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 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.