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Japanese "tansu" stairs with storage compartments underneath.

The desk can be folded away and the space used as a guest room.

A skylight illuminates the retractable desk in the lofted workspace.

A discreet built-in wardrobe in the bedroom.

One beverage fridge is good, but two, even better.

Custom cabinetry and millwork were expenses the Hughes didn't mind splurging on. Clark's room has a strip of shelving painted sky blue; the color appears throughout the house in various iterations (it's Emily's favorite).

“I consider light to actually be one of the materials here,” says Losada-Amor. Skylights (including one in the shower) offer ventilation as well as light.

Another key element of the design is the fact that the home's energy is supplied by extensive solar collection and greywater collection, radically reducing the building’s energy expenditure.

A yellow frangipani tree surrounded by KLS sandstone pavers is the focal point of the outdoor courtyard.

Transparent walls and Japanese design cues define this renovated home in an Austin suburb.

Top 9 Gardens of 2020: The verdant spaces nominated for the Dwell Design Awards help enliven their biophilic homes.

Native Sonoran flora—such as salvaged soap tree yuccas, ocotillos, and saguaros—are planted at strategic locations. Low-water hybrid grasses and shrubs complement the larger plants, creating a very serene experience while keeping maintenance to a minimum.

It goes without saying that one of the greatest masters of color was famed Mexican architect Luis Barragán, who used pink to dazzling effect in several projects, including Cuadra San Cristóbal.

“We designed the landscape and house in tandem to ensure continuity between the exterior and interior,” diNiord says. An outdoor sling chair by Croft House sits in front of the outdoor shower under the covered patio in front of the primary bedroom.

A concrete walkway connects the living and dining rooms to the exterior, and concrete forms a built-in bench for lounging by the Solo Stove fire pit.

The pool was purposefully constructed close to the indoor living spaces in order to contribute to the interior ambiance. The material palette was informed by the color of the surrounding trees—clay brick for the walls, wood for the soffits, and stone for the flooring.

The fence surrounding the property consists of wire mesh that will become a visual screen as it is overtaken by ivy, and gabion walls that contrast with the sleek materiality of the architecture.

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