Inside a 732 square foot PREFAB HOME built for Full Time Living!

Nestled along the tranquil shores of a Quebec lake, this contemporary wooden house reveals a seamless…

This project was a true evolution of design. The owners originally approached DC+A about 10 years ago to design an informal home on their narrow cliff-side lot in the resort community of Lago Vista outside of Austin, TX. The couple worked with our firm remotely, trusting us to design their dream home. The original designs were for the narrow lot, but when a piece of land became available next door, the owners bought it and decided to re-envision their dream home to stretch across both pieces of property and leave more “breathing room” for the neighboring properties. The ultimate design is a 4,000 square foot limestone-clad home that frames views of the Colorado River from every room. The home uses some classic hill country and contemporary features that lend themselves well to the Central Texas lakeside setting, incorporated in a beautifully laid-back way. Featuring clerestory windows, floor to ceiling retractable glass doors and multi-purpose rooms, the home has an incredible quality and depth of natural light. The furnishings complement the architecture while remaining both casual and durable. Concrete floors add to the easy-going personality of the home, while redwood finishes outside and white oak inside reflect the riverside setting. The landscaping echoes the home’s relaxed nature with indigenous plants, while the Texas-sourced Antique Lueders Limestone finishing the exterior walls roots the home firmly in its setting.

Located opposite McCrae beach on the Mornington Peninsula, McCrae House 1 & 2 were designed with the intention for each home to have a unique street presence, and simultaneously appear in balance. The adjacent layouts are individual to each home, with consideration given to creating absolute privacy through staggered outdoor areas and thoughtful screening. Fluid functionality is experienced throughout the homes’ interiors, where warm palettes and strong forms echo the front facades. McCrae House 1 & 2 are the ultimate in relaxed coastal living. Commissioned to achieve great design & a quality build outcome, McCrae House 1 and McCrae House 2 will be for sale to astute buyers this Spring. McCrae House 1 – The Power of Shapes McCrae House 1 can simply be described as a comfortable home with its own identity, adjacent the pristine waters of McCrae Beach. The shapes, pleasing in placement, create selective privacy and an undeniable street presence. ‘L’ formed glazing views from a second downstairs Master to the swimming pool. A courtyard flanked study fills with light, beckoning the user, while a walkthrough laundry streamlines access points from garage to main living. But the enjoyment of the home goes beyond fluid living that has been considered in all its aspects. There is something in the balance of the shapes that reaches serenity. It could be placement, scale, even movement – but ultimately it’s the moments they create. Unique daily living experiences that are certainly comfortable – edging closer to luxury. McCrae House 2 – The Play of Light McCrae House 2 resides on a tangible diagonal to the beachfront McCrae Lighthouse. Sculptural batten placement heroes the treetop and lighthouse aspect across Nepean Highway from the upper storey. Sunlight pierces the patterned barrier, an evolving mood, differentiated by the time of day. A private courtyard resides at the ground level transition zone between street frontage and main living area – a reflective space with its own light and aspect. From the warmth of the timber kitchen a scullery is revealed beyond a pivot door. Around the corner a flood of light appears directed from the glazed door of the walkthrough laundry. Relaxed and coastal, the natural timber battens of the front façade shift and space to quietly reveal a home affected by the pattern of sunlight in the most intriguing way.