Casa de la Senda, Tesuque, New Mexico
Situated in the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo mountains, with the views to the north, west and south for 60 miles in each direction, and nearer views of the mountains to the east, this residence encompasses a full spectrum of traditional and contemporary pueblo revival architecture.
Casa de la Senda is so named because it is sited on an old horse trail. The driveway traces its path from the road at the bottom to the entrance court at the top, where the trail continues past the compound. Twenty-four inch thick adobe walls, flagstone floors, many ceiling treatments including vigas and latillas, beams with handmade weavings between; custom wrought iron hardware, gates, and light fixtures; carved doors and cabinets, mud plastered walls, all create a finely crafted infusion of color and texture.
One of the field trips we went on with our client was to collect the many colors of clay for the mud plaster. We collected extra for later touch-ups over the years.
Building our dream home –
After a number of visits, my husband and I had fallen in love with Santa Fe. We purchased two large beautiful lots in Tesuque, with incredible views, intending to build a few years down the road – but we were too excited to wait!
When we met Lila and Adrian DeWindt, we knew we had found the architecture firm who could carry out our vision of a dream home. As our plans unfolded, the DeWindts designed what became a compound. During the process, I traveled to Santa Fe almost monthly, spending a week with the architects to discuss the emerging plans. They took me on many field trips in an effort to acquaint me with the style and materials used in the Southwest, with which I was barely familiar. It was a high and exciting time, as we developed new insights, and preferences, which were immediately merged into the designs.
The construction period ran a year and a half. During that period, I continued to travel to Santa Fe regularly, meeting with the DeWindts, and then working with an interior designer and landscape architect as decisions in other areas were required.
When I entered the house for the first time, it was a walk into our well-known dream. I was thoroughly familiar with every piece of the architecture, so there were no surprises – only the exquisite reality in place of paper and ideas.
Truly one of the most memorable experiences of our lives, Lila and Adrian guided us in an extraordinarily thoughtful way, ensuring that we were comfortable with each step in the process, and paving the way to an enduring relationship. – H.B.
For more information about this property, contact Lila.