When Robert Richey called Rich Schell to discuss a potential renovation of a property he was looking to buy in the heart of Scottsdale, he spoke the words every interior designer dreams of:
“You can do whatever you want to do.”
Schell traveled to Scottsdale last March to meet with Richey and his wife, Lysa, and they toured the property together. While Schell is based in the Pikes Peak region, he regularly travels to work with clients on second homes and destination properties, offering the same full-service design approach wherever a project may be located. The Richeys’ 2,200-square-foot patio home is located in an extremely desirable neighborhood that few families ever leave.
“I’d rather look at walls than blueprints,” says Schell, who founded Rich Schell Interiors in 1987.
Together, they toured the property, with Richey sharing little more than a budget, a desire for a “joyful” space and a penchant for the color blue.
An Art-Driven Retreat
The March walkthrough was the first and last time the Richeys would see their new home, dubbed the Honeycomb Hideout, until Schell and his partner, Greg Wragge, unveiled their completed renovation.
Although previous owners had remodeled just two years earlier, the space was largely a sea of white, with vibrant wallpaper and little warmth. The Richeys desired something far more personal, and they knew Schell would fill their home with beautiful touches and visual surprises.
Schell spent months seeking out art—sourcing pieces from his own store, EVAN GUY, consignment shops in Scottsdale, the Richeys’ own collection, a private art estate sale, and even a few finds from a vacation to Cabo. He knew art would be central to transforming this home into a richly layered, art-driven retreat for the Richeys.
The grounding piece of art for the entire home was a custom piece Schell designed, combining a seven-foot Plexiglas case, dozens of Native American Skookum dolls, a colorful Serapi blanket and turquoise embellishments.
“I love anything under Plexiglas,” says Schell with a laugh. “It’s fun to display collections. Souvenir dolls like these, from the early 1900s to the 1930s, are like something out of a museum. We wanted to treat them that way, as something really special.”
Collaboration and Craftsmanship
On the renovation side, Schell spent months working closely with 4D Construction in Scottsdale, led by Rocky and Katie Dinis, whose craftsmanship and collaboration made every detail possible. All three bathrooms were taken down to the studs and rebuilt with stunning tile, custom cabinetry sourced in Scottsdale, and barrier-free showers for aging-in-place accessibility. The kitchen was opened by removing a wall, allowing for circular flow and connection to the rest of the home.
Two sliding doors were replaced with Marvin Windows-brand sliding glass doors, and one door was removed entirely to install a large bay window in what was once a bedroom turned family room.
Color choices were essential to Schell. He chose to paint the family room Sherwin-Williams Saguaro, a warm cactus green, perfectly mirroring the Southwest setting. In the kitchen, he chose Sherwin-Williams Dark Night to add visual interest to the space and repeated the blue used on the cabinets on the family room wall.
Bringing the Vision to Life
In December, Schell, Wragge, and their two dogs, Finn and Bandit, loaded moving trucks with carefully chosen art and furniture and drove to Scottsdale. They spent 10 days orchestrating every detail, from furniture placement to updated landscaping.
As an interior designer and an artist, Schell envisions the moments that will resonate with his clients. The Richey home was no exception.
There is the honeycomb tile in the bathroom and a Plexiglas box filled with Honeycomb cereal, a nod to the “Honeycomb Hideout” name. The Pierre Frey floral chair that Schell refers to as “a piece of art” and the green velvet custom sofa, sitting beneath the Skookum doll installation.
“It’s really a gift to be allowed to color outside the lines,” says Schell.
The Honeycomb Hideout is living proof.
What was once a blank, neutral space is now a richly layered retreat filled with warmth, heart and soul. A home where joy isn’t just present—it’s carefully, beautifully curated, reflecting the same art-driven, full-service approach Schell brings to second homes and destination projects wherever his clients call home.
Address + Phone: 1713 South 8th Street | Phone: 719-475-1200
Website: https://richschellinteriors.com/
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