This Stunning Austin Home Pulls The Waterfront Indoors

While interior designer Christina Cruz was originally brought on to furnish a casita on a lakefront property in Austin, the owners soon recognized her vision and tasked her with overhauling the entire 10,000-square-foot main house, imbuing it with depth and presence. “Our goal was to elevate the grandeur of the space while softening the overly opulent elements that previously existed,” Cruz reflects.

Focusing on the sweeping lake views, the designer drew the outdoors in, emphasizing colors and materials that connect the home to its surroundings. On her first site visit, Cruz stepped outside and let the autumn landscape speak. “I just stood by the lake and took in all the colors around it,” she recalls. Inspired by the fall tones, she translated the changing leaves and reflective water into a palette that is carried into the great room’s olive-colored sofa and rust-hued ottomans, the amber shade of the dining room chairs and the warm oak flooring throughout. Plaster walls echo the light that floods in off the rippling lake, while stone surfaces ground the interiors with a tactile calm. “Every inspiration in our design has some element rooted in nature,” she says.

Also guiding the project was the homeowners’ extensive collection of art and artifacts, many of which have been passed down for generations. The challenge was to showcase these gallery-worthy pieces while keeping the space approachable and intimate. “We wanted it to feel like a walking museum, still comfortable, but with inspiration, beauty and awe around every turn,” she explains. Her response: Layering tactile fabrics with a mix of mostly new pieces and a healthy dose of vintage elements, which evoke a sense of age while making the residence feel of today.

Similarly, the designer carefully treaded the line between elegant and family-friendly, introducing durable, natural materials selected for how gracefully they will wear over time. “The couple wanted their home to feel beautiful but also warm and inviting—nothing was to feel too precious,” she remembers. The kitchen, which underwent the biggest transformation, employs a mix of quartzite, zellige tiles and burnished brass. Cruz worked closely with architect Denisse Valle Hudock and general contractor Richard McDonell to implement a dramatic vaulted ceiling that softens the soaring proportions of the room. Inspired by the clients’ travels through Europe, the form recalls cathedrals and churches while lending a welcoming atmosphere. “It still has this ‘wow’ moment when you look up,” the designer notes, “but it brings the scale down, so it feels cozier.”

That balance extends to the estate’s more whimsical moments, such as a handcrafted reading nook inspired by the family’s love of The Lord of the Rings. Conceived as a subtle surprise hidden behind a bookshelf in the children’s wing, the tree-trunk-like structure was carved and layered with artisan care. “It’s a functional work of art, where storytelling, design and imagination meet,” Cruz observes.

Nowhere is this indoor-outdoor connection more striking than in the serene primary suite, where a leafy antique tapestry hangs over a bed oriented for picturesque views of the water. In the adjacent bath, a circular wet room surrounding the tub showcases Breccia marble that wraps the room’s curve, its veining aligning with the lake outside. “It feels as though the stone was pulled straight from the water,” the designer says. “The use of natural materials brings a grounded, organic feel to each space.” To complement the abundance of stone and plaster and ensure the space feels warm, she specified clay tile with an antique finish for the flooring. These sophisticated and thoughtful layers embody the ethos of the home: “Everything is meant to feel a bit old and worn, classic and timeless,” Cruz describes, “while still feeling modern and fresh.”