This single-family home elevates a typical hill country site with a curated materials pallet to create subtle yet refined interior and exterior spaces. The two colliding linear geometries create ample public and private spaces on both levels while allowing for soft daylighting and stunning green space views.
There were many unique challenges that gave this thoughtful West Lake Hills house life. The home’s location on the site is in response to the steep slope at the backside of the lot. The floor plan of the home is also situated around a lovely live oak tree, visible from every space. To avoid any disturbance to the tree, the public spaces on the first floor are organized in a linear configuration on the flattest part of the site, while the more private parts of the home extend toward the downhill side and take advantage of the slope with the rare edition of a basement. The second level is an addition to the linear form but offset slightly over the parking area and toward the back of the house. A combination of light wood and cut masonry gives the home a subtle but striking street elevation that is settled comfortably into the surrounding landscape.
From the interior architecture to the artwork, we saw this project through to full completion. In contrast to the bold limestone exterior, the interior of the home was designed to be warm, relaxed, and lived-in. The feature fireplace plays with the "offset" concept, pushing and pulling steel, wood, and concrete to create a delicately balanced centerpiece. We leaned heavily on rich walnut tones to bring warmth in the space and in some areas used it in a linear slat format for added texture. The repetition of bold textures can also be found through the home from the fireplace and vent hood to small-scale stacked tiles that mimic textured walls.
To help tie the interior and exterior, the furniture package features steels, stones, and wooden pieces. We mixed soft contemporary, mid-century, and sculptural pieces to help the aesthetic feel like it's been collected over time. The clients were open to supporting local Austin artists and brands whenever possible and weren't afraid to use intentional pops of color and pattern where we thought it necessary. The house has an approachable spirit and really provides that "lived-in" feel that our clients wanted.
We determined that the optimal design strategy was to locate the house near the top of the site, just behind the front building setback, where the land is fairly flat and clear of vegetation (due to the footprint of the previous house). From there, a second floor is placed on top of this front section, with master suite and basement-level space pulled out between the two primary tree elements. This minimizes the amount of the site that will be disturbed for the construction of the home, limiting it to the upper portion of the lot.
The lot has a significant downward slope away from the street, with an existing relatively flat area where a home previously existed. Just behind this flat area, there is a stunning 27” Live Oak tree about a third of the way into the lot. On the other side, behind the existing flat area and old driveway, there is a secondary cluster of three trees of 14” and greater. After the existing flat area, the property begins to slope significantly and become more vegetated.
Team:
Architects: Dick Clark + Associates
Photographer: Jake Holt
Materials Used:
Leuders Limestone: Charcoal - Locally sourced
Delta Millworks: Custom wood siding
LaCantina Doors & Windows
Walnut Kitchen Millwork & Feature wall
Caesarstone Coutnertops
Ecosmart Fireplace
Local Artwork selected
Sonos speaker system throughout
Custom steel and glass stair
TruStile Doors
Emtek door hardware
Thermador kitchen package
Ellice Freestanding Pergola
Kohler Bathroom Fixtures
Victoria & Albert tub
