The AIA’s 2022 Tour of Homes Newmore Avenue house bears little resemblance to the home it was a few years ago. The exterior features sharp lines created by a shed-style roof, which stands out from the homes around it.
Inside, however, designer Jesse Rodriguez worked with mentor David Cadwallader to create Cadwallader’s bright and open home.
Rodriguez met Cadwallader while working with Dallas designer Russell Buchanan almost 20 years ago. They worked on a few projects together, and eventually Rodriguez began officing out of one of Cadwallader’s studio spaces.
“I had worked with Swiss architects, friends that were in Basel, Switzerland,” Cadwallader says. “They did some really interesting concept things, but then I realized it was just not practical enough. If I wanted to build something, I wanted somebody to cut it out for me.”
Though he was aiming for an “edgy and European” vibe, he wanted one side of the home to be open to a courtyard, so Texas weather patterns had to be taken into consideration. That’s when Cadwallader brought in Rodriguez.
“We were tossing roof ideas around and, to me, working with geometry is not something I’m a stranger to because when I went to school, it was all based on design form,” Rodriguez says. “So there’s shed roofs that give that local, contextual meaning, but then it was just the way we composed them. We housed them in each major part of the house.”
The house is broken up into three wings separated in sections by the roof: the living and kitchen area, the master suite and the guest wing/studio.
“They’re all oriented to capture light throughout the time of day,” Rodriguez says.
The master bathroom is positioned for light in the morning, while the kitchen skylight is positioned for light in the evening. Intentional windows surround the space, filling each room with light that suits its purpose.
Though the home is minimalistic, the art serves as a focal point, highlighting the intentionality of each curated piece.
For Rodriguez, designing the space with Cadwallader felt natural.
“I enjoyed it because I’ve always wanted to design stuff for my family,” Rodriguez says. “Considering he’s a really close friend, I always felt like we were working on something personal. David’s been a prolific interior designer and art collector, and that has just made it a lot more fun.”
