LivAbility Magazine
Tuscon poet studio. An open concept room with a beehive fireplace, cozy armchair, lovely red chaise lounge in the foreground, beamed ceilings, wrought iron bed frame, gorgeous tall windows framed with an inviting outdoor view and a table.

Tucson Poet’s Studio

Story by Angeline Carbajal

Photos by Irma Nyrkkanen

Originally built as an artist’s studio in the 1940s, the Tucson Poet’s Studio Airbnb is a hidden gem located in Poets Square Neighborhood in midtown Tucson. The location offers a peaceful ambiance in close proximity to the University of Arizona and downtown Tucson. The neighborhood itself offers a unique charm, where not one house looks the same.

Built with southwest roots in mind, the sun-dried adobe studio features a beehive fireplace, a beamed ceiling and a dark red polished concrete floor. The windows provide a ton of natural light and frame a private view of the Santa Catalina Mountains.

The studio shares an enclosed hardscaped, brick courtyard with the owner’s main house and a working studio. There is a pool located almost center of the courtyard with a red brick ledge around the entire pool, making it easier for wheelchair-users to transfer into the approximate four-foot deep pool. The patio also offers a firepit, BBQ and several places to sit.

The studio has a southwest charm and is fairly accessible overall. There is a private, mostly flat pathway to the studio, but there are three two-inch steps to go over along the way. The steps were slightly difficult for a wheelchair user to get over on their own, but with a companion available to provide a little push, it is doable.

The roll-in shower is the biggest seller from an accessibility standpoint. The spa-like shower is made of beautiful blue tiles and is a fully ADA compliant roll-in shower. There is, however, a narrow passage-way between the edge of the toilet and the wall, approximately 26 inches. With a roll-in shower chair you could pass through the narrow space to the shower.

The bed is about standard hotel height at 32-inches high, but could be lowered by removing the box spring. The shelving in the kitchenette is high and not easily accessible, but appliances and dishes can be moved around to accommodate guests’ needs.

Other amenities include: air conditioning and heating, high speed Wi-Fi and Direct-TV.

Overall, this peaceful studio offers the perfect retreat for reflection and exploration in Tucson.

Angeline Carbajal

Angeline Carbajal
Writer
@NewsWithAnge

Angeline Carbajal is the Program Coordinator of Communications at the UA Disability Resource Center. She started as a student worker for the DRC her freshman year and graduated from the UA in May 2015 with her bachelor’s in journalism. She is currently studying for her master’s degree.