It’s Thanksgiving day, 2022 and yes, I’m NOT working!!

Yes, I do have hobbies, tho she wouldn’t consider it as a hobby. It’s architectural design. And I fricken love looking through website images of this stuff.

Today while browsing through some files, I came across this job I did in Sedona, AZ: This equestrian estate, built by an heir of William Wrigley, known as El Rojo Grande Ranch—includes equestrian facilities, a guest casita, a caretaker’s cottage and a park with a bandstand.

El Rojo Grande Ranch, featured in the Wall Street Journal, is one of the most exquisite and private properties in Sedona. Originally owned by one of America’s most iconic families, this pristine property is just 1.5 miles of west of Sedona. The original Wrigley family owner intendedit as a state-of-the-art equestrian center.

This home is especially iconic to me, as I did most of the work installing cabinetry, shelving, and the kitchen walls all out of Eucalyptus hardwood durring the summer of 1995. Eucalyptus has a distinct looking grain that catches the eye and fits well with most any decor. This job holds sentimental value as well. And I’d love to experience what I had when working there: an orange 1952 Chevy pickup. Every monday for 3 months, I would use that truck to drive from Glendale AZ to Sedona.

Being July in Arizona, and my backlog needing food, I accepted this job up north where it’s always cooler, even cooler than where I live, in Prescott Valley.

Harold got his cabinets and plans from a friend, and I’m guessing at a discount from Elmwood Cabinets, because I know what these would cost. A few of the components had me puzzled, as they were labled with abbreviated names of which I have never worked with. It’s like this: “Show me where the sink cabinet is. Oh, that’s it, the DSME638-B27MSB-EE3.” Come on, it’s aa SB27! The biggest surprise was the microwave cabinet which was wider than the oven beneath, as well as the microwave that is going there.

What really makes these cabinets distinctive is the double crown molding (on top of the uppers) and light rail (beneath the uppers).

But prior to taking these photos, I removed it fron two of the cabinets; I’ll get an updated picture of this soon.

Custom Cabinetry with Floating Shelves with a Four Wall Scribe

This was a job for Ramido Alvarez’s residence. He is the owner of Home Tech Foundations Systems, Inc. I did a kitchen install for him about 10 months prior for a house that he flipped (one of my 1st jobs & didn’t get pics).

We used quarter-sawn red oak, finished with Varathane Traditional Cherry gel stain and 4 coats of lacquer, to achieve an “antique look.”

When I retired from 50 years of carpentry (mostly doing cabinets), Glenda (wife of 15 years) and I decided that I needed a project. And conversely, our kitchen was in need of a total makeover. We started the remodel in mid April of 2018, and finished just before Christmas.

The RTA (ready to assemble) cabinet panels came from Cab Parts, the doors and trim from Hiland Wood Products.