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Cuernavaca Home Inspired by Texas Hill Country

Glass, limestone and steel were used in this Westlake house with a rooftop garden oasis

PEAK PERFORMANCE (Lead Image)

Hoping to take advantage of their Hill Country views, the owners called on Bercy Chen Studio to design an eco-friendly home from the ground up, one that incorporated clean lines and a sweeping panoramic of the adjacent creek bed and historic oak trees. The couple’s biggest ask was for plenty of privacy.

The lot influenced the home’s layout, but also presented the most challenges. The property starts flat and drops dramatically into a creek bed. To capitalize on the views and connect the home to its surroundings, project architect Daniel Arellano placed it on the apex of that peak.

KEEP IT SIMPLE

Inside, Arellano was guided by the couple’s desire for a warm, inviting aesthetic, using white oak flooring to complement the tone of the exterior limestone and porcelain tile.

KEEP IT CUSTOM

The second-floor master suite and nearby home office, which includes massive custom-designed built-ins and 16-foot ceilings, cantilever out over the creek bed.

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BATH AND BEYOND

Western glass windows fill the home with natural light and make it feel even larger, while insulated foam wraps the entire structure to make it highly eco-friendly. “It was critical for it to feel clean and simple,” Arellano says.

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UPPER HAND

An avid gardener, the husband worried about deer and came up with the idea of a second-floor vegetable garden. The home also features a green roof as an elevated oasis.

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