Location: Westlake Hills, Texas
Perched on a limestone bluff with sweeping views of the Austin skyline, the Terrace Mountain Residence embodies a refined balance of modern craft and natural integration. Two interlocking volumes define the home: a grounded stone-and-concrete pavilion and a delicate glass-and-wood box that cantilevers lightly over slender steel columns. Together, they dissolve the threshold between interior and landscape, creating a seamless dialogue with the rugged hillside setting.
Arrival begins across a slender pedestrian bridge extending from the motor court, passing through terraced gardens before reaching transparent volumes that shade patios and overlook the pool below.
Inside, the architecture is guided by Japandi influences—warmth, restraint, and clarity. Exposed timber ceilings, shou sugi ban cladding, limewash plaster, honed basalt, character-grade oak floors, and custom walnut cabinetry are composed into a tactile interplay of contrast and depth. A Japanese Irori-inspired hearth—suspended beneath a steel-and-glass shroud—anchors the main living space, while daylight filters through a Douglas fir soffit, animating the hand-sawn stone façade.
The kitchen, centered on a monolithic marble island, opens to a private vertical garden and flows seamlessly into the dining area, which extends onto a cantilevered deck set within the live oak canopy.
A private wing reaches toward the valley to house the primary suite. Here, a built-in bed frames tranquil views of morning mist rising from the pool and evening sunsets illuminating the hills. The bath continues the Japanese influence with a sunken soaking tub, open shower, and custom tilework developed in collaboration with master artisans.
