Historic Phoenix Modern Transformation

Third generation homebuilder, Trent Hancock, bought his 1920 home in the Phoenix Willo Historic District in April 2020, and began the process of turning a choppy, cramped house into his dream home. His vision was to open up the main 1600 square-foot house and modernize the back while keeping to the original aesthetic in the front of the home.

He kept the original painted ceiling detail in the dining room while adding a wet bar and opening the doorway through the living and kitchen areas. The kitchen space was originally divided into three separate areas, kitchen, breakfast nook and laundry which made for a really small kitchen. So he tore down the walls and combined all three rooms, adding floor to ceiling steel bucket windows to bring in more light.

The primary bath now has a metal picture window framing the large palm tree growing in the side yard. A floating marble vanity with Roburn mirrors, marble slab sinks and white horizontal kit kat tiles for the backplash add a unique contemporary look. The addition of a massive floor to ceiling steel pivot door from the primary bedroom to the backyard adds light and leads to the backyard oasis, including a pool and a sunken firepit and pergola with a built in TV for movie nights.

Spanish deco tile shows up in various spots throughout the yard from under the Saltillo tile steps at the front door, the pool coping and side yard steps and built-in BBQ as well. Raised steel planters, some with giant prickly pear cactus, define the back and side yard spaces and tie into the home’s steel windows and doors.

A front yard fire pit with pea gravel and a new fountain fabricated from a turquoise planter add a pop of color and a calming water feature to the front yard, while taking advantage of the friendly, walkable Willo neighborhood setting.