Pool

A lower lounge deck, private grassy yard, and guest house complete with flex space for studio, gallery, gym, or home office is accessible via a bridge that crosses the pool.

A border hedge provides privacy for the backyard, where distant views of the San Jacinto mountains can be appreciated.

A linear pool was inserted between the family and bedroom wings.

Large walls of glass gives the home a light box effect at night.

The couple had spent a lot of time in Palm Springs, as well as at Austin's Hotel San Jose, and they knew they wanted a pool to provide relief from the Texas heat. Ryan Lemmo sketched out the pool location so the couple could enjoy the live oaks and landscaping during their daily summer swims.

The home's orientation is planned around its surroundings. Nestled gently into the hillside, outdoor and indoor spaces spill over providing plenty of space for gathering with friends and family while enjoying the tropical setting.

The rear patio was refreshed with new concrete pavers. A strip of grass accents the perimeter of the pool and hot tub. The boulders by the hedge are all that remain of a previous owner’s rock grotto, which Steve disassembled.

Porter worked with landscape design firm Wagner Hodgson to meld the pool house interior with the exterior.

"Since we're completely off grid we operate off of hauled water, so we have three 1,800 gallon tanks that get filled up every other week. But for those same reasons, people off the grid don't really have pools because they're hard to maintain, but we did it anyway."

The ability to open the living and dining area to the pool and terrace makes the home ideal for entertaining.

The living area has a PK22 chair by Poul Kjaerholm and a Float sofa and Zoe rug from Paola Lenti’s outdoor collection. Pietre Del Nord porcelain stoneware from Emser Tile runs from the patio through the house.