Chase Warren
Founder, Chase Warren Design
The tables, chairs and other pieces created by Mesa furniture maker Chase Warren exude a rustic Americana quality that is at once timeless and modern. It’s a point of view he gained from two influences: his father, a professional machinist and hobby woodworker, and local furniture designer Jose Collucci, whom Warren worked alongside in his 20s. The East Valley native began designing professionally seven years ago and turned his interest into a full-time business in 2014, making small-batch collections as well as custom pieces under the brand Chase Warren Design. In addition to classic shapes, the beauty of his craft is in the materials he uses, primarily woods like maple, walnut and white oak accented with steel, brass, glass and leather. Outside his studio, Warren enjoys blending into the local creative scene of many Valley cities and neighborhoods–like the hidden gems he shares here for spending an ideal day in the desert.
8 a.m. Start the day with a hike in Tempe at Hayden Butte, also known as “A” Mountain, which has great views of the city. I especially love coming here after a recent rainstorm, when you can really smell the creosote bushes. On a perfect day, the quail and jackrabbits would be out and about.
9 a.m. Grab breakfast at the Henhouse Cafe in Gilbert. This family-owned restaurant serves plenty of comfort food, including pancakes the size of a platter.
10 a.m. Cool off with a swim. Pools are everywhere in Phoenix, and many neighborhoods have beautiful options. My favorite is the Three Fountains neighborhood pool in North Mesa.
12 p.m. It’s time for lunch at either Taquitos Jalisco in Mesa or Carolina’s in Phoenix. Don’t let the low-key atmospheres fool you: These spots offer the real deal when it comes to authentic Mexican food. Order something involving either carne asada or green chile.
1 p.m. Pop in the furniture shops around Camelback Road and Seventh Avenue in Phoenix. A particularly good one is Modern Manor, which has amassed an impressive collection of midcentury items over the years.
3 p.m. Stop by an open house event by Local Trade, which stages homes with pieces by local artisans, builders and other makers. These gatherings have live music, food trucks and more, all while showcasing the latest trends in residential remodeling and locally made furniture.
4 p.m. Spoil yourself with an appointment at Magro Clothing in downtown Phoenix, where you can get a quality custom-tailored suit. You’ll be perfectly measured, choose your favorite material and leave with an amazing fitted suit.
6 p.m. Grab a dinner table at the best restaurant in Phoenix: Cibo. The establishment is inside a house in a historic neighborhood just north of downtown, and most nights there is live music thanks to a singer by the fire pit softly playing blues riffs on a Les Paul. Order any of the amazing house-made fresh pastas, a wood-fired pizza or crepes.
8 p.m. End the night with after-dinner drinks at Tarbell’s on Camelback Road. I’m a beer guy, but I also recommend the Desert Mule–a take on the Moscow Mule that adds red Vermouth to the mix.
