Steve Johnson: Studio Living
By Renee Targos
Photos by Dana Close

It’s chic, subtle and strangely comfortable. You go in, and suddenly, there is no need to rush. Steve Johnson’s workshop/home/office--named atelier (a French word for studio)—has the relaxed ambiance of…well…a kitchen.

With his living quarters upstairs in the two-story building at 4242 N. Craftsman Ct., Johnson spends from 4 a.m. to 10 p.m., designing chic, contemporary kitchens, baths and closets for clients living in or constructing high-end homes/buildings from coast to coast.

Feeling like an artist’s studio, atelier’s 2,000-square-foot space displays kitchens in unfolding rooms leading back to Johnson’s office, which sports neat piles of paperwork lining a desk taking up an entire wall.

Further back from his office is a living area with couch and a coffee table decked with books and a television, a working kitchen, and a conference-sized dining table. Admitting to doing the work of three people, Johnson is a hospitable, bright-eyed man who transplanted from Chicago to Scottsdale in 1994.

While Johnson loves the Arizona weather, he’s longed for the culture of a developed urban community. “Growing up in Chicago, I had everything right outside my front door—Lake Michigan, the parks, museums, restaurants, all the stores on Michigan Ave.—so moving here, I went through culture shock,” says Johnson. “Development is finally coming around here, so I’m enjoying all the amenities that go with that.”

In the beginning (around 1998), Johnson would walk his dog, Emma, around the block and stare out at an abandoned ghost town. “In the first year, dozens of (downtown) businesses moved up north to the air park,” says Johnson. “It was deserted.”

Now…the place is hopping. Enjoying the growing urban bustle, Johnson says the days of desertion are over. “North of Fifth Ave., the area used to be a vacant lot,” says Johnson. “Now the new development along the canal has drawn a lot of people down here. It’s great to see people living in the area, and to cross paths…Up until recently…I did not have neighbors.”

As downtown development continues to grow exponentially, Johnson’s days of solitude on Craftsman Ct. have disappeared. With his building sitting next door to the City of Scottsdale’s Downtown office (on the north side), he’s in the right spot to find out about the new faces and businesses. The building, on the south side of atelier, is currently remodeling into a three-story condo/store delight. Behind atelier, on Marshall Way, another neighbor is making architectural changes and building upwards. Even Johnson has plans to redesign his building into three stories with condos on top and atelier showroom on the first floor.

In the first steps of designing, Johnson has plans to bring the 30-year old building into the 21st Century with an underground parking lot, a negative-edge swimming pool (located on the roof) with a view of Camelback Mountain, and a courtyard. The construction will end his bohemian existence of studio living by having separate home and work spaces.

While it’s difficult to pull Johnson away from his desk, when he’s out, he can be found walking his dog, Emma, on the ArtWalks or dining at FOODBAR or Café Monarch. As a fit and energetic fellow, Johnson also ventures outdoors to hike Camelback Mountain or works out at the personal training gym, 2 Be Fit, located in Arcadia, which he co-owns.

Besides traveling twice a month for work throughout the country, Johnson also enjoys exploring the exotic locations of the planet. One of his last trips was to a private island off the coast of Africa, accessed only by helicopter. Besides touring Europe, Johnson indulges his fascination with Asian cultures and Buddhism by traveling to Vietnam, Japan and other Asian countries.

When all his travels and journeys come to an end, he is joyful to venture back home---especially during these days of growth. Johnson says, “I’m just so glad that this area has finally started to realize its potential.”