Just
What the Doctor Ordered
by Suzanne Pickett Martinson
Photography by Princely Nesadurai
When Dr. Ravi and Deepika Bhalla decided to move from north
Phoenix to Arrowhead Lakes, there were several conditions:
The new location needed to be easily accessible to Ravi’s
thriving medical practice in Sun City and Sun City West and
close enough to schools for their children. Also, the couple
desired an area that offered views of the surrounding environment.
And most importantly, their new neighborhood needed to appeal
to their best friends, Dr. Kumar and Manisha Daulat.
“It’s true,” laughs Deepika of the families’
close friendship, “We moved from Illinois together and
were neighbors in north Phoenix. Now we both purchased land
here and are building home together—across the street!”
Best friend Manisha Daulat agrees that the Arrowhead Lakes
location is ideal and that the close proximity to water especially
appeals to her husband. “We consider ourselves lucky
to have found such a beautiful area with four lots next to
each other,” says Doulat, whose home is scheduled to
be completed in spring 2005. “We can’t wait to
move in!”
Creating the Dream
The Bhallas, who moved into their home in July 2002, thoroughly
enjoyed the building process of their 7,000-square-foot dream
home. Although they had a good idea of what they did and did
not want, they credit architect/builder Rob Trop of Trop Design
& Development with making the project a pleasant experience.
“Rob is truly wonderful to work with. He is clear with
his ideas and strives for the best,” says Deepika. “We
are also grateful for Rob’s project superintendent,
Jim Samuels, who was here everyday.”
Likewise, Trop, who is also one of the artisan builders at
the new DMB Verrado community, enjoyed working with the Bhallas.
“Deepika and Ravi are great,” say Trop. “They
wanted a contemporary home with views of the lake, so I wrapped
the house around the two lots in a way that you can see the
water from almost every angle.
Trop also made sure that there were enough windows to let
in the sunlight and frame views of the lake and mountains
just outside. Both the living room and great room have expansive
windows and doors that provide the perfect backdrop for the
Bhallas’ colorful contemporary home furnishings and
accessories. “We like an uncluttered look,”explains
Ravi, of the clean lines and well-appointed décor.
Custom contemporary art created for each room pulls the colors
and themes together to produce a stunning effect.
In the great room, the brushed steel fireplace mantle and
dramatic curtains that flow effortlessly from the soaring
ceilings enhance built-in maple cabinetry. To one side is
a generous-sized bar that has a passthrough window to the
backyard and its pool, spa and boat dock—a much-appreciated
feature during the family’s frequent parties. “We
love to entertain,” says Deepika. “We definitely
had that in mind when we designed our home.”
Family And Guests In Mind
Although the home is spacious enough to handle the 400-plus
guests at the couple’s welcome party, it is designed
and decorated in a way that is comfortable for the couple
and their children, Varun, 16 and Eesha, 13. Like many guests,
one of Ravi and Varun’s favorite places is the game
room, just off the bar. A pool table and drum set occupy the
space along with a trio of slot machines from a Las Vegas
casino, Deepika’s birthday present to Ravi.
On the upper level that overlooks the great room and lake
beyond is a cook’s delight. The open floorplan kitchen
is surrounded by maple cabinetry and doubleslab granite countertops
that feature am unique slanted angle. An outdoor kitchen was
installed next to the kitchen dining area to accommodate the
preparation of spicy Indian food. “Some dishes really
need to be cooked outside,” explains Deepika. “The
spices can be really strong!”
Past the indoor water feature that produces the soothing sound
of gurgling water is the family’s most cherished room.
A mandir, or temple, was created to provide a peaceful place
for the family to pray and meditate during their weekly Tuesday
time together and alone each day. “This is truly a special
place for us,” says Deepika. Across the hall is the
high-tech theater room with a big screen that spans an entire
wall and cushy theater chairs that have been placed on two
levels.
A Design Partnership
Two guest rooms complete the downstairs wing. One is resplendent
in the colors of russet and brown and the other is awash with
white lacquer furniture and brilliant red fabrics. “I
really loved working with design consultant Loretta (McCaw)
from Copenhagen,” adds Deepika, who purchased most of
her furniture and accessories from the store. McCaw’s
LM Designs provided window treatments throughout the home.
The master bedroom suite upstairs, like many of the rooms,
was a joint effort between Deepika and McCaw. After the furnishings
were selected Deepika found fabric that she liked and McCaw
worked on coordinating curtains, artwork and rugs. “Deepika
has excellent taste and it was fantastic to work together,”
notes McCaw.
“We both wanted a multi-level floor plan,” concludes
Ravi, who smiles at his wife. “In fact, we are so much
alike that our choices for this home were nearly identical
so it was a good experience for us. We love it here.”
Suzanne Pickett Martinson is a Valley-based freelance
writer and author and can be reached via her site at www.SuzannePickettMartinson.com. |
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