“Butterfly of the Lake”
Texas Regional Style Retreat:
Waterside, summer retreats have long been the ultimate symbol of success and status for business magnates seeking a place to get away with their families.
California has “San Simeon,” (aka. the Hearst Castle), designed by Julia Morgan. Newport, Rhode Island has “The Breakers,” the magnificent “summer cottage,” as they were called, built by architect Richard Morris Hunt for Cornelius Vanderbilt II. Regardless of locale, the hiring of a prominent architect to design the house only adds further cachet to the retreat.
Although the views at Eagle Mountain Lake, fifteen miles northwest of Fort Worth, maybe not be quite as spectacular as those of the Pacific or Atlantic Oceans, one Fort Worth executive was not to be outdone. He and his wife teamed with RDDA, along with interior designer Joe Minton, and builder David Lewis, to create the vacation home of their dreams.
The result is an incomparable oasis for their family and friends.
The retreat is as magical as its name, “Mariposa del Lago,” meaning “Butterfly of the Lake,” in recognition of the monarch butterflies that migrate through the grounds each year.
The Texas Regional architecture melds vernacular building ideas, such as the metal seam roof, wooden beams, and cut stonework, with sleek lines, expansive windows, and smooth surfaces to create a transitional, contemporary home.
An indoor fountain in the entry hall immediately sets the tone for relaxation.
The rough stone and wooden beams conjure a rustic, yet sophisticated atmosphere in the two adjoining living areas.
The two-story, double-sided, stacked-stone fireplace is a dramatic focal point.
The temperature-controlled wine room is just one of the many amenities of the home.
Balconies and terraces provide numerous outdoor living areas on the three-story lake view side of the house.
The outdoor kitchen includes a grill, barbeque pit, smoker, and pizza oven.
The 1,500 square foot, Moroccan-inspired guest house contains a lower-level bunk room, so there’s always room for a crowd.
The two-story boat house provides lake access, as well as yet another dining and entertaining area, replete with a grill and hammock for watching the sunset.
Pretty nice “summer cottage”-eh?
Here’s a video of the property if you would like to like to learn more.
To see more images of projects designed by RDDA, please visit our website.
Regards,
Richard Drummond Davis Architects