A Dramatic Hallway Forms the Spine of This Shou Sugi Ban Retreat in Mexico

ByMyProperty Life

A simple floor plan emphasizes the rugged materiality of this elongated, cabin-style home in Valle de Bravo.

When the homeowners approached Augusto Fernández Mas (K+A Diseño) and Mauricio Miranda (MM Desarrollos) to design a retreat in the Rancho Avandaro Country Club in Valle de Bravo, an hour-and-a-half outside of Mexico City, they nearly gave carte blanche. The clients just had three requests for their country house: a simple layout, low maintenance needs, and communal areas to be located on one floor. 

The resulting design places an emphasis on flow. The rooms and living areas are arranged in a successive order, guided by a dimly lit, dramatic hallway. Large windows that punctuate the minimal interior offer views of the bordering golf course. The materials, Japanese-style burnt wood, Canadian dark wood, and concrete, accentuate simplicity while simultaneously adding depth.  

Read another article:Design Trends for Creating a Vacation Vibe at Home

Photo: Onnis Luque

Photo: Onnis Luque

Photo: Onnis Luque

Read another article:Hot Trends: 20 Best Farmhouse Style Kitchens in White and Wood

See the full story on Dwell.com: A Dramatic Hallway Forms the Spine of This Shou Sugi Ban Retreat in Mexico

Similar Posts

  • Engaging Crafts to Enjoy with Children at Home

    Life has drastically changed this spring due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This fact rings especially true for parents. With schools closed, children are home all day. When you’re not homeschooling them, you’re looking to fill their time with interesting projects. If you have young children, your life is all about keeping them active and engaged. […]

    You’re reading Engaging Crafts to Enjoy with Children at Home, originally posted on Decoist. If you enjoyed this post, be sure to follow Decoist on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest.

  • Edgecliff Residence

    Taking advantage of its unique site in Austin’s eclectic Travis Heights neighborhood on the southern shores of Lady Bird Lake, the Edgecliff Residence is a play on contrasts: light and shadow, open and closed, organic and orthogonal. Designed for a couple of empty-nesters on a modest budget, the home’s contemporary aesthetic is balanced by the desire to respect the scale of the existing neighborhood. From the street, the Edgecliff Residence is characterized by a rainscreen made of galvanized electrical conduit—an inventive, low-cost solution that provides shade and privacy while filtering and diffusing sunlight. Throughout the day, the volume enclosed by the screen is alternately camouflaged and highlighted as the reflective metal responds to changes in the sun and sky. In contrast, the rear of the house opens up to the natural landscape and views of downtown Austin via large windows and cantilevered terraces. Below, the terrain falls away steeply to a public hike-and-bike trail before meeting the lake. The trapezoidal floor plan responds directly to the constraints of the long, narrow site—one side parallels the street while the other runs adjacent to the site’s natural contours. The lower level contains an open-air carport, foyer, and two guest rooms; the terrain on the uphill side is retained by a low wall made of weathering steel. The main level houses the kitchen, dining, and living spaces. The open floor plan highlights the dichotomy between the two halves of the site: ribbon windows screen the view of the street opposite picture windows that frame the treetops and lake. The upper level includes the master suite as well as a private study and media room. Doors from the master bath and study open onto another outdoor terrace that offers sweeping views of downtown Austin.

  • 27 DIY Flower Box Planters for Fancy Windows and Beyond

    With spring behind us firmly and the best of summer here, now is the time to bring back a bit of that freshness to our home with green goodness and fresh flowers. Not all of us are blessed to have an extensive garden. And this is exactly where a gorgeous little planter can come in […]

    You’re reading 27 DIY Flower Box Planters for Fancy Windows and Beyond, originally posted on Decoist. If you enjoyed this post, be sure to follow Decoist on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest.