The house of. interior design by woody argall photography by peter vitale written by david masello

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2 The house of A Colorado couple chose what appeared to be an unbuildable plot of land in Mexico to create a residence in which everyone in their family feels grounded and happy interior design by woody argall photography by peter vitale written by david masello

3 Most homeowners arrive at a potential building site with a tape measure in hand. Mark Wallace arrived at his carrying a machete. I literally had to cut my way into the land, he recalls, chopping, slicing, and getting through the thick overgrowth to see if the location was right. The steep, cliffside site he needed to assess for the second home he wanted to build for his wife and three grown children was one of the most picturesque to be found along the Pacific coast of Mexico s Nayarit state. But it wasn t readily visible until Mark made it through the bush into a clearing. I wasn t there, says his wife, Lisa Wallace, who remained at the couple s full-time home in Littleton, Colorado, but when I did go down to see the land Mark had purchased, I looked out at the big sky, the big ocean, the pelicans flying over it and, well, I fell completely in love with the spot. Now that the house is done, you can sit on the terrace and just take in the awesomeness of Mother Nature. It s truly a soulful experience to be there. During the three-year building process, Los Angeles based interior designer Woody Argall made numerous trips to the house, buying, conceiving of, and designing the furnishings and spaces so much so that the Wallaces christened one of the bedrooms in the house, Woody s Room. The architect for the fivebedroom house, situated on four graduated levels, was, as Mark Wallace says, A bunch of us drawing plans in the dirt. Indeed, the house simply evolved architecturally as it went along. So many talented, industrious local laborers from the town of Chacala and nearby villages were employed that Lisa Wallace nicknamed the house Casa de Mucho Manos, or House of Many Hands. The name is announced on a plaque at the front gate. Argall, who has known Lisa since they were children and had designed an earlier second home for them in Palm Springs, began his work by introducing strategically placed furnishings. On the expansive terrace, for instance, which features a circular fire pit, he designed a long, white sinuous banquette that virtually seduces sitters to sit and take in the views. In the living room, he grouped vibrantly hued club chairs, each of which can swivel to take in the ocean view. Everywhere you go in Chacala, says Lisa Wallace, there s bougainvillea in every imaginable color and form. Woody and I wanted those same colors to repeat inside. Acting as a foil to other shapes and hues in the room is the living room staircase, a virtual sculpture that sweeps upward. By leaving it absent of color and any artwork along the wall, says Argall, the staircase becomes minimalist art. In keeping with Lisa Wallace s penchant for wide stairs and low treads, all of the staircases, inside and out, are left railingless, the most dramatic example being in the living room. If anybody has a case of acrophobia, they can hug the walls, says Wallace with a laugh. The stairs are wide and generous. The heart of the house is a vaulted great rom, consisting of a kitchen, dining area, and living room that effortlessly meld beneath archways composed of local stones that Argall

4 Opening page: The upper pool terrace of a home in Chacala, Mexico, is furnished with teak lounge chairs from Summit; banquette pillows and cushions are covered in Kravet outdoor fabric. A Mexican single-drawer worktable in the foyer is backdropped by a wall composed of local stones.

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6 A sweeping plaster-clad staircase with Cantera stone risers becomes a bold architectural element. The custom sofa by interior designer Woody Argall features Designers Guild fabric. Club chairs, covered in Clarence House outdoor fabric, are grouped about a custom chiseled marble-base table.

7 Argall used vintage Katalox wood to design a dining table. Outdoor wicker chairs from Andreu World are used both indoors and out. The French-style display hutch is from Restoration Hardware.

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9 A painting by Mexican artist Gloria Chavez hangs on the wall of a guest room. The bed s custom headboard and pillows use Designers Guild fabric. Vintage wicker chairs come from Spain.

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12 Traditional Mexican-style blocks are used in a guest bathroom. Elements include Cantera stone countertops and custom tiles along the bathtub top. Sinks, tub, and fixtures are by Helvex.

13 French doors in the master bedroom lead to a staircase up to an artist s studio. The butterfly loom chair is from Janus et Cie and the custom ottoman uses Duralee fabric. The headboard is covered in Designers Guild fabric; the bedding is Duralee fabrics. helped choose. So as not to overwhelm with any one hue, Argall kept the palette calm here, interspersing it with just occasional pops of vibrancy and decorative elements. He covered the dining chairs in a subtle two-tone pattern. When sitting in the dining room, the table settings and flowers at different times of year are what provide color, says Argall. While some furnishings, such as the Katalox-wood dining table were custom designed by Argall or purchased from dealers in Puerto Vallarta, Guadalajara, and elsewhere, many of the case goods, such as the china cabinet, were shipped from the from Restoration Hardware in the States. Since every bedroom has a full-on view of the ocean and easy access to the outdoors, Argall kept the décor deliberately spare. Beds are dressed in white but accented with multihued pillows and tapestries. One of the most conspicuous design details, however, is found in the iron curtain rails, bedposts, and outside gates. Argall discovered a talented ironworker in the nearby city of Guadalajara, a true artisan able to fashion hardware that followed the subtle curves of rooms and that weren t, as Argall insisted, those typical curlicue iron pieces you see everywhere. Eventually, the ironworker established a forge on the premises while the house was under construction since so many items were needed. Second homes are supposed to be occasional respites. The Wallaces, however, spend at least one week a month here, hopping a flight from Denver to Puerto Vallarta. Every time I walk into the home, says Lisa, I just start grinning. The hard part is when we have to leave to go back to our business. n

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