The following post was contributed by C-Reese Design, an Austin-based full-service architectural firm with a keen eye for custom homes. Here, they give us an in-depth look at one of their projects: a contemporary home with a stylish outdoor space and guesthouse in Austin’s Rob Roy neighborhood.
We continue to review the many home styles throughout Austin and Central Texas with a closer look at a guest home in one of Austin’s finest neighborhoods, Rob Roy. This area is home to a number of home styles. The location is hidden from the street and overlooking a majestic ravine, which was perfect for us to play with in the architectural design.
The owners initially brought C-Reese Design on board to update their Texas Hill Country home with some contemporary elements to align with their style preferences. We returned to transform the vacant land adjacent to the home into a stylish outdoor area. This outdoor transformation included a series of water elements: waterfalls, a negative-edge pool with a current pool, and a spa interconnected – all cascading down the hill. We designed an incredible guesthouse featuring two entertaining areas and a luxury garage for the owner’s classic car, taking full advantage of the sweeping views of the canyon.
Creating a Contemporary Feel Outdoors
The plan was to make the guesthouse appear to blend into the landscape on the side facing the street and to capture as much of the landscape views as possible on the rear interconnecting spaces. To achieve that goal, we used large glass windows on the upper level with a high seating area and a glass rail along the balcony. The intermingling decks use very clean lines with ironwork and stone elements. This allowed us to create a contemporary feel while enhancing the view, which was the primary focus.
The pool and deck areas of this home are spectacular! One of the homeowners enjoys swimming laps, so a current pool (also known as an endless pool) was added to the upper area of the deck for easy access from the main home master suite. Just below the main deck with the negative edge pool is a water wall that flows into a catch basin below along a private seating area nestled in the trees. Above the pool is the spa with a cascading waterfall into the pool. The spa is perched up on a raised peninsula adjoining the upper deck, giving an almost suspended-in-air feel to the spa experience.
One of our favorite elements is the “sky deck” featured in this photograph. The deck is suspended partially over the pool and partially over the big drop-off into the ravine. It’s a perfect place to enjoy a sunset or evening of stargazing.
Focus on the Details Inside
The living room features shelves built into the entertainment center to add more color, depth, and interest to the room without making it feel cluttered. The furniture is sparse, but the unique entertainment center makes the space feel cozy while keeping the clean contemporary look.
The bathroom features a very large window overlooking the hill, which provides plenty of privacy so there’s no need to cover the windows. We took advantage of the views and natural sunlight in this bathroom. The floating vanity opens up the space while lighting streams through the window. Using recessed can lighting and a lit mirror keeps the contemporary look. Mixing different textiles created a whimsical yet sophisticated bathroom.
In the kitchen, the contrasting colored Shaker style cabinets combined with the trapezoid-shaped island add an inviting, playful feel to the architectural design. The full-service kitchen has plenty of storage, which is perfect for entertaining and weekend guests. And the geometric multi-colored ceiling really sets the mood for entertaining.
About the firm: C-REESE DESIGN is a full service architectural design firm providing residential and commercial space planning and design. We focus on the client’s style and objectives with a distinctive use of form, material and color to accommodate individual goals. Whether the objective is cutting edge contemporary, exclusive high end, or unique character within a tight budget.
