of homeowners reporting a greater desire to be home after a kitchen remodel.
  • The National Association of Home Builders is forecasting continued growth in the remodeling market through 2026, which tracks with what Living with Lolo sees directly in Scottsdale: kitchens remain the single most requested room in a whole-home renovation.

Rule One: Let One Material Carry the Room

Lerner's first rule sounds simple, and that simplicity is exactly why designers keep coming back to it. "When we choose one material and let it carry the room, whether that is a honed limestone on the counters, backsplash, and even a windowsill, the repetition creates a sense of calm that feels inherently high-end," Lerner told House Digest. The opposite approach, mixing three or four different stones and finishes because each one looked good on its own in a showroom, is the fastest way to make an expensive Scottsdale kitchen feel unplanned.
This shows up constantly in Scottsdale kitchen remodel consultations. A client will have a beautiful quartzite slab picked out for the island, a separate tile for the backsplash, and a third stone for a bar or wet area, and each choice is defensible on its own. The problem only shows up once everything is installed in the same room and starts competing for attention. Committing to one material and carrying it from the counters up the wall, and sometimes across a windowsill or a shelf, removes that competition entirely. It also tends to cost less in most cases, since ordering more of one slab is typically more efficient than ordering three separate smaller quantities.
This is not a rule that only applies to stone. The same logic works with a single wood tone carried across cabinetry and open shelving, or one plaster finish carried from a range hood to an adjacent wall in a high-end home remodel in Scottsdale. The material itself matters less than the discipline of choosing one and sticking with it.

Rule Two: Decide On Purpose Whether Ventilation Disappears or Becomes the Feature

The second rule is about range hoods, and it is where Lerner's House Digest quote gets specific. "When ventilation disappears entirely into the ceiling or a structural element, it creates an almost surreal cleanliness in the kitchen," she said. Concealed ventilation, tucked into a ceiling soffit or built into cabinetry, signals that real planning went into the mechanicals long before the pretty finishes were chosen. Most homeowners will never consciously notice the detail, and that is precisely what makes it read as high-end. Nothing interrupts the sightline across the room.
That said, Lerner is clear that concealment is not the only correct answer for a Scottsdale kitchen. A sculptural stone or plaster hood, treated as an intentional focal point the way a fireplace anchors a living room, can do just as much work in the right space. The decision comes down to what else is competing for attention. A kitchen with a dramatic island or a wall of windows benefits from a quiet, hidden hood. A kitchen built around simpler cabinetry can support a hood as the visual anchor instead. What does not work is an accidental range hood, a stock stainless steel box installed because nobody made a decision either way.
For a high-end home remodel in Scottsdale, this is one of the earliest decisions Living with Lolo makes with a client, well before cabinet finishes or countertop selections, because it changes the ceiling framing and the electrical plan. Waiting until the kitchen is framed to decide whether the hood hides or shows is how homeowners end up with neither option done well.

How This Plays Out in Scottsdale and Paradise Valley Kitchens

Scottsdale kitchens have a specific set of constraints that make both rules especially useful. Desert light is strong and directional most of the day, which means material choices read differently at 10 a.m. than they do at sunset. A single stone carried through counters, backsplash, and windowsill holds up better under that shifting light than a mixed-material kitchen does, because there is only one surface reacting to the light instead of three fighting each other.
Homeowners in Silverleaf and DC Ranch and in Paradise Valley are often working within existing architectural constraints, older Scottsdale homes with lower ceilings or existing soffits, where the concealed-hood decision has to be made with the structure that already exists rather than a blank slate. That is one more reason both decisions belong early in the process, not after demolition.
My own opinion, after two decades of Scottsdale remodels, is that most homeowners default to the mixed-material kitchen because it feels safer, like hedging a bet across several trends at once. It is the wrong instinct. A kitchen with one confident material decision reads as more expensive and more intentional than a kitchen with four defensible ones, even when the second kitchen costs more to build. If you only take one idea from this list, take that one.
You can see both rules applied together in several projects in our portfolio of Scottsdale kitchens, including remodels where we carried a single stone from counter to backsplash and concealed the ventilation into a plaster soffit above.

