Some homes are built on the land, while others seem almost to arise from it. The distinctive residence at the heart of an impressive 104-acre compound in Santa Fe’s Sangre de Cristo foothills incorporates hues, lines, and materials that mimic the natural surroundings. Designed by Adrian DeWindt, it was created to display art and to live and entertain in a colorful unparalleled setting that reflects the power of the enveloping terrain.
Santa Fe, New Mexico | Darlene Streit, Sotheby’s International Realty – Santa Fe – 326 Grant Avenue Brokerage
At the end of a secure gated drive, a wide stepped path of earthy-red hand-colored concrete leads through a towering 20-foot-tall rectangular arch and up the hill, past a tranquil fountain that cascades into a pond lined with traditional ceramic tiles. Perched at the hill’s crest, the iconoclastic home begins with a 1,250-pound 12-foot trapezoidal door designed by artist Larry Hall, composed of steel and copper, and is set in a wall of stone harvested from the property. Chief among the distinctive spaces beyond is a sitting area with a wet bar and an adjoining living room boasting a 22-foot wall of glass that reveals a sweeping view. An inlaid bolt of copper “lightning” appears to strike and ignite flames in the fireplace. The eye-catching ceilings display few predictable lines or right angles, instead recalling the natural edges of crystals.
The master suite includes a built-in headboard custom-designed to follow the silhouette of the mountaintops outside the window, a spa-inspired bath, a fitness room, and two walk-in closets. On the walls of a guest bedroom, unique murals depict classic iconography of the Southwest, and a steamshower and sauna are included en suite. A small library is hidden in a nook off one passageway, and a secluded media room features built-in components. Grand entertaining is effortless in the kitchen and dining area, a new addition to the home that—with its generous dimensions, soaring ceiling, top-caliber appliances, room-sized pantry, and outsize semicircular island—constitutes a virtual kitchen theater, where guests can watch and participate in the creation of magnificent feasts. Off the formal dining area is a balcony where views encompass the lights of Santa Fe and Los Alamos and the sunsets for which this area is well known.
Strewn with piñon, pine, and juniper, the 104 extremely private acres allow for extended solo wilderness hikes and near-total seclusion. A delightful guest casita is steps from the main residence, linked by a formal breezeway. From every east-facing outdoor vantage point, views are interrupted only by the roofline of the estate’s guesthouse, a four-bedroom getaway sited on its own parcel and secured by its own gated entrance. More traditionally Southwestern in style and offering a spacious deck enveloped by pine forest, it is a warm, welcoming getaway particularly ideal for long-term visitors.
On the whole, this estate pays homage to its regal setting. Accessible from multiple rooms is an expansive collection of easterly patio spaces featuring a fire pit and a hot tub and culminating at a covered entertaining pavilion with an alfresco kitchen that includes a Wolf grill and a wine chiller. From a west-facing rooftop deck, views are seemingly endless, stretching from the foothills, across the full sweep of the Jemez Mountains to the ski peaks, and to Colorado in the distance.
