Architect Mark Candelaria joins Tony Calvis, Jr. on The Calvis Wyant Podcast to talk about what happens before a luxury custom home ever becomes a finished set of plans.

Mark is the founding principal behind Candelaria Design Associates, a Phoenix-founded luxury architecture firm specializing in custom residential homes, spec homes, and boutique commercial spaces. In this conversation, he explains why strong homes begin with relationships: the client, architect, builder, interior designer, and trade partners understanding one another early enough to make better decisions together.

That early alignment changes the questions a team can ask. Instead of beginning with isolated drawings or selecting details before the big ideas are settled, Mark starts with the client’s routines, priorities, site, and the people who will help deliver the work. He describes bringing the builder and interior designer into the room early so creative ideas can be tested against cost, code, materials, and constructability while there is still room to adjust.

The episode follows Candelaria’s client experience from office dinners and Italy tours to quick sketches, room cutouts, early cost conversations, and the “macro before micro” thinking that helps clients see how they want to live. Mark explains how teams can move simple room shapes around a site plan, study relationships and alignments, and establish the home’s major moves before worrying about a refrigerator or another individual selection.

Tony and Mark also talk about why a thoughtful design year should not be rushed, how travel and cooking deepen client relationships, and why the finished house should act as a vessel for daily life and memories. Mark shares stories about difficult sites, including an unusual tunnel solution on Camelback Mountain, and discusses remodels, quick hand sketches, office culture, and the experiences that help clients imagine possibility.

The conversation looks forward without treating tools as shortcuts. Mark describes AI as a faster communication tool, not a replacement for design judgment, and reflects on lessons from Habitat for Humanity’s code-compliant 3D printed home.

For homeowners planning a custom home or major renovation in Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Phoenix, or beyond, this episode offers a practical way to think about team selection, discovery, communication, and the decisions that shape a home before construction begins.

Visit Candelaria Design Associates at https://www.candelariadesign.com.

Connect with Tony Calvis, Jr. at https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonycalvisjr.

The Calvis Wyant Podcast is presented by Calvis Wyant. Visit us at https://www.calviswyant.com.

Got someone you'd like us to interview on the show? Let us know at podcast@calviswyant.com.

When should an interior designer join your custom home team, and what can go wrong when design starts too late?

In Episode 2 of The Calvis Wyant Podcast, host Tony Calvis, Jr. of Calvis Wyant Luxury Homes sits down with Blake Sutton, President of Est Est Interior Design, for a practical conversation about turning inspiration into a home that is personal, buildable, budget-aware, and designed to last.

Blake explains why the architect, interior designer, and builder should begin collaborating while plans are still flexible; how fully documented design decisions can improve pricing clarity before construction; and why a Pinterest board is only the beginning. He also shares a clear framework for deciding where premium materials matter most, how to weigh form against function, and how to create interiors that feel timely and timeless rather than tied to a passing trend.

The discussion ranges from material presentations and the thousands of decisions inside a custom home to renovation, technology, and changing homeowner expectations across Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Phoenix, and the surrounding Arizona market.

Topics include:

- When to hire an interior designer for a custom home

- Coordinating the architect, interior designer, and builder early

- Translating inspiration into drawings, specifications, and pricing

- Budgeting for high-impact rooms and premium materials

- Designing around the way a homeowner actually lives

- Timeless design, current trends, and long-term value

- Luxury renovations, smart-home planning, and the future of Valley homes

- Blake's path into leadership at Est Est and his work with Teach One to Lead One

The Calvis Wyant Podcast is hosted by Tony Calvis, Jr.

Guest: Blake Sutton, Est Est

What makes a custom luxury home last for decades?

In the first episode of the Calvis Wyant Podcast, Tony Calvis Jr. sits down with Tony Calvis Sr. to look back on 40 years of Calvis Wyant and the principles that have shaped the company from the beginning: trust, process, accountability, and a deep respect for how people live in their homes.

Tony Sr. shares the story of starting Calvis Wyant with Gary Wyant, why the company moved early toward a design-build approach, and how bringing the builder into the process from the beginning can help clients avoid costly surprises, protect their budget, and create a home that actually gets built as intended.

The conversation also explores what makes a great client-builder relationship, why the right team matters as much as the right design, and how Calvis Wyant thinks about long-term value in Scottsdale and Paradise Valley custom homes. From functional floor plans and trusted trade partners to maintenance, stewardship, and client relationships that continue decades after move-in, this episode offers a candid look at what it takes to build luxury homes with staying power.

Tony Sr. also reflects on succession, the next generation of Calvis Wyant, and how technology like AI may change the homebuilding process while human relationships remain at the center of the work.

Topics include:

- 40 years of Calvis Wyant

- Custom luxury homes in Scottsdale and Paradise Valley

- The design-build process

- Budget clarity and pre-construction planning

- Building homes that last

- Client trust and long-term accountability

- Functional floor plans and livable luxury

- The future of Calvis Wyant

Hosted by Tony Calvis Jr.

Guest: Tony Calvis Sr.