Why Design and Construction Under One Roof Matters for These Decisions

As a licensed general contractor in Scottsdale (ROC #347577) as well as a design firm, Living with Lolo manages both of these decisions under one roof, which matters more than people expect. The range hood decision affects framing and venting long before it affects how the kitchen looks, and a design-only firm that is not also managing construction can lose that coordination between the design intent and the site work.
This is the same reason Living with Lolo pairs an interior design credential with an active Arizona contractor license: the designer who specifies a single continuous stone or a concealed hood is also the one managing the trades who have to build it correctly. That structure is part of what earned Living with Lolo, a luxury interior designer Scottsdale clients have trusted for years, Phoenix Magazine's Best Interior Design Firm award three years running, in 2024, 2025, and 2026.

What This Means If You Are Planning a Kitchen Remodel in Scottsdale Now

If you are early in planning a Scottsdale kitchen remodel, both rules translate into two concrete steps you can take before you meet with a designer or contractor. First, pull the materials you are considering, whether that is a countertop slab, a tile sample, or a paint chip, and lay them next to each other in the actual room, in the actual light, at different times of day. Materials that look coordinated on a showroom counter under fluorescent light can clash badly once they are installed under Scottsdale's harsh midday sun or a warm evening glow. If more than two materials are competing in the same sightline, that is worth resolving before you order anything.
Second, make the range hood decision before you finalize your cabinet layout, not after. Whether you want a concealed hood or a sculptural one determines the ceiling framing, the electrical rough-in, and often the cabinet height near the cooking wall. Homeowners who leave this decision for later in the process, once tile and countertops are already selected, frequently end up retrofitting a solution that costs more and looks less intentional than if it had been planned from day one.
Both of these steps are easier with a single team managing design and construction, since the same people making the material and ventilation decisions are also the ones responsible for building them correctly. That coordination is part of why Living with Lolo structures every Scottsdale kitchen remodel around finalizing these decisions early, well before demolition, rather than working them out room by room as construction progresses.

Frequently Asked Questions About High-End Kitchen Design in Scottsdale

What makes a kitchen look expensive without necessarily costing more?
Choosing one material and carrying it through the counters, backsplash, and any adjacent surfaces almost always reads as more high-end than mixing several materials, even at a similar total cost. The repetition creates visual calm, while multiple competing finishes can make an expensive kitchen look disorganized instead of designed.
Should I hide my range hood or make it a feature in my Scottsdale kitchen?
It depends on what else is happening in the kitchen. If you have a dramatic island, a wall of windows, or another strong focal point, a concealed hood keeps the room calm and lets that other element lead. If your cabinetry and layout are simpler, a sculptural stone or plaster hood can serve as the room's anchor, similar to how a fireplace anchors a living room.
What is the best material to use if I only pick one for my whole kitchen?
Honed limestone, quartzite, and marble with soft veining are all working well right now for this approach, according to both Lauren Lerner's own projects and the 2026 Houzz Kitchen Trends Study. The specific stone matters less than the commitment to using it consistently across counters, backsplash, and any connected surfaces like a windowsill.
Is Living with Lolo a licensed general contractor in Scottsdale?
Yes. Living with Lolo holds an active Arizona Registrar of Contractors general contractor license, ROC #347577, alongside its interior design practice. That means the same team that specifies a material or ventilation decision is also the team managing the trades who build it, without handing the project to a separate contractor.
What areas does Living with Lolo serve for kitchen remodels?
Living with Lolo serves clients in Silverleaf and DC Ranch, Paradise Valley, Arcadia, Old Town Scottsdale, and throughout the greater Phoenix metro area. Most kitchen remodel projects are concentrated in Scottsdale and Paradise Valley.
Who is Lauren Lerner and why did House Digest ask her about kitchen design?
Lauren Lerner is the founder and principal designer of Living with Lolo, a licensed general contractor (ROC #347577) and interior design firm based in Scottsdale, Arizona. Living with Lolo has been named Phoenix Magazine's Best Interior Design Firm three years running, in 2024, 2025, and 2026, and Lerner is regularly interviewed by national design and lifestyle publications for her perspective on high-end residential design.

Ready to Talk Through Your Scottsdale Kitchen?

Lauren Lerner and the Living with Lolo team work with clients across Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Arcadia, and the greater Phoenix metro area.Book a Discovery Call
Lauren Lerner, principal interior designer at Living with Lolo

Lauren Lerner

Principal Designer, Living with Lolo

Lauren Lerner is a luxury interior designer based in Scottsdale, AZ and the founder of Living with Lolo. Her work has been featured in Architectural Digest, House Beautiful, Vogue, Martha Stewart Living, The Wall Street Journal, and GQ. She specializes in high-end residential design across Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Arcadia, and the greater Phoenix metro area.


