An angular wood-paneled office with built-in work surfaces and dramatic red lighting is just one standout element of this luxury lake house on Lake Austin by Bercy Chen Studio. The dark and insular qualities of the office make it feel like a womb-like space for daydreaming and concentration, in stark contrast to the bright openness of the rest of the home.

Like much of the home, the office is lined in Massaranduba Brazilian hardwood. Its most intriguing feature is a niche that seems to extend out into the yard; it holds a mattress and is topped by a skylight with a sliding cover.

Situated on a peninsula within the lake, this tranquil and luxurious contemporary home boasts a wrap-around reflecting pool and adjacent swimming pool that come right up to the glass walls of the living space, making it seem as if you could step right out into the water. In fact, you can – stepping stones lead from a clear acrylic exterior door to the lawn.

With the wall of glass on the bottom level, a terrace on the second floor, and an angled solarium with a louvered screen that lets in daylight, water and sky are undoubtedly the focus of the home.

“The Peninsula Residence on Lake Austin has a north-south orientation opening up the house to a beautiful lakeside setting—a reveal similar to that of unrolling a three dimensional Chinese scroll. To mitigate the western exposure, an extensive shading strategy was employed, blocking 85% of heat gain without hindering views.”

“Through the use of glass, steel, detailing, and light the home has been adaptively reinvented. Reflection, translucency, color, and geometry conspire to bring natural light deep into the house.”

“A new solarium, green roof, and pool are tuned to interact with the natural context. Exterior materials and refined detailing of the roof structure give the volume clean lines and a bold presence, while abstracting the form of the original dormers and gable roof. Further connecting the home to its site, the roof begins to dissolve where a glass-clad chimney and slatted wood screen stand in relief against the sky.”