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Filters purify rainwater that drains from the roof or through the wood-plastic composite deck. A cistern collects the water for indoor use.

When Mexico City residents Nina Wanderstok and Raúl Cremoux were ready for a smaller house, they turned to their son, architect Paul Cremoux. The two-story structure he designed preserves open space on the property to support groundwater recharge in accordance with strict local zoning regulations. In choosing materials, Paul evaluated their efficiency—and was surprised to find that local wasn’t always best. In one nod to Mexican design, the structure is finished with fine plaster and white paint.

“Not a drop of water is wasted here,” Nina says of the yard. “This is huge for Mexico City. The whole terrace is a water collector.”

A custom aluminum-framed skylight with a 3M solar membrane floods the bathroom shower with light; the fixture is by Castel.

The door is made of MDF panels attached to a wood frame and topped with an ash veneer. The tiles are from Spanish brand Vives.

Floor-to-ceiling aluminum doors slide into the walls, bringing the outside world in and doubling the size of the living room. “It converted the space into something truly extraordinary, surrounded by vegetation. The climate in Mexico is perfect for it,” says Nina.

A pair of Molded Plywood lounge chairs by Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller sit opposite a BoConcept coffee table and a sofa of Paul’s design. For his father’s book collection, Paul created a library around the double-height staircase.

Sarah and Brant Barrah combined off-the-shelf elements like quartzite counters and oak cabinets with glazed ceramic ARTO "Kozo

The couple splurged and bought La Cantina doors for the opening to the deck, along with the large corner windows from Milgard in the dining area. "Bifold doors are expensive, but they’re worth it when you use them correctly,

The red balau deck brings a natural element to the exterior, while complementing the existing house on the property. "I knew from the get-go that we weren’t going to be able to put fancy finishes like vertical siding on the outside—that drives up the price pretty fast,

A custom surfboard crafted by local surfboard maker Craig Hollingsworth is displayed in the living area, which is furnished with Facebook Marketplace finds like the sideboard below the TV. The sofa is from Living Spaces, and the rug is from Lulu & Georgia.

Though it's not large in size, the living-dining area and kitchen feels larger because of the high ceilings. "They go from 14 feet on the low side to 18 feet on the high side,

Teak stools from Patio Productions San Diego provide seating for groups on the triangular deck.

By strategically positioning the deck, Geis provided outdoor seating off the living area for gatherings. Since the space required a Class A fire-rated material, Sarah and Brant chose red balau wood for less than the cost of ipe.

In the diminutive upstairs bedroom, terrazzo floors are paired with a DH Home Plus vanity that Sarah adorned with peacock pulls bought on Facebook Marketplace. The toilet paper stand and the mahogany side table were also from Facebook Marketplace.

In the primary bedroom, an Ikea mirror found on a curb is set above a midcentury oak dresser the couple found on Facebook Marketplace. the gingham curtains are from West Elm.

The placement of the staircase was a major challenge, says Geis. "I probably did 25-30 different test fits to get it right."

An oak ladder handcrafted by Josiah Johnson leads to a 300-square-foot loft, which is a favorite hangout spot for the couple's sons and their friends. "Because it's one of the first things you see when you come up the stairs and around to the living area, we didn't want some typical attic ladder,