2026 Luxury Home Design Trends in Scottsdale

2026 Luxury Home Design Trends in Scottsdale

by | Aug 7, 2026 | Uncategorized

The 2026 luxury design trends showing up in Scottsdale homes come down to a few clear moves: warm, moody tones like cocoa and burnished amber replacing years of cool gray, natural stone and sculptural lighting used as real focal points, soft curved forms that take the edge off hard desert architecture, and defined zones quietly replacing the wide-open plan. If you are renovating this year, those are the four shifts worth building in. Not every trend deserves your money, and part of my job is telling clients which ones will still look right in 2036. Here is where I land on 2026, and how these ideas actually play in the Arizona desert.

I am Lauren Lerner, founder of Living with Lolo. We design and build luxury homes across Scottsdale as a licensed Arizona general contractor, ROC #347577, so I look at trends through two lenses at once: does it look beautiful, and can we build it to last in a climate that punishes shortcuts. That combination changes which trends I recommend and which I gently talk people out of.

What the research shows about 2026 design

The trend reports and the spending data point the same direction this year.

  • Homes and Gardens named “found luxury,” edible brown tones, statement stone, curved forms, and sculptural lighting among its defining 2026 trends, a clear turn away from cool, beige perfectionism toward warmth and personality.
  • The 2026 U.S. Houzz and Home Study found that about 35 percent of renovating homeowners consciously chose higher-end materials, which is exactly the impulse behind statement stone and natural finishes.
  • The same Houzz study reported half of homeowners planned to renovate in 2026, so these are not magazine fantasies. People are spending on them.
  • Houzz trend research also points to “soft kitchens,” rustic and warm materials, antique brass, and wood cabinetry as a leading 2026 kitchen direction, which fits the broader move toward warmth.

Warm, moody color is finally replacing gray

The biggest shift is the easiest to see. After a long run of cool grays and safe greige, 2026 belongs to deep, warm color. Homes and Gardens calls it edible brown tones: cocoa, caramel, deep ochre, chocolate, rust, and burnished amber. In a Scottsdale home, these colors are not a risk. They are a homecoming. Our light is warm and golden most of the year, and these tones read richer here than they ever would under gray Northeastern skies.

My recommendation is to go deep in the rooms where you want intimacy, like a study, a powder room, or a primary bath, and let the main living spaces carry the warmth more quietly. A whole house painted chocolate is a trend. A study drenched in it is a design decision you will still love in a decade.

Natural stone as the focal point, not the backdrop

Statement stone is the trend I am most excited to build in 2026. Dramatically veined marble and colorful stones, used on a kitchen island, a fireplace surround, or a full primary bath wall, do more for a luxury room than almost any other single element. It is also where the design-build model matters, because a bookmatched slab wall is a fabrication and installation problem as much as a design choice. We plan the slab layout, the seams, and the structural support together, which is the kind of detail that separates a finished install from a beautiful idea that never quite worked out.

Pair the stone with sculptural lighting, another strong 2026 direction, and you have a focal point that photographs well and lives even better. Alabaster and cast-glass fixtures that read as art are worth the splurge in a room where you want one true statement. You can see how we handle these moments in our portfolio.

Curves are softening hard desert architecture

Scottsdale’s contemporary homes lean on straight lines, sharp corners, and a lot of stucco geometry. That is why the 2026 move toward curves and waves lands so well here. A curved sofa, an arched doorway, a rounded island, or softened millwork edges take the hard edge off desert-modern architecture without fighting it. The effect is warmer and more human, and it keeps a minimalist room from feeling like a showroom.

A word of caution from experience. Curves are expensive to build well. Custom radius cabinetry and arched openings cost meaningfully more than their straight-line versions, so I steer clients toward one or two deliberate curved moments rather than curving everything. Done sparingly, it looks intentional. Done everywhere, it looks like a budget that got away from someone.

Defined zones are replacing the fully open plan

The open-concept floor plan is not dead, but 2026 is refining it. Designers are calling the update “broken plan,” which means reintroducing defined zones, conversation corners, and partial partitions without going back to a house full of closed doors. Homeowners spent the last decade knocking down every wall and then discovered the house had no acoustic privacy and nowhere quiet to take a call.

