Houses We Love: Every day we feature a remarkable space submitted by our community of architects, designers, builders, and homeowners.

Project Details:

Location: Central Northwest, Houston, Texas

Architect: HR Design Dept

Landscape Design: XO Design Dept

From the Architect: “The Watonga residence was commissioned by a woman with a big heart for animal fostering. She wanted a house that felt private from the street but visually and physically connected to the backyard. The house needed to consider the typology and scale of the existing neighborhood, and it needed durable materials to accommodate little paws. Finally, it had to support an environmentally conscientious life. The house was intentionally placed on the short end of an irregularly shaped lot, allowing the living spaces to open up to a large native landscape and adjacent lot containing a significant tree grove. This siting allowed for a passive orientation where window walls face north and exposure to the south and west is minimal.

“The interior is light-filled, capturing expansive landscape views of an established oak grove to the North and bayou views to the East. A carefully choreographed entry vestibule and screen shield create interior privacy from the street. A two-story volume fills the center of the home with warm, southern light. A durable yet budget-friendly palette of tile, Texas stone, and concrete was used. The house is derived from a simple diagram with utilitarian functions placed in the stone box and living in a minimal gable roof that supports solar panel orientation and rainwater collection.

“At its core, this home is designed for family, foster dogs, well-curated music, and Aggie game days.”

Related Reading:

This ADU in Texas Looks Like a Miniature Midcentury

A Glass Addition Unveils Treetop Views for This Texan Home

Also Appears In

Tile, Texas Stone, and Concrete Rule in This Soaring Houston Home