Tuscan to Timeless: Why Your Arizona Home Deserves Better Than Scrolls and Cherry Cabinets

Written By Jaydin Nielsen
 

You just bought a house. It has arches, tall ceilings, French doors... and also:
🚨 Cherry-stained cabinets
🚨 Wrought iron scrolls
🚨 Travertine as far as the eye can see

And suddenly you’re looking at your dream home wondering, “Did I just walk into a medieval Olive Garden?”

It’s okay. You’re not alone.
Arizona is littered with early-2000s Tuscan-style homes—and they were marketed as luxury. But in today’s world of soft neutrals, natural light, and timeless materials... they just feel heavy.

That’s where we come in.

 

Notice the wrought-iron, dark wall colors, tile floor, and ceiling trays that date the space completely.

 

Step Away from the Sledgehammer

First of all, no—don’t gut everything. That home you just bought? It has good bones.
The finishes may be screaming “2005 called and wants its granite back,” but the structure? The structure has potential.

Here’s the thing:
You don’t need to fight your home’s architecture to make it beautiful. In fact, trying to force a Tuscan-style home into a clean modern farmhouse or über-minimalist box is the fastest way to make it feel...awkward. Like it’s wearing the wrong outfit to the wrong party.

A modern take on a Mediterranean living room by Nita and Hearth. This project is our Casa Solara remodel in Mesa.

“Good design doesn’t erase character. It reframes it.”

This home has BEAUTIFUL bones that just need to be highlighted. Just imagine the existing architecture with a Nita and Hearth refresh!

 
 
 

What Designers Actually Do

I know what you’re thinking—“Can’t I just make a Pinterest board and figure this out myself?”
Sure! You can.
You can also cut your own bangs and see how that goes.

But working with a designer isn’t about fluffing pillows or naming paint colors—it’s about vision.

We help you:

  • See past the scrolls, arches, and travertine

  • Keep what’s working (hello, coffered ceilings!)

  • Gently update the finishes so they reflect you, not 2006

It is possible to work with darker finishes and honor existing design choices while still feeling like you have refreshed and modernized your space. This is the primary bathroom in our Santan Sable project in Queen Creek, Arizona.

How We Turn Tuscan into Timeless

Here’s how we take your space from heavy and outdated to soulful and timeless:

1. Lighten the Mood
→ Think soft limewashed walls, natural light, and oversized (but tasteful) fixtures that don’t look like they belong in a medieval tavern.
→ We replace amber bulbs with warm whites, open up drapery, and let the desert light do its thing.

2. Edit What No Longer Serves You
Some things are worth preserving. Others? Not so much.
→ Cabinets might be refinished in a moody sage—or fully replaced with warm oak or walnut if the layout needs love.
→ Travertine can stay if it supports the new design... but if it’s dragging the space down, we’ll help you select something that brings it into the present.
→ Iron lighting? Gone. Say hello to sculptural brass, ceramic pendants, or vintage alabaster. Less Dracula, more Architectural Digest.

3. Embrace the Architecture
We don’t fight the house—we frame it.
→ Arches? We highlight them.
→ Niches? We style them if possible.
→ Tongue and groove ceilings? We make them the crown jewel.

The key is knowing what gives the home its soul—and designing with it, not against it.


Let’s Reimagine Your Home Together

If you’re standing in your beautiful new-but-outdated Arizona home, wondering how on earth to make it feel like you—let’s chat.

📥 Download our free design guide:
“Tuscan to Timeless: The Nita & Hearth Style Guide”

📞 Or book a free discovery call right here: REACH OUT TODAY!
Let’s turn your “meh” into Mediterranean magic.











Jaydin Nielsen