Spirit Lake House by James D. LaRue Architecture
James D. LaRue Architecture designed the Spirit Lake house in Austin, Texas.
From the architects:
An Austin couple purchased a stunning, sloped, acre and a half lot with tons of trees and vowed to have a house designed to save every last one of them. They hired an architect with a knack for designing homes with a soft contemporary flare and an equal desire to let the lot design the house and ended up with these spectacular results.
Visit the website of James D. LaRue Architecture – here.
Description from James D. LaRue Architecture:
The home is a 2 story, upside down house with an office and balcony overlooking the tennis court on a third floor. The family consists of 5 kids ranging from ages 5 to 12 and two adults. They wanted spaces that they could all work and play in together without having to participate in the same activities. The Game Room boasts a perfect view of the tennis court and the outdoor living below gives a view of the pool. Both of these rooms have doors that can be thrown open completely to make them a part of the outside.
The stone on the house is a local limestone that is mixed periodically with a fossil stone. This feature is found on the interior of the house as well. The house has very little art on its walls because of the wonderful natural stone and wood features placed through out each room.
The house has a wonderful livability and flow to it within its nearly 9,000 square foot spaces. It was made to function well for this large family with details such as a low refrigerator drawer at kid height in the island for snacks. It was also made to be aesthetically pleasing with its numerous windows and repeated horizontal line details. The house has a bit of a tree house feel to it from the formal spaces.
When designing the home, the architect and owner both agreed they are fans of Frank Lloyd Wright house “Falling Water”, and though there are no features of the house that are borrowed from this great design, it does share some common themes and feeling.
Visit the website of James D. LaRue Architecture – here.
Kelley Brookline on 10 Apr 2009 at 1:07 pm #
I love it.
Contemporary, with a touch of traditional.
Rudy on 10 Apr 2009 at 1:09 pm #
Very nice house.
With so much space in the kitchen I fail to understand why the cooking unit is placed against the wall.
Jon Banderson on 10 Apr 2009 at 1:23 pm #
Probably because that’s how they wanted it to be.
cathy s on 10 Apr 2009 at 1:31 pm #
wooooooow — when can I move in?
love the stone, the clean lines, the exterior flow.
Will Matias on 10 Apr 2009 at 2:05 pm #
This may be the best house featured on this site, although I would’ve replaced the tennis court with something else.. more lawn perhaps? that last picture is absolutely stunning!
Rosie on 10 Apr 2009 at 6:48 pm #
Ohhh my! Ohhh gosh gosh gosh. Okay, I know I say it all the time, but THIS is my dream house! I love it! It’s just perfect.
Rosie on 10 Apr 2009 at 7:05 pm #
Ooh and I just looked at the architectures site. All the houses on there are gorgeous! If you like this house, you should have a look at the others. You’ll fall in love with them!
Dudye on 11 Apr 2009 at 7:53 am #
Really like this design.The hued accent lighting on the pools, give the exterior design a pretty nice vibe. The combination of stone and wood is also cool, the interior is very luxury and cozy at the same time.
Neat
Ithaqua on 12 Apr 2009 at 6:18 am #
I think this is one of the best designed houses ever, I love the spiral staircase on the outside.
berteau on 12 Apr 2009 at 8:41 pm #
beautiful house. I just wish they would’ve done something more interesting with the roof… But maybe thats just me…
lil-p on 13 Apr 2009 at 6:37 am #
Interesting comment on the roof. I would love to know what you would do different.
M2JL :: STUDIO on 13 Apr 2009 at 3:45 pm #
Very nice. Something tells me the architect of this home was inspired by Frank Lloyed Wrght’s Falling Water house, one of my favorites. – Marie
kast on 13 Apr 2009 at 6:51 pm #
no wonder the house looks familliar coz its adapting frank lloyd wright architecture …
but this house is trully a games and play house ,,love it…
Cleo on 16 Apr 2009 at 12:14 pm #
gorgeous home.. and so glad they decided to save all the trees!
Bryan Mahlke on 29 Apr 2009 at 10:30 pm #
Simply another awesome design based on client needs and site topo maps to blend with it’s surroundings. This is typical of the design consistently produced by LaRue and his staff.
What an awesome job! Hats off to you.
tricia on 08 May 2009 at 5:21 am #
my dream house…I want to know more about this beautiful design!
Dana on 16 Aug 2009 at 4:52 pm #
Very, very nice. Great job.
sakthi velan on 03 Nov 2009 at 7:51 am #
wonderful design sir i love it
hZ! on 13 Nov 2009 at 3:01 am #
Lemme at that ostentatious pier with a jackhammer; it does nothing to relieve, and needs to be brought back into proportion with, the relentless rectangularity of the rest of the house and surrounds, though that could be hard, because it has its own private runway.
There is nothing here to elevate the soul except the Zen trees outside. Despite all the expense, it is just ordinarily consumerist in appurtenances and character. Perish the harsh black joinery and light fittings, the imprisoning bars in the front door and in the balustrades. You just can’t escape from the masonry, all the way to the perimeter of the block. All those rectangles have taken over, rectangles within rectangles, far too far.
gi Hall on 08 Oct 2010 at 3:57 pm #
Just love the stone house design.Can you design our semi-retired house
in North Thailand for us.Please help!!!!