For Derek and Venea Meyer, building a new house was never part of the plan.

The young couple, who was looking to move back home to Arizona after a 10-year stint in Manhattan Beach, had been searching and searching to buy a turnkey home, but quickly realized any property they vaguely liked would require massive renovations. However, a random marketing email from Zillow about a plot of land changed everything: “They had an aerial view of the lot, and you could see the sunrise, the mountains,” says Venea. “So I had this crazy idea: What if we build?”

Nestled at the heart of Ahwatukee Foothills, a small community on the southernmost part of Phoenix, Arizona, they started constructing a 3,000-square-foot home with sustainability at its core. If they had to build, they decided they were going to do it with as much care as possible. “Our builder, Andrew Tuttle at Beckett Construction, was instrumental in bringing forward those sustainable features, as well as the building science and high performance of a home,” says Derek.

The couple opted for wool interior insulation and ZIP System R-sheathing for exterior insulation, which are more sustainable and reduce the amount of lumber and chemicals used to keep the home protected from the Arizona heat. Other simple external shifts involved the use of drought-resistant plants in the landscaping to save water, as well as a built-in, self-cleaning system in the pool that uses jets of water to push dirt and contaminants toward a vacuum that sucks the debris up.

“For us, sustainability means maximizing comfort and longevity of a home, while minimizing the impact and use of earth resources and footprint,” says Derek of their three-year build process.

That eco-conscious mindset continues throughout the five-bedroom, four-bathroom home, which the Meyers designed with the help of Joel Contreras and Amy Williams at Joel Contreras Design. In addition to features like a heat pump water heater and energy recovery ventilator (ERV), using sustainable and organic materials was paramount to that ethos, especially in the bedroom, and the natural colors within bring about a subdued, calm feel.

For the mattresses in all the bedrooms, the couple decided on certified organic Avocado Green Mattresses due to their environmentally conscious and sustainable business practices, as well as how luxe and relaxing they are to touch. “Avocado ties into our house beautifully from a sustainability perspective, and they’re really paving the way for other mattress companies,” says Venea. “Their entire mattress is certified organic by the Global Organic Textile Standard, which I loved as well, and it honestly feels like you’re sleeping on a cloud.”

“Green” living from the ground-up was especially important for the couple as they share the home with their two young children, five-year old Abigail and two-year-old Mason, as well as Lady, their dog. “I think it’s so important to have those conversations with your kids and provide them the information so as they get older, they can make their own decisions around the products and goods that they decide to use,” says Derek. In addition, Venea often takes the kids to their outdoor garden, where she teaches them the importance of planting and composting.

In addition to sustainability, the Meyers knew that indoor/outdoor living would be the other cornerstone of their design—especially coming from California.

An expansive rooftop deck at the foot of the primary further encompasses this, with a hammock put in for good measure. “I like that we didn’t really put stairs to it from outside, so we only access it from our primary bedroom,” says Venea. “It feels like a sacred space.”

Learn more at avocadogreenmattress.com.

Project Credits:

Design: Joel Contreras and Amy Williams, Joel Contreras Design

Architect: Brock O’Neill, The Design Office

Construction: Beckett Construction

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