We have been building this for a while, and it is one of the more practical trends on this list. If you want the full argument, our post on hybrid layouts replacing open concept in Scottsdale covers how we zone a home so each space has a clear job. The trend is really just good space planning catching up to how families actually live.

The desert-specific trends worth your money

A few 2026 ideas earn their keep specifically because of where we live. Warm natural materials like limewash, clay plaster, and wood paneling, used in “at-home retreat” spaces, feel right in the desert and hold up better than trendier finishes. Indoor-outdoor living keeps growing, and it dovetails with the shift we wrote about in front yard living in Scottsdale. And soft, warm kitchens with wood cabinetry and antique brass suit our light beautifully, which is worth weighing before your next Scottsdale kitchen remodel.

My honest take: chase the trends that match the climate and the architecture, and skip the ones that only look right in a coastal magazine. Warmth, stone, curves, and zoning all fit Scottsdale. Some of this year’s cooler, fussier looks do not, and I will tell you so before you spend on them. If you have worked with a luxury interior designer Scottsdale homeowners trust, you already expect that kind of straight answer.

How we build 2026 trends to last

The difference between a trend that dates your home and one that ages into it is usually execution, not the idea. That is where holding the construction license changes things. Living with Lolo designs and builds under one contract, ROC #347577, so when a client wants a bookmatched stone wall or a curved island, the same firm that drew it is responsible for building it correctly. You can see how we run that process from concept to install on our design and build process page, and start a conversation through our contact page.

Ready to Talk Through Your Scottsdale Project?

Lauren Lerner and the Living with Lolo team work with clients across Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Arcadia, and the greater Phoenix metro area.

Book a Discovery Call

Frequently asked questions

What are the biggest luxury interior design trends for 2026 in Scottsdale?
The defining 2026 luxury trends in Scottsdale are warm, moody color like cocoa and burnished amber replacing cool gray, natural statement stone as a focal point, sculptural lighting used as art, curved and softened forms, and defined zones replacing the fully open plan. These fit the desert climate and the region’s contemporary architecture especially well. Living with Lolo builds all of them into Scottsdale renovations.
Is gray still in style for 2026?
Gray is fading as the default in 2026, giving way to warm, deep tones like chocolate, caramel, ochre, and rust. That shift is well documented in the Homes and Gardens 2026 trend forecast. In Scottsdale specifically, warm colors read richer because our natural light is golden most of the year. A little gray as a supporting neutral is fine, but it is no longer the star.
What kitchen design trends are popular in 2026?
Soft, warm kitchens lead 2026: wood cabinetry, antique brass hardware, warm lighting, and rustic natural materials in place of the all-white, high-gloss look. Statement stone on islands and backsplashes is also strong. Houzz trend research points the same direction. In Scottsdale, warm kitchen palettes suit the light beautifully, which is worth planning before a remodel rather than after.
Are open floor plans still popular in 2026?
Open plans are being refined rather than abandoned in 2026. The trend, sometimes called broken plan, reintroduces defined zones, conversation corners, and partial partitions so a home keeps its flow but gains acoustic privacy and purpose. Living with Lolo has designed Scottsdale homes this way for years, because it matches how families actually use their space day to day.
Which 2026 trends are worth the investment in a luxury home?
Statement stone, natural warm materials, and thoughtful zoning are the 2026 trends most worth the investment, because they age well and suit the desert. Highly stylized or ultra-trendy finishes are riskier, since they can date a home within a few years. My recommendation is to spend on materials and layout that will still look right in a decade, and treat purely decorative trends as small, low-cost accents.
Who designs luxury homes with 2026 trends in Scottsdale?
Living with Lolo designs and builds luxury Scottsdale homes around current design direction while keeping them timeless. Founder Lauren Lerner leads the design, and because the firm holds Arizona general contractor license ROC #347577, design and construction happen under one contract. That is part of why Living with Lolo was named Phoenix Magazine’s Best Interior Design Firm in 2024, 2025, and 2026.

Lauren Lerner, principal interior designer at Living with Lolo

Lauren Lerner

Principal Designer, Living with Lolo

Lauren Lerner is a luxury interior designer based in Scottsdale, AZ and the founder of Living with Lolo. Her work has been featured in Architectural Digest, House Beautiful, Vogue, Martha Stewart Living, The Wall Street Journal, and GQ. She specializes in high-end residential design across Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Arcadia, and the greater Phoenix metro area.