Houzz Tours
House Tours
Houzz Tour: An Energy-efficient Urban Retreat in the Woods
Treetop views belie the fact this home is close to a bustling city and give the owners the best of both worlds
Natural materials and thoughtful design let this family home in the hills near Austin, Texas, blend in with its woodsy landscape. Despite its rural feel, the modern house has a near-urban location, with expansive views of the city.
The pros at Cuppett Kilpatrick Architecture + Interior Design included sustainable features, and the home is sited to take advantage of breezes and views. Currently used as a full-time residence, the house can be divided into two homes in the future, with the possibility of closing off the bottom floor to rent as a separate unit.
The pros at Cuppett Kilpatrick Architecture + Interior Design included sustainable features, and the home is sited to take advantage of breezes and views. Currently used as a full-time residence, the house can be divided into two homes in the future, with the possibility of closing off the bottom floor to rent as a separate unit.
The exterior is Kebony, a Forest Stewardship Council-certified, sustainably sourced wood typically used for house cladding. The home’s main living area, seen through the windows here, is on the upper level.
Tim incorporated energy-efficient features into the home’s design. “Insulated wood window frames and rigid foam insulation envelop the structure,” he says. “High-efficiency air conditioning and on-demand water heaters supply services.”
Tim incorporated energy-efficient features into the home’s design. “Insulated wood window frames and rigid foam insulation envelop the structure,” he says. “High-efficiency air conditioning and on-demand water heaters supply services.”
This photo of the back of the house shows the open breezeway that divides the home vertically and horizontally through the centre. “This opening allows breeze and rainwater to travel ‘through’ the house,” Tim says. The layout includes seating areas on the upper level and pool terrace below.
The living area’s design and furnishings are modern yet comfortable, with opportunities to highlight the owners’ art. Buff firebrick surrounds the fireplace. The bricks were cut in narrow rectangles and laid in a straight stack pattern.
In this view of the living room, you can see the firebrick on the floor, part of the fireplace’s flush hearth. Tim painted the ceiling and beams the same colour as the porch ceilings outside – a dark grey neutral called Porpoise from Sherwin-Williams.
The flooring and cabinetry are white oak. The stairway to the downstairs is on the other side of the cabinetry on the left.
The fireplace acts as a kind of island between the living room and kitchen, which can be accessed from either side of the fireplace. “The fireplace sits within a framed box that includes kitchen storage on the back,” Tim says.
The fireplace acts as a kind of island between the living room and kitchen, which can be accessed from either side of the fireplace. “The fireplace sits within a framed box that includes kitchen storage on the back,” Tim says.
The open kitchen has a small island that’s flanked on one side by wood-clad storage that holds a fridge, seen at the left here, and wood storage on the other side of the fireplace, the edge of which can be seen on the right.
For such a compact area, there’s plenty of worktop space. “A continuous work surface runs the length of the perimeter window wall,” Tim says.
For such a compact area, there’s plenty of worktop space. “A continuous work surface runs the length of the perimeter window wall,” Tim says.
The dining room is located on a kind of bridge that connects the upper-level living areas, with floor-to-ceiling glass on both sides of the space. The stairs lead to the lower level, and the white oak cabinetry in the kitchen and fireplace can be seen beyond that. The white door is the home’s front entrance.
Here’s another look at the dining room, with a view through the windows to the stairway outside that leads to the roof deck.
More handsome bespoke white oak cabinetry separates the living room from the stairway on the other side that leads to the lower level. Multi-slide glass doors open from the main living area onto an outdoor deck.
Here’s the deck off the living area with its treetop views. “The deck faces east, towards downtown, shielded from the hot western sun. The site is a gentle eastern slope,” Tim says.
Here’s the stairway to the rooftop deck, which is located behind the dining room “bridge.”
With the homeowners’ future in mind, the architects designed the house so the lower level could be closed off and turned into a separate residence if desired. These stairs lead to the lower level, which has a hidden door in the panelling that can be closed and locked. (The door is open in this photo.)
“The lower level has a kitchenette/bar and living space and can function independently of the upper floor as a second dwelling unit,” Tim says.
“The lower level has a kitchenette/bar and living space and can function independently of the upper floor as a second dwelling unit,” Tim says.
The primary bedroom has forest views through multiple windows and a glass door that leads to a deck.
The main bathroom has a shower enclosed with translucent glass next to a freestanding bath from Victoria + Albert that was custom-coloured to match the surrounding tiles.
A mirror behind the bathing area makes the space appear larger and brighter. “It’s a simple layout along the glass wall, so the bathroom is flooded with natural light,” Tim says.
More: How to Plan for a Bathroom Renovation
A mirror behind the bathing area makes the space appear larger and brighter. “It’s a simple layout along the glass wall, so the bathroom is flooded with natural light,” Tim says.
More: How to Plan for a Bathroom Renovation
The bespoke floating vanity unit is white oak, as is the floor, and it has a quartz worktop, integrated basins and plenty of storage. The lower part of the windows have a sandblasted film, and roller blinds provide additional privacy.
The child’s room has an en suite bath and woodsy views through large windows. A built-in desk runs under the windows for the option of a workspace.
Here’s the view from the rooftop deck towards downtown Austin. Tim designed the home to take advantage of the woodsy landscape and distant views. He used a standing-seam metal roof with deep eaves and orientated the house for efficient heating and cooling.
“Building orientation and gracious roof overhangs provide passive cooling shade,” he says. “In the landscape, we used native plants to minimise irrigation after establishment.”
The homeowners plan to install solar panels on the section of roof that slopes low to the south. The team designed the roof to slope down where it faces downtown and slope higher facing north, where there are tree canopy views.
“Building orientation and gracious roof overhangs provide passive cooling shade,” he says. “In the landscape, we used native plants to minimise irrigation after establishment.”
The homeowners plan to install solar panels on the section of roof that slopes low to the south. The team designed the roof to slope down where it faces downtown and slope higher facing north, where there are tree canopy views.
A fire pit and a comfy chair make for a relaxing spot to take in some sun, trees and city views.
Tell us…
What did you like about this unique home? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
Tell us…
What did you like about this unique home? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
Sponsored
Reload the page to not see this specific ad anymore
Who lives here? A couple and their son
Location Hills west of downtown Austin, Texas, USA
Size Four bedrooms and four bathrooms (325 sq m)
Designers Cuppett Kilpatrick Architecture + Interior Design
Builder Arrowhead Construction
Photos by Whit Preston
This multistorey home is tucked amid trees that include cedar, elm and live oak. One of the challenges in building at the site was preserving the forested landscape, architect Tim Cuppett says. The goal was to lose no trees. “The house is woven into the site,” he says. All but one of the trees were preserved.
The home’s entry is up the stairs that lead to a glass “bridge”, which contains a dining room with floor-to-ceiling windows, seen at the right of this photo.
A breezeway can be seen to the right of the stairs at ground level. “The open breezeway allows cool air from the valley to pass up and through the porch,” Tim says. The builders constructed the home with wood cladding that will weather naturally, along with blond Texas brick, a palette that will allow the house to quietly recede into the woodland as it ages, Tim says.
Find an architect